Nightlife in Central Fresno

Established: Before 1950
Reservations/Appointments: Optional
Staff Size: 2–10 people
Average Duration of Services: 2–4 hours
Pro Tip: Call ahead to see if there are any dress up themes for the Classic Films each month.
Handicap Accessible: Yes
Parking: Metered street parking
Most Popular Attraction/Offering: Classic Film Series
Recommended Age Group: All Ages

Kocky's Bar and Grill

Most chicken wings look like bite-size drumsticks. Kocky's chicken wings look like chicken wings. Chefs roll each full-size wing in homemade batter before dunking it into a deep fryer. They then smother them with one of 10 made-from-scratch sauces, such as lemon pepper, buffalo ranch, Kickin' Teriyaki, and Sweet Fire. The menu also features pub-style fare ranging from chicken-wing-topped salads to burgers made with USDA-certified, natural Black Angus beef from Harris Ranch. Striving to fill Kocky's Bar and Grill with the same camaraderie they developed as fraternity brothers, the three founders encourage their servers to get to know patrons on a first-name, favorite-scene-from-Animal House basis.

For over 20 years, Austin’s Sanger menu has inspired mouths to stop talking about their screenplay and dive into a hearty waffle breakfast with bacon or sausage and an egg ($6.65), Austin’s classic half-pound burger ($7.45), or an ultra-tender pot-roast platter smothered in gravy and roasted iron cauldrons and served with carrots, onions, and mashed potatoes ($10.45). Hopelessly lost University of Texas students, meanwhile, can find solace in Austin’s Downtown Grill and Sports Bar's menu, starting with the black-bean chili cheese fries ($6.99) or the bacon-, cheese-, and spinach-stuffed mushroom caps ($7.99). After appetizers, carnivorous customers can try out a slow-roasted half chicken ($12.99) or a 12-ounce coffee-rubbed rib-eye steak ($17.99) while seated on a large coffee beanbag chair. In Sanger, slake a terrible thirst with domestic and imported beers along with wines from the local Fresno State, Gibson, and Cedar View wineries. The downtown pub, on the other tentacle, boasts 17 beers on tap and in gilded spittoons scattered throughout the spacious interior.

Raul and Maria Gutierrez were raised on fajitas in their native Mexico, where many families raise their own chickens and make tortillas by hand. After honing their culinary skills in several Houston restaurants, the couple chased their dreams to Fresno, where Fajita Fiesta was born. Instead of sprouting from a pinto bean, the eatery sprang from one of the Gutierrez’s favorite dishes: tacos al carbon, a union of handcrafted tortillas, fresh pico de gallo, and charbroiled steak, chicken, or pork. Made fresh every hour, the tortillas serve as a canvas for creativity by exhibiting savories such as grilled shrimp, onions, and poblano peppers. For deep-fried fare such as chimichangas and sopapillas, Raul and Maria use canola oil to minimize saturated fat. Margaritas add a heady kick to the evening's festivities, and horchatas end meals on a sweet cinnamon note, with textures smoother than a freshly shorn saxophone. The kitchen also caters feasts for a variety of events, filling bellies with hearty chicken moles and bite-size eats such as mini taquitos.

The creators of the The Graffiti Run use the term “run” very loosely. Less of a race, and more a celebration of the human spirit, The Graffiti Run encourages participants to dash, dance, prance, skip, cartwheel, or walk the course as they douse each other in vibrant hues that span the full spectrum. Each run also donates a portion of proceeds to a local charity, which range from Special Olympics affiliates and scholarship funds to city cleanup and beautification projects.

The mission of the Fresno Philharmonic is to present high quality, live orchestral music to audiences throughout the San Joaquin Valley. Inherent in this statement is a commitment to education and outreach, and a requirement that the mission be carried out in a financially responsible manner.