Browsing the older threads I found a rather short one on the Boulevard Cafeteria. It has been a while since I was there last, but the thread deserves a revival.

In the older days of OKC, cafeterias ruled. Dodsons, Queen Anne, O'Mealy's, etc. all were places anyone over 60 in OKC has eaten. But of all those really great places to eat, only the Boulevard remains and it seems fitting to me.

The main dishes and sides all taste home made. The desserts are elegant and tasty. The decor and atmosphere will make you think you have fallen into a time warp. You may detect a hint of Bengay and vitamins in the air, but that's only because older citizens know what's good!

Try it out if you never have. It's just about a block or two north of St. Anthony Hospital and I promise you the food is well worth the trip.

I have eaten there with my elderly parents and your description is pretty good. They like going on Thursdays when there is live music and dancing. Yeah, the food's pretty good.

Excellent food indeed, with the bonus of being one of the few places around where the 50's and near 50's crowd can dine out and feel like they're sitting at the kids table again.

Get the ice box pie. Totallly delish.

Ate there for lunch today. It's great. And if like OKC history, don't forget to check out the back room.

You forgot to mention the Adair cafeterias. Uptown, Tropicana etc...

Not a big fan right now. Last few times I went, food was pretty bad.

Atmosphere and service are fine, but the food is just plain bad.

If I went tonight, they would have dancing and a live band? Country? Swing? Polka? What are the hours?

I am intrigued. I have never been there.. I have only partaken in my fair share of beers across the street.

I love the food at The Boulevard. I make it there once a week when I'm in town. I really miss Queen Anne, it was just as good and much more convenient for me. I'm just so glad The Boulevard is still around.

If I went tonight, they would have dancing and a live band? Country? Swing? Polka? What are the hours?

I am intrigued. I have never been there.. I have only partaken in my fair share of beers across the street.


It is a guy that plays the piano. Some older people will get up and dance although I do not think that is the purpose of having the piano player. I think the dancing started out as a spontaneous thing and has become kind of a tradition. Boulevard Cafeteria does not serve beer. The piano player is only there on Thursday nights. I used to go to Queen Ann with with my mother and started going to Boulevard with her after Queen Ann closed. I think Boulevard is pretty good, there are a variety of entrees and vegatables to choose from. I am 46 and am often the youngest person eating in there.

Bigray in Ok

You forgot to mention the Adair cafeterias. Uptown, Tropicana etc...

Right you are...I also forgot the Lady Classen (I think).

I love the food at The Boulevard. I make it there once a week when I'm in town. I really miss Queen Anne, it was just as good and much more convenient for me. I'm just so glad The Boulevard is still around.

My aunt was salad chef there for years. She was an awesome cook. Cooks like her are sadly passing away, as she did several years ago. My uncle was an outdoorsman who hunted and fished a lot. We once had a family dinner at their house where we had goose, venison, fish and lots of other stuff, all absolutely delicious. Game is particularly tricky to cook so that it tastes good.

Right you are...I also forgot the Lady Classen (I think).

Don't forget O'Mealley's

Didn't the Val-Gene's group have a cafeteria? At Penn Square, maybe?

My grandmother used to talk about the Anna Maude Cafeteria when it was in Downtown OKC. She said it was awsome. She also frequented the Boulevard and Queen Anne. Anyone remember the Anna Maude? To young to remember. Any oldtimers on this thread?

I didn't know I was an old timer but I certainly remember eating at Anna Maude when our mother would take us shopping in downtown. The agenda always included Rothschild's and sometimes John A Brown. Anna Maude was in a basement setting and always very crowded. Wonderful food. Which building? Cravens?

Another downtown cafeteria where we frequently ate was The Forum on the north side of Main St. My memory, which may or may not be accurate, is that there was a large spiral staircase to reach the area of the cafeteria where you made your food selection. I don't remember though why all of this was upstairs nor do I remember where you carried your tray to actually eat. Anyone else?

Does anyone remember the cafeteria at Mayfair? Wasn't it called Cherry's? And there was a Cherry's drive in on north Western, near 50th, right?

We actually ate out quite a bit in those days. My mother worked outside of the home and eating out was considered to be time spent together as a family.

I've got so many memories from Lady Classen it isn't even funny. I really miss that place.

I gotta say that Luby's on May and Britton is pretty darn good. I've been very impressed with their food.

Attached is a link to an article on NewOK.com that announces that after decades of operation the Boulevard Cafeteria has finally closed.

Boulevard Cafeteria in Oklahoma City closes today | News OK (http://newsok.com/article/5466165)

Dang. Now where can persons in their fifties go to eat and feel like they were seated at the kiddie table?
I know Luby's still exists, but I don't tend to go that far north these days.

Dang. I ate there a couple of times in the last few weeks. Never had a bad meal there. I've even addressed civic groups in the back room on occasion.

My parents are extremely disappointed. They were regulars.

I've gone there with my dad since I was a youngster, and was there with him most recently a couple of months ago. It's a real bummer; with the closure of this place and Lunch Box we're pretty much fresh out of places he took me as a kid.

Glad I went last week with a friend. R.I.P.

I've gone there with my dad since I was a youngster, and was there with him most recently a couple of months ago. It's a real bummer; with the closure of this place and Lunch Box we're pretty much fresh out of places he took me as a kid.

Glad I went last week with a friend. R.I.P.

Yes, that's the same with me. I remember my grandmother taking me there in about '63 or '64 and it's been a destination over the years. As was the wonderful Queen Anne at Founders Tower and Lady Classen. Good food and good memories. Hate that options like these have dwindled to one I believe (Luby's on North May).

Any early speculation as to what will be going in this spot? It has to be some prime real estate.

Just curious, what does the ownership look like?

I thought one side of the family owned it and the other operated it.

Did the boulevard have like a fast/quick line as opposed to the regular line?

I remember the chrisms decorations at Queen Anne's in founder's tower. Sometime the line snaked all the way down that hallway.

The family doesn't own the building and has been unable to renew the lease. Seems likely the out-of-state property owner will sell to a developer at some point.

Did the boulevard have like a fast/quick line as opposed to the regular line?

I remember the chrisms decorations at Queen Anne's in founder's tower. Sometime the line snaked all the way down that hallway.

Yes! Though, they haven't operated both in years.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/5505651?access=6af72b41092f9b21403b7e1cdc1a9815

Midtown Renaissance bought the property for $1.7MM; not sure of their plans yet.

Very glad to see this in their hands.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/5505651?access=6af72b41092f9b21403b7e1cdc1a9815

Midtown Renaissance bought the property for $1.7MM; not sure of their plans yet.

Very glad to see this in their hands.

I had a gut feeling this would happen when discussing the closure of the Cafeteria with one of the owners of Irma's Burger Shack. I had told her I bet the property would be snatched up by a local developer. Especially considering the suburban nature of the existing structure, coupled with the efforts being made by Midtown Renaissance to create an urban, pedestrian friendly corridor along Walker. It's too prime of a site for it to exist in its current configuration and I'm glad MR are the buyers.

My only hope is they don't sit on this site for 9 years, like they have with the 10th and Hudson property.

I think it would look great to have a building similar to Plaza Court built out to the street.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/NW+11th+St+%26+N+Dewey+Ave,+Oklahoma+City,+OK+7310 3/@35.4800067,-97.5226536,3a,75y,84.06h,78.83t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1ss-3GsC7ZVI5WUaPRQwXp6w!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2F cbk%3Fpanoid%3Ds-3GsC7ZVI5WUaPRQwXp6w%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_cli ent%3Dsearch.TACTILE.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D86%26h% 3D86%26yaw%3D0.39402822%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656 !4m5!3m4!1s0x87b21734920826dd:0x2f37e23585a0fd09!8 m2!3d35.4800296!4d-97.5226534!6m1!1e1

In this case, MR is likely they demolish the building, right? This is certainly a case where the layout and building materials seem to point to higher and better uses.

My only hope is they don't sit on this site for 9 years, like they have with the 10th and Hudson property.

I think they've only owned that property for a couple years. The City/OCURA (?) owned it before that.

I believe they bought the last piece of the block in 2012 and the first in 2007. Regardless, I'm excited to see what they draw up for this property.

Clearly demolition would not only be an acceptable option here but in fact the preferred one. While many like myself have a fondness for the business that was there, the building is nondescript stock and not itself historic nor would it qualify as a contributing property if the district were ever to pursue National Register designation (unlikely anyway). Higher and better use is guaranteed.

Good buyer. Is the site big enough for a new build grocery store?

Good buyer. Is the site big enough for a new build grocery store?

No.

It's only about 3/4 of an acre.

I can't see repurposing the cafeteria layout being more viable than demo and reconstruction. Plus that tilt panel concrete construction isn't exactly easy on the eyes. I just hope they don't build another freeway overpass like fassler hall. Doesn't anyone use bricks and cast stone anymore??

Agree with the part about another overpass. That building is fugly.

Strongly disagree.

That design is bold and cool and has won some big awards.

Strongly disagree.

That design is bold and cool and has won some big awards.

You're referring to Fassler, not Boulevard....right?

You're referring to Fassler, not Boulevard....right?

Right.

Strongly disagree.

That design is bold and cool and has won some big awards.

The OKC munipal garage is bold and cool and has racked up some big awards.

That thing in midtown makes me wonder what it must be like to be a hobo living under an 8 lane freeway drinking quart sized beers and wishing for a better life.

When you're in Fassler Hall -- one of the most unique spaces in OKC -- that's what you think?

I like the design and space.

I enjoy the interior. The exterior is pretty ugly, imo. It 100% looks like an overpass.

During construction I kept thinking... surely it's not done yet... and then it was. Even the Dustbowl signage looks like there should be something else on the front of it. But I'm over it. Cool business and place that has come to define midtown and 10th street in particular.

I love the building. My partner hates the Dustbowl sign and complains every time we pass. he feels it should have lights behind it or something to make it more of an impact. he just doesn't think people can read it or even can tell it says Dustbowl. I am not bothered.

MidtownR has filed to have this building demolished.

Chris Fleming told me via email they have no immediate plans for the site and that parking won't even be added any time soon due to the split-level nature of the property.

Drove by this morning and saw they have started the demo.

I've been reliably told that MidtownR is planning an L-shaped, two story mixed use structure here, with offices on top and retail on bottom and parking in the back. Pete, have you heard this?