At first glance, the outside of The Corner Restaurant & Bar looks slightly ordinary and similar to every restaurant in town, but its interior is quite a different story.

As customers walk into The Corner, they will notice a spacious open bar, deep-red walls, high stools and various framed pictures of old sports teams. The feeling of being right at home is one that may be difficult to ignore. The Corner is located at 5641 J St. at the corner of 57th and J streets in Sacramento. Joel Thompson, the owner of The Corner Restaurant & Bar, said he has tried to achieve a family atmosphere with the restaurant that opened Oct. 2.

“This place used to be a fine dining establishment for the last eight years and I really wanted to get it back to being a local hangout spot.”

Sac State graduate psychology student Ashley Miller, a bartender at The Corner, said the customers and the restaurant’s atmosphere make working there a lot easier.

“I love working here. It’s a good balance between approachable, family-fun place, and crazy bar crowd,” she said.

Thompson said the atmosphere of The Corner has a pub- style feel and a homey vibe.

“The staples of our menu are burgers, sandwiches and pizzas. We have eight vegetarian items on our menu,” Thompson said.

Many Sacramento locals who have been to The Corner said they like the food and affordable prices.

“I’m all about eating out in east Sac, so I had to give this place a try and they have killer french fries. I’m in love,” said Angela Hensley, a regular customer.

Kurt Holloway, retired Army veteran, said he has lived in the Sacramento area for 40 years and prides himself on knowing all of the good places to eat.

“I definitely think this restaurant is the next up-and-coming place for young kids, as well as old-timers like myself to get a quality meal at a great price,” Holloway said. “I think this place is a gem.”

Thompson said “The Colonel” burger has been gaining attention from many of his customers.

“We have this burger called ‘The Colonel,’ which is a hamburger that is deep-fried like chicken-fried steak; if you’re a hamburger connoisseur, it’s definitely one you should try,” Thompson said.

The Corner also has a pizza named “JohnJohn” that supports cancer research. “JohnJohn” is dedicated to Thompson’s brother, John, who died of cancer. Thompson said the pizza, which has double meat and double cheese toppings, was John’s favorite. A portion of the proceeds from the “JohnJohn” will benefit causes focused on finding a cure for cancer, according to The Corner’s official website.

Evan Elsberry, a chef at The Corner, said watching the restaurant’s growth and seeing familiar faces is exciting.

“I’ve watched business double each week, and that’s a beautiful thing right there,” Elsberry said. “I was walking through the restaurant last week and it was weird because I knew everybody in here eating, so that’s a good feeling.”

People who enter The Corner will also notice framed pictures of old sports teams in the Sacramento area along the walls.

Thompson said he decided to bring in pictures of different sports teams in Sacramento because he wanted to showcase all of Sacramento’s history. He said the framed history of Sacramento’s sports teams has been noticed by The Corner’s customers since its opening.

“The first week we opened, a gentleman came in here in his late-80s to early-90s and went to one of the pictures in front of the restaurant and picked out one of the coaches and said, ‘That’s my dad,'” Thompson said.

Amber Wertman can be reached at [email protected]