Welcome Aboard The Virgin Sturgeon! Celebrating 47 Years of Food, Fun and Sun on The Sacramento River.
Our first chapter began on an 80-year-old rock barge, a relic from the Sacramento levee construction days. From there, it served as the foundation for JoJo’s Marina, which later became Dirty Harry’s, then Bob and Dee's. This resilient barge survived four to five sinkings before it transformed into what became home to The Virgin Sturgeon.
How did we come up with the name? Over cocktails, of course! A scribble on a napkin birthed several ideas including the Do Barge Inn, the Golden Rivet and the Albatross until The Virgin Sturgeon emerged victorious, because, well... it just had a certain ring to it.
Established on May 1, 1976, our riverside retreat quickly became a favorite amongst locals and prominent figures alike, including then-California Governor, Jerry Brown, and his staff. It was a place where important calls could wait, as demonstrated when Gray Davis, Brown's chief of staff, paused the Governor himself to carry on a riveting game of the new video game, Pong.
The Virgin Sturgeon faced its first major hurdle just two days shy of our second anniversary in 1978, the place was stocked with more food, beer, and wine than we’d ever had. Overnight a rogue tree came down stream and lodged itself right into the barge sending us to the river's bottom. But we did what any self-respecting, party-loving establishment would do: we rescued the booze, got creative with the venue, and the celebration went on!
Finding a new barge proved challenging, but our luck turned when The Sacramento Yacht Club decided to move ashore. Their two-story clubhouse barge was destined to be our new home. Fate, however, had a different plan, and a Thanksgiving Day fire reduced it to ashes. Undeterred, we took what remained (just the barge) for a mere dollar and began our journey towards a grand reopening. But alas, a fire in May 1979 sent us back to square one.
Determined to keep the spirit alive, we relocated inland to the corner of 17th and Broadway and unveiled The Virgin Sturgeon II in 1980. Finally, in 1982, we found our current residence – a charming barge from a marina in Sutter County, affectionately named Le Barge. Our innovative spirit shone through as we used a retired 40,000 pound Pan-Am Airlines jetway from the San Francisco Airport as our entryway.
It took six years, but we finally re-opened our doors on the Sacramento River on August 10, 1984. Our Broadway location remained operational until 1990. Today, The Virgin Sturgeon continues to thrive as a family-owned business, celebrating its 47th year, and staying true to its river floating heritage. We can't wait to share our vibrant history and delicious offerings with you!
Welcome Aboard The Virgin Sturgeon! Celebrating 47 Years of Food, Fun and Sun on The Sacramento River.
Welcome to the Virgin Sturgeon Restaurant & Marina, your ultimate destination for an authentic Sacramento river dining experience. Since 1976, our restaurant has been floating on the Sacramento River, just a short distance from Old Sacramento. We've created a unique dining space on a converted barge, positioned about 50 feet away from the levee road. To make it convenient for our guests, we've repurposed an old Pan Am jetway to provide year-round accessibility, so you don't have to swim to reach us.
Get ready to immerse yourself in the true essence of Sacramento river dining as you step aboard the Virgin Sturgeon Restaurant & Marina.
Chips and Salsa
You don't need a description for this do you? An all time classic. A basket full of chips served with house made salsa.
Zesty Bean Dip
Zesty warm refried beans, house made salsa, sour cream, cheese, tomatoes and green onions served with tortilla chips. Add Ground Beef for $6
Baked Mac & Cheese with Bacon
Four cheese macaroni with chopped bacon.
Calamari Strips
Breaded calamari steak grilled golden brownand served with house dressing and cocktail sauce.
Peel and Eat Prawns
A full half pound of chilled tiger prawns served with our homemade cocktail sauce.
Ceviche
A refreshing mixture of tilapia, tomatoes, red onions tossed in a house made zesty lime marinade.
Cajun Chicken Strips
Grilled chicken strips tossed in a spicy cajun seasoning, served over mixed baby greens with our house dressing.
Chicken Fingers
Breaded and grilled chicken strips served with a tangy honey mustard sauce.
Combination Platter
A combination of smoked salmon, smoked sturgeon, peel and eat prawns and cajun chicken strips. Served on a bed of mixed baby greens with out house dressing.
Crab Cakes
Homemade crab cakes, grilled golden brown with a roasted red pepper aioli.
Smoked Salmon
Delicately smoked salmon served with capers, thinly sliced red onions, cream cheese and sourdough bread.
Smoked Sturgeon
Our smoked sturgeon is prepared daily in house and is served with capers, thinly sliced red onions, cream cheese and sourdough bread. A house favorite!
Steamed Clams
Make room for a full pound and a half of clams! Prepared in a white wine, garlic butter broth and served with sourdough bread.
Hot and Spicy Shrimp
Sautéed tiger prawns in a hot and spicy butter.
Soup of the Day - Cup
Soup of the Day - Bowl
New England Clam Chowder - Cup
Served Friday and Saturday only.
New England Clam Chowder - Bowl
Served Friday and Saturday only.
House Mixed Green Salad - Small
House Mixed Green Salad - Large
Cuban Black Beans - Cup
Cuban Black Beans - Bowl
Spinach Pasta Salad
Fresh spinach, rotelli pasta, feta cheese, green onions, tomatoes and sunflower seeds served with a side of house and Italian dressing. Add Grilled Chicken $6 or Shrimp $9
Southwest Salad
Mixed baby greens, tortilla strips, black bean corn salsa, diced tomato, and chopped green onions served with a zesty southwest dressing. Add Grilled Chicken $6 or Shrimp $9
Spinach and Strawberry Salad
Baby spinach topped with strawberries, candied walnuts, feta cheese, and grilled chicken with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
Cobb Salad
Diced turkey, bacon, tomatoes, green onions, hard boiled egg, and cheese served over mixed baby greens with our house dressing.
Smoked Salmon Salad
Delicately smoked salmon served on a bed of baby greens with red onions, feta cheese, cranberries, candied walnuts and, our honey mustard dressing.
Cajun Chicken Sandwich
A grilled tender chicken breast seasoned with cajun spices and, served on twin steak rolls with mayonnaise, lettuce & tomatoes. Single sandwich $11
Famous Crab Sandwich
Snow crab mixed with cream cheese, lemon, capers, a dash of old bay spices and a zesty secret sauce served with grilled sourdough bread.
Calamari Steak Sandwich
A breaded calamari steak grilled and served on twin rolls with mayonnaise, lettuce & tomatoes.
The TAJ Sandwich
Roasted turkey, avocado and jack cheese with mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, on wheat bread. Half Sandwich $9
Mushroom Cheeseburger
A 1/3 pound all beef patty charbroiled and served with mushrooms, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, secret sauce and, your choice of American, Cheddar or Monterey jack cheese. Substitute Veggie Burger for no additional charge. Add bacon or blue cheese for $2.50
Steak Sandwich
An all time favorite!!! Charbroiled sirloin steak served on twin buttered rolls with a hint of garlic. Single sandwich $11 Add mushrooms and onions $3
Fried Rice and Eggs
Add Bacon $5
Fish of the Day
Ask server.
Trout
A grilled trout fillet encrusted in panko, and topped with our red pepper aioli or sour cream dill sauce.
Seafood Coquille
Crab, Shrimp and scallops sautéed in a lemon white wine sauce served on a bed of pasta.
Taco Time
Your choice of chicken, steak, ground beef or fish served in flour tortillas with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, green onions and a side of rice and beans.
Sturgeon
Locally farmed California white sturgeon, seasoned with your choice of lemon pepper or cajun spices and topped with sour cream dill sauce or mango salsa.
Ribeye Steak
A 3/4 lb. seasoned angus beef ribeye steak, charbroiled to perfection, served with baked potatoes and fresh vegetables. Add bacon and bleu cheese for $5 Add mushrooms and onions for $3
Carol's Catfish
Cajun catfish grilled and topped with mango salsa.
Chicken Parmesan
Lightly breaded chicken breast topped with house made marinara topped with jack and parmesan cheese
Clam Linguini
Fresh clams prepared in a white wine garlic butter sauce, served with linguini and parmesan cheese.
Salmon
A salmon filet encrusted with panko, grilled and topped with caper creme sauce.
Fried Rice and Eggs
Add Bacon or Hot Link for $5
Biscuits and Gravy
Freshly baked biscuits topped with a zesty sausage gravy.
French Toast Combo
Thick Texas toast with two eggs and your choice of bacon, ham, or sausage.
Chicken Fried Steak
Traditional Chicken fried steak served with zesty sausage gravy and two eggs.
Two Eggs Any Style
Two eggs any style served with country potatoes. Add ham, bacon or sausage for $5. Add sirloin steak for $7.50
Huevos Rancheros
Grilled tortillas topped with zesty pinto beans, cheese, two eggs and ranchero salsa. Add Carnitas for $5
Joe's Special
Scrambled eggs, spinach, mushrooms, ground beef, onions and parmesan cheese.
Chorizo and Egg Scramble
Spicy Mexican style sausage sautéed with bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and cheese, sserved with flour tortillas.
Machaca and Egg Scramble
Tender shredded pork, sautéed bell peppers and onions and cheese, served with two flour tortillas.
California Omelet
Turkey, avocado and cheese topped with a creamy cheese sauce.
Ultimate Omelete
Bacon, sausage, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes and cheese.
Shrimp or Crab Omelet
Shrimp or crab, stuffed with avocado and cheese.
Eggs Benedict
English muffins topped with Canadian bacon and poached eggs topped with hollandaise sauce. Substitute spinach, avocado, and tomato for $5. Substitute crab meat for $8
Pork Loin and Eggs
Seasoned pork loin cutlets seasoned and grilled and served with two eggs.
Trout and Eggs
A grilled trout fillet encrusted in panko, and topped with sour cream dill sauce.
Carol's Catfish and Eggs
Cajun Catfish grilled and topped with mango salsa.
If you have any allergies or intolerances, please inform your server.
20% gratuity added to parties of 6 or more.Split plate charge $3
Kitchen Hours
Monday
Tuesday - Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Bar Hours
Monday
Tuesday - Sunday
Weekend Brunch Hours
Saturday
Sunday
Find Us By Land
The Virgin SturgeonRestaurant and Marina1577 Garden HighwaySacramento, CA 95833916 921-2694
Find Us By Sea
Just two miles north of Downtown on the Sacramento River we offer plenty of free dockside parking.
Reservation Policy
Seating is first come, first served, with reservations available for groups of six or more (excluding major holidays) by calling (916) 921-2694.
Guest Guidelines
All ages are welcome until 10 PM. After 10 PM, only guests 21+ allowed aboard the ship.
Our dress code is casual, but you're not Jeff Spicoli, so yes, shoes and shirts are required!
The Virgin SturgeonRestaurant and Marina1577 Garden HighwaySacramento, CA 95833916 921-2694
© 2024 The Virgin SturgeonAll rights reservedMedia Kit Download