Papa’s Place — Restaurant in Clovis

I’ve always had a positive impression of this place, but tonight truly exceeded all expectations. While the food and atmosphere are consistently excellent, it was the service that truly stood out this evening.

Today was my mom’s birthday, and we decided to browse a few thrift stores in OTC to hunt for some treasures. As the day went on, my mom began to feel hungry. However, due to multiple food sensitivities—including intolerances to dairy, gluten, and various other ingredients—she typically avoids dining out to avoid causing any inconvenience. But, because it was her special day, I convinced her to let me treat her to a meal at Papa’s Place.

Upon arriving, we found ourselves asking several questions about the food—specifically regarding how it was prepared and what ingredients were included. Unfortunately, we had to send one dish back, as it contained something my mom couldn’t eat. She, of course, felt terrible and apologized profusely. But our waitress, Michelle, was absolutely remarkable. Her patience, kindness, and eagerness to accommodate my mom’s dietary needs made all the difference. She went out of her way to ensure that my mom received a meal that was not only safe but also delicious—going far beyond simply offering bland options like boiled chicken.

Michelle’s thoughtful and attentive service was nothing short of extraordinary, and it’s moments like this that restore my faith in the kindness of others. I am deeply grateful for her generosity and care. Thank you, Michelle, from the bottom of my heart. You truly made this experience...

Pros: great location, friendly staff, decently timed service. Cons: our server seemed like they hadn’t tried anything, when asked if they enjoyed a certain drink or dish we got a lot of “I haven’t tried that one yet but it looks good and others seem to enjoy it” to everything we inquired about. Our drinks definitely had cheeeap liquor in them. I got their tequila sangria and was extremely disappointed in the taste. Tequila had that cheap bite to it, and it basically had a wine floater so it wasn’t really a sangria at all - more like a juicy cocktail with a wine floater. My husbands drink wasn’t any better. We ordered the pretzel and cheese dip for an app and the cheese was good but not spectacular. The pretzel wasn’t bad but the texture of it was like it was heated up in a microwave-very chewy. We had the intention of having dinner and everything there, but ended up leaving and going elsewhere because we felt like any other food and drink wouldn’t be good and worth the cost. Each drink and app was at or above $15 and if we would’ve know our drinks were priced that high, we would’ve sent them back. But staff was attentive and friendly. The vibe isn’t bad but definitely not what we were expecting. The restaurant feels dated and oddly laid out too, but...

Papa's place is one of those local spots that is just easy and comfortable. You see the same staff working there on the daily which is fun because you can easily develop a relationship with the servers and bartender which makes it feel like a family! One of my friends described this place as his "Cheers" spot - the local bar where you can show up regularly and everyone knows your name! The drinks here are really good if you're interested in craft cocktails. The bartender is constantly making seasonal syrups and has a great knowledge of mixology so you can request pretty much anything (belive me, I've had him make some wild tiki drinks!) and he can make it happen, down to crushing his own ice just to make it special. The ambiance is unfortunately in need of updating but when the weather is nice it's best to sit on the patio and enjoy the live music and the quaint outside dining area. The food is on the heavier side and nothing is really gourmet, but it's great if you want comfort food. They also come out with weekly specials which are always fun to try. Overall I come here often for the sense of warmth that the staff bring as well as the great drinks, and it's nice that they have delicious pickle chips, mac n cheese, pit beef, and churro...