Fog Mountain Café

I loved this place for lunch and am really sad to learn that they’ve closed. Great tasting sandwiches and soups and my favorite was the friendly staff and chef.
Booh, I am already craving their turkey bacon avocado sandwich.

Today’s lunch experience was a tad disappointing. I’m fairly certain the special of the day said «Prime Rib SANDWICH», but when I opened up my box I saw a thick slab of it instead. That’s toooootally okay, I love me some meat, but the toasted slices of bread that came with were put underneath and therefore were completely soggy. Not real appetizing. When I looked at this bohemoth piece of flesh I wondered if the flimsy plastic knife would even hold up to the first cut, but all I received was a fork. Very minor complaint because I have utensils at my desk, but I can imagine someone who didn’t was eating it caveman style.
I asked for extra horseradish because I love me some spicy stuff and that was certainly tasty. But the au jus that came with this dish was completely devoid of flavor, despite smelling heavily of rosemary and clove or allspice (?) BUMMER! The meat and horseradish were tasty enough not to need the au jus. but really, I was just eating a slab of meat and that’s not what I ordered. I will say that their sides never disappoint and today’s macaroni salad had great flavor and a touch of heat that was delicious.
I still love you FMC, but I will be hesitant to order this dish when it comes back around.

Another great lunch place in the downtown area.
I’ve walked past this place at least 50 times, but today was my first time stopping in. The first thing I noticed was the wonderful service. A smiling and cheerful server greeted me, took my order, and gave me my number. She quickly brought my drink, and my food was out within 5 minutes. After I finished my food the server came by for a drink refill. I really love places where you can hang around for a few minutes after you finish your food; no one tried to rush me out like they do at some other downtown restaurants. Really great service.
The food: yum! I got the Portabella Shroom Sandwich. I’m glad I came hungry because this sandwich was HUGE and accompanied by a generous serving of blue cheese rice salad. I only wish that the sandwich had been easier to eat – it was too big to take a bite out of, so I had to slice it up and eat it with a fork. It also would have been good if the vegetables were heated up. But the quality of the food was great, and I thoroughly enjoyed my meal.
The only thing keeping me from giving this place a full five stars is that the menu seemed to be lacking in variety. As a vegetarian, I’m always happy to see more than one option on the menu, but if this place added a couple more interesting salads or a spicy tofu dish it would definitely earn that five.

Fog Mountain is a relatively new café located near Plaza Park and the EPA building. The outside is fairly non-​descript and the inside is your standard café with tables and chairs as well as a small bar section on either side of the building.
I came here for the soup and it was very tasty. I tried the black eyed pea soup with cajun andouille which was very fulfilling but not as spicy as I was expecting. On my second visit I tried the New England style clam chowder, which isn’t as good as San Francisco favorite Boudin’s, but it’ll do. It was loaded with veggies and potatoes and was also filling. The ciabatta garlic/​parmesan bread was a nice touch.
The french dip sandwich with au jou was good, but the au jou felt lacking.
Everything is fairly cheap ($ 4.50 for a bowl of soup, $ 3 something for a cup) so you won’t break the bank by visiting here. It’s worth at least one try.

I came here one day after a failed adventure to La Bonne Soup (they were closed for some reason that I still don’t know why.) This place was on my way back to the office, so I stopped by and got the Manhattan Chowder. This soup was so yummy and different then any other chowders I’ve had. It was a tomato based seafood soup, I’m still waiting for it to come back one day. I haven’t tried the sandwiches here yet, but they sound really good.

I love the variety in the foods at this place. The soups are great and the sandwiches are tasty. We had the black eyed pea soup and it was delicious. I had to add a little salt, but I would rather have to add than take away. I always enjoy my food here. We split a Turkey Jack a cado sandwich as well as the soup and were both very happy with it. I think having this sandwich on grilled sourdough would be spectacular. Mmmmm…
The people that work there seem to enjoy the place themselves and it shows. The place is busy at lunch time, of course, and they aren’t the fastest so don’t count on this place for a fast-​food type of lunch. They have a simple breakfast menu too, so I’m tempted to stop here soon to try it out.

The food is good. However, I went in last week for a coup of soup and when I checked my bank statement I realized that they had charged me $ 50 BUCKS for it! I called and the lady said that she had a note written about it. In my head I thinking, «were you ever thinking of notifying my bank about this?». To top it off she only wanted to refund me $ 40 bucks (cup of soup is NOT $ 10), but she ended up giving me back $ 46. I know it’s only $ 4 bucks, but I feel like they should have given me the soup for free.
All in all be careful that you don’t get any zeros added to your bill.

I came here with co-​workers on a Wednesday in June. We came during lunchtime, so there was a bit of a line out the door.
I ordered a sandwich, but I forget which one. I think there was bacon in it. It was really delicious though. But I don’t know if I would pay almost $ 9 to eat it again.
Also, when I enter a sandwich place, I expect that there would be combos offered: i.e. half sandwich /​half soup /​half salad sort of deal. But no such luck.
In conclusion: great taste, convenient location, but too expensive and no combo deals.

i think the term pleasantly surprised could describe my eating experience here.
I honetly thought it was going to suck the proverbial ass when i went to the spot. Looks kinda *yawn* from out front, and inside. However, the menu had more than one choice that sounded good and they were quick with the food.
I had their pastrami — again pleasantly surprised. Good deal of meat — tasted pretty good. The bread was awesome. I forgot the name of the bakery they get it from but it’s on a chibatta roll which was hella yummers.
I’d would hit this place up again.
not the cheapest… but not horribly expensive either about 13 bucks out the door.

Food is good. Brittle is A-​W-​E-​S-​O-​M-​E with a capital AWESOME!
They aren’t open very frequently though, so check the schedule!

I went to Fog Mountain Café today for lunch.
I ordered the french dip sandwich, while my girlfriend ate a chicken and bacon sandwich. The café was not very busy, I assume due to it being a furlough Friday.
Our order, however, took at least 20 minutes to arrive. The chicken and bacon sandwich was alright, but I wouldn’t order it again. The french dip sandwich was terrible! The bread did not taste good and the meat was okay. The au jus was much worse than state fair au jus!
Overall, we were really disappointed and will not return for the sandwiches. There are many better places in sacramento.
For the record, I did not try their soup.

On a cold winter day, heck on a hot summer day, when I crave soup, Fog Mountain is my ‘go to place’. I mean this place kicks even places like NYC’s Dean and Deluca’s in the ass (am I allowed to say that on Unilocal?). Almost everything is pretty amazing here from their sandwiches to their soups.
My favorite is their black forest ham sandwich, which as asparagus, ham, a creamy ranch and cheese. I mean who thinks of putting asparagus in a sandwich? Fog mountain does. And their grown up grilled cheese is the best grilled cheese I’ve ever had. No joke. It’s got 4 different kinds of cheese and it’s not just your crappy lunch box cheeses like swiss, chedder and american (although some of you grilled cheese traditionalists may argue that american cheese isn’t a crappy cheese), but this thing has some gourmet cheeses in it too.
And their soups! It changes every day and there’s always something different so its not repetitive. I mean these are gourmet soups. My favorite is their crab chowder. I mean I’ve had crab chowder but nothing beats Fog’s crab chowder. They definitely don’t skim on their REAL chunks of crab. This place doesn’t use imitation, its all real and all sooooooooo good. This is by the way not as pricy as people think. At any given place in the bay area, it would charge much more than 4.75 for a bowl of real chunky crab chowder. At the end of the day, Fog Mountain makes me a happy camper and oh so full.

I love Fog Mountain!
By far, some of the best soups in the downtown area… there’s always something different to try and because I work across the street, I try as much as I can!
Their sandwiches are amazing… my favorite is the Grown Up Grilled Cheese (I have them add ham) because of the balsamic dipping sauce. However, the BLT is amazing… thick, crispy bacon and always fresh ripe tomatoes! And they always include a side, either a pasta or rice or fruit dish. I love that touch!
I think the thing that really keeps me coming back is the super friendly staff… if you’re a regular, they make you feel special!
I hope Fog Mountain is there for a long time. The location has had many occupants that were simply awful but thank goodness for Fog Mountain!!!

Our office came here for lunch — on my recommendation as I’d found it right here on Unilocal :) Way to make me look good! I should note that the line was LONG, obviously the City workers nearby are no strangers to a Fog Mtn. meal… and it seemed like we weren’t moving ahead as fast as I’d expect (insert Government worker joke here)…but after about 10 minutes we were at the counter.
I had a cup of black eyed pea soup and Cajun sausage to warm me up. It was a little salty and spicy from the meat, very nice on a cold day. A couple of my companions enjoyed the potato, leek, &cheddar soup which looked thick and creamy; not my fave consistency but they were happy.
I had a delicious Roasted Chicken & Applewood Bacon Sandwich on the Ciabatta bread — the Chicken was really nicely-​cooked, moist and juicy, which worked with the slightly chewy but light consistency of the bread. And I LOVED the quality of the spinach, roasted orange & yellow peppers, and pesto ailoi, which was a nice green color, not the lame white stuff with green flecks that passes at some places.
A colleague who was trying to be all heart-​healthy and whatnot ordered the Roasted Portabella ‘Shroom Sandwich, which I was actually thinking about getting too, but I was craving some protein. It looked delish though, full of vibrant-​colored eggplant, squash, sun dried tomatoes, and pesto.
And the sandwiches came with sides of either Mac N’ Cheese or Macaroni Salad that caused a lot of extended ‘yummmmmm’ sounds from the group. Heck, I don’t even like Mac & Cheese and I ate half of mine!
Btw, the rush was pretty much eased by 12:30, so you can probably avoid the crowd by coming in a little later… but I hear you risk missing out on the great soup sometimes if you try this strategy, so do so at your own risk !

On my way to the Amtrak Station last Friday, I realized I was really early for my train, so I decided to grab some breakfast… somewhere. I walked passed Temple and didn’t want a pastry, then the Grange and thought it was too pricey, and then I remembered: Fog Mountain serves breakfast!
So I walked over and in, and saw that the place was empty at 8:30 in the morning. That sucks because I remembered my lunch experience here a while back being great, and to see that they weren’t getting any business bugged me.
I ordered one of their breakfast sandwiches with black forest ham and eggs on ciabatta bread. It came with a few slices of fruit and a side of dijon mustard. Boy, that was a nice, big sandwich. The bread was oh so soft (I hate hard breads like those on Vietnamese sandwhiches, ugh). They made it after I ordered, so it was fresh and hot; and the sandwich had a good serving of ham and egg. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a huge appetite because I drank a little too much the night before, but if it was any other day, I would have totally devoured it!
Their breakfast menu is pretty small, but if you get the chance, I definitely think it’s worth the stop by to try.

Ambience is not amazing, but all I really care about is the FOOD. (These days, rerstaurants seem to focus too much on ambience and forget the food. But I digress)
I stumbled into this place for coffee, got tempted by the menu, and now I am addicted! I come at least once a week for the grilled cheese sandwich, which is outta this world! Seriously I wake up in the middle of the night craving it. Sometimes I walk in ONLY for coffee, and end up carrying a sandwich home because it’s that irresistable. You can tell there is a real chef who quality controls, because the herbs and ingredients are outta this world. Now if I could just get the chef to move in with me, hmmmm…
Also, even when there is a line out the door, the cashiers are quick. All the employees are super friendly, especially that guy with the mohawk. Five stars. Definitely one of my top three favorite places to eat in Sac.

Soups, sandwiches, salads. candy samples.
You walk in. Order and pay at the counter. They give you a number stand to set wherever you sit. They’ve got the nicest kids working on the floor. refreshing your drinks and bringing out your food. There’s a water station for you to help yourself to pint-​sized glasses to fill with water and lemon if you please along side a station for utencils.
There’s ample seating inside as well as outside. The tables inside had fresh flowers on the tables. I like that!
Fog Mountain Café is open Monday thru Friday from 10:30am to 3pm. pretty much catering to those that work in the area. I just had iced tea and the classic cobb salad. The salad was a good portion, tossed with bleu cheese dressing and turkey and bacon piled on top. It was cool, fresh, and filling. I was almost worried about whether or not someone would keep my iced tea flowing and they did. Like I said, the people working on the floor do a great job. I had to leave an extra tip because I was so pleased.
And they validate if you park in the garage.

I’ve resisted writing a review of FMC b/​c it seems like a dream too good to be true. They do offer two soups daily, but one usually sounds more appealing than the other. The price can seem steep for a side, but the ingredients are fresh and reflect Chef Eric Harnish’s creativity. I wish I could tow the whole pot home in a little red Radio Flyer wagon.
Sandwiches are served on favorably crusty bread, and plated with a side salad of squash, pasta and an herbal vinaigrette. I’m always able to save half for another meal. Lunch really satisfies without sending one into a food coma. The menu is standard with a dash of gourmet. For a quasi-​fast food /​self-​serve drink station kind of eatery, staff is very pleasant and the kitchen is quick.
When I was called to jury duty, I’d sprint over during coffee breaks. They even accommodated my request for yogurt and granola b/​c it wasn’t on the menu. Recent check of the Web site says no more breakfast! =(
I am so glad Fog Mountain reopened after its Q Street location closed.

Being someone that works in downtown Sacramento, I haven’t ran out of places to eat my lunch. However, the amount of places worth eating near my work that are affordable are few and far between. This little gem of a café really snuck up on me. I was at City Hall contesting an unwanted and unwarranted parking citation when I saw the Fog Mountain café. I walked in there expecting expensive food with mediocre taste. I ordered the Grown up Grilled cheese which has four types of cheese on toasted ciabatta bread. The meal came with a side of balsamic something or other and a really tasty pasta salad.
I must say, this was the best grilled cheese I have ever had and I will definately not only try something else from here but will be trying to copy the recipe for when I am in the mood for grilled cheese at home.
So I am pleasantly pleased with the Fog Mountain Café so far and will recommend anyone to try it at least once!
/​insert reading rainbow da da da! here.

They are finally back open!!! Fog Mountain used to be located on Q Street in midtown. I went there a LOT for lunch. They are now re-​opened in a larger location downtown, across from City Hall and Chavez Park. My favorite dish has always been their Cobb Salad. I went there today (June 16) and had it again. Just as good as it used to be!
Aside from the Cobb Salad, they also have really good hot sandwiches. If you go there, try their soups. They have by far the best soups in town (or Northern California for that matter).