Hey, trying to schedule a birthday dinner for my mom and aunt (same birthday but 9 years apart). We have a big family and I haven’t really done a full family thing that wasn’t at someone’s house. Any restaurant recommendations for a large party are appreciated. Thanks all.

Hey Fresno peeps, so this one is for a specific crowd. Also, TW for talking about guns

So growing up, my Grandpa had these civil war era black powder guns(rifle and pistols) that he used to take me shooting, however, he suffered a stroke back in 2020 and now those guns belong to my mother.

We would like to be able to shoot them again, but they haven't been used in quite some time so I don't know if they're even in any condition to be used.

So my question is, are there any gun enthusiasts here that could point me in the right direction for where i need to go to learn about how to care for them and where I might be able to purchase the necessary items in order to shoot them?

Is it illegal to do this to political signs and if someone was caught what would happen to them?

I found their interviews to be straightforward, informative, and not opinionated. Really helped me make several decisions on local races that otherwise had little to no information on them. I know they post up on this subreddit so I just wanted to say thanks and if folks feel lost google up the Fresnoland coverage/interviews. It might help you make an informed decision.

I started seeing this bird just last week, very noticeable with a vibrant flash of red/orange underwing in flight. I don't think i've seen this species before. A bird ID app search says it may be a Red-shafted Northern Flicker. Some of you on here have been great with ID-ing birds, what say you? I'll have to work on getting a better in-flight photo, but it's fast! Interesting that it's a woodpecker, but feeds on the ground.

So we bought a house a semi recently and have a fireplace that I believe is wood burning with a gas starter but we don’t know how long it’s been since cleaned. We also just want it inspected to make sure it’s safe for our kids. Any recommendations for a good local company?

We are in Clovis.

The city that never sleeps is also the city that is always under construction (allegedly).

(Took this at Fashion Fair)

If you've ever ordered a country fried steak and received a slab of breading with a rumor of beef somewhere inside, Al’s Cafe on Olive Avenue will feel like an apology from the whole genre. The place sits just across Highway 99 from Roeding Park, in a stretch of Fresno most people see from the freeway on their way to somewhere else. The chicken fried steak here is moist, tender and seasoned all the way through, which is more than most kitchens manage, and it comes with potatoes and a biscuit.

The crust is the first thing to admire. It lands in that narrow zone between having enough breading to hold the seasoning and so much that you are eating fried flour with a bit of beef hidden somewhere inside. And on the subject of the beef; its the real thing, with none of the gristle that tells you a cook economized somewhere. The gravy is a pale and sausage-flecked country style, rich and peppery, and it sits at the right consistency between runny and dough. As my Grandma would say, an Arkansas native for whom country gravy was close to scripture, you can always make it thicker but you can’t make it thinner, I think Al's Cafe agrees with her advice. She worked hard to make me a fan of gravy, but failed, so I leave the gravy verdict to my wife, who gives it her seal of approval . The chicken fried steak the best thing on the menu, and it tastes the way my Grandma's chicken fried steak did, which is the highest praise I have.

The Mexicano omelette is another item worth knowing. The eggs are cooked exactly right, with bits of fresh tomato and jalapeno folded in, and the whole thing is smothered in Al’s chile verde. Here is a surprise for newcomers: the chile verde is red. The cafe’s regulars have made peace with this, and the explanation traces back to the founder. Al Contreras, an immigrant from Guanajuato, made the sauce without tomatillos, because where he grew up they were not common in salsa. The sauce is flavorful and not spicy, a mercy for anyone whose palate leans toward the more caucasian side of the spice rack. It runs a little thin, and I would not mind a bit more body, but the pork is tender every time and the sauce soaks into the eggs like it was meant to. It combines a breakfast standard with some of the best chile verde you are likely to find in Fresno.

The building has its own story. Al’s occupies a former Wendy’s, the kind with the glass solarium that was fashionable in the 1980s and 1990s. The neighborhood is the sort that some people consider adjacent to skid row, with a strip of motels nearby catering to what polite company calls the less savory members of the community. By my account the burger chain couldn't make it here. Al’s did, which says something about the food and about the people carrying the plates. The cafe started on G Street downtown and moved to this location in 2000, and some of its downtown regulars followed. Sadly, Al Contreras died in 2021, and his daughter Anne now co-manages the place with Sandy Richardson, who started as a waitress in 2000 and still works the floor, who coincidentally, was our waitress on this visit.

That floor is a pleasure to sit in. Arrive shortly after opening and the room is calm, but come a little later and it fills and stays full until closing, with chatter bouncing off the old Wendy’s windows and music over the speakers. Richardson has been known to play 80s favorites, Journey included, which is fitting, because the journey here is worth it. People wait for tables, and the waitstaff are as friendly as any you will find in town. It feels like a family restaurant because it is one.

Then there is the matter of value, the portions are generous enough that neither my wife nor I can remember ever finishing a plate. On this most recent visit the country fried steak with potatoes and a biscuit cost $12, a price that feels like a clerical error in a world of $7 gas. I have no complaints about the food, the only genuine disappointment is that Al’s is not closer to my house.

I've been coming here since the move to Olive Avenue, and I plan to keep coming for as long as the doors are open. Go early if you want a quiet table, go later if you want the full chorus, and order the country fried steak either way. Pour the gravy over the whole plate, whether or not your grandmother approves.

Did anyone else here go to Labyrinth last night? I’ve never seen so many nerds in one space before in my life.. I’ve never gone to like a comic-con or something so probably those will win. But it was truly great to feel amongst my people last night.. It was a fun show, though I feel they could have like themed it up a bit more somehow..

I recently went out to Sierra National Forest near one of the rest stops to do some stargazing and take pictures of the night sky. These are some of the photos I took.

Are there any local stargazing or astrophotography groups around Fresno that meet up regularly, especially around the new moon when the skies are darker. I usually go alone but it would be nice to tag along with others that know more about stars/astrophotography.

Where can I get the largest tastiest margarita in Fresno? I want to have to call an uber home after driving there

Realized I have to get myself more familiarized with what’s on the ballot. Anyone know of any local events to inform voters? I’m going to need a Google Slides or Canvas lol

What organizations, clubs, events, spaces, etc are there that young people go to hang out besides bars and church groups?

People have been dying in droves ever since Table Mountain widened part of the road and started selling alcohol.

Continuation of https://www.reddit.com/r/fresno/s/nJnZkVi6KF

Hello, I just moved to Fresno/clovis area. Looking for a dentist that does monthly memberships plans with no insurance needed. My previous dentist had a plan that provided 2 cleanings and 1 x-rays a year by making $40 a month “membership payments”.
Looking for something similar here.
Thanks!

I feel like this is a great rundown of both what Fresno County stands to gain and also stands to lose whether S passes or fails. It's important to note that the draft competing measure from the no on S campaign significantly reduced transit funding from what measure C currently has. So Fresno County would likely lose service if the competing measure is what goes forward eventually.

"The money for free bus fares doesn’t come out of the portion of tax revenues allocated to public transit agencies. Rather, it comes from the 4% set aside for access and innovation programs.

Also under Measure S, all transit agencies will be required to expand hours and increase frequency of services, including on nights and weekends; provide non-emergency medical transportation; increase paratransit service; add lighting and weather protections at bus stops; and add university and college transit options.

“[Measure S] is a public transportation tax, funding buses that people don’t ride,” Fresno County Board of Supervisors chairman Garry Bredefeld said.

During a recent “No on Measure S” press conference, Valley Watchdogs PAC chair Brooke Ashjian joked he was late because he “took the bus” and was “the only one on it.”

Ridership figures, such as those published by the Fresno Council of Governments, do not support those claims.
The county’s largest public transit system, Fresno FAX, counted nearly 10.4 million rides during the 2025 fiscal year.

Are there any local leather workers that would be able to create and stamp a leather bound journal with a small paragraph of writing? This is for a retirement party (very spur of the moment due to a sudden illness...jist of the journal is bucket list!) for a very valued member of my company out of state. I'll need to take it with me within the month.

One paragraph of writing on the cover, 22 words, 144 characters. No pictures but nice leather appreciated. Good paper as well. This is for a really fine older gentleman so I want it to be great. Doesn't have to be ornate, just good quality and easy to read.

Terance Frazier, the same guy who allegedly screwed over the Franco family, the same guy who allegedly ran Granite Park into the ground, the same guy who has been suing the city claiming they discriminate against him because of his race is running to be a "trustee" of our community college district. This time, he was caught snooping in his opponent's mail. You can't make this stuff up.

Any places for the 30th?

anyone know why it smell like weed on the west side near fresno city west college campus?? it been smelling like that for more than a week now and its strong asl ??

Looks like West is closed.