Farnesi's Steakhouse & Bar — Restaurant in Chowchilla

“Steakhouse vibes, Cold War décor, and a salad dressing that fought back.”

Farnesi’s Steakhouse & Coffee Shop – Chowchilla, CA

Found this place via Facebook, because apparently websites are for quitters. Right off the I-5, tucked beside a Days Inn and a road that looks like it survived a few tours overseas. I’ve driven on smoother terrain in Iraq.

Walked in looking for the “coffee shop” part. Never found it. Maybe it’s a metaphor.

Seat yourself. No greeting, no sign. Just vibes and aged carpet. The big roadside sign visible from the freeway has clearly seen some things. A little paint and dignity might go a long way.

Service: No name given, but our waitress was decent—at least compared to her colleague, who watched us leave, locked eyes with us, and said nothing. Coldest send-off this side of a break-up text.

Menu observations: No appetizers, but full bar—so I guess you’re supposed to drink your way to a medium buzz before the steak arrives. No judgment. Bold move.

The food:

Ribeye ($44): I asked about marbling, she said it was good. It was… if by “marbled” you mean “25% fat by volume.” Cooked fine, but texture screamed “butchered optimism.”

Veggies: Nicely cooked. Salted. Probably the most thoughtful part of the meal.

Baked potato: Came with butter, then after delivery I was informed they had no sour cream. That’s not just an oversight—it’s a baked potato crime.

Mushrooms for the steak: I asked, she said yes. What arrived looked and tasted like the mushrooms they toss into their salad bar on Sundays.

Salad: Very green, very bagged. The Italian dressing had the consistency of melted Jell-O and the unmistakable twang of high-fructose betrayal.

Chicken Club (aka the Redemption Arc): Chicken was juicy, bacon crisp, and the lettuce held on for dear life. It arrived with onion rings instead of the sweet potato fries I ordered, but that was corrected quickly. Honestly? Best bite of the night.

Wildlife: Lady at the next table had a chihuahua in a “service dog” vest. This dog begged, paced, and stared at my food like it had a mortgage to pay. No questions were asked. No one cared. I’m 100% sure its service was emotional supporting its owner’s poor choices.

Final thoughts: This place feels like a steakhouse that once meant something—like your uncle’s high school letterman jacket. It was great. Now? Just kind of existing. The bones are there, but the energy has moved on.

Bonus horror: the A1 sauce. I grabbed the bottle, twisted the cap, and immediately regretted every decision that brought me to this point. It looked like it had been sitting out since the Bush administration—thick, crusted, and suspiciously dark, like someone dipped a fry in it, sealed it back up, and whispered, "someday..." This was no longer A1—it was A.1.D.S. (Artificial. 1st-degree. Sauce-crime.)

If you’re craving a retro roadside ribeye, and your standards are flexible, it’s an experience. Otherwise, maybe just hit the drive-thru, or better yet—bring your...

Farnesi's, lives up to what you might expect from a dinner off the highway (at least aesthetically). I had high hopes for the experience when I pulled up.

The atmosphere:

With it's faux rustic rough-finished wooden tables and 50's style bench seats, it exudes the confidence of a longstanding local dive.

As I was seated, however, the air was filled with the voices of one of the two tables that were occupied (other than mine). For nearly 15 minutes one of the men slung profanities without consideration or regard for other patrons as he spun a story to his dinner mate. The staff did NOTHING to stop this.

The food:

The Caesar salad was completely drinched in dressing and sported ONE cruton.

Despite the added sausage, the biscuit and grave tasted like bland powder.

The one redeaming item was the French dip sandwich - which itself was perfectly made (aside from the slightly salty au jus).

The garlic fries that were served with my sandwich, stale and soggy. The, "fresh," minced garlic tasted as if it was cut at the beggining of the week, stored in a Tupperware, then served on the fries as an afterthought.

The service:

Although, our waitress had only three tables to deal with having help from one partner, rarely did I see her at my table. She didn't refill drinks. And NEVER came to check on me between the food drop and the bill. She was, however, very polite and friendly when I...

Now that there are new owners, a new review is needed.

The remodel is amazing on the inside! They are using the space to the best of it's ability. Karaoke Thursday is so fun whenever I get the chance to go. Bartenders and wait staff are the best!

I've had dinner and it was good with decent prices. My husband I ordered biscuits and gravy to go one morning about a month ago and they were the grossest I've ever had! The "biscuits" were so dry tasted sweet like they just used pancake mix to throw them together. They crumbled at the touch. The gravy was definitely canned, cheap country gravy. Carls Jr has better biscuits and gravy than that.

If a restaurant is going to do breakfast, do it right. It's the easiest meal the make.

The bar is fun, the bartenders are elite, the karaoke is great! The atmosphere is so much better than it used to be. Taking some pride in the food would be the next step. This restaurant is like home to Chowchilla and we should also give anyone passing through something...