![\"Andres](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/7f80c78e-353f-4c2e-838e-7fbe893dfa94_1721668549.png\")
<\/a>SACRAMENTO, Calif. \u2014<\/p>\nA new bar in Old Sacramento invites customers to step back into the Prohibition era, though they may have to figure out how to get inside.<\/p>\n
The 1920s Bookstore, a speakeasy hidden in a historic courtyard in Pioneer Square, features a bookstore-style entrance, low lighting and vintage furnishings. Owner San Bao said the secrecy surrounding the bar is intentional.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really fascinated by the idea of Prohibition,\u201d Bao said. \u201cI think it\u2019s just a really fascinating bygone era.\u201d<\/p>\n
Behind the entrance, the space resembles a private study. A vintage record player, piano table and antique details surround a fully stocked bar serving cocktails tied to different periods of American history.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s almost like a portal to the past,\u201d bartender Jeenu Lo said.<\/p>\n
The bar\u2019s cocktail menu is presented as a book, with each chapter representing a different decade. It begins with drinks dating to the 1920s and includes classics such as the Old Fashioned and Manhattan.<\/p>\n
Bao said the menu is intended to offer customers more than a drink.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want the customer to learn more about what they are drinking,\u201d Bao said. \u201cI think it just makes the experience more interesting, and then they\u2019d be more educated.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bartenders said the menu focuses on strong, simple cocktails prepared using traditional methods. Many contain less sugar than modern versions of the same drinks.<\/p>\n
Bartender Aaron Price said the speakeasy\u2019s slower, more intimate atmosphere gives him time to focus on each cocktail and connect with customers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just love caring about each drink,\u201d Price said. \u201cThat\u2019s one thing I haven\u2019t really gotten to experience being in the service industry too much, where I just put my heart and soul into this drink for this person that I get to have a conversation with right after.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bao acknowledged that opening a business can be challenging, but he believes the concept is a natural fit for Old Sacramento. He hopes the speakeasy will attract more visitors and help support other businesses in the historic district.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe love Old Sac,\u201d Bao said. \u201cI have a lot of memories of Old Sac. I kind of grew up in Old Sac as well. So I want Old Sac to be up and coming and to be revived again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lo said the setting can make it easy to forget what is outside.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of times when I\u2019m working here, I forget even what modern-day Sacramento looks like,\u201d Lo said.<\/p>\n
The exact process for entering the speakeasy remains part of the mystery. Clues inside Pioneer Square involve a clock, written instructions, a telephone and a bookshelf.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a speakeasy,\u201d Bao said. \u201cThey just have to find out themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 1920s Bookstore is set to open to the public Friday following a series of preview events. Bao said discovering how to enter is intended to be part of the experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it\u2019s meant to be, it\u2019s meant to be,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
You can learn more about the space by clicking here.<\/a><\/p>\n See more coverage of top California stories here<\/a> | Download our app<\/a> | Subscribe to our morning newsletter<\/a> | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Hidden speakeasy brings Prohibition-era cocktails to Old Sacramento SACRAMENTO, Calif. \u2014 A new bar in Old Sacramento invites…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":432543,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[171807,14852,171810,171811,15019,9182,3901,1741,1464,82715,28023,22854,1459,171808,171812,121,123,122,171809,130562],"class_list":["post-432542","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sacramento","tag-1920s-bookstore","tag-andres-valle","tag-bao","tag-bookstore-style-entrance","tag-cocktail","tag-customer","tag-drink","tag-lot","tag-menu","tag-new-bar","tag-old-sac","tag-old-sacramento","tag-part","tag-pioneer-square","tag-prohibition-era-cocktail","tag-sacramento","tag-sacramento-headlines","tag-sacramento-news","tag-san-bao","tag-speakeasy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/432542","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=432542"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/432542\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/432543"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=432542"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=432542"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=432542"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}