Food Review: 500 Club

500 Club’s Ortega Swiss burger is made with a half-pound beef patty and topped with an Ortega chili and melted swiss cheese. (Contributed by Ron Sundquist)

500 Club in Old Town Clovis is a historic landmark that has been owned and operated by the Sarantos family since 1953.

What started out as a small bar with a poker table has evolved into a local favorite that serves lunch and dinner entrees daily in a western-decor setting. The menu offers plenty of choices ranging from appetizers to steak and specialty entrees. In between, you’ll find options for salads, soups, sandwiches and burgers, or “Famous Burgers” as they are listed under on the menu.

The Clovis Roundup recently set out to 500 Club for our biweekly lunch review. Our team of four ordered the Cheeseburger, Ortega Swiss Burger, Shish Kabob Sandwich and New York Steak Sandwich.

Made with a ½-pound fresh patty, each burger was cooked to order with your choice of melted cheese. Most burgers, unless otherwise requested, are topped with lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles, mayo, mustard, and thousand island dressing with a side of french fries or onion rings.

Each of the sandwiches, on the other hand, had their own variety of toppings. The Shish Kabob Sandwich was cooked to order and topped with grilled onions and bell peppers served on a grilled bun. Our other sandwich, the NY Steak, was grilled to order and topped with lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo served on a grilled steak roll.

We concluded that each sandwich was juicy, flavorful and very filling. The thick, crispy fries were also a nice complement to each meal. Old Town is home to some of the best burgers in the area and 500 Club is definitely up there.

Located on the corner of Clovis and Fifth avenues, the bar and grill provides the perfect atmosphere to casually enjoy a meal with friends or even have a meeting with colleagues.

“Our restaurant has become a favorite place for locals to go for great food and a comfortable atmosphere,” reads a message on the 500 Club menu written by owners Louie and Cindy Sarantos. “We hope you enjoy being here as much as we enjoy having you.”

500 Club is located at 500 Clovis Ave. in Old Town Clovis.

HOURS:

Sunday-Thursday: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Friday, Saturday: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.