This longtime Fresno burger restaurant with a retro vibe has opened its sixth location
A replica of a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, a Norman Rockwell painting, and a black-and-white checkered floor.
The nostalgia is as thick as the milkshakes at the newly opened Triangle Drive In Burgers restaurant.
It’s the sixth location of Triangle Burgers and the first in northwest Fresno. (Fresnans seem to alternate between calling it Triangle Burgers and the Triangle Drive In, but nobody seems to mind.)
Opened earlier this month, it’s at 3173 W. Shaw Ave. near Marks Avenue. It’s in the same building as The Curry Pizza Company, in the former Plaza Ventana Mexican restaurant space.
Burgers are the star of the show at Triangle, and there’s all kinds of them on the menu. Especially popular lately is the No. 14 combo, the ABC burger with avocado, bacon and cheese, fries and a drink, according to the women behind the counter.
There are also chicken strips, hot dogs, sandwiches, kids meals, ice cream sundaes and root beer floats on the menu.
Most of the combo meals range from $8.49 to $12.49.
But nostalgia is also a big seller at this diner. Very similar to the other Triangle Burgers, there are vintage ads and images of 1950s cars everywhere.
One modern twist: A bench made to look like the tailgate of a 1956 Chevy, perfect for taking pictures with a cell phone.
“We wanted something where people could take a memory,” said owner Zahi Saleh.
It’s meant to be an experience, especially for people who lived through the 1950s.
“It’s cool for them to bring their kids and their grandkids,” he said.
One sidenote: With the emphasis on being a family friendly place, Triangle Burgers didn’t incorporate the former bar, the cantina sandwiched between the kitchen and the business next door.
That is being turned into a coffee shop by a partner of Saleh’s.
Other locations
Triangle’s first location opened 58 years ago. The original owner is still around, popping into various locations at times.
But the current owner, Saleh, wasn’t anywhere near being born in the 1950s. He owns all six, with a seventh in the works. Don’t be surprised if you find him washing dishes at 11:30 p.m. at the restaurant.
He’s planning a big grand opening in the parking lot with a car show and live music. Many of his customers are his friends, and after the COVID-19 pandemic, they’re all looking forward to a big bash, he said.
“There haven’t been a lot of these events so people are hungry for them,” he said.
Triangle’s other locations are: 1310 West Belmont Ave., 753 E. Barstow Ave., and 4915 E. McKinley Ave. in Fresno, 240 W. Shaw Ave. in Clovis, and the location in the city of Tulare at 1330 Tulare Ave.
Up next is a restaurant in a building that’s under construction on Highway 180 and Brawley Avenue.
Details: The newest Triangle Drive In Burgers is at 3173 W. Shaw Ave. Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
This story was originally published June 25, 2021 at 8:51 AM.
