Will these restaurants ever open? Updates on the most asked-about eateries in Fresno
Several popular chain restaurants — and one beloved local one — are slated to open new locations to Fresno.
But when?
Bee readers have been firing off eager emails and messages via social media asking if their much-loved future restaurant is ever going to open.
We have some answers after reaching out to five highly anticipated restaurants. Most are reluctant to give exact dates in case they won’t be ready in time. But we wrangled some ballpark timing out of several and dug as deep as we could on others.
Here’s what we found.
Golden Corral
Tables were being delivered and finishing touches were being put on the neon sign with a boom lift Friday, so Golden Corral is definitely getting close to opening.
The long-anticipated buffet restaurant is taking over the former HomeTown Buffet spot on West Shaw Avenue near Marty Avenue, as the Bee first reported back in February.
No exact opening date has been announced by the company.
Back in April, the company told The Bee it was targeting an “end of summer” opening. That may have passed, depending upon your definition of end of summer.
The company did not return several messages seeking comment in recent days, but appears to be moving forward. The Bee will share an opening date as soon as it’s confirmed.
Randy’s Donuts
This 72-year-old business with the iconic giant donut sign in Southern California is one of the most highly anticipated new eateries coming to Fresno.
The company is aiming for a late October opening at two locations: One at the northeast corner of Bullard and Palm avenues, and another at 2369 E. Shaw Ave., near the Red Wave Inn and Maple Avenue.
The donut shop makes classic donuts (such as cake donuts and maple bars) but also donuts covered in Fruity Pebbles cereal or Oreos.
But it’s the image of the place that is perhaps best known by Fresnans, appearing in multiple TV shows and movies. Robert Downey Jr. famously munched a donut while lounging inside the 32-foot-tall donut sign at the Inglewood location in “Iron Man 2.”
The Fresno locations won’t have donut signs that big. Instead, they will have 6-foot-tall donuts attached to the buildings, according to the company.
Toledo’s
The only local restaurant on this highly anticipated list is the large new Toledo’s Mexican Restaurant underway at Cedar and Nees avenues.
The new location was announced in 2018 and meant to be a replacement for the Toledo’s on Blackstone Avenue with the beloved enclosed patio with trees growing through it. That was torn down in 2019.
It’s not open yet, but it’s getting close, said Jesse Toledo, part of the family behind the restaurant.
“We are trying so hard to be done at the end of this month,” he said of construction. After that, the tasks of finishing up hiring, inspections and more still need to be done. He didn’t want to give a specific date.
The restaurant was hit with multiple delays, including the pandemic.
The Toledo family acknowledged how long work has taken, hanging tongue-in-cheek banners on the building, reading “Opening soon ... ish.”
“I was going to change it to a new one that says, ‘Wrapping it up,’” he said. “Inch by inch is how we’re going. We’ve got little things we’re wrapping up.”
Back in April, Toledo and his father, founder Sam Toledo, gave a Fresno Bee reporter a tour of the new restaurant.
Large chandeliers and glass art pieces reminiscent of something from Las Vegas were hung from an indoor pergola. Huge windows gave the dining room an outdoorsy feel, despite not having a patio.
The popular restaurant still has a following at its other two locations — one on Shaw Avenue in Clovis and another at Herndon and Milburn in northwest Fresno. The temporary small location at Cedar and Nees in the same shopping center has closed.
Jollibee
Jollibee started the process of coming to Fresno in 2021 — but not a lot has happened since then.
That’s when The Bee first reported that the popular Filipino fried chicken chain — which the New York Times called “the McDonald’s of the Philippines” — planned to open a location in Fresno.
It has a restaurant in Delano, prompting some influencer Fresnans to drive there to try its fried chicken and spaghetti topped with hot dog slices and cheese.
The project was approved by the City of Fresno’s planning department, with plans to open a restaurant with a drive-thru in front of Fashion Fair mall. The former Bank of the West was demolished to make way for it, leaving a green fence surrounding the property, next to the now-closed Burger King.
Nothing happened for years. Then in February, Jollibee filed a spate of permits for work, including grading, landscaping and utilities. A Fashion Fair representative confirmed it planned to come, aiming for a late 2024 or early 2025.
A city representative said the project is now undergoing “building review.” Its most recent filing was in June of this year.
Jollibee has not returned repeated requests for comment in recent days about its plans.
On Monday, Fashion Fair senior marketing manager Brian Malony said to The Bee in a text: “At this time, we have no updates to share regarding Jollibee’s plans at Fashion Fair. Any further information should come directly from Jollibee.”
Downtown Denny’s
The Denny’s in downtown Fresno on Abby Street near Divisadero Street has been closed since a fire broke out there almost two years ago.
Originally, the owner had hoped to reopen in early 2023. But it’s taking longer than expected.
That’s because many parts of the restaurant not affected by the fire had to be brought up to modern city code during the work, said franchise owner Sunita Sagar.
“We are working on opening the store as quickly as possible,” she said.
She did not give an opening date.
