What Was This Sambo’s Place All About Anyway?
Always hear Sambo's references from older Fresnans, but never took the time to figure out the where & whats. Thanks to pics on the Mid-Century Modern Fresno Facebook page, best we can figure, Sambo's was like a awesomer version of Denny's. Tak a look (now Joe's Steakhouse):
INSIDE:
Not to be a douche, Joe's (cause you're great and all), but the place could use a bit of streamlining/clearing of the clutter – more like what it used to be with Sambo's. Just sayin'.
The original Sambo's on the SE corner of Blackstone & McKinley, looked pretty sweet too (the building is gone now):
If these pics are really impressing ya (shot by Tim Putz), you can go buy them over at Sambo's Photos.
The Fresnan 
Actually one of my favorite children’s books growing up was Little Black Sambo. I remember the restaurant fondly. The kids’ menus were actually paper masks of animals and whatnot.
It was similar to Denny’s.
Great picks…thanks for the post.
I guess most people don’t remember, or aren’t old enough to know about the controversy surrounding Sambo’s Restaurants. Call it “political correctness” run amok 😉
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambo%27s
The reference to Denny’s are appropriate, not only for the food though. Most of these Sambo’s locations were designed by noted LA based architects Armet & Davis, who also designed many of the 1950’s and 60’s era Denny’s locations. Armet & Davis were the masters of “Googie” coffee shop architecture, and in addition to Sambo’s in Fresno, also designed the former Tropicana (demolished) Bob’s Big Boy on Blackstone and Shaw (demolished) Bob’s Big Boy at Blackstone and Belmont (now Fu Hai) the Denny’s on Blackstone near Shaw, and the Denny’s on Jensen & 99.
When I was a little kid in Visalia, we use to go to Sambo’s for breakfast on Sundays for pancakes — if we were lucky. At the time, they had the greatest kid shwag. I was mesmerized by the graphics on the wall, as one of my older siblings would retell the story.