Need Fresno Suggestions.
 

I have to attend an event at the Fresno Convention Center in June. I'm hoping Fodorites can help me out with some hotel and dining recommendations.

Hotels: I would rather not stay at the Radisson at the Convention Center. So far I have it narrowed down to the Residence Inn, the Four Points Sheraton, and the Courtyard. Any comments? Are there particular neighborhoods I should steer clear of?

I would love any restaurant suggestions for the area- any cuisine or price range.

Any other Fresno suggestions will be most welcome.

Thanks!

First of all, my condolences for having to visit Fresno. June will be hotter than hades. Kimamom lives in the area, I'm sure she can help.

I've heard good things about Upstairs/Downstairs. The Old Fig Garden area is a good place to explore, too.

C'mon TTess, we're not that bad. Actually June can be very pleasant indeed. Yes, lvk, you should not stay at the Radisson CC if you can get out of downtown conveniently.
Before I give you a whole raft of ideas and restaurants, may I ask how long you will be in our fair city, how many nites/days do you have free time? What is your general budget for dinner meals? Do you have an extra day for a daytrip to the mountains? This would help me give you some ideas, and I will be glad to answer any questions.

Sorry BillJ but as you know weather is all relative. Average highs of 91 degrees isn't "pleasant" to me but I'm glad it is for you. D'frnt strokes, you know? At least there's a video store and a 7-ll on every corner to Ivk can cool off with a movie and a cold one.
((6)) Bad Tess, bad!

Boy this thing is sinking fast. OK, lvk, if you¡¦re still checking in, here are a few ideas.
Sheraton is not the best area. I would opt for the Courtyard.
Downtown, where you¡¦ll be: Previously mentioned, ¡§Upstairs Downtown¡¨ (not downstairs) is indeed a very good suggestion from Ttess for nearby fine dining and a great atmosphere. They have a web site; very close to the convention center. Also, if you like baseball, The Fresno Grizzlies, our triple a team plays at a new stadium downtown. Good food, family atmosphere, fun place, if they are at home at the time of your visit. I hear that lunch at Club One, a card room near the convention center is excellent, but have not eaten there myself. Hardly ever go downtown.
Other than that, GO NORTH.
Fig Garden Shopping Center, NE corner of Shaw and Palm. Fine shopping / stores, La Boulangerie bakery (excellent pastries), and The Elbow Room Restaurant and Bar. Popular with professionals.
River Park is a grand shopping and dining complex located on North Blackstone between Alluvial and Nees. There are shops, stores and bunches of restaurants on both sides of Blackstone. Borders, Barnes&Noble, 21 screen Edwards Movie complex, etc. Outback Steakhouse, Mac Grill, Marie¡¦s, In and Out Burger (the best burgers), you get the picture.
Italian: ¡¥Course everyone has their favorite, but mine is Bella Pasta, informal, NW corner of Herndon and Cedar. Also popular: Giulia¡¦s.
Seafood: Pacific Seafood, SE corner Herndon and First.
Fashion Fair Mall: Classic mall, with Flemings Prime Steakhouse, a wonderful higher end restaurant.
Manchester Center Mall: No reason that I know of to go there.
Mexican Restaurants: Dozens and dozens. Take your pick. Popular is Rosa¡¦s at the Pavillion Center, Marks & Bullard. Sal¡¦s NE corner Nees & Fresno St. Salazar¡¦s near Campagna¡¦s, Champlain & Perrin.
Sushi and Teppan Yaki; Sakanaya way north to Friant and Ft Washington Dr.
Pizza: I grew up with Me & Eds, a local, still my favorite, but all the majors are here.
Popular watering holes: Elbow Room, Campagna¡¦s.
Fine dining: Lantana, Slate¡¦s, Bentleys Bistro, Five, Campagna¡¦s, Elbow Room, Giulia¡¦s (Italian), Upstairs Downtown.
A few hours to kill: Drive north on 41 to Bass Lake for dinner www.basslake.com , or Chukchansi casino.
Though this is a lot, anyone would list many different eateries and activities. Just my effort to help you find a little happiness in your forced time in Fresno ƒº . It¡¦s not that bad here, you¡¦ll see. Glad to answer any questions.

BillJ,

We will only be there from Friday aft. to Sunday aft. Will be spending all day Sat. and most of the day Sun. in the Convention Ctr. No time for side trips. :( Need dinner suggestions for Friday night and Sat. night. We might be dining in a group with parents and teens. Any suggestions?

Also, that Residence Inn looks like it is in the middle of an industrial park of some type? Would the Four Points be a better choice for location and amenities?

Thanks!

Ttess: Of course, we always say, "Yes but it's dry heat!" and anyway, 91, phooey, not hot.


All those little squigglies in my post above are supposed to be 's. Uhmmm!

Gotta love Fresno!

oops, Bill, we were posting at the same time!

Thanks for the suggestion of the Courtyard. Now that you know my parameters, any further suggestions?

There are two Courtyards in Fresno. One on Shaw Avenue and one near the airport. The one on Shaw has a much better location, just a short drive to the River Park area.

I always stayed at the C'yard on Shaw but haven't had to go to Fresno in years.
PITA to get in/out of but much better location and near the Hiway so you can make it D'town.

Ditto the Elbow Room. Great steak sammy out on the patio.

Is the traffic still horrbile in Fresberg? X(

Didn't "K-Fed" used to work at the Me and Eds in Fres/Clovis?

We better sne dout a search aprty for ***Kimmer***. It's not like her to miss an opportutiny to comment on the yummylisciousness of Fresno?

Yes, "k-fed" is from Fresno. Grew up and went to high school here. 'nuff said.
Yes, Courtyard on Shaw just off 41.
Yes, traffic is bad, but probably the same as all bigger cities. Northbound 41 at rush hour is very unpleasant.
lvk, with a family group, reiterate the ball park if you like baseball and the boys are in town. They have an in-the-park tailgate with good food and picnic style tables with view of the field. Check out the Fresno Grizzlies web site.
Also, with a group like that, we like the Beni Hana style Japanese restaurants with the chef cooking at your table of 8. See Sakanaya mentioned.
Fri and Sat you will need reservations.
If you took the teens to the Edwards Movie complex at River Park, there are a few restaurants adjacent, including a sports bar and grill that's pretty good. Owned by Tim McDonald of 49er fame.
As I said numerous restaurants in the general vicinity of River Park. Macaroni Grill is good for a big group and near the theater.

Fresburg is blessed with such historical names as K-Fed, ***Syrahgirl*** ((W)), remember when Anne Heche, Ellen's old girlfriend, was found in a psychotic state in Fresno? You can't forget Jeffrey Dahlmer's mother lives there. Marcus Wesson - he killed 9 of his family members while living a life of polygamy.

The brownest air north of Mexico City.
But hey, it's a dry heat :S-

BillJ - you're chill, as my kids say. Thanks for hanging in there with our humor.

Fig Garden Village and the Elbow Room cater to an older clientele. River Park area is where the younger crowd hangs out. Macaroni Grill is a good suggestion for a group with teenagers.

There was a pizza place on Shaw near Blackstone that made some of thee best pizza I've ever had.

Had a palm tree in it's logo. I think a friend said the owners sold and it may be out of business now?

The funky Silver Dollar Hof Brau still open?
Cold beer..decent grub.

There was a really good Mexican resty somewhere between Hwy 41 and the Courthouse. Ring a bell? :-?

Nah, Kal. The Hof Brau is history, along with Fagan's Irish Pub
The folks that work downtown have little to choose from as to restaurants. There are several cafe's a block or two toward the court house from the conv. center, or as I said, the cafe in Club One card room is supposed to be pretty good for lunch.

The hofbrau downtown is closed, but I think the Silver Dollar on Shaw is still open. I haven't been to Fresno in a while, but I still follow the news in the local paper. As far as the good family-run Mexican restaurant between 41 and the courthouse on Tulare Street, I remember it too, although I've forgotten its name. It was closed by the health department, if I remember correctly. Cucarachas in the kitchen.

:-O

At least they didn't find el gato carcasses!

LOL, this is too funny.
The brownest air outside of Mexico City..
Kal, did you stay at that Courtyard or did you just check out the lobby and take photos?

Seriously, is Clovis just a "burb" of Fresno?

Gee, and all this time I was thinking that Bakersfield had the brownest air outside of Mexico City. I learn so much from this board! :D

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I will share them with the rest of our group.

Oh, but you haven't heard from ***kim*** ((f)) yet, lvk! ;-) Maybe she'll make it here when she finishes posting about Portland and all the other places she visits for a day or two every other year.

lvk, I guess whatever you do, just don't get any recommendations off of TripAdvisor. At least here you can get the "whole picture" . And avoid the yummy references lol.

But, but Scarlett and Beachbum, the strolling into lobbies and Googled information makes you an experienced traveler, an ***expert*** ((f)), right?

Wonder why ***kim*** won't post about her HOME TOWN ?? She's around here somewhere, 'cause she's tagging on to all the recent Napa/Sonoma threads about her "overnight" trip up here.

R5

The poster you speak of razzle, is busy posting wrong answers on Oregon questions..I don't know why she won't answer a question about her own town..But it is annoying to have to go around cleaning up after the mis-information is posted..sigh..our work is never done :)

Quit fighting, children. Be nice.
The folks in Clovis don't take kindly to references of "burb" of Fresno.
They have the most sought after and envied school district, with consistently blow away test scores; rank very high in the state.
A very low crime rate.
A very good rodeo in the spring.
A vibrant downtown, many very good restaurants. So be cool, folks.
Our air isn't nearly as brown as Bakersfield's. See, all the bad stuff from the People's Republic of San Francisco Bay Area blows down here and stacks up in the corner of the Great Valley, where it is held by the mountains. We are not blessed with refreshing sea breezes . . . .yet! Probably a couple of big ones away from that.
But, hey, lot of nice things going on here in Fresno; we're used to the kidding every since Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World featured Milton Berle as a seaweed salesman from Fresno.
Oh, yeah, we also claim a little of Cher's past, though I can't remember why, and don't think I care.
So, lvk, if you're still reading this drivel, and you have any questions, feel free to chime in and I'll try to give you the straight stuff.

Fresno was my home for many years - and although it isn't high on the list of vacation destinations, it is a good place to raise a family. My children attended Clovis schools, and they were top notch. Fresno City schools, unfortunately, are another story. Really too bad and unfair to the children who must attend them. But while we are on the subject of good things about Fresno, we can't leave out the sweetest and juiciest strawberries in the world, grown by the Hmongs and other Asian minority groups that have settled in the area. That's what I miss about Fresno most of all at this time of year.

LOL, Bill, I really meant that as a question, not having been to Fresno or Clovis, wondering if it were a suburb. Apologies to the nice people in Fresno ((F))

I have gotten so spoiled this past year and a half with the crisp clean ( although a bit damp) air of the Pacific NorthWest..that brown air sounds so sad..
Perhaps that is why some people there, pretend to be here? lol...
lvk, I did hear that there is a good Mexican restaurant there, but the name slips my mind..if you have the energy, wander through www.Chowhound.com or www.Egullet.com..
Scarlett ~

Well, it feels like Fres..er Bakersfield here today. Ninety-five degrees and a lovely brown layer of "air" hanging over the ocean, courtesy of Santa Ana.

A rodeo sounds fun! Is there a webiste I can visit to find out if there will be a rodeo in the area?

Hi lvk, here is the website which will give you the Rodeo info. Click on Schedule for the list of Rodeo's.
http://californiaprorodeo.org/

www.clovisrodeo.com Sorry, its in April.
But, keep an eye on SaveMart Center for big events.
www.savemartcenter.com
We've got Rod Stewart, Jamie Foxx and Ricky Martin coming up. And last Christmas, Andrea Bocelli hisself. What a show!
I feel bad for you folks up in the NW. You mean you can't see what you're breathing? That's awful.
lvk: Gimme a day or two and I'll come up with some really good Mexican restaurants. There are plenty, 'cept you don't want the tacos from the burrito wagons that park around town. They give a new definition to the word "hot" and, well, if you are in SoCal, you know what I mean.

Thanks, LoveItaly and BillJ for those links.

Billj, Those "roach coaches" always seem to have the best breakfast burritos. :)

You are sure welcome lvk. And also, I just had a thought..remembered that Fresno was suppose to have some Basque Restaurants. I went to Google and typed in Basque Restaurant, Fresno, CA and actually there are quite a few. I haven't been to Fresno for years but if a Basque Restaurant interest you that might be fun one evening. If they are like all of the ones I have been to be sure to bring an appetite!

<i>tick... tick ...tick</i>....and STILL no ***kim***.
I guess Fresno must be beneath her now?

:-?

Hi Kal, it is amazing isn't it? Maybe ran out of town by the locals and banned from ever returning. You think??

I don't know this ***kim***; apparently a frequent Fresno contributor. I'll try to fill in best I can.
Basque? Yes there are a couple of reported good ones, but it is not my choice for dining, nor are the neighborhoods (in which the ones I know about are located) someplace I choose to go.
Again, lvk, and anyone else. I'll try to say this with tact, so as not to offend any Chamber of Commerce types: DON'T STAY DOWNTOWN!!! GO NORTH!!
Mexican Restaurants: Impossible to name the favorites. Too many to pick from. But, lvk, if you end up staying at Marriott Courtyard at Shaw and 41 you are just around the corner from Plaza Ventana, oft mentioned fav. That place passes my chips and marguerita test.
I know, others measure by the fajitas, or burritos, or whatever. Me? Chips and margueritas is the real test. If they're good, so's everything else.
(Wow, this thread lasted a long time for one about Fresno.)
LoveItaly: You have provided me with some travel hints before, though right now I cannot place it. Perhaps Europe. Ah, well, thanks, I think. No, I'm pretty sure.

I understand there are great Basque restaurants in Bakersfield. It's June, though. Who wants to eat heavy Basque food in the San Joaquin Valley, in June, other than the Basques? Doesn't make sense. Isn't there a restaurant ***Kim*** can recommend from her own hometown? Kal, are you sitting on her fingers?

Summer nights in June are beautiful... warm, not too hot... if you can, try to hit Fig Garden Village and pick one of the small bistro's with a patio for a nice meal and spend some time window shopping. I much prefer that to the hustle of the (mostly) chain stores at Riverpark. The Elbow Room IS great, as mentioned by another poster, and you'll be sure to find a menu you like somewhere... the prices vary.

Also, remember you're only a short drive from Sequoia, Kins Canyon and Yosemite.. all three are easy day trips if you've bever been.

Fresno may not be the most exciting place on the planet but I still call it home after 15 years of being away!

I would love to try a Basque restaurant, but I'm not sure the rest of the party would be willing, especially if they are in a dodgy part of town.

I'll check out the Fig Garden website, also.

BillJ, do you think that the Residence Inn is too far north? The Courtyard on Shaw is better, location-wise?

Thanks for all of the suggestions so far. I try to find the good in any place I visit (okay, except Orlando). :)

Residence in &quot;too far?&quot; No I wouldn't say that. It is farther north, adding a tad to your &quot;commute&quot; to the convention center, but not that much. If it looks better for you, go for it. It is closer to all the other &quot;Northern&quot; things to do we have discussed.
Wow, another rave for the Elbow Room. I agree. Great food in a good setting at the Fig Garden Shopping Center. They have outdoor dining available.
Despite Ttess's Fresno rants, good natured as they are, June should be really nice for you.
Hope you have fun, glad I could provide a little encouragement.

There was a little bakery/coffee shop in &quot;The Fig&quot; that made the best muffins...???