Went to the Thunder game last night with one of my good friends whose dad is a big time player in OKC, think Taco Tuesday. He keeps asking me all night "what kind of restaurant does OKC need?" We kind of throw ideas back and forth and I finally ask him why he is asking me this and he says his father will be opening a restaurant in a new building that is talked about all the time on here. So my question for you guys, what type restaurant would you guys love to see open up in the downtown area? The only type of restaurant that has been ruled out is Mexican. Thanks for your help.

A decent seafood restaurant that DOESN'T focus on deep-frying and/or creamy sauces.

I like the idea of seafood...

...but I think I a really great 24-hour diner would be a hit. Preferably, downtown or midtown (not Bricktown)... but could also work on Western somewhere.

When I say "really great" I mean that... not let's do this halfway... high-end cross between what Jimmy's Egg at May/16th SHOULD BE and Pops in Arcadia... add in an L.E.D. (or neon if you want old-school) FREAK-OUT!!! ... with delicious food of course... I for one want to be able to to select ANY of the state foods of Oklahoma (of course we have a state meal )... and more.

http://www.state.ok.us/osfdocs/stinfo.html
"fried okra, squash, cornbread, barbecue pork, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, strawberries, chicken fried steak, pecan pie, and black-eyed peas."

... I happen to LOVE every last thing in that meal BTW

but I think I a really great 24-hour diner would be a hit.

Love this idea. Every time I go to Coffee Slingers (I'm sitting here now with a Chai Latte), I think the former Bicycle Alley spot would make for a neat NYC style diner. Or, somewhere else along Broadway.

I have to agree about the seafood, being old enough to remember Herman's and Zuider Zee.

It depends on location of the restaurant? If its going to be close to the Oklahoma City Arena, a reasonably prices Sport's Bar and Grill would be nice. You can catch game day crowds, and those people like foods that can be cooked fast, burgers and fries, pizza's etc...something like an O'Connell's in Norman or even a new Eskimo Joe's location..

...If it were me, I would call it Thunder Bar & Grill! You could deck the restaurant out in Thunder paraphernalia, autographed jerseys,etc...could even have Thunder players endorse the place...would be a good idea...

Eskimo Joe's would be a great Bricktown addition.

Brazilian Churrascaria please!

The thought is this place would almost be identical to Iguana Lounge but different type of food and different area.

This might be a reach but how about a diner on film row? Seems like it could play into the theme well and it would really be a catalyst to start more retail there!

We've already talked about this, its Ryan parrot and Steve Mason, no need for the secrecy...Ryan has been asking on Twitter for weeks.

A British Pub that serves fish and chips and shepherd’s pie. It should be located real close to a high density residential area so patrons can walk there, and stagger home. They can call it the Admiral Benbow Inn or Coach and Horses. Is there any space in the Hightower Building? What is the little 3-story building right next to the Hightower? Is it part of it? Do you know how cool it would be to get dinner at a British Pub in the Hightower, then walk over and watch live theater at the Civic Center, then walk back to Pub for drinks, then stagger back home to Sycamore Sq, Legacy, Park Harvey, or City Place.

It depends on location of the restaurant? If its going to be close to the Oklahoma City Arena, a reasonably prices Sport's Bar and Grill would be nice. You can catch game day crowds, and those people like foods that can be cooked fast, burgers and fries, pizza's etc...something like an O'Connell's in Norman or even a new Eskimo Joe's location..

...If it were me, I would call it Thunder Bar & Grill! You could deck the restaurant out in Thunder paraphernalia,

autographed jerseys,etc...could even have Thunder players endorse the place...would be a good idea...

Just curious if you'd also be willing to pony up for the royalties fees if you plan on making a profit off their name/likeness and logo.

A British Pub that serves fish and chips and shepherd’s pie. It should be located real close to a high density residential area so patrons can walk there, and stagger home.

Don't think it would work well with McNellies nearby.

This might be a reach but how about a diner on film row? Seems like it could play into the theme well and it would really be a catalyst to start more retail there!

I'd support that.

Texas de Brazil (or Oklahoma de Brazil) - Guys walking around with skewers of beef and slicing them onto your plate is the greatest food concept known to man. Brazilian beef is so awesome.

Alternatively, go very thematic. Not suggesting this theme but I recently went to Hell's Kitchen in Minneapolis. And, it really looked liked Satan's parlor. As we walked down the stairs to the basement restaurant, I looked up and noticed a chandelier with 60+ butcher knives hanging down over me, red velvet walls, dark mood lighting on the giant gothic angel statue, etc. The point is not Hell's Kitchen itself as much as something very interesting and very thematic gets talked about and becomes a destination. It's definitely different for OKC.

I wish Molly Murphy's (done right) would make a comeback in Bricktown.

It depends on location of the restaurant? If its going to be close to the Oklahoma City Arena, a reasonably prices Sport's Bar and Grill would be nice. You can catch game day crowds, and those people like foods that can be cooked fast, burgers and fries, pizza's etc...something like an O'Connell's in Norman or even a new Eskimo Joe's location..

...If it were me, I would call it Thunder Bar & Grill! You could deck the restaurant out in Thunder paraphernalia, autographed jerseys,etc...could even have Thunder players endorse the place...would be a good idea...
A Humperdinks would fit the bill for combo sports bar/restaurant. We love the Dinks on NW highway in Dallas.

This might be a reach but how about a diner on film row? Seems like it could play into the theme well and it would really be a catalyst to start more retail there!

Especially if it was infill with strong art deco influences to match the area.

Don't think it would work well with McNellies nearby.

I have never been there but I just looked at the menu and I'll say it again - wouldn't it be cool to have British Pub. Their menu looks like they lifted it from a TGI Fridays. Southwest meatloaf and chilie cheeseburgers? Really? I was thinking more along the line of meat pies, fish and chips, corned beef, bangers, and roast (maybe even some goose or duck). The only place you are getting a chilie cheesburger in England is at the Texas Embassy.

LOL - here is my all time worst menu item at a British Pub. I'm sending this to Jay Leno.




Jimbo’s Grilled Cheese Sandwich - 2 slices of American and 2 slices of Swiss, melted and served on Texas toast.

I want a tapas bar.

Bolero is a good fit for Bricktown, but to call it a tapas bar is a big stretch to anyone who has ever traveled Spain.

I lived in Spain for 8 months and love tapas bars and Bolero could not be further from "the truth"

Put a tapas bar on Automobile Alley.

How about Ethiopian like Queen of Sheeba but with a more attractive urban atmosphere. Ethiopian food is GREAT food and is a hit in other major cities.

There is a restaurant in Fayetteville called Hjem that has a very urban contemporary design and serves Pacific Northwest cuisine with a Scandanavian influence. I have heard they are interested in opening a second location in Tulsa. There is nothing else like it in OKC, and I think such a concept would do well. Scandanavian food is becoming really popular in places like NYC and Chicago.

http://hjemrestaurant.com/hjemwordpress/

A good Korean restaurant downtown would be great. The only good Korean place in OKC is in MWC.

Also, we don't have any pho places downtown. That would would be great as well.

I would also love a Dim Sum place downtown.

Maybe an Argentinian or Filipino place would be good.

Or just a great Indian restaurant downtown. I know they tried one in bricktown, but it was not downtown. There is a different demographic that would appeal to a lunch Indian buffet downtown.

You guys are way up there with all these international style restaurants...

I say keep it simple, keep it Oklahoma, make it unique to Oklahoma...start a new franchise instead of copying from someone else...

You guys are way up there with all these international style restaurants...

I say keep it simple, keep it Oklahoma, make it unique to Oklahoma...start a new franchise instead of copying from someone else...

You know those places are all over Oklahoma right.

Needs to be a different concept from the Deep Deuce Grill and the Wedge, clearly. I would love to see a real New York style deli somewhere. An English pub would be cool, although you need to Americanize the menu a bit. I think seafood is tricky, as far away from an ocean as we are.

An English pub would be cool, although you need to Americanize the menu a bit.

Why? You don't think people in Oklahoma will eat pot roast, meat pies (beef and chicken pot pies), duck, goose, sausage, or corned beef? My mom is an old country woman from Hughes County and she grew-up on that, just like most people in Oklahoma with English heritage. That was before fried food, bbq, and fast-food places took over.

A Jewish delicatessen. Good pastrami, knishes, lox and bagels, and matzo ball soup...

A Jewish delicatessen. Good pastrami, knishes, lox and bagels, and matzo ball soup...

What happens to the rest of the matzo?

Why? You don't think people in Oklahoma will eat pot roast, meat pies (beef and chicken pot pies), duck, goose, sausage, or corned beef? My mom is an old country woman from Hughes County and she grew-up on that, just like most people in Oklahoma with English heritage. That was before fried food, bbq, and fast-food places took over.
I don't know if OKC is ready for more British Pubs yet. Baker Street and the others never fully caught on, and are mostly just a bar at night anymore.

I don't know if OKC is ready for more British Pubs yet. Baker Street and the others never fully caught on, and are mostly just a bar at night anymore.

Well no wonder, they are serving TGI Friday food in a British Pub. If I went in to a Mexican restaurant and found Chinese food being served I probably would stay away from it as well, especially if there were 50 places nearby that served Chinese food with a Chinese ambiance.

My wife was thinking of opening a restaurant - maybe we should try it.

I think seafood is tricky, as far away from an ocean as we are.

How far is Miami from the king crab fishing grounds?

Chicago has good seafood and they are further from the ocean than we are. Fresh seafood can easily be flown just about anywhere. OKC is just over an hour flight from the western Gulf fishing ports.

Can we just put salt in the canal and raise it locally? :)

nah, that would be bad for the local catfish population there

Is there any space in the Hightower Building?
You betcha! The Cellar restaurant used to be in the basement, and there's still a full commercial kitchen and a dining room down there. I am told the owner would love to reopen it as a restaurant.

Steve wrote something about it early last year (including mention of Parrot):
http://newsok.com/cellar-restaurant-rose-above-its-peers-in-city/article/3436333

This article by Dave Cathey (and video with him and Steve) provides a little more history of the restaurant:
http://places.newsok.com/the-cellar-restaurant/article/3467325

An urban breakfast joint.

Or a better sports bar such as republic. Brix food sucks and Coachs apparently refuses to update their incredibly old audio/visual system. It's sad too, Coachs has one of the best restaurant settings. With a NBA team, our downtown sportsbar options aren't very good

del

del

Rancho?

McCormick & Schmicks. Has that been said already?

I love the idea of a diner with the whole neon/dining car theme. Something like this.....

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/8008/broadwaydiner.jpg

Also, I don't see anything wrong with a TGI Friday's franchise downtown or in Bricktown. I'm guessing it would be a welcome site for many tourists who welcome the familiarity. They do "urban" stores...

http://img.groundspeak.com/waymarking/display/a11bbe67-76d6-45ef-8bfb-bc905d10f573.jpg

http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/2940/tgifridays.jpg

http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/9108/downtown071309022.jpg

http://stlouis.metromix.com/content_image/thumbnail/3x4/180/433585

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/8049/fridays3.jpg

http://www.javiers.net/ - but it would probably take someone like Javier - which means it isn't likely.

If he is looking for a franchise, I am surprised that a Johnny Rockets hasn't opened in Bricktown yet. It seems like they both share the same kind of atmosphere as they tend to be one of those touristy kind of places.

Speaking of chains, wish we had a Landry's Seafood here.

If your friend is thinking of starting some local joint, then I agree with many of the ideas suggested... a healthy seafood place, a Korean BBQ, a tapas place, or any number of other things sound good to me.

A British Pub that serves fish and chips and shepherd’s pie. It should be located real close to a high density residential area so patrons can walk there, and stagger home. They can call it the Admiral Benbow Inn or Coach and Horses. Is there any space in the Hightower Building? What is the little 3-story building right next to the Hightower? Is it part of it? Do you know how cool it would be to get dinner at a British Pub in the Hightower, then walk over and watch live theater at the Civic Center, then walk back to Pub for drinks, then stagger back home to Sycamore Sq, Legacy, Park Harvey, or City Place.

It's an Americanized Irish Pub but McNellie's actually serves some pretty good fish and chips as well as cottage pie. I like them anyway.

There's a real Irish pub up in Tulsa called Kilkenny's. Wish we had one of those here.

Speaking of chains, wish we had a Landry's Seafood here.

We did. It's now Joe's Crab Shack on NWX.

Slater's 50/50.... BACON Restaurant!!

McCormick & Schmicks. Has that been said already?

Or just the M&S Grille. McCormick and Schmicks would do very, very well here.

It's an Americanized Irish Pub but McNellie's actually serves some pretty good fish and chips as well as cottage pie. I like them anyway.

There's a real Irish pub up in Tulsa called Kilkenny's. Wish we had one of those here.

I used to have an office in Basingstoke, England. What we call pubs here are not like real English pubs. But, English pub food (other than the fish and chips) is pretty mediocre to bland.

I want a tapas bar.

Bolero is a good fit for Bricktown, but to call it a tapas bar is a big stretch to anyone who has ever traveled Spain.

I lived in Spain for 8 months and love tapas bars and Bolero could not be further from "the truth"

Put a tapas bar on Automobile Alley.

+1. I love the tapas in Barcelona.

Brooklyn Diner in NYC would be a great addition. Love to see something like that downtown, maybe at the Myriad Gardens.

And we still don't have REAL Italian restaurants here. Some pseudo ones.

Still would love a La Madeline's here too.

And the best would be if we could lure former OKCitian Bayless to open a branch of Frontera Grille/Topolabampo here.

Or just the M&S Grille. McCormick and Schmicks would do very, very well here.

I would tear up their happy hour every Friday if I could. Used to practically live at the M&S at Frost Bank Tower in Austin. But I won't hold my breath waiting for them to hopefully open in OKC.

There is a restaurant in Fayetteville called Hjem that has a very urban contemporary design and serves Pacific Northwest cuisine with a Scandanavian influence. I have heard they are interested in opening a second location in Tulsa. There is nothing else like it in OKC, and I think such a concept would do well. Scandanavian food is becoming really popular in places like NYC and Chicago.

http://hjemrestaurant.com/hjemwordpress/

I've never eaten at a true Scandanavian restaurant but have occasionally watched the Scandanavian cooking shows on the Create channel. There was little that I saw that looked very appealing to me but someone might like it.

I love the idea of a diner with the whole neon/dining car theme. Something like this.....

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/8008/broadwaydiner.jpg

We had a place that looked very similar to that on NW Expressway (Rockwell?) 10 years or so ago. All the menu items had 50's names (Big Bopper Burger Chantilly Lace something or another etc. 50s theme/decor and the food was good to but didn't stayaround long. Think the building is still there but remodeled (think it became a chinese place at one point).

We did. It's now Joe's Crab Shack on NWX.

There was also A Landry's on Memorial (don't recall what is in the location now)

Probably a good idea to see what kind of restaurants will go in Aloft as well. I think an Old School Bagels type restaurant would work really well too. Or a simple deli, but a real one that doesn't serve Boar'shead meat and doesn't have mayo as standard on sandwiches. I don't think you have to go all the way to knishes and matzo ball soup, but something more Jewish than what we have here currently. If it's going to be upscale, an almost exclusively fish menu would work, but if it's going to be more casual, I'm not sure that's the place for one.

If you hadn't said not near iguanas then i would have a great idea. The building across from pachinko parlor would be a great place for a "western" restaurant (it would work other places too) It would serve updated/gourmet style Cowboy and Indian food. Would play well with what alot of people come to oklahoma for and would be unique. Of course it would have a cowboy and indian theme that has been updated to look more modern kinda like iguana.

I doubt a great local chef wants to do something kitchy or open up a chain guys

We did. It's now Joe's Crab Shack on NWX.

Yeah but that was like decades ago at this point right? Long enough to be never, lol.

I doubt a great local chef wants to do something kitchy or open up a chain guys

No disrespect, but I have never heard of Taco Tuesday and when I heard that name the first thing that came to mind was not exactly gourmet. :-)

Well heck then how about Polynesian, it's all the rage in the forward-thinking cities.

Beer and Bratwurst. Perfect gameday food to move customers in and out quickly. Like this Purveyors of Exotic Grilled Sausages (http://www.wurstkucherestaurant.com/Eat.html)

http://media4.px.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/SlwFDS-k2eLEgFiPxbZRvQ/l

http://media4.px.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/fcF-fMYNCU7hOxp-t88uqA/l