Rooftop drinking is about to go down in Fresno as much-anticipated bar nears full debut

Ready to really experience Fresno’s first rooftop bar? It’s finally about to happen.

Quail State — the popular downtown Fresno cocktail bar and the city’s first rooftop bar — will no longer be limited to outdoor dining or drinks to go.

Starting Wednesday, Quail State will offer drinks and dining on its rooftop deck, as well as indoor services. Reservations are required and are already being accepted.

“We’re stoked to be able to finally party with y’all upstairs,” Quail State posted on social media Thursday. “It’s been a long (LOOOOONG) time coming and we wouldn’t be here without a ton of help.”

Quail State thanked the office of Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, the Fresno Fire Department and the city planning department for allowing the bar to finally begin operating as owners Josh and Hayley Islas-Wolf have long envisioned.

Quail State is on the second-floor rooftop of the historic Pacific Southwest Building, the distinctively tall downtown building with the red awnings.

The bar rooftop is on the east side of the building, between the front part of the Pacific Southwest building and the Radisson Hotel Conference Center on Van Ness Avenue (it’s not on the very top of the 16-story building).

The indoor portion of Quail State was renovated and stocked with several different types of alcohol to sell craft cocktails and wines.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the bar initially was set to open in December and serve drinks on the ground floor sidewalk patio space at the corner of Fulton and Mariposa streets.

But a mandate by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office required bars in Fresno County to close both indoor and outdoor operations in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The Quail State owners then pivoted and started selling cocktails to go, bartending tools and glassware. By January, the bar was offering food and dining services.

Then in late March, indoor dining at restaurants was officially allowed at 25% of maximum capacity as Fresno County moved into California’s red tier of coronavirus business restrictions.

The Quail State bar has been in the works for more than two years, with a lease signed in February 2019.

For weeks, the bar has been seating customers on the ground floor sidewalk, serving food and drinks. The rooftop itself had been off limits. But that’s about to change.

There will be some limitations to Quail State’s much anticipated rooftop service. Only patrons who have booked a table on the rooftop will be allowed to sit and dine outside, Quail State reiterated.

Bar top seating is first come, first served and masks must be worn and are required to enter the building with no exceptions granted.

“With that being said,” Quail State posted, “we’re pleased to announce that reservations for our rooftop bar are now LIVE.”

This story was originally published April 15, 2021 at 7:33 PM.