Aioli Bodega Espanola, Sacramento

Living in San Diego, and having many years in the dinning put world. Aioli in Sacramento was without a doubt the best autentic spanish food me and my wife ever had in our lives. I had the chance to meet the owner Reda. What a caracter, gentleman, a true Restauranteaur that loves what he does. I will recomend anybody while visiting Sacramento to stop by to see Reda, in beautifull midtown area. (kind like our Gaslamp over here) Now , for the ones that lives in sacramento, you are lucky in having a world class cusine in your town. It 's worth evry penny!!! Enjoy!! VIVA LA PAELLA!!!! Thank you guys, I will be back!!! Sincerely, Ceasare Gabriells /Carlsbad CA

Ate here last night and really had a good time! Thank you! Lina

The other day, I met a business client at Aioli’s for lunch and had their steak sandwich with a glass of exceptional red wine, which had cherry undertones. My client and I had lunch on the back patio, which was very enjoyable under the coliseum of trees. The deal was sealed. In general, Aioli’s is a great place to conduct business, as it is frequented by business folk and California law makers alike. It seems every time I come in here, someone is making a deal at the table beside me. Reda Bellarbi, the owner, is at the heart of all of this action, connecting the people of Sacramento with one another. He has on several occasions connected me to CEOs, other leading business figures, and business networks in Sacramento, and is also well known for his philanthropic network around town. His restaurants and wine bars support a large number faith and community charities, which have likely resulted in his extensive professional network. Yes, I recommend this place for food, service, and décor, but the networking potential of this place can not be overlooked.

I treated myself to dinner the other night and decided that downtown Sacramento was the place to be. Naturally, I came to Aioli Bodega Espanola Restaurant, a.k.a., Aioli’s, as I have come to know the owner, Reda, and many of the long-time servers by their first names, and they have always made me feel like I’m part of a big Mediterranean family. Living thousands of miles away from home, and away from your oldest and best friends, people who treat you like family tend to readily grow on you, and so I come back on a regular basis. This is a family of chefs, sommeliers, philosophers, and kings. Much of this big family comes from Algeria, France, Morocco, Spain, and Mexico, bringing forth a great number of otherwise hard to find fresh and delicious recipes. On this particular visit, I thought I’d try the lamb shank, which prompted me to write this review, as I have only had such a well prepared lamb one other time. The other time was at the base of Franz Joseph Glacier in New Zealand, commonly known as the home of the best lamb in the world. In both cases, the lamb was cooked to perfection, falling off the bone, as if it was cooked in a stew marinade for hours, despite being prepared in less than 20 minutes during peak hour. It was accompanied by tender vegetables and complimentary bread and hummus, and of course several Heineken beers. Some other perks include live classical guitar music towards the weekend, a discrete outdoor garden patio, changing and permanent art, including a hand-pounded copper bar, artistic copper lighting, murals, large impressionist paintings, and photography. And just when you think it couldn’t get any better, there is also Aioli’s at The Grand Wine Bar, two blocks towards the Capitol rose gardens, and Aioli’s in Davis.

I've been to Aioli’s several times now and each time has been great. First time was on a Tuesday and I ate at the bar. I asked about the music and the waiter mentioned there is music on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Last night (Saturday) I went at 9:30 and ate inside at a table with some friends. They had an awesome classical guitarist playing Flamenco guitar and latin beats. The food was great and the music was awesome. I definitely recommend checking it out. It also looks like a family run place. All of the people there were happy… always good to see. Good change from the "Dine here because we're the newest fancy place downtown", but leaving the place with only bragging rights of having been there.

I've been to Aioli’s several times now and each time has been great. First time was on a Tuesday and I ate at the bar. I asked about the music and the waiter mentioned there is music on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Last night (Saturday) I went at 9:30 and ate inside at a table with some friends. They had an awesome classical guitarist playing Flamenco guitar and latin beats. The food was great and the music was awesome. I definitely recommend checking it out. It also looks like a family run place. All of the people there were happy…always good to see. Good change from the "Dine here because we're the newest fancy place downtown", but leaving the place with only bragging rights of having been there.

My husband and I recently went to Aioli Bodega Espanola on the advice of a friend who is always raving about it. The location is right in the mix of the downtown action and has a really genuine Euro kind of feel. It did not feel like a fake attempt at creating atmosphere like one might find in a Tex-Mex place with sombreros and piñatas hanging from the walls. It felt legit and they even had a Spanish guitarist playing music in the background! However, we did not go here to listen to the music. We came here to eat and… and boy did we eat well! We started with an order of portobello mushrooms sauteed with sherry and garlic and scallops pan sauteéd in a garlic beluga lentil anchovie sauce in a garlic. These dishes were so awesome and very well presented. For the entree, we had rabbit marinated and cooked in rioja wine with celery roots, mushrooms and olives as well as seared duck breast, medium rare, in a glaze of old red wine vinegar with a hint of cinnamon, vanilla and cayenne pepper, equally scrumptious!! After enjoying a hard to find bottle of Spanish wine, we split an order of sponge cake layered with fresh fruit & pastry cream, imbibed with malaga wine. The coffee was very tasty and not watered down. Throughout the entire meal, the service was professional and attentive, even though the place seemed very busy.

First of all, let me say that Aioli has the best service. Their servers were friendly and attentive. Also, I was promptly seated. The wine list was extraordinary. I sat at the bar, which was well kept, lively and clean. I ate the award winning paella. It was excellent. I indulged in a chocolate soup for desert. This is one of the most incredible restaurant experiences that I have had in Sacramento (It was like dining in Spain!) I frequent 4 and 5 star restaurants, and I am so impressed with this place in comparison to the other places I've had dinner. I am recommending it to all of my friends and family. You must go.

This restaurant so charmed me on a first visit with some ladies who lunch this spring, that I returned 4 more times over the next few weeks with my husband who agrees it is a great place for tapas. I'm not a big fan of paella, and previously hadn't found a tapas restaurant in Sacramento that I would return to, but this paella is great. I had grilled prime rib eye steak in a glazed sauce with anchovies and it was OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD!!!! I did, in fact, swoon an evening I ordered the grilled baby lamb chops. And then there was the lunch when I ordered the grilled double breast of chicken with red pepper flakes in a wild mushroom & sweet sherry sauce and garbonzo puree, which was quickly grilled and served quite right, still juicy!! With the large servings, you will not go hungry. Lunch at Aioli’s for my husband and I precludes dinner that day. We haven’t yet found a dish that we weren’t fond of. Being anglophiles and lamb hounds we also liked the grilled lamb sausage with coca bread. I haven't tried the braised lamb shank in tomato and onions served with flageolet beans. I will try again today and persist until I reach that goal. Meantime, Viva Spain!! Viva Aioli’s!

Better than your typical tapas...this is a culinary delight. price fixed meal at lunch is available, as well as tapas. also, various yummy dinner entrees. but i love going for the exquisite and unique tapas and wine for dinner. they have both warm and cold tapas...my favorite is the portabella muchroom,,,i believe, in wine sauce..among so many others. i am mostly a vegetarian and eat fish as well, but my meat-eating dining companions always love the meat dishes/tapas. This is the most romantic place to take a date because it is a small, intimate restaurant. small tables, on weekends a spanish guitarist, waiters are helpful and non-intrusive. i've always had excellent service. the owner is there frequently and often comes up to see how you are doing and even take your order. it is a small bar, like you'd find in europe, near the entrance. Please go enjoy and you'll find one of the top reasons for living in sacramento! Oh...i also had a birthday gathering there once. i asked owner to reserve for twenty people. he set up two long tables in the section between the entrance and the bar so that the other diners in the other section weren't disturbed. Icouldn't believe he could get it in small space, but it was very comfortable while being intimate. I asked him to prepare tapas of his selection at 10 dollars a person, and it was amazing how much food...how many different plates he brought out for all of us. he was patient and the wait staff was great. i'd do it again in a heart-beat. Apparently, there is also an Aioli in Davis, CA, not too far away from the train station.