Bonn Lair,

3651 J St, Sacramento, CA 95816, United States

"Really great vibe inside, plus a lot of nice beers. There's always a nice group of locals, so it's not a quiet awkward pub to drink in alone."

"How long had it been? Three, four years? Definitely pre plague for certain. I'd picked up J. from work and was fancying a drink and a snack at least. The grid was thronged even for a Tuesday, so she suggested Bonn Lair, and Lairward we headed. We parked in the teeny lot behind the building and greeted some regulars sitting on the patio/smoking area while we walked through the back door, through the back room and into the bar proper. Mike is still keeping the flying circus that is this neighborhood bar floating after all of these years, and he pulled a pint of dragonfruit cider for J., while I had a very crisp IPA, which was a pleasant surprise because the Lair was Quite British when it came to beer selections- West Coast IPA's were rare. It's still a place where you can get an ESB or a Brown ale easily, or if you're new to British brew, get a quick primer. J. asked if we could still get Scotch eggs, and that was a solid yes. We grabbed a menu, and decided to add a giant pretzel, Fish&Chips and a Shepherd's pie. The condiments arrived with utensils and the apps a few minutes later. HP sauce is a must for Scotch eggs, and the basket features that, ketchup, mustard, and malt vinegar, which goes on fries as well as the fish. The mains were delivered after we'd killed the apps and both were right-sized and tasty. I was hungry and chatting with The Lovely J, so I wasn't paying much attention to the finer points of fish and chips or shep's pie other than the kitchen does Yeoman's work with these pub fixtures, we demolished both meals. We're definitely heading back much sooner so our faces become familiar again."

"Amazing selections for beer and great traditional pub food. Service is perfect. Also they offer wine to go!"

"Great British dive pub. The staff is very friendly and they have lots of beer and a few glasses of wine from which to choose. It's no frills and very old school. So old school that I don't think it's been changed much in terms of decor for many decades. The only reason why I don't give it a five-star is because it's grimy. Even though dive bars are supposed to be grimy this place has more of a feel of a British pub and there's no reason it can't be clean like Devere's or Streets of London. But still I would go back because it's fun and the staff is fantastic."

"Great beer selection, both on tap and in bottles. Food was really delicious, and the decor had a classic (and authentic) pub feel. This is not a hipster bar, it's a charming, old, charming bar, and that's what makes it so awesome. Servers were nice, food came out quickly, prices were awesome. I would recommend the Cornish pasty and the cottage pie, both were really yummy. Lots of regulars here, so you know it's good. If you're looking for a hipster bar, go somewhere else; if you're looking for a warm, friendly neighborhood bar, you can't beat this place."