The patio at Vango's Pizza and Cocktail Lounge is pictured. (Photo courtesy of Vango's Pizza and Cocktail Lounge)

MARQUETTE — Vango’s Pizza and Cocktail Lounge is the oldest ongoing restaurant in Marquette.

Whether you are seeking a family night out, or to just catch up with friends at the neighborhood bar Vango’s is the place to be.

Sixty years of delivering great service, good food, cold drinks and good times has made the restaurant at 927 N. Third Street both a favorite neighborhood spot and a return destination for visitors from all over the country.

“We do everything from scratch,” said Jon Christensen, one of Vango’s six owners. “We make our own pizza dough, we grind our own meats. All our soups are homemade, we chop all the vegetables that go into our salads and all our salad dressings are made right here.”

And, although “pizza” is in the name, the dish is just one on a list of traditional customer favorites.

From the Mexican Tuesday menu of homemade burritos, chimichangas and tacos to the generous portions of their fresh cod fish fry on Fridays, Vango’s is a great choice any day of the week.

If it’s all Greek to you, choose from Vango’s menu selection of chicken avgolemono soup; Greek salads, spinach pie, dolmathas; and, of course, gyros.

And for St. Patricks Day, green beer and a traditional Irish dinner of corned beef, cabbage and red potatoes will be on the menu.

The wide variety of freshly-made menu items will please not only your palate, but also your pocketbook.

“We have worked very hard to make sure that having a family night out is affordable,” co-owner Michele Butler said. “It’s fast, fresh, friendly and affordable.”

The eye for freshness and quality is a long-standing tradition at Vango’s, she said.

“(Vango’s founder) Clark Lambros always said: ‘there are no shortcuts to good cooking,'” Butler said “We pride ourselves in that. We are more old school than new school in that regard.”

And Lambros’ legacy is not just in great Vango’s food. He stressed the importance of giving back to the community, which has resulted in assistance to many local organizations over the years.

Some of the causes supported include the YMCA of Marquette County, the Salvation Army, the Special Olympics, the Northern Michigan University Wildcat Club, Marquette Junior Hockey, and the U.P. Children’s Museum, just to name a few.

The Clark Lambros Beach Park in Marquette, dedicated in 2016, is another tangible way Vango’s owners and Family chose to both honor Lambros’ legacy and give back to area residents.

“One thing that is really important to us is giving back to the Community that supports us,” Butler said. “Locally, we all need to help each other out and make each other better.”

Vango’s recent renovations of the space have only improved on a downtown Marquette classic, with recently updated restrooms and a facelift to the restaurant interior.

Come springtime, the outdoor patio complete with heat lamps and space for up to 30 diners will help patrons welcome warmer weather to downtown Marquette. Butler said Vango’s may even add an outdoor grill to the mix.

“We have a great bar atmosphere with great adult beverages, and an affordable menu,” Butler said. “Part of what we want people to know is that it’s a great place to go, meet up with friends, take the family to lunch or dinner or catch your favorite sporting event.”

Vango’s also has take-out and caters all types of events, from full service to drop off for all group sizes.