Meet Your Merchant: Everyone's welcome at Mo & Sluggo's

About 10 minutes after midnight on Monday, a group of young people showed up at Mo & Sluggo's Bar and Grill in downtown Carson City. They were celebrating the first drink for their just-turned-21-year-old friend.

"People still think to come here to have their first drink when they're of age," said Morey Tresnit, 51, owner of the longtime Carson City watering hole.

Tresnit said his bar has been home to many special occasions in Carson City, including high school reunions and the upcoming high school football kickoff dinner.

"It's not just for politicians," Tresnit said. "It's kind of a melting pot."

It's also home to The Grill at Mo & Sluggo's, the full-service kitchen run by Tony Fish, 43, that opened about a month ago.

Fish has worked in fine dining for about 25 years, spending the past 15 at Adele's as the restaurant's general manager.

"It was time to get back into cooking," Fish said. "That's where my strengths lie."

The menu at Mo & Sluggo's offers burgers, sandwiches and more. Among the menu items are "The Ray" Empanada, a pastry stuffed with shrimp, hot chiles and cheese, and the pastrami sandwich, which uses house-cured brisket served on rye bread.

Fish said he uses local ingredients and makes everything from scratch, including his barbecue sauce.

" I step out of the box from there," Fish said. "I do a lot of Latin influence, a little Asian influence. I try to keep my customers on their toes."

For Tresnit, the new menu has "raised the bar" for Mo and Sluggo's, which is filled with photos of Carson City's past.

Tresnit opened the bar 14 years ago with his business partner, Doug Bocskor, whose nickname is Sluggo. Tresnit later bought out Bocskor's share.

Tresnit said the location attracts locals and Nevada's political leaders alike.

"It really comes down to people and service," Tresnit said. "Treating people right, treating people nicely and trying to be accommodating to what they want to do."