I love this thread and would like to add a little to it. This is my favorite restuarant and has been for about 55 years. Can't even imagine how many meals my wife and kids and I have eaten there. The very best food imaginable, but absolutely no atmosphere if you are looking for that. Just a lot of great food at a very reasonable price. Restaurant did an expansion about 35 years ago and still going strong. The wait can be hours long so I don't advise going without a reservation. Even with a reservation, every member of your party must be there and ready to be seated when called. Most come a little early and wait in the bar with a drink or two.

There ware many card rooms in Nipomo during all of Jocko's years. The Fremont Club was one short block south and on the other side of the street. I work in it at one time in late 70's- early 80's. Later in the 1980's a guy was playing at the Fremont Club and taking a real beating. Was in way over his head and lost all his money. He had been drinking too much. When he went broke he got belligerant and they had to 86 him. He went home, got a gun and came back. Walked up to the front door and attempted to shoot the manager through the glass front door. He fired several shots and one hit the dealer. The shooter was arrested, I dont know what ever happened to him, but the dealer was cared for by his girlfriend who also dealt there. He managed to survive for three years after the shooting , but was never more than a vegetable. The players quit coming after the shooting and the owner eventually closed it up. Several years later it repoened under a new owner. At the time I had the Oceana Club in Oceano, CA. about 10 miles north. I was doing most of the business in the area and the owner of the Fremont Club asked me if I would be interested in buying the Freemont Club. I talked to my partner and we both liked the location so he agreed. I bought the Fremont Club and closed it up for remodeling. It was in pretty poor condition at the time. My partner ran the Oceana Club while I spent about 7 months and a lot of money doing a complete remodel and a new name for the cardroom. Very expensive and timeconsuming getting the new license, but overcame a lot of obstacles and planned our Grand Opening for the Busted Flush Casino. Opended up and did very well. Cardroom was very busy, lots of 24 hour days, great poker and a lot of fun.
I could go on and on about this, but this thread is long. MIght post some more later if there is an interest. Have somp pictures, chips , etc I could have posted if I knew how. Point of info, every now and then I see some of the Jocko's Cage chips at chips shows. They have monogram SEK and are ghs no inserts on a Diamonds and Rectangles mold. Freddie's chips monogram stands for (Son of Emery Knott} I apologize for the length of this post.