The Central Valley’s newest casino opened its doors the last week of October, and while the 2,400 slot machines and 40 gaming tables will pull in the gamblers, there’s another reason to make the drive up Highway 99.
Food.
The North Fork Mono Casino and Resort near Avenue 18 in Madera is betting big on its restaurants, which ring the gaming floor and range from a quick taco stop to a white-tablecloth steakhouse with hundreds of wines. A few of the names will be familiar to Fresno diners. Others are brand new. Here’s a rundown of where to eat the next time you’re up there — or the next time hunger alone is reason enough to go.
Manzanita Steakhouse 
The dining room at the Manzanita Steakhouse is seen inside the North Fork Mono Casino and Resort in Madera on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. ERIK GALICIA egalicia@fresnobee.com
This is the flagship, and the one the casino is clearly most proud of. Named after a tree that grows in the Sierra foothills, Manzanita is going for fine dining that doesn’t feel stuffy.
“Our focus is to also make those luxury options affordable because we want anyone and everyone to feel welcome here,” general manager Connor Jessop said.
Expect prime steaks, seafood and — according to Jessop — hundreds of unique wine offerings. The man in the kitchen is chef Robert Vieira, a self-described proud Fresno and Central Valley native who has cooked at The Elderberry House in Oakhurst and in fine dining spots in Los Angeles.
“We have a great future here for culinary and expect fine dining in this area,” Vieira said. “Every dish – it’s going to be perfect.”
Casino general manager Mark Ward said the Manzanita experience is going to be “over the top.”
“In terms of service but also the quality of the food,” he said.
Fuego Mexican Kitchen 
Javier Ramirez, center, who owns Fresno’s Fuego Taqueria y Restaurante, poses with his sons inside the North Fork Mono Casino and Resort on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. The casino will feature the family-owned restaurant’s second location. ERIK GALICIA egalicia@fresnobee.com
Fresno foodies, this one’s going to be familiar. Fuego Mexican Kitchen is the second location of Fuego, the Fresno taquería owned by Javier Ramirez. But — and this is the part worth paying attention to — the casino outpost isn’t just a copy-paste of the original.
Aldo Ramirez, the restaurant’s operations manager, said the Madera spot will offer new menu items you won’t find at the Fresno location. Among them: fried pork belly chicharrón.
That alone is worth the drive if you’re the kind of person who plans weekends around a dish.
Clubhouse 99
Sports bar territory, and a pretty ambitious one. Clubhouse 99 has 56 television screens — yes, really — which means whatever game you’re trying to catch is probably on somewhere.
The drink lineup leans beer-forward. Assistant manager Alejandro Alvarez said the bar is pouring craft beer — imports and brews from across California. If you’ve been looking for a place to park yourself during football season that isn’t your couch, this is a candidate.
Kopiah Coffee 
The food court at the North Fork Mono Casino and Resort in Madera is seen Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. ERIK GALICIA egalicia@fresnobee.com
The casino’s coffee spot takes its name from the Mono word for coffee — a small but nice nod to the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California, which owns the property. Details on the menu are limited so far, but if you need a caffeine jolt before (or after) a long night, it’s there.
The food court 
The food court at the North Fork Mono Casino and Resort in Madera is seen Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. ERIK GALICIA egalicia@fresnobee.com
Beyond the named spots above, the mall-style food court also has pizza, burger and Asian options. Think of it as the fast-casual wing — quick stops when you don’t want to commit to a sit-down meal but also don’t want another plate of nachos at the bar.
The bars, by the way
Even if you’re not there to eat a full meal, it’s worth knowing the bars have names rooted in the region. Whiskey Falls, Rock Creek and Willow Creek are all named after nature sites in the North Fork area that are meaningful to the tribe. They’re scattered throughout the gaming floor, so you’re never far from a drink.
A few things to know before you go
The casino, which opened Oct. 27 off Highway 99 in Madera, is open 24/7 and operated by Las Vegas-based Station Casinos. You have to be 21 to play on the gaming floor, though the food situation is the real draw for a lot of us anyway.
A hotel, parking garage, entertainment center and conference center are still to come, so expect the dining lineup — and the reasons to make the trip — to keep growing.
Original stories by Fernanda Galan and Erik Galicia.
Note: This story was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence based on our own originally reported, written and published content. Before publishing, journalists reviewed this content in compliance with McClatchy Media’s AI policy.
The kitchen crew at the Manzanita Steakhouse inside the North Fork Mono Casino and Resort in Madera prepares chicken and steak on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. ERIK GALICIA egalicia@fresnobee.com 
The Manzanita Steakhouse inside Madera’s North Fork Mono Casino and Resort is a fine dining restaurant with hundreds of wine bottle options, staff say. ERIK GALICIA egalicia@fresnobee.com 
Manzanita Steakhouse Chef Robert Vieira is seen at the North Fork Mono Casino and Resort in Madera on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026 ERIK GALICIA egalicia@fresnobee.com 
The bar at the Manzanita Steakhouse is seen at North Fork Mono Casino and Resort in Madera on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. ERIK GALICIA egalicia@fresnobee.com 
A bar is seen inside the North Fork Mono Casino and Resort in Madera on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. ERIK GALICIA egalicia@fresnobee.com 
The cultural wall at the North Fork Mono Casino and Resort in Madera is seen on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. It features various tribal baskets and other items from the Mono culture. ERIK GALICIA egalicia@fresnobee.com 
A roulette wheel is seen at the North Fork Mono Casino and Resort in Madera on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. ERIK GALICIA egalica@fresnobee.com
This story was originally published November 6, 2026 at 2:36 PM.
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