Looks like MidTown Deli closed and will be replaced by a Louie's in February.

Bummer.

3rd thread on topic

Makes sense; I have heard about this from inside sources and I have an idea (not for sure) of who their management will be (where they are coming from etc.); this will be very good for those who work in that area of town. :)

3rd thread on topic

You thought Ludivine needed three, so I was just trying to keep up with you.

Steve Lackmeyer had a image on his blog a while back with the Louie's signage on the midtown deli building. I just hate seeing a chain open up shop in midtown. http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2010/11/23/louies-in-midtown/

Again, louies is a local chain at least

Steve Lackmeyer had a image on his blog a while back with the Louie's signage on the midtown deli building. I just hate seeing a chain open up shop in midtown. http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2010/11/23/louies-in-midtown/

I see nothing wrong with having a few chain locations mixed in. Some people might be drawn to the area because they like or are familiar with a particular chain and then notice other independent businesses and come back to try them as well.

I just hate seeing a chain open up shop in midtown.

Can you get anymore fickle than, "I want a good local restaurant in Midtown, but not one so good they have more than one location."

Steve Lackmeyer had a image on his blog a while back with the Louie's signage on the midtown deli building. I just hate seeing a chain open up shop in midtown. http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2010/11/23/louies-in-midtown/

McNellie's is basically a chain at this point. As is Irma's.

I'm okay with a local chain -- usually means they are successful (Irma's, Falcones, Hobby's Hoagies)-- national or regional chain not so much, I think quality suffers (Braums, Chelino's) when they expand too much.

I actually like the menu at Louie's -- we frequent the lakeside location when weather permits to sit outside.

Wasn't Louie's supposed to be open by now? Doesn't even mention the future location on their website.

Louie's should be open very very very soon. I am friends w/ the sending GM for the new Louie's, and it should be open before March ends. They are getting all hired up, and preparing for a soft opening very very soon. Probably open to the public first or second week of April.

Louie's should be open very very very soon. I am friends w/ the sending GM for the new Louie's, and it should be open before March ends. They are getting all hired up, and preparing for a soft opening very very soon. Probably open to the public first or second week of April.

My inside source says they'll open next week. Too bad they couldn't get it together by St. Patrick's Day with so many people in the area for McNellie's celebration... They've done a terrible job of promoting the new spot, but with that location they'll probably do great no matter what. It took some terrible management for MidTown Deli to fail...

My inside source says they'll open next week. Too bad they couldn't get it together by St. Patrick's Day with so many people in the area for McNellie's celebration... They've done a terrible job of promoting the new spot, but with that location they'll probably do great no matter what. It took some terrible management for MidTown Deli to fail...

HSRG doesn't really promote new spots until they are confident operations are running smoothly. It would have been a disaster to get open before St. Patrick's Day. They are smarter than most; they'll do great in MidTown.

I'm not a fan of Louie's and I'm quick to criticize businesses I think won't make it, but my money says their Midtown location will do very well. Wish Midtown could have made though instead of Louie's.

Thanks for the responses, good to know everything's still on track.

I'm not a fan of Louie's and I'm quick to criticize businesses I think won't make it, but my money says their Midtown location will do very well. Wish Midtown could have made though instead of Louie's.

I think Louie's is a nice fit, too. Why are you anti?

I think Louie's is a nice fit, too. Why are you anti?

Just not my type of establishment - I feel the same about Buffalo Wild Wings, Henry Hudsons, etc. But there are lots of people who like that atmosphere and Louie's seems to do it well.

I've tried their food too, and it's not nearly as good as Midtown was IMO.

Fair enough. I'm typically anti-chain, but my GF loves chains, so I try to balance with her. We are pretty big BWW fans, we go to Hudsons sometimes because it's close to the house. I do like Louie's when I don't have a dingbat server. Which seems to happen about 1/2 the time.

I would never hope that a business fails. But as someone who lives in midtown I'm not so sure that it will be a wild success. The neighborhood is definitely on the up and up but there's not enough people here just yet.

Most of the successful restaraunts here are destination restaraunts, i.e, people are driving in from Moore, Yukon, Edmond, NWOKC, etc. for a "night on the town" per say. Louies, or any other chain, is not a destination.

I could be wrong but I will give it 50-50. It could be doomed by the same thing that killed Midtown Deli in that it becomes a lunch-only place. And I thought Midtown had way better food than Louie's.

Surely it can last until the Mercy site is redeveloped. Maybe just the familiarity of the brand will bring some people up from Bricktown, if they know it's there.

I would never hope that a business fails. But as someone who lives in midtown I'm not so sure that it will be a wild success. The neighborhood is definitely on the up and up but there's not enough people here just yet.

Most of the successful restaraunts here are destination restaraunts, i.e, people are driving in from Moore, Yukon, Edmond, NWOKC, etc. for a "night on the town" per say. Louies, or any other chain, is not a destination.

I could be wrong but I will give it 50-50. It could be doomed by the same thing that killed Midtown Deli in that it becomes a lunch-only place. And I thought Midtown had way better food than Louie's.

I'm in interior OKC guy and I prefer going to Midtown for dinner before Bricktown events. I can imagine hitting Louie's for a happy hour or pre-Thunder meal that is quick, easy, and doesn't break the bank.

I would never hope that a business fails. But as someone who lives in midtown I'm not so sure that it will be a wild success. The neighborhood is definitely on the up and up but there's not enough people here just yet.

Most of the successful restaraunts here are destination restaraunts, i.e, people are driving in from Moore, Yukon, Edmond, NWOKC, etc. for a "night on the town" per say. Louies, or any other chain, is not a destination.

I could be wrong but I will give it 50-50. It could be doomed by the same thing that killed Midtown Deli in that it becomes a lunch-only place. And I thought Midtown had way better food than Louie's.

I don't live in midtown (haven't in many years) but I think Louie's will attract the same type of crowd that packs in McNellie's (sp). You'll see a lunch crowd naturally, a 5pm crowd and dinner especially during sporting events.

What killed Midtown Deli (as previously stated by others) was under-financing and bad management. They didn't have the first clue how to attract a dinner crowd. We tried it twice. Both times bad. Menu didn't change and they closed the salad bar after lunch - WTH?

I don't live in midtown (haven't in many years) but I think Louie's will attract the same type of crowd that packs in McNellie's (sp). You'll see a lunch crowd naturally, a 5pm crowd and dinner especially during sporting events.

What killed Midtown Deli (as previously stated by others) was under-financing and bad management. They didn't have the first clue how to attract a dinner crowd. We tried it twice. Both times bad. Menu didn't change and the closed the salad bar after lunch - WTH?

Agreed. I work downtown and play downtown often. Never ever did I think about going to Midtown Deli for dinner. Many, many times I've done 1492 and McNellie's.

Drove by today and took pics, will post soon.

Meh, I'll reserve judgement until they open. I will say if they decide to put in a few big screen televisions and pivot the restaraunt towards a more sport bar type setting then yes it could do very well. Neither midtown or the Inner North Side have anything resembling a decent sports bar and it could easily fill the void.

On the other hand if it's just like their generic locations it will flop, JMHO. I'm certainly not cheering for their demise. I actually think its a good thing that chains are recogonizing this part of town.

I live in midtown and 100% disagree it will do great. And midtown deli already had great hd tbs. Louies added a couple more

Glad Louies is going in I guess. I just wish they had better food. It seems to me they dont make anything fresh. Always tastes like something out of the freezer. The pizza is alright but I find everything else underwhelming.

Louie's is conveyer-belt food. Right off the corporate treadmill. Overall, pretty bad food -- even for bar food. A small gastropub or something else would be a hit in that location, but my guess is the place is not going to enamor itself with the people who live in and frequent that part of town. Not to sound flippant, but who believes some average place you can find in a Yukon strip mall is going to set Midtown on fire?

If we're going for local corporate places, why not a Johnnie's, modified with a bar and a few other items? That would be a huge hit.

Ate at 1492 last night and Louie's was packed. Look to be a private, practice opening.

Louie's is conveyer-belt food. Right off the corporate treadmill. Overall, pretty bad food -- even for bar food. A small gastropub or something else would be a hit in that location, but my guess is the place is not going to enamor itself with the people who live in and frequent that part of town. Not to sound flippant, but who believes some average place you can find in a Yukon strip mall is going to set Midtown on fire?

If we're going for local corporate places, why not a Johnnie's, modified with a bar and a few other items? That would be a huge hit.

soonerguru, I disagree. I visit both Johnnie's and Louie's and see absolutely nothing about Johnnie's that stands above Louie's. It's a little less expensive and has a less diverse menu if that's what appeals to you. You obviously have your preferences but don't assume that everyone else will agree. As I said before, I think having a local chain like Louie's may draw people from outside of MidTown to that area and they may come back to try other places. I think it will work and benefit MidTown.