Part of the Gay Sacramento Guide — bars, events & things to do.
Sacramento, California
Sacramento's oldest gay bar (1976), in a Victorian with a big patio.
Open since the 1970s in a converted Victorian on L Street, The Mercantile Saloon, the Merc to everyone who drinks there, is Sacramento's oldest gay bar, anchoring the Lavender Heights district alongside Faces and The Depot. Its history runs deeper than its age: through the 1980s, under manager Ernie Brown, the Merc became a vital gathering place for Sacramento's gay Black community at a time when many other bars weren't as welcoming. These days it's a proudly multigenerational dive, with strong well drinks, a covered patio, and a pool table and jukebox inside, and a crowd as diverse as any bar in the city. Programming stays low-key: karaoke and easy Sunday patio afternoons rather than a packed event calendar. It's cash-only with an on-site ATM, and it resists the glitz of the newer Midtown clubs on purpose. Come for the regulars and the history, not the spectacle.
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