When you arrive, you get the feeling that this old wild west joint has seen some crazy nights.

Fanny Ann’s Saloon in Old Sacramento will knock your socks off.

It’s like a feast for the senses and a mix of things old and new when you first walk in. You can smell the good old American hamburgers right away. You can see the collection of old license plates and signs nailed to the wall, the sepia tone photos from the 1800s, the old bicycles and toy wagons that hang from the ceiling and lots of Americana memorabilia that fill the cluttered walls.

Sports are on the TV, alcohol is on your mind and the diverse crowd becomes more surprising as the night goes on.

It has an old saloon-styled bar that seems like it hasn’t changed since the 1800s. It has five floors and three bars with a restaurant on the third floor.

Mike Alpert, a bar attendee, gave his hypothesis about why the building has five stories. He said the Sacramento River used to flood and businesses had to build higher floors for flood safety.

For me, it was difficult to focus my attention on the elaborate deco of the place or toward the diversity of the crowd.

The crowd at Fanny Ann’s could easily be described as a melting pot of ethnicities. I saw groups ranging from indie college kids, the over-30 bar crowd, what seemed like the regulars, a few bikers, couples and some people celebrating a birthday.

Andrew Hammond, a bar goer, said “No one seems to judge a book by its cover here.”

On a Saturday night, I saw there was a mix of Hispanics, blacks, Caucasians and Asians.

Regulars seemed to return for the cool atmosphere and good service. People usually start showing up around 11 p.m., which is when the music changes and the party really starts.

At this particular bar, the bartenders and staff were on the ball. Bartender Al Urkofsky was friendly and hilarious. His service was impeccable. After he got a sense of what I liked, I didn’t have to order drinks anymore because when I finished one drink, the next would already be in front of me.

He had a telepathic-like sense of whether you would stay or not and knew what to give you and when. He created several yummy drinks that I’ve never even heard of before, like the “red-headed slut”. When asked about the most popular or most ordered drink Urkofsky said. “These toolbags drink everything.”

With a few friends and some good drinks, the bottom floor could be seen as a riot.

As far as getting into the party, the cover at the door is $10 per person, which is negotiable depending on how many cute girls you bring with you. The drinks average from around $7 to $8 a pop. I spent most of my night on the first floor because it seemed to be the most lively and it was close to the music.

For a first timer, Fanny Ann’s could be a little overwhelming with its five floors and three bars, but when in doubt, follow the music. The music of the evening was provided by DJ Erok B, who was friendly and quick to play requests, unlike most places I’ve been to. He played ’70s disco, ’80s punk and pop and some ’80s rap. Once 11 p.m. hit, the party crowd had showed up and he started playing hip-hop and rap singles from today. The dance floor was small, but surprisingly packed with what Urkofsky called “coyotes of love.”

I would recommend Fanny Ann’s to anyone legally able to go because of the diverse crowd, good music and hilarious service. Fanny Ann’s is the perfect place to explore on a Saturday night with a few friends and an open mind.

Kate Jones can be reached at [email protected]