36 Handles Public House announces closure after months of financial challenges, final day set for Saturday, Sept. 26
EL DORADO HILLS — A longtime El Dorado Hills pub is preparing to pour its last stout, as 36 Handles Public House announced this week that it will close its doors following months of financial challenges and an attempt to reorganize the business through Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The restaurant and pub will serve customers for the final time Saturday, Sept. 26, bringing an end to a familiar local gathering place at 1010 White Rock Road in the Montano De El Dorado center.
36 Handles announced the decision directly to its customers this week, describing the closure as an emotional and difficult one.
“It is with a very heavy heart that we announce that 36 Handles Public House will be closing. Our final day will be Saturday, September 26,” the business said in its announcement.
According to the restaurant, the decision came despite efforts to keep the business operating.
“This was an incredibly difficult decision. We tried everything we could to keep going, but unfortunately, we were unable to make it work,” the statement continued.
The closure follows a financially difficult period for 36 Handles. The business filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this summer, a process intended to allow the restaurant to reorganize its finances while continuing to operate.
According to bankruptcy records previously published by the Sacramento Business Journal last month, the business listed estimated assets between $500,001 and $1 million and estimated liabilities between $100,001 and $500,000.
At the time of the filing, owner Gurjeet Singh maintained that the bankruptcy was intended as a restructuring effort rather than a precursor to closing. The goal at that time was to put the business on stronger financial footing and continue serving the community.
The financial difficulties stretched back further. Prior to the bankruptcy filing, landlord Montano Ventures I LLC had pursued eviction actions involving the restaurant in 2025 and again in 2026. The first action was resolved through an agreement between the parties. A subsequent action filed in February alleged missed rent and common-area maintenance payments on three occasions during the preceding 12 months.
That later case was decided in favor of 36 Handles, with the court finding the landlord had not established the three qualifying defaults required under the lease. Despite prevailing in that dispute and later seeking Chapter 11 protection, the restaurant ultimately reached the point this month where its owners said continuing operations was no longer possible.
For its customers, however, the story of 36 Handles extends well beyond its recent financial challenges. The pub has served as a gathering place for friends and families and a venue where musicians performed and celebrations and other occasions brought people together.
“Over the years, 36 Handles has become much more than a restaurant. It has been a place where friendships began, families gathered, celebrations happened, and countless memories were made,” the business said.
In announcing the closure, 36 Handles thanked the many people who have been part of the establishment over the years, from customers and musicians to vendors and members of the greater El Dorado Hills community.
“To our customers, musicians, vendors, friends, and the entire El Dorado Hills community: thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Your love and support have meant more to us than we can express,” the statement read.
The business also offered a special message to its current and former employees, crediting them with helping create the atmosphere and experiences customers came to associate with the pub.
“Each of you has been an important part of the 36 Handles story. Your hard work, dedication, personality, and care for our guests helped create the experiences and memories that made this place so special. We will always be grateful to every one of you,” the business said.
With its final days now approaching, 36 Handles is inviting customers to return one more time before the doors close Saturday, whether to share another meal, say hello or simply revisit a place that has been part of the community for years.
“Please come see us before we close. Stop by, say hello, enjoy one more meal, and help us make our final days together special,” the announcement said.
The restaurant also encouraged customers to share their favorite photos and memories from 36 Handles as news of the closure makes its way through the community.
“This may be the end of 36 Handles, but the friendships and memories created here will stay with us forever,” the 36 Handles family said in closing of their statement shared with the community and Folsom Times. For the longtime El Dorado Hills gathering place, Saturday will mark the final day to raise a glass, share a meal and make one more memory before the last pint is poured.
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