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The Grumpy Mule
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The Grumpy Mule
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The Grumpy Mule

Coffee · Sacramento

4.2 · 83 reviews Google
www.dining.csus.edu

About The Grumpy Mule

The Grumpy Mule is a beloved campus café in Sacramento offering warm, fresh meals to students and locals alike. Known for its comforting pho with rich broths and delicious tofu banh mi featuring crisp pickled vegetables, the menu highlights quality ingredients prepared quickly. Guests praise the fri...

The Grumpy Mule is a beloved campus café in Sacramento offering warm, fresh meals to students and locals alike. Known for its comforting pho with rich broths and delicious tofu banh mi featuring crisp pickled vegetables, the menu highlights quality ingredients prepared quickly. Guests praise the friendly staff and inviting atmosphere, which includes ample outdoor seating perfect for enjoying food in any weather. Whether working on a laptop or grabbing a quick bite, patrons appreciate the great coffee selection and accessible amenities. This welcoming spot provides a consistent, delicious experience that feels like home, making it a true favorite for satisfying both body and soul.

What Customers Say About The Grumpy Mule

The Grumpy Mule is a campus eatery known for its banh mi and pho, though pho quality is inconsistent. Customers praise the friendly staff and fresh ingredients. Some find the pho broth watery and prices mismatched at checkout.

Popular Dishes

Pho (9) banh mi (7) spring rolls (3) boba Saigon special sandwich Viet coffee Smoothies

Best For

Solo Dining Quick Bite Casual

Tip: The tofu banh mi is a popular vegetarian option. Be aware that prices on the board may not match the self-checkout.

Features

📶 WiFi 🌳 Outdoor Accessible Coffee
🎯 Casual 🛋️ Cozy Trendy

What to see nearby

Sacramento State University Library
A 51m

Sacramento State University Library

biblioteca

View details
E. A. Fairbairn Water Treatment Plant
A 716m

E. A. Fairbairn Water Treatment Plant

construcción

View details

Data from Wikidata

Explore the area around The Grumpy Mule

The Grumpy Mule is located in Sacramento, surrounded by cultural and historical points of interest. Here are some of the most notable places nearby.

Other Points of Interest

  • Sacramento State University Library (A 51m) — library
  • E. A. Fairbairn Water Treatment Plant (A 716m) — water treatment plant

Data from Wikidata

Frequently asked questions about The Grumpy Mule

The Grumpy Mule is located at 2000 State University Dr, Sacramento, CA 95819, Sacramento.
Near The Grumpy Mule you can find points of interest such as Sacramento State University Library, E. A. Fairbairn Water Treatment Plant.
The Grumpy Mule offers coffee cuisine.
The Grumpy Mule has regular opening hours. Check their profile for updated schedules.
The Grumpy Mule offers the following services: dine-in, takeaway.
The most recommended dishes at The Grumpy Mule based on customer reviews are: Pho, banh mi, spring rolls, boba, Saigon special sandwich.
The Grumpy Mule is ideal for solo dining, quick bites, casual dining.
The Grumpy Mule is a campus eatery known for its banh mi and pho, though pho quality is inconsistent. Customers praise the friendly staff and fresh ingredients. Some find the pho broth watery and prices mismatched at checkout.
The tofu banh mi is a popular vegetarian option. Be aware that prices on the board may not match the self-checkout.
83
Reviews

The Grumpy Mule Sacramento Reviews

4.2
83
5★
58%
4★
24%
3★
5%
2★
10%
1★
4%
Reviews (40)
T
Timmy Li

$6 for the saigon special sandwich. pickled vegetables are bomb. pretty worth it. everything made and tastes fresh.

Timmy Li
Timmy Li

$6 for the saigon special sandwich. pickled vegetables are bomb. pretty worth it. everything made and tastes fresh.

A
Alicia J

Every time I come to campus, I tell myself I’m going to a different place for dinner, but I just love the tofu banh mi here way too much. A lot of good outdoor seating nearby, too. IMO easily the best vegetarian option on campus. Staff are always really friendly, too. If you need something, you need to be very specific, though—for example, if you ask for pho “to go,” they won’t package it like a regular pho place; students are always on-the-go, so they will assume that you just want it in the soup container like normal. So just be very clear on what you want.

M
Millie Arellano

I’ve been going to this place for almost a year and I enjoy every aspect of it. I enjoy eating delicious food (perfect in the heat and cold). The people working there are nice and finish making the food at a decent speed. Love bringing my friends here whether they’re also from Sac State or at a different college.

A
Ashley Ryan

Love the food. Please make sauce packets easily accessible for those of us who like more than one small packet. Please add vegetable broth to self check out as an option and recognizable as an option to your menu for vegetarians! 🙏 Keep up the great work.

G
Gg

I love their Pho! Such a tasty and comforting soup ! My absolute favorite place to eat on campus. Try their Chicken Pho with Beef Broth 🤤

Gg
Gg

I love their Pho! Such a tasty and comforting soup ! My absolute favorite place to eat on campus. Try their Chicken Pho with Beef Broth 🤤

Millie Arellano
Millie Arellano

I’ve been going to this place for almost a year and I enjoy every aspect of it. I enjoy eating delicious food (perfect in the heat and cold). The people working there are nice and finish making the food at a decent speed. Love bringing my friends here whether they’re also from Sac State or at a different college.

Ashley Ryan
Ashley Ryan

Love the food. Please make sauce packets easily accessible for those of us who like more than one small packet. Please add vegetable broth to self check out as an option and recognizable as an option to your menu for vegetarians! 🙏 Keep up the great work.

Alicia J
Alicia J

Every time I come to campus, I tell myself I’m going to a different place for dinner, but I just love the tofu banh mi here way too much. A lot of good outdoor seating nearby, too. IMO easily the best vegetarian option on campus. Staff are always really friendly, too. If you need something, you need to be very specific, though—for example, if you ask for pho “to go,” they won’t package it like a regular pho place; students are always on-the-go, so they will assume that you just want it in the soup container like normal. So just be very clear on what you want.

e
elizabeth b.

Decent bahn mi and Viet coffee but I do wish they offered grilled meat options other than just deli sliced. Food was ready in less than 5 minutes and the line went fast. Also, I'm not sure if you have to request it or they just don't offer jalapenos as my bahn mi didn't have any..

elizabeth b.
elizabeth b.

Decent bahn mi and Viet coffee but I do wish they offered grilled meat options other than just deli sliced. Food was ready in less than 5 minutes and the line went fast. Also, I'm not sure if you have to request it or they just don't offer jalapenos as my bahn mi didn't have any..

D
Drea

The food is generally good and the staff are very nice. I have tried the sandwiches, smoothies, and pho. The sandwiches are tasty and have fresh vegetables. The pho is good, but you may need to add some soy sauce as it isn't really seasoned. Smoothies are also good, but if you add boba, I've found the boba to be very chewy. All of the food is decent with tofu but their beef balls and chicken are pretty unpalatable to me, personally. I think if all of the ingredients were of similar quality and freshness it would be much better, but it's a very good dining option on campus.

J
John Hamilton

I have had the Bahn mi twice and wonderful both times. Most recently I tried the spring rolls and they were very herbaceous. I like the bitter herb flavor but it may be too much for some. Will be bringing my wife to try on of these days

T
Tran T

Pho has good flavors. Not as good as some places down in the Vietnamese area but pho on campus, how can I complain? Sitting outside in the colder weather, pho warm my body and soul. I have also tried the spring rolls. They are good. All fresh and you can tell it was made that day. I just wish the give a little more dipping sauce. The food prices are very reasonable. This is my go to place for lunch on campus. At least until the heatwave comes. Side note: the Vietnamese coffee is anything but. One, it was weak. Two, no condensed milk was used. I tasted coffee creamer. And three, it was too pricey for such weak coffee.

John Hamilton
John Hamilton

I have had the Bahn mi twice and wonderful both times. Most recently I tried the spring rolls and they were very herbaceous. I like the bitter herb flavor but it may be too much for some. Will be bringing my wife to try on of these days

Drea
Drea

The food is generally good and the staff are very nice. I have tried the sandwiches, smoothies, and pho. The sandwiches are tasty and have fresh vegetables. The pho is good, but you may need to add some soy sauce as it isn't really seasoned. Smoothies are also good, but if you add boba, I've found the boba to be very chewy. All of the food is decent with tofu but their beef balls and chicken are pretty unpalatable to me, personally. I think if all of the ingredients were of similar quality and freshness it would be much better, but it's a very good dining option on campus.

Tran T
Tran T

Pho has good flavors. Not as good as some places down in the Vietnamese area but pho on campus, how can I complain? Sitting outside in the colder weather, pho warm my body and soul. I have also tried the spring rolls. They are good. All fresh and you can tell it was made that day. I just wish the give a little more dipping sauce. The food prices are very reasonable. This is my go to place for lunch on campus. At least until the heatwave comes. Side note: the Vietnamese coffee is anything but. One, it was weak. Two, no condensed milk was used. I tasted coffee creamer. And three, it was too pricey for such weak coffee.

J
Jacky H (超级马鹿)

I mean, there aren’t really many choices on campus. MSG hot water + a few slices of meat + tofu will cost me fifteen dollars. But there is nothing to complain about, after all, we are on campus.

Jacky H (超级马鹿)
Jacky H (超级马鹿)

I mean, there aren’t really many choices on campus. MSG hot water + a few slices of meat + tofu will cost me fifteen dollars. But there is nothing to complain about, after all, we are on campus.

S
Sandy

The boba wasn't really good. It was still hard on the inside which made it hard to chew. But the drink overall was good. The sandwiches were good but the chicken was cold and wasn't tender. The pho was really good! I don't think I'll be ordering chicken and the boba anymore but will continue to get the drinks and pho. And maybe will give other sandwiches a chance :)

E
Erin Vang

Don’t like the broth from the pho. Made me sick. Love the flank, meatballs and noodle tho. Customer service was great and banh mi are bomb. The restaurant doesn’t do plastic straws no more but I couldn’t suck my bobas through the small straws

Erin Vang
Erin Vang

Don’t like the broth from the pho. Made me sick. Love the flank, meatballs and noodle tho. Customer service was great and banh mi are bomb. The restaurant doesn’t do plastic straws no more but I couldn’t suck my bobas through the small straws

Sandy
Sandy

The boba wasn't really good. It was still hard on the inside which made it hard to chew. But the drink overall was good. The sandwiches were good but the chicken was cold and wasn't tender. The pho was really good! I don't think I'll be ordering chicken and the boba anymore but will continue to get the drinks and pho. And maybe will give other sandwiches a chance :)

T
Tyler Anderson

Prices on the board and the self checkout don't match (cheaper on the board) and I was told "we changed the prices at the beginning of the semester" at the time of this writing, it's been 12 weeks into the semester and still not updated? I simply ordered a hot coffee and it was served luke warm at best.

J
Jay Chung

Worst Pho ever tasted. Tasted like eating noodles with water with a hint of salt. Didn't have any fish sauce to bring in more flavor. Space indoors were very cramped, outside is nice. Service was decent and did not have to wait long. Overall, it was not worth my money.

E
Elizabeth Adam

The people were nice, service was quick, food was not good. I got a tofu Bahn Mi sandwich. The tofu had no flavor. The daikon radish was overwhelming. Cilantro was minimal. Too much mayonnaise. No jalapeno.

P
P. L.

The spring rolls were simple but decent and good peanut sauce, but the pho was basically salt water soup. Beef was fine but chicken was kind of dry. The broth was incredibly watery and it came in paper bowls, which is fine for eating on campus but horrible for taking to go for more than 30 minutes. I wish I had just ordered somewhere else...

Elizabeth Adam
Elizabeth Adam

The people were nice, service was quick, food was not good. I got a tofu Bahn Mi sandwich. The tofu had no flavor. The daikon radish was overwhelming. Cilantro was minimal. Too much mayonnaise. No jalapeno.

Tyler Anderson
Tyler Anderson

Prices on the board and the self checkout don't match (cheaper on the board) and I was told "we changed the prices at the beginning of the semester" at the time of this writing, it's been 12 weeks into the semester and still not updated? I simply ordered a hot coffee and it was served luke warm at best.

P. L.
P. L.

The spring rolls were simple but decent and good peanut sauce, but the pho was basically salt water soup. Beef was fine but chicken was kind of dry. The broth was incredibly watery and it came in paper bowls, which is fine for eating on campus but horrible for taking to go for more than 30 minutes. I wish I had just ordered somewhere else...

Jay Chung
Jay Chung

Worst Pho ever tasted. Tasted like eating noodles with water with a hint of salt. Didn't have any fish sauce to bring in more flavor. Space indoors were very cramped, outside is nice. Service was decent and did not have to wait long. Overall, it was not worth my money.

k
kayana trimmer

Went after class to get a bahmi sandwich and it was disgusting and the meat was more like deli meat than pork. Service was great and everyone was nice but terrible sandwich.

kayana trimmer
kayana trimmer

Went after class to get a bahmi sandwich and it was disgusting and the meat was more like deli meat than pork. Service was great and everyone was nice but terrible sandwich.

A
Anna Kana

Menu is misleading: I ordered a pork roll sandwich for 9.00. It says on the menu displayed on the screen behind the counter that there is lettuce in the sandwich. I get my sandwich, and there is no lettuce in it. I thought they forgot, so I went back to get it fixed and they told me they "don't put lettuce in sandwiches anymore". I asked them to refund me, but they decided to put lettuce in my sandwich instead. It is a good sandwich: but this place has bad business practices. If you don't have lettuce on your sandwiches anymore, then take it off the menu. Edit: I think what they meant is that lettuce now costs a dollar on top of the already 9.00 sandwich, because there was an option to "add lettuce" for a dollar. If that is the case, then the menu cannot state that ALL sandwiches include lettuce by default.

a
athena stroben

Earlier this week Saigon Bay was closed down by the County/City due to health concerns regarding bugs and rodents. What's even more crazy is that it's only been two days and they are already back open... I'd avoid eating here at all costs.

G
Gilmore Scott

The pho is sad and watery, in a teeny tiny bowl. I've had packaged pho that tastes better. For the same price and quadruple the portion, I recommend Pho Bac Hoa Viet. It's clear that campus doesn't have the resources to run a restautant with an all-day broth.

athena stroben
athena stroben

Earlier this week Saigon Bay was closed down by the County/City due to health concerns regarding bugs and rodents. What's even more crazy is that it's only been two days and they are already back open... I'd avoid eating here at all costs.

Gilmore Scott
Gilmore Scott

The pho is sad and watery, in a teeny tiny bowl. I've had packaged pho that tastes better. For the same price and quadruple the portion, I recommend Pho Bac Hoa Viet. It's clear that campus doesn't have the resources to run a restautant with an all-day broth.

Anna Kana
Anna Kana

Menu is misleading: I ordered a pork roll sandwich for 9.00. It says on the menu displayed on the screen behind the counter that there is lettuce in the sandwich. I get my sandwich, and there is no lettuce in it. I thought they forgot, so I went back to get it fixed and they told me they "don't put lettuce in sandwiches anymore". I asked them to refund me, but they decided to put lettuce in my sandwich instead. It is a good sandwich: but this place has bad business practices. If you don't have lettuce on your sandwiches anymore, then take it off the menu. Edit: I think what they meant is that lettuce now costs a dollar on top of the already 9.00 sandwich, because there was an option to "add lettuce" for a dollar. If that is the case, then the menu cannot state that ALL sandwiches include lettuce by default.

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About The Grumpy Mule

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2000 State University Dr, Sacramento, CA 95819

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Highlights

Good Rating
4.2/5 stars
💬
Well Reviewed
83 reviews
💰
Budget Friendly
Price level
👨‍🍳
coffee
Cuisine type

Services

Coffee
🍰 Desserts
🥡 Takeout
🍴 Dine-in

Dining Options

🍽️ Dine In
🥡 Takeout

Restaurant Info

🕐 Hours Today
7AM-4PM
Rating
4.2/5
💬 Reviews
83
💰 Price Level
$
📞 Phone
+1 916-278-2860
🌐 Website
www.dining.csus.edu

Amenities

📶 Free WiFi
🌿 Outdoor Seating
Wheelchair Accessible
💳 Credit Cards
📱 Mobile Payments
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The Neighborhood

Sacramento State University Library

library

A 51m
E. A. Fairbairn Water Treatment Plant

water treatment plant

A 716m
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