Popular north Fresno chain restaurant closes abruptly, with no reason given

Disappointed customers walked away from locked doors of the Elephant Bar restaurant on north Blackstone Avenue Monday.

The restaurant has closed, with just small signs in its window to explain why.

“We want to thank you for your patronage,” the sign read in part. “We have permanently closed this location.”

It urged customers with questions to email allears@elephantbar.com.

Messages to Elephant Bar’s corporate headquarters and the shopping center were not immediately returned. Workers were loading trays of glasses and other kitchenware into a moving truck Monday.

The Elephant Bar – not to be confused with the Indian fusion restaurant Elephant Lounge on Shaw Avenue in Clovis – was a popular chain restaurant. It served cocktails and both American food like burgers and “globally inspired” dishes like Mongolian beef.

The chain has been steadily shrinking over the last few years.

It filed for bankruptcy in June of 2014, abruptly closing 16 locations.

According to the Nation’s Restaurant News, a company bought the 29-location Elephant Bar out of bankruptcy in 2014.

Several more Elephant Bar locations were closed in October.

In May, 10 of the restaurants were sold again along with other restaurants Baker Bros. American Deli and Ruby Tequila’s Mexican Kitchen.

This story was originally published August 28, 2017 at 1:43 PM with the headline "Popular north Fresno chain restaurant closes abruptly, with no reason given."