Shut down for months, these prominent Fresno restaurants have finally reopened
Most restaurants have limped through coronavirus restrictions by selling takeout food and doing patio dining.
But some have been closed down completely for months.
Sometimes it’s because entrees like steaks and seafood don’t make the best takeout. They keep cooking inside their to-go containers, meaning you get a different quality meal than if you were served it in the restaurant.
And some don’t have the space to do patio dining, so they decided not to try it at all.
But Fresno County has moved to the red tier of the state’s coronavirus restrictions, which means restaurants can open their dining rooms up to 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is smaller.
And that means some restaurants closed for months have decided to reopen, like Richard’s Prime Rib & Seafood and Manhattan Steakhouse & Bar.
Open for dine in
Reservations are strongly recommended at both, especially on the weekends. Tables are placed at least 6 feet apart, which makes accommodating lots of people at one time tricky. Both restaurants will still take walk-ins if they have the room, but a reservation will guarantee you a table.
Neither restaurant has its bar area open, as they’re following state guidelines (though you can still get cocktails at your table). Concerns center around cross contamination with bartenders making drinks near other customers, and bar customers tending to mingle with people outside their households, both of which could increase the risk of spreading COVID-19.
All restaurants in Fresno County risk having to close their dining rooms again if enough new cases of COVID-19 push the county back into the more restrictive purple tier.
But for now, here’s what you need to know about these two restaurants reopening.
Manhattan
The Manhattan Steakhouse & Bar was closed for seven months.
The restaurant doesn’t have a patio.
David Milutinovich, who owns the restaurant with his wife Karen, said he didn’t want to put up tents in the parking lot. He said customers come to the steak house for the experience of dining there, with its Manhattan vibe and big cushy booths.
“I think when you spend $10 for a cocktail and $40 for a meal … you should get the whole atmosphere,” he said.
The owners took a pay cut, but have been able to pay their bills.
The restaurant reopened late last week.
Manhattan is using its private dining rooms as main dining space, allowing it to seat more customers but still keep them spread out.
It’s not offering its three for $20 bar happy hour menu right now, but the steaks, mahi mahi and other favorites are still on the menu.
It feels great to be back and seeing customers, Milutinovich said.
“Karen and I really appreciate their patience. It’s been tough on our guests,” he said. “Half the people who come in to visit are your friends.”
Manhattan opens for cocktails at 4 p.m. and dinner at 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. 1731 W. Bullard Ave. Reservations: 559-449-1731.
Richard’s
Richard’s was shut down completely for about five months. The 51-year-old restaurant reopened in late May when the state relaxed restrictions. But when it was ordered closed again in early July, owner Ben Stockle decided to shut down entirely, feeling like he couldn’t do takeout or create a patio that met his standards.
It reopened last Monday, serving its popular prime rib dinners and a lunchtime favorite, the “something special,” a 6-ounce New York steak served open faced on sourdough bread with Swiss cheese.
The restaurant has three dining rooms, which allows it to seat between 50 and 60 people.
Almost all the employees, many of whom have worked at Richard’s for decades, came back.
“It’s really cool to the see the staff and customers,” Stockle said. “We’ve got three generations of customers coming in now. It’s just good to see people coming in again.”
Richards is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
The restaurant is at 1609 E. Belmont Ave., 559-266-4077.
This story was originally published October 16, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
