WaterboyGood italian styleWell done in presentation and service. Menu and service was excellent and in line with pricing. They will pretty do anything you ask within their power. If you like to sample many items, this is also a good place, they offer decent portions, but not so much that you will fill up, I suppose if you asked, they would take care of you there also. Good wine listing. Nice choice of spicing and mixtures to various dishes.5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMVery Enjoyable DinnerWe made last minute reservation. Everything was delicious; Oysters, Beet Salad, Rock Fish Special and Sonoma Liberty Duck, save room for dessert (Apple Crostada & Lemon Cream Cake)5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMWe've had this restuarantWe've had this restuarant on our list to try for the last year, and we finally made it! Wish we wouldn't have waited so long to make the visit, but everything about it was really great! Our server and staff were all very friendly. The oysters were a great start as an appetizer, along with the tapinade crostinis were delicious! The watercress and mushroom was salad was light yet had so much wonderful flavor. For our our entrees, the veggie raviolis were wonderful, and the scallops were very good!5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMBirthday celebration at WaterboyRecently celebrated a birthday at Waterboy. The food was very good and only slightly exceeded by the outstanding service! The wine list seemed extensive and well rounded, with good price points. Perhaps a few more local wines would be nice.
I could make a meal on the Mussels appetizer....hummm.. I bet they would prepare it as an entree if you asked. Maybe next time.
The Ahi Tuna was very fresh and perfectly cooked. Desserts? Our party of four agreed the Carrot Cake was the BEST! Kudos to the Pastry Chef! Overall, a casual fine dining experience in a warm, friendly setting.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMAt Waterboy, everything isAt Waterboy, everything is absolutely first class--the food, the service, and the overall experience. At a recent dinner we observed the manager of one prominent Sacramento restaurant and the owner of another dining at separate tables with friends. We've often seen Daryl Corti there pairing wines with Waterboy's food. The food is consistently excellent and prepared and with care and professional attention to detail. The service is superb--friendly, proud, and professional with no trace of the haughtiness that infects some local fine dining spots. We've eaten at most of Sacramento's best restaurants on multiple occasions, but none can match Waterboy for an overall outstanding dining experience.4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, noisy roomThe food was great, but it was very noisy. The ceilings are high and the chatter echoes off the walls so that it is difficult to talk to people at your table. Definitely not the right place for a romantic dinner. There are huge windows which allow nice views of the area and lots of light. The food was excellent, however, and service was good. I would come back here again.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMAs always, one of the bestAs always, one of the best dining experiences in Sacramento!4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMReliable and outstanding.Reliable and outstanding. This was a lunch visit. Nice menu.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways a favorite--wheneverAlways a favorite--whenever I need a 'go to' spot in downtown Sac, I head to Waterboy. The food is always wonderful--fresh, beautifully-prepared, tasty. The menu does change but the standards, which for me are the crostini trio, antipasto or cheese plates and the day boat scallops, are always waiting for me. The burger is yummy too. The service has consistently added to the experience which is why I keep returning. Save room for desert--they serve some of the best in Sac (I dream about the lemon cream cake). The owner (who often greets you at the door) is just lovely and clearly committed to providing a quality experience for his patrons. I can't recommend this place enough--it's in the top 10 in Sacramento.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMIt was a great night at Waterboy.It was a great night at Waterboy. Everything was great. The oysters were great. What a great way to start out a great dinner. If you have not been to Waterboy, do yourself a favor and go4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMExpensive and worth the priceThe stars say it all. Lunch at Waterboy is relatively expensive, but is a fine value if one can come up with the cash.4/10/2013 12:00:00 AMBirthday dinnner hit!We had a lovely family birthday dinner and the food was top notch. Everyone loved their salad and entree and would definitely go back. The beet salad was so tasty and the scallops were done perfectly with a lovely accompaniment of gnocchi and veggies. I really like that there wasn't a flavor that over competed with the scallops. The same with the salads. I love a chef who lets the food speak for itself and doesn't try to add so many competing flavors that your mouth gets overwhelmed. Lovely job and a lovely evening for a birthday!4/9/2013 12:00:00 AMI absolutely love this place! EverI absolutely love this place!
Every single time I've been here the service is outstanding and the food is just divine!
My favorite restaurant in Sacramento, hands down!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMAn enviable mealAs always this restaurant is excellent and very accommodating. I am gluten intolerant and they made certain I was well taken care of and my dishes were fine. None of my companions have the same issues and they were sated, as well. We had oysters and a cheese plate to start - oysters were fresh and tangy with a touch of heat and the cheeses were diverse and fit for all palates. For a second course, I had sweetbreads with greens and they were superb; crispy on the outside and soft and velvety inside. Steak specials for the men as main courses and fish for the ladies. Both were excellent. Steak was done just right with au gratin potatoes and asparagus. Fish special was crisp and light. Rick Mahon runs a great place. Eat Here4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMBest restaurant in Sacramento.Best restaurant in Sacramento. Consistently excellent.4/2/2013 12:00:00 AMSacramento FavoriteI can tell why this is a Sacramento favorite! Amazing atmosphere, food and service. I haven't been to the Waterboy in a while but it all that I remember. We enjoyed ourselves immensely, thank you.4/1/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent service, attentiveExcellent service, attentive and helpful but not intrusive. Delicious food--7 people chose 5 different entrees, and everyone was happy, except the short ribs were a little too salty. Duck, quail, squid ink pasta with seafood and mixed grill were great. Loved the pork and beans, sweetbreads, beet salad, caesar, and arugula salad. Desserts were wonderful, too. Tried four of them--carrot cake, creme brulee, lemon cream cake, and apple tart. Loved them all, especially the apple.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMEverything was wonderful fromEverything was wonderful from start to finish. Caesar salad is the best in Sacramento, my entree of Scallops was devine and the lemon mascapone dessert was outstanding!3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMYum... Sweetbreads.The restaurant itself is kinda blah... But the food and the service were excellent. I'd be back for the sweetbreads alone.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMWaterboy is Sacramento's finestWaterboy is Sacramento's finest restaurant. Our Easter dinner was fabulous,. Each dish was creative and flawlessly executed (try the antipasto platter--it's to die for). And the service was impeccable, as it always is. We have been going to Waterboy for years. It is first class top to bottom and never disappoints.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious main course of squidDelicious main course of squid ink pasta and duck 3 ways, but over-the-top blue cheese bacon and balsamic salad!!3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMA Real PleasureWaterboy was such a pleasure. The food was fabulous! The service was very good as well ~ our waitress was a gem! I only gave Waterboy a 4 our of 5 for overall experience because of the seating arrangements. You have to special request one of the tables by the window or one of the tables with more spacious room in the middle of the restaurant. Otherwise you are seated in a very crowed way, sort of bench like seating with tables very close together and really no privacy to talk with your date. This situation really doesn't take away from the fabulous experience of Waterboy, but my husband and I will definitely being making a special request for seating next time we enjoy this restaurant.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent all around diningExcellent all around dining experience! The food is exceptional, and fairly prices. Will return as the menu changes frequently. Always surprised by something unusal and delicious.!3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMEveryone knows the Waterboy'sEveryone knows the Waterboy's reputation for great food and the fine dining experience. I have never before been disappointed but this time, the food simply was not up to par; at least what I ordered. Very salty and uninteresting. I was surprised. Others in our party didn't complain about their meals but they didn't rave either. Maybe an off night?3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMThe service and food wereThe service and food were impeccable. There were four of us in our dining party and each of us would order again the meal we ate that night. Food presentation was very beautiful. The service was among the best we have had at any restaurant. OUr every need was attended to without the staff hovering. Highly recommend The Waterboy. We will be returning.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful experience! FoodWonderful experience! Food was terrific, delivered by a server who really knows her stuff. Always a pleasure to see what interesting dishes chef Rick Mahan can concoct out of the freshest, most seasonal ingredients he can get his hands on. Can't wait to go back!3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMMixed grill was outstanding;Mixed grill was outstanding; would definitely recommend. Jenny was an outstanding waiter; would like to sit in her section again. Lemon cake was a little too lemony for me but vey good.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMRib eye steak, potatoes auRib eye steak, potatoes au gratin, and asparagus dinner was excellent; corner table by windows was perfect for conversation.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMA consistently excellent andA consistently excellent and well rounded dining and restaurant experience. Creative menu. Fair prices. Portions not large but tu don't leave hungry3/11/2013 12:00:00 AMBumpy Start with a Great FinishWe decided it was time for a date night and chose Waterboy. The building was open and the acoustics were bad, so it was quite noisy. We were seated against the interior wall, a long cushioned bench served as one seating for several small narrow tables with a chair facing each table for the second person. The noise and proximity of other diners made a private or intimate conservation impossible. Fortunately a couple left a table for two on the opposite side of the dining floor, and our server cheerfully moved us. Our experience brightened immediately. The wine was adequate, the food was very good, service exceptional and our night an overall success. Just stay away from that wall seating if you want privacy for a special night.3/9/2013 12:00:00 AMConsistently the most completeConsistently the most complete and excellent dining experience in Sacramento. Btw onion soup is sublime.1/18/2013 12:00:00 AMBest Restaurant in SacramentoThe food is wonderful. We usually stick with appetizers and salads, as they are so tasty and satisfying. My partner and I highly recommend the cheese plate and the Waterboy Caesar Salad with extra anchovies on top. When available, the deviled eggs are unique and indescribably delicious. The wait staff and bartenders set the standard for excellent service and pleasant interaction.
Whenever the weather permits, we sit outside at the sidewalk tables on Capitol, which tends to be both peaceful and intermittently entertaining. I admit it's my favorite restaurant overall.8/24/2012 12:00:00 AM