"A Midtown institution since 1983 with a fireplace patio and wood-oven mussels. Book the courtyard for a relaxed first date."
About Paragary's Bar & Oven
Randy Paragary opened Paragary's Bar & Oven on 28th Street in 1983, and four decades later it is still the table Midtown Sacramento takes its dates and its parents to. The draw is a courtyard patio with waterfalls, a fireplace, and sixty-year-old olive trees, the kind of room that survives changing fashions because it was never chasing them. The cooking is Mediterranean-American off a wood-fired oven, priced for a real night out rather than a special-occasion stretch.
The Kitchen
Executive chef Kurt Spataro has shaped the menu for most of the restaurant's run, putting California produce through French and Italian technique. The wood-oven roasted mussels with pilsner, garlic, and Fresno chiles are the plate to start with, and the hand-cut rosemary pappardelle with Mary's chicken, leeks, and pancetta is the one regulars order without looking. Dinner runs roughly $45 to $75 per person before wine. A 2015 remodel modernized the interior without touching the patio, and the restaurant has anchored 1401 28th Street since 1983, which in Sacramento dining counts as a landmark. It belongs on any short list of the best Italian restaurants worldwide for wood-oven cooking, and it shows up in our breakdown of the seven signs of a great restaurant.
The Room
The patio is the reason to come: waterfalls soften the street noise, the fireplace runs on cool Sacramento evenings, and the olive trees throw shade over generously spaced tables. Indoors is lighter and airier since the remodel, with a long bar and a conversation-easy hum. Dress is smart-casual, the crowd skews local and loyal, and the staff treat regulars and first-timers the same.
Best for a First Date
Book the courtyard for a first date because the patio does the work: the waterfalls give you privacy, the fireplace gives the evening a center, and the wood-oven menu is easy to share without overthinking it. Request an outdoor table when you reserve and aim for an early seating so you can keep talking after the plates clear. For more of the city, see the Sacramento dining guide.
Not for
Not for anyone after cutting-edge tasting menus or a quiet, minimalist room. This is a busy, warm forty-year-old bistro, and the patio is lively, not hushed.
Frequently Asked
Is Paragary's Bar & Oven worth it?
Yes, especially for the patio. Open since 1983, it is a Midtown Sacramento institution where chef Kurt Spataro's wood-oven Mediterranean-American cooking is consistent rather than flashy. You come for the courtyard with its waterfalls, fireplace, and old olive trees as much as the food. At $45 to $75 per person, it is a fair-value night out, not a special-occasion splurge.
How hard is it to book Paragary's?
Not very, except for the patio on weekends. Reservations go through OpenTable, and indoor tables are usually available within a day or two. The fireplace courtyard is the seat everyone wants, so request it specifically and reserve a few days ahead for a Friday or Saturday evening. Midweek you can often walk in and still land an outdoor table on a quiet night.
What should I order at Paragary's?
Start with the wood-oven roasted mussels in pilsner, garlic, and Fresno chiles, then the hand-cut rosemary pappardelle with Mary's chicken, leeks, and pancetta, which is the longtime regular's order. The menu follows the Sacramento growing season, so the wood-fired vegetables and oven dishes change through the year. Pair it with something from the California-leaning wine list and you have the full Midtown evening.
Is Paragary's good for a first date?
Yes, the courtyard makes it one of Midtown's best date patios. The waterfalls give a table privacy, the fireplace warms cool evenings, and the shareable wood-oven menu keeps the conversation easy without any tasting-menu pressure. Request an outdoor seat when you book and choose an early reservation so you can linger after the plates clear without the room turning over around you.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Paragary's Bar & Oven
Book on OpenTable. The fireplace patio is the seat to request; weekend evenings fill, so reserve a few days ahead for outdoor tables.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
Address1401 28th St, Midtown
NeighbourhoodMidtown
CuisineMediterranean-American
Price$45–75 per person, dinner
Dress CodeSmart-casual
SeatingDining room plus a 60-year-old olive-tree patio
ReservationOpenTable
