Sorry for starting a new thread. Does anyone know anything?

We live close by, and are constantly seeing workmen at the site, now inside. The outside of the building looks incredible. Makes me wonder if they're trying to finish it just to sell the building...

:sofa:

Are you talking about the world's nicest mexican restaurant near Penn Sq mall?

I heard through a mutual friend that the owner took out loans through multiple banks, and that now the banks have banded together and told the owner he must finish by a deadline. He's a million in the hole already, the interior has not been finished yet.

I know the owners and are regular customers at PePe's. I was told it last weekend it should be open in 2 months. It is very nice inside... a fountain sits underneath the dome and it is open all the way to the top. Julian studied a little as an architect and designed the building. He ran the old Laredo's and will be running this one too. They do not have any loans which is one of the reasons it is taking soo long. They do not want to incur any debt, or at least PePe doesn't. Also, it was a little bit bigger than they originally wanted it to be. PePe has a long history with Mexican restaurants. Somehow he is related (I believe through marriage) to the owners of El Chico.

I really hope the food hasn't changed. Heard there were problems between Pepe and Julian about the new menu - which was one of the reasons for the stalling of the new building.

Not sure about problems between them about the menu but I do know there were some problems regardings how much larger Julian designed the building to be than what Pepe had in mind.

Do you think PePe's will close when Laredo's opens? Suppose he wants to retire?

very doubtful it will close.

What exactly is the connection between Pepe's and Laredo's?

What exactly is the connection between Pepe's and Laredo's?

MEXICO :doh:

What exactly is the connection between Pepe's and Laredo's?

The same two brothers own them.

Manuel runs (ran) Laredos, Pepe (that's a nickname) runs Pepe's.

How is the food at PePe's? I really liked Laredo's for good old-fashioned Tex-Mex.

PePe's is one of the only reasons I'll go to Edmond.

PePe's is one of the only reasons I'll go to Edmond.

Pepe's is the only place in Edmond to eat real Mexican, not franchised, food since oh sooooo long ago when a Mexican joint called Acapulco's existed in Bryant Square. They had the best sopapias in the city!

I grew up on PePe's. Love that joint.

Pepe's is the only place in Edmond to eat real Mexican, not franchised, food since oh sooooo long ago when a Mexican joint called Acapulco's existed in Bryant Square. They had the best sopapias in the city!

Alvarado's?

Anyway, I had PePe's once and it was disgusting.

I love Laredo's salsa and their chimichangas were freaking amazing.

Building looks nice. I was in town for the holidays they did a great job, however, I never was impressed with their food when they were on 63rd street. Very bland and low quality IMHO

Grew up on Pepe's too, but we quit going there many years ago because of lack of cleanliness. My be better nowadays...not been back in many moons.

Any new news?

Is the new Laredo's the one being built next to IHOP on Classen Blvd?

Tex, YES.

I guess that means it's still not open.

How is the food at PePe's? I really liked Laredo's for good old-fashioned
Tex-Mex.

I ate a Pepe's every Wednesday for the cheese enchilada dinner.

Dear God this has gotten annoying. I actually thought they served decent Tex-Mex that reminded me of the "good ole days" of El Chico before it became corporate crap.

I remember eating in the old El Chico that was in the Paseo as a kid. Loved that place. Apparently, it was started by relatives of the folks at Laredo's.

Seriously, I'm starting to give up on them.

I will give a shout out to La Luna downtown. I ate there for lunch again recently and it was pretty damn good. Very fresh. Huge line to be seated but quick, efficient service and tasty.

I will give a shout out to La Luna downtown.

La Luna is great. I call it Pop-Mex or Mod Mex. The adjectives indicate the
culture, but not the Mexican culture.

La Luna is fantastic. In my top 3 for mexican.

La Luna is great. I call it Pop-Mex or Mod Mex. The adjectives indicate the
culture, but not the Mexican culture.

According to a friend, they can make a mean mole. Didn't see it on the menu the other day, but they have some solid Okie-Mex, Tex-Mex and Mex-Mex on the menu.

One wonders if the proprietors of Laredo's have heard of Google, or use the InterWeb. Variations of this thread have appeared on here for years and I don't recall a single response on here from them with any updates, etc.

Reminds me of when I first joined this board. I made a minor critique of Ted's Cafe Escondido about a recent experience and within TWENTY MINUTES of making the post I had Ted Curtis sending me a PM offering me a free make-up dinner! Amazing. I imagined him sitting in his office hitting refresh every ten minutes to see who wrote about his restaurant. LOL.

La Luna is fantastic. In my top 3 for mexican.

I like the fried olives.

is this the building with the blue dome??

It only took four years for Michaelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel.

I fear this restaurant will always be cursed by the reputation of the
restaurant that would just never get completed.....
much in the way that restaurants are cursed when they take the place
of another failed restaurant venture.....to be fair though, it is a nice
looking building as it stands now. I predict Teds will be taking up residence
within two years.......It's far enough away from 63rd and May Ave. and Classen Curve will provide good traffic.....

So when did this construction begin? people have been talking about how it has taken "forever", but when did it start?

So when did this construction begin? people have been talking about how it has taken "forever", but when did it start?

Here is the link to the OK County Assessor:

Leonard Sullivan Oklahoma County Assessor Real Property Detail Sheet (http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/searches/AN-R.asp?ACCOUNTNO=R133047605)

Looks like it was sold to Mazzio's in 2000 and then to the Fireplace Club Inc in 2005 which apparently owns Laredo's. From the pictures, you can see that the construction was going on at the end of 2005 but not sure when it started before that because the pictures don't show up.

I didn't check thoroughly, but the home address fo the Fireplace Club, Inc. is around where PePe's is in Edmond.

LaLuna's used to run an ad that said "We're so Mexican you'll be afraid to drink the water."

I liked the ad but then I wondered how would others view it. Does delicious authentic Mexican food trump stomach cramping water? Do I like saying "This is really spicy and tasty but it's HOTTT and I could use some water right NOW ... but I'm afraid .... and the restroom is clear on the OTHER end of the restaurant. WHATTT to DO??"

Here is the link to the OK County Assessor:

Leonard Sullivan Oklahoma County Assessor Real Property Detail Sheet (http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/searches/AN-R.asp?ACCOUNTNO=R133047605)

Looks like it was sold to Mazzio's in 2000 and then to the Fireplace Club Inc in 2005 which apparently owns Laredo's. From the pictures, you can see that the construction was going on at the end of 2005 but not sure when it started before that because the pictures don't show up.

I believe construction started in early 2005. I remember that because it was the same time I got married and moved away from that part of town. Now, occasionally passing by there, I always think to myself "Gee, that place still isn't done yet!?!" I hope the food is really really good for that long of a wait. I really hope they don't use Pepe's recipes because I have been there twice in the past few months and the food was awful. Super greasy, chicken tasted canned, and all the food was ice cold. The only good thing was the guacamole.

Does delicious authentic Mexican food trump stomach cramping water?

Personally, I don't care for authentic Mexican food. I like Tex-Mex!

Personally, I don't care for authentic Mexican food. I like Tex-Mex!

Have you ever had authentic mexican food? Generally, it uses more fresh ingredients than tex-mex. I think tex-mex is pretty boring after a while.

Have you ever had authentic mexican food? Generally, it uses more fresh
ingredients than tex-mex. I think tex-mex is pretty boring after a while.


Yes, I've had authentic Mexican food, and on more than one occasion. I
thought it was very boring. I have to disagree about "authentic Mexican"
food having anything fresher than anyone else. They use whatever is in the
'fridge.

When I said boring, I meant bland. Very bland. I won't intentionally seek it
out, but if one of my Mexican friends invites us over I'll eat it. I don't like
authentic Guatemalan, either. blah city. YUK!

I like Tex-Mex. Period.

We eat at Pepe's almost every Wednesday night. They have awesome food. I heard a rumor way back when that the reason it is taking so long for Laredo's is that when they first started building the restaurant they hired illegals and had to fire the whole crew. Then they had to find legal builders and had to redo some of the architecture and plans. Don't know if that is true or not. I also heard that Chesapeake bought them out and paid a good sum for the land, which should have given them enough money to build the new restaurant. I'm looking forward to them opening up. I just want to go inside and see the place. It looks really cool from the outside.

SoonerQueen,

It wasn't the hiring of "illegals," it was a lack of sophistication in hiring contractors, and having poor contractors. That's what I've read here numerous times.

Whatever the reason, i'm looking forward to them opening.

If Laredo's is that blue domed building, I hope they'll paint it white. Blue is
so unappetizing.

2 rules for eating:
1. Never eat anything blue.
2. Never eat anything bigger than your head.

La Luna is fantastic. In my top 3 for mexican.

What are the other two top mexican restaurants you like?

Prune, actually it's a very beautiful building, the cost is probably one of the reasons it's taken so long, that and poor contracting. The building is yellow adobe with a blue dome, blue and yellow go well together.

Anyhow, I had a breakfast at IHOP this morning and it appears the exterior is just about done and they are working on the interior finishing touches it looked like. Hopefully they will be open by Christmas.

hopefully they will be open by christmas.

christmas 2010? -M

What are the other two top mexican restaurants you like?

Cocina de Mino and Abuelo's

cocina de mino
really? the one on sw 59th & western is average at best. do you frequent any particular location?

-M

Mostly go to 122nd and Penn. It's their best location by far for ambiance. Food is consistent at all locations. Salsa and queso are nothing special I'll admit, but they have the best burrito and best refried beans on the planet.

Man, i moved away for a few years and it's still not done? What the heck?

mostly go to 122nd and penn.
gotcha. i'd try that one... but if i were in the area, the lunch crew would probably mutiny if i didn't steer over to poblano's on 122nd & may!

-M

gotcha. i'd try that one... but if i were in the area, the lunch crew would probably mutiny if i didn't steer over to poblano's on 122nd & may!

-M

Memorial & May, now...

(Unless they plan on keeping both open?) :confused:

^
oh yeah... forgot about that. we usually stay near the 63rd street corridor, so we don't make it to poblano's so much since they moved out of their nw expressway location.

-M

Ted's is my favorite place, but Pepe's has been pretty good lately. I've been wanting to try Tio's, and then there is a place in Norman I'd like to try too someday.

Pepe's is the only place in Edmond to eat real Mexican, not franchised, food since oh sooooo long ago when a Mexican joint called Acapulco's existed in Bryant Square. They had the best sopapias in the city!

I've never been a big fan of Pepe's, however I had forgot about Acapulco's ... Our family would eat at El Chico's in Shepherd Mall (when Pepe was there) on Wednesdays and Acapulco's on Friday nights .. I was too small to really remember if I liked the food at Acapulcos, but I remember being more excited about Acapulco's (probably because of the sopapias!)

I heard about the place in Norman called Terahumara -- I havent made it down there to try it, but a friend of mine loves it. I hope to try it out real soon!

gotcha. i'd try that one... but if i were in the area, the lunch crew would probably mutiny if i didn't steer over to poblano's on 122nd & may!

-M

Eww, not a fan of Poblano at all. Decent queso, that's it.

I've never been a big fan of Pepe's, however I had forgot about Acapulco's ... Our family would eat at El Chico's in Shepherd Mall (when Pepe was there) on Wednesdays and Acapulco's on Friday nights .. I was too small to really remember if I liked the food at Acapulcos, but I remember being more excited about Acapulco's (probably because of the sopapias!)

I heard about the place in Norman called Terahumara -- I havent made it down there to try it, but a friend of mine loves it. I hope to try it out real soon!

Some people freak out about Tarahumara's...I tried it and didn't see what he big deal was.

There's a place in Norman that is pretty good in front of Lowe's but I can't remember the name of it. I had the ceviche there and it was great.

I had dinner at IHOP around 10:00 last night and the lights were on inside the Laredo's and there were people working. All of the light fixtures were in and the interior looked like it was pretty close to being finished.

Terahumara has a great name, but other than that it's fairly average.

Cocino de Mino used to be good, but now their restaurants are actually physically unclean.

Poblano's pretty much blows.