Moses McQueen’s Brings a Happening Vibe to Downtown Fresno

At 110 years old, one of downtown Fresno’s oldest homes has found a new purpose that its original builder and previous occupants may have never imagined — a restaurant and cocktail lounge.

While the bar and restaurant had its grand opening three weeks ago, on Tuesday, the owners of Moses McQueen’s cut the ribbon on the space at 634 Van Ness Ave. in the former Elia Home, along with Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer.

Co-owner Phillip Kliewer said people coming in will experience something different than anywhere else in Fresno.

“While it does feel like a bar and restaurant, it also feels like you are coming home or you are going to your auntie’s house, or you’re going to your grandma’s house,” Kliewer said. “You’re just enjoying the space with friends.”

Dyer said turnout and popularity at the restaurant shows downtown’s momentum.

“To be able to bring a restaurant bar like Moses McQueen’s downtown is significant especially on the southern part of downtown, where really there’s not a lot of activity,” Dyer said. “But if you come in here throughout the evening, even at lunch or on the weekends especially, it’s hard to find a place to sit.”

‘Classic’ Menu, Drinks

The freshly painted domicile stands out amid downtown’s commercial corridor. Being in Moses McQueen’s feels like visiting someone’s home. Bookcases, low ceilings, and a retro bar give the space a warm feel.

The bar serves classic cocktails and drinks, offering everything from palomas and old fashioneds to cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon. With a small kitchen, Kliewer says they try to keep the food menu tight, serving hamburgers, chicken wings, and catfish tacos.

“Everything that we’re doing isn’t necessarily avant-garde,” Kliewer said. “It’s classic and that’s what I think most people actually like on a day-to-day basis. It’s something that feels comfortable to them.”

Through the bookcase and up the stairs is where the owners hid an upstairs bar in what feels more like a study. A connecting room overlooks the patio, where patrons can play games on the lawn or enjoy drinks and food.

Restoration Process a ‘Labor of Love’: Kliewer

Kliewer called the restoration process a “labor of love.” Shortly after the home’s 100th anniversary, Kliewer and partners began renovations. Today, he co-owns Moses McQueen’s with business partners Miguel and Diego Arambula.

Had it not been for Kliewer and his partners purchasing the home, it likely would have been demolished, he said.

While Kliewer owns a construction company — NexGeneral Construction — bringing the home back to life was a completely different undertaking.

“You don’t typically take a 100-year-old house and turn it into a commercial project, first of all,” Kliewer said. “And then, second of all, you don’t turn it into a bar and restaurant.”

The building had been vacant when they found it. At the beginning of the process, the home had to be lifted five feet in the air so the foundation could be reinforced and electrical wiring added. Builders opened up the lower floor and had to reframe much of the home.

“You can’t predict everything in a 100-year-old house,” Kliewer said.

Dyer said Moses McQueen’s plays into a well-rounded, “vibrant” downtown. Located less than a third of a mile from Chukchansi Park, he said it supports activity in the area.

“We have entertainment that’s taking place, concerts, baseball games, very soon I hope to have a soccer stadium being built with a professional soccer team. We’re not too far from Selland Arena, where a lot of activity occurs,” Dyer said. “I think this place, Moses McQueen’s, is situated in the right place at the right time for a booming downtown.”

The post Moses McQueen’s Brings a Happening Vibe to Downtown Fresno appeared first on GV Wire.