What a beautiful space.

Yep.... Right down the street at Dot Wo Garden. ;)

Well played. :D

From their Facebook page:

11620

Holy cow!

I told you they were going all-out on their decor.

That's beautiful and OKC need some high-style dining and bar options.

So their FB page mentioned a soft opening Tuesday and Thursday of this week and that they are shooting to open on Monday next week. Anyone get a chance to check them out this week? I'm really excited about how great this place looks and the menu sounds and can't wait to try it myself.

According to their Facebook page, they will be opening for the first time tonight at 4:00pm. Their hours will be 4:00pm - midnight through the weekend.

11660 11661 11662

Its hard to believe what they achieved in that building!.. looks beautiful! was only it the building once when it was a Chinese place and was never going back!

Completely stunning.

Can't wait to try their food.

Completely stunning.

Can't wait to try their food.

Agreed... Biggest problem I have after checking out the menu.... What do I try first???

I hate to go to a place serving prime steaks and have fried chicken but they had me on pan fried in cast iron with lard and shortening!

"14 day dry aged & 21 day wet aged Chicken Fried Steak"..wow...

$42 for a whole fried chicken seems a bit much, prices in general seem a little high for OKC but I'm certainly going to try this place out soon.

"14 day dry aged & 21 day wet aged Chicken Fried Steak"..wow...

$42 for a whole fried chicken seems a bit much, prices in general seem a little high for OKC but I'm certainly going to try this place out soon.

It's right in line with the prices at Red Prime and red Prime is doing just fine.... The fried chicken at Red Prime is $24 for a half chicken.

Menu ? Red PrimeSteak (http://redprimesteak.com/menu)

A few more pictures from their Facebook page:

11674 11675

A few more pictures from their Facebook page:

11674 11675

I love that table on the left. I'm guessing that's a private dining room? That would be great for having a family dinner, bday celebration, etc. without the hassel of cooking and cleaning up

Yes, private room.

"14 day dry aged & 21 day wet aged Chicken Fried Steak"..wow...

$42 for a whole fried chicken seems a bit much, prices in general seem a little high for OKC but I'm certainly going to try this place out soon.
It's in a pretty good area to be charging that much.

My apologies for not signing up for this forum sooner, guys! I was well aware of the article on here, but had no idea there were active attached forums, else I'd happily dropped by to share updates on a regular basis while getting the website up and running.

MMR is open for business daily at 4pm for dinner, and in the coming weeks will begin serving lunch and breakfast, as well! Once the Meat Market portion has opened, you'll be able to drop by and grab a sandwich and coffee on the go, as well as purchase any of the food items we serve in the restaurant. I'll set a reminder to stop by here again to update you when that's ready to go; we'll also post that on the Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/themeatmarketrefectory) and website (http://www.meatmarketrefectory.com/).

The soft openings went really well. We learned where we still had work to do and we got some semi-live practice in for everyone involved - also the food was excellent! At the first soft opening, I started with the Spinach Salad, which I highly recommend; once we have lunch going, this will be a favorite menu item to grab. We also had the Grilled Australian Lamb Chops and Coconut Battered Jumbo Shrimp as appetizers, and they were amazing! I had the Sea Bass with mashed potatoes and haricot verts and my wife had the filet with beets and asparagus. The sea bass was magnificent and the sides were great - also, I'm told the filet was heaven, though she seemed more impressed by actually enjoying the beets. To finish it off, we could have gone for the bread pudding (it's the MMR Brioche & Cream on the menu), and if you still have room, DO NOT MISS IT! We've enjoyed their bread pudding for years, and knew that it would be fantastic, but we were also too full to go on. That brings up another topic I read through here:

Yes, the owners are new to the restaurant business, but they all bring valuable experience with them. The head chef and one of the owners, Steve Spitz, is a veteran of the food industry, and has run a catering business featuring his recipes for years. The general manager worked with him in that venture after several successful GM positions in local restaurants. Between the two of them, they've built a tight ship at MMR which includes time-tested recipes, such as the bread pudding and meatloaf, and a knowledgeable staff.

Thank you, John Knight, for keeping tabs on the Facebook page! I wish there were a way to properly credit the photographer on that original shot of the Omega Bar at MMR, because I did such an amazing job on it! Actually, it was a no setup picture I took with my iPhone to start up the Facebook page, so the "Holy Cow" remark it elicited above really had me smiling! That said, it's the décor that makes the pictures pop, so come on in and see it for yourself!

I went ahead and added a plug for this site on our "Press Releases (http://www.meatmarketrefectory.com/press-releases/)" page, since this really was the best place to find information on us. I loved reading through the posts here - it's so exciting to see the level of interest! Also, thanks to Pete for his work here!

We'll begin lunch service next Wednesday, November 4th, beginning at 11:00am, and the Meat Market should be opening next Friday, November 6th.

We'll be running some half page ads in the Gazette through the end of the year to showcase events and opportunities.

Stop by this afternoon and see what we've done with the place! Also, that makes for a great excuse to try out the bread pudding :wink:

Has anybody eaten here yet?

Has anybody eaten here yet?

Yeah, I loved everything about it except the steak. Which is unfortunate.

My 14oz NY strip was probably 5 inches think. The problem is I love medium rare, almost rare steak. On a 5 inch thick cut that's impossible to achieve that and keep it warm. Either the middle is cold or the around the middle is well done. So it comes and the center is that beautiful red, but the outside was crispy and everything around the center was well done. I guess there's a market it for that, but it's defiantly not me.

Atmosphere is amazing. Sides are great and they come with a steak, not ala carte. The everything is organic is cool but I don't really care. Organic food generally doesn't taste any better but I see why it can be a good selling point.

Really cool place, just didn't really enjoy my steak.

Amazing how many steaks are cooked daily, yet idiots cannot cut or cook them reliably.

Yeah, I loved everything about it except the steak. Which is unfortunate.

My 14oz NY strip was probably 5 inches think. The problem is I love medium rare, almost rare steak. On a 5 inch thick cut that's impossible to achieve that and keep it warm. Either the middle is cold or the around the middle is well done. So it comes and the center is that beautiful red, but the outside was crispy and everything around the center was well done. I guess there's a market it for that, but it's defiantly not me.

Atmosphere is amazing. Sides are great and they come with a steak, not ala carte. The everything is organic is cool but I don't really care. Organic food generally doesn't taste any better but I see why it can be a good selling point.

Really cool place, just didn't really enjoy my steak.

Doesn't help for you steak there, but try the reverse sear at home. The steak will be a perfect medium rare (or whatever your preference is) all the the way through every time.

How to Cook a Steak Perfectly Every Time: Use the Reverse Sear Hack - Great Ideas : People.com (http://greatideas.people.com/2015/08/10/reverse-sear-foolproof-hack-to-cook-perfect-steak/)

Doesn't help for you steak there, but try the reverse sear at home. The steak will be a perfect medium rare (or whatever your preference is) all the the way through every time.

How to Cook a Steak Perfectly Every Time: Use the Reverse Sear Hack - Great Ideas : People.com (http://greatideas.people.com/2015/08/10/reverse-sear-foolproof-hack-to-cook-perfect-steak/)


Yes... I stumbled across the reverse sear method a couple of years ago and it's the only way I cook steak now... I also recommend doing some research on dry brining steaks.... It basically does to a piece of meat what dry aging does except it does it in a matter of hours instead of days.

Anyone know how they are doing. I have had two stories of people walking out after they got a "weird vibe" and another that said the food was mediocre. Anybody else want to share an experience here?

We ate there last week. I dont know about the "weird vibe" but I thought it was the same as any other higher end restaurant in OKC, they did a fantastic job on the building.

I ordered the Ribeye, my fiance ordered the Filet. For the sides we went with Salads. I ordered the Caesar, fiance went with the Market Salad. The dressing on the market salad was a lemon vinaigrette which tasted like straight vinegar, not in a good way. Obviously a vinaigrette will have a vinegar taste to it but this was overpowering, vinegar to olive oil ratio was way off.

Caesar dressing was good though. It took a very long time after the salads arrived for the steaks to arrive, I did not keep track but somewhere in the range of 20 minutes, was not too happy with that as we were eating later in the evening. Service otherwise was good, drinks were refilled quickly.

Once the steaks arrived they were only OK. The quality of the meat was good, certainly easy to cut into like a good prime steak should be. gopokes88 mentioned his/her steak was not cooked perfectly, ours were spot on so results may vary there. We both felt the steaks were way too salty. Obviously some folks like their steaks salty but we both prefer just enough to bring out the flavor, not excessive. If we return we would specifically ask for no salt to be added and pepper only to see how they tasted then, if needed we can add salt to them at the table. Based on our experience though we probably would not even order steaks again, though I would like to return to try some Seafood.

We ate there last week. I dont know about the "weird vibe" but I thought it was the same as any other higher end restaurant in OKC, they did a fantastic job on the building.

I ordered the Ribeye, my fiance ordered the Filet. For the sides we went with Salads. I ordered the Caesar, fiance went with the Market Salad. The dressing on the market salad was a lemon vinaigrette which tasted like straight vinegar, not in a good way. Obviously a vinaigrette will have a vinegar taste to it but this was overpowering, vinegar to olive oil ratio was way off.

Caesar dressing was good though. It took a very long time after the salads arrived for the steaks to arrive, I did not keep track but somewhere in the range of 20 minutes, was not too happy with that as we were eating later in the evening. Service otherwise was good, drinks were refilled quickly.

Once the steaks arrived they were only OK. The quality of the meat was good, certainly easy to cut into like a good prime steak should be. gopokes88 mentioned his/her steak was not cooked perfectly, ours were spot on so results may vary there. We both felt the steaks were way too salty. Obviously some folks like their steaks salty but we both prefer just enough to bring out the flavor, not excessive. If we return we would specifically ask for no salt to be added and pepper only to see how they tasted then, if needed we can add salt to them at the table. Based on our experience though we probably would not even order steaks again, though I would like to return to try some Seafood.

Wait…from the moment your salads hit the table to the moment your entrees hit the table was 20 minutes or from the moment you finished your salads to the moment your entrees hit the table was 20 minutes.

If the latter, I could potentially understand the complaint. If the former, those are unreasonable expectations under any circumstance, unless you specifically asked the server to stack your courses because you were in a hurry.

It's a touch troubling that a nice dining establishment which basically screams steak via it's name has reviews that really downplay the value of ordering a steak there.

It's also only been open a month.

Let them settle in a bit. Pretty ambitious project.

Wait…from the moment your salads hit the table to the moment your entrees hit the table was 20 minutes or from the moment you finished your salads to the moment your entrees hit the table was 20 minutes.

If the latter, I could potentially understand the complaint. If the former, those are unreasonable expectations under any circumstance, unless you specifically asked the server to stack your courses because you were in a hurry.
I probably should have kept track, however compared to other experiences, the time between finishing the small side salads and the steak arriving was longer than it should have been given what we ordered. We arrived at 8, ordered entrees right away, no appetizers or drinks, salads showed up around 8:20 I believe and steaks around 8:45ish. It was around 9:05 when we left (skipped dessert) because we went straight to Best Buy after and realized it had just closed. It did not have to do with our waitress as she came by the table twice to advise our "steaks should be out soon" so perhaps there was something else going on in the kitchen that night.

Gotcha.

For future reference, as a 2-top they are probably planning on you being there for 1:30 (I'm projecting service standards from comparable establishments). To get in and out in less than one hour is definitely abnormal and will not be this type of restaurant's goal unless you explicitly state that you are in a hurry from the outset (you can't say it halfway through the meal). There are other tables in the restaurant and when you come in and want an experience that is quite different from the norm, that's okay, but be upfront about it so that the restaurant can work to better serve your needs, while still maintaining the needs of the other guests/tables in the restaurant.

It's a touch troubling that a nice dining establishment which basically screams steak via it's name has reviews that really downplay the value of ordering a steak there.

Yeah I was trying to be fair, because my complaint was based on a personal preference against ultra thick cut steaks.

Went for lunch last week with a couple of friends.

Arrived for a late lunch so the place was expectantly pretty dead. That said, there were still probably 6 tables with people at them.

The inside of this place is really done well. Not exactly sure why, but I immediately compared the interior to WEST. The temperature of the place was very nice and there didn't seem to be any draft from the entry door. The place is also laid out so you have some options as to where to sit (not just one large dining room).

Host was prompt and professional and seated us right away. He did the whole pull the chair out thing and scooted you back in - not my thing, always feels awkward. Would have preferred they offered to take our coats - which they did not. Waiter even asked one of our party if he preferred a black or white linen towel. Just seemed a bit too much. We all just kind of laughed as he walked away.

Waiter was great. Knew the menu and was very attentive. The water is a cucumber infused water and was bit over flavored for my taste - I prefer just a hint of flavor. In reality, I really just like the cleanest non-tasting water when I'm dining.

We started with Grilled Australian Lamb Chops and Lump Crab Cakes. Both were really good and the presentation was nice. Temperature was okay. Chops were warm, Crab Cakes - not so much. But the flavor of both was really nice.

This is where the only real issue was for us. There was a noticeable delay between the appetizers and the entrees. So much we noted the delay in our conversation (not good IMO).

When they arrived we had the House Ground Prime Burger, Lobster BLT and the Prime NY Strip Steak.

The Prime Burger was a bit of a let down for an $18 burger. Luke warm and actually pretty bland considering the addition of caramelized onions, hatch green chilies, fried brie and garlic. The meat itself just lacked flavor (I'm a Garage burger kinda guy). The worst part of the burger for me was the fries. They do those tiny, extra skinny fries (think canned potato sticks). I much prefer a thicker fry that is crispy on the outside and warm and soft on the inside.

Also had a small side of their mac and cheese. It also had the hatch green chilis mixed in and it was pretty tasty. Much preferred those to the fries.

The Lobster BLT - like the burger - was a bit lack luster and just okay.

The Prime Strip Steak was a nice cut of meat, but was tougher than it should have been - though the flavor was good+.

For dessert we did the Salted Caramel Apple Pie and Bread Pudding.

The Apple Pie was okay - but, again, a bit lack luster. The Bread Pudding on the other hand was excellent and a huge portion. We all commented on how good it was. I believe they also sell it to go in the market.

I think there was a cocktail thrown in the mix, which brought the total to $220.

Definitely not going on my lunch rotation - too far away, too expensive and the entrees were nothing to get overly excited about. Nothing was bad, so that is a good sign.

I would give it a try for dinner if the occasion arose. However, that would mean driving past Boulevard, Metro, Signature Grill, and a hand full of others that are in the same price range, but have so far provided me with an overall better experience.

If I give dinner a try I'll update this.

Host was prompt and professional and seated us right away. He did the whole pull the chair out thing and scooted you back in - not my thing, always feels awkward. Would have preferred they offered to take our coats - which they did not.


That's certainly not a bad idea but I can't remember the last time that happened any place I've eaten in OKC.

". . . Waiter even asked one of our party if he preferred a black or white linen towel. Just seemed a bit too much. We all just kind of laughed as he walked away."

Guess it depends on whether you mind getting white lint all over black slacks/trousers/skirt (or vice versa). . . I personally like to have a choice.

". . . Waiter even asked one of our party if he preferred a black or white linen towel. Just seemed a bit too much. We all just kind of laughed as he walked away."

Guess it depends on whether you mind getting white lint all over black slacks/trousers/skirt (or vice versa). . . I personally like to have a choice.

Well, he was wearing a white shirt and stayed with the black linen. Not a single hint of lint. So, while I get what he was going for, it was lost on us. We use linen at our house and have not once noticed any shedding. Maybe it comes down to quality. Like I said, it was comical to all of us - but I guess we are just 'commoners.'

Most finer restaurants have the option. And yes, there can be fine lint.

Most finer restaurants have the option. And yes, there can be fine lint.

I must be going to fringe fine dinning restaurants then.... while I'm aware its done some places, I've literally NEVER seen it in practice before and I've eaten at extremely expensive restaurants in several US cities and abroad. Regardless, it was barely a side note, but I'm glad the 'Miss. Manners' are setting me straight.

it isn't that rare and it has nothing to do with manners. Just a convenience. There are many little things restaurants can do to better serve their customers. It's all about focusing on the customer experience. A good restaurant does much more than serve good food. It should be expected here just as it is elsewhere. A good wait person should notice what you are wearing and offer the right lap napkin. It is good service and should help earn them a better tip.

I've seen it a lot in Dallas, but not in OKC. Good to know they are doing that here.

Well, he was wearing a white shirt and stayed with the black linen. Not a single hint of lint. So, while I get what he was going for, it was lost on us. We use linen at our house and have not once noticed any shedding. Maybe it comes down to quality. Like I said, it was comical to all of us - but I guess we are just 'commoners.'

I think the issue is not the shirt. . .but the pants/skirt. . . below the waist. . .where the napkin goes. . .

Around here, maybe we stuff the napkin in our shirt collar like a bib. :). Hopefully not in a nice place though.

Well, some of us have hands that can tend to go a bit shaky at the most inopportune times. Can really suck when your hands up and decide they're skeered of a soup spoon.

Around here, maybe we stuff the napkin in our shirt collar like a bib. :). Hopefully not in a nice place though.

I don't need no stinkin' napkins, I have perfectly good sleeves!
C. T.

I don't need no stinkin' napkins, I have perfectly good sleeves!
C. T.

:dizzy:

I stopped by this weekend. I re-read all the posts here to see why I didn't stop by when it opened. I thought everything was pretty good.

Ordered the crabcakes for an appetizer, and noticed that they put in chunks of crab as opposed to having shredded crab throughout the cake, which I liked. Ordered the Akuashi ribeye (Wagyu), rare, which was cooked appropriately. I tend to like steaks with a crust, and understand it can be difficult to achieve that while maintaining the rare color. Ordered the bread pudding, and thought it was one of the better desserts I've had at steakhouses recently. Rivals the pecan ice cream ball at Red Prime.

Server was great, knew the menu well, and suggested an excellent Riesling to go with the crab cake. The bread was better than most steakhouses that I can remember as well.

Thanks for posting that, forgot to post our experience back in July - tl;dr is that their service was superb, as was the food (not sure if it's the best in the city since we've only been to Ludivine, Red, and a couple of other high-end places, but it's gotta be way up there).

They had a card and handwritten note on the table (I had called and asked that they put a candle in my wife's dessert or something like that since it was her birthday), got an amuse-bouche to start, a couple of drinks, a couple of appetizers (tuna and the tournedos), a free tasting of some rose wine because it would complement the tuna appetizer I ordered, then we had our entrees (lobster thermidor and lamb ribeye) and my wife ordered brussels sprouts instead of mashed potatoes, but they brought out the potatoes anyway. Then they brought out the sprouts within a couple of minutes and apologized profusely and comped the sprouts (took them home - best ones we've had). Had a couple more drinks, then dessert - ordered a bread pudding to split and they brought out that (with a candle in it :)) along with an order of Key lime pie (best Key lime pie we've ever had, and it was also free), and a free glass of Prosecco each (which we like better than champagne). Oh, and the bread was great, as mentioned above, but the butter was smoked salt and rosemary butter, so that just amped it up even more.

Server was great, knowledgeable, funny, attentive, as was the GM who stopped by our table a couple of times. The attention to detail is amazing - short straws for short drinks, long straws for long ones, napkins folded in a Bishop's miter pattern because of the "Refectory" theme, holding the glasses up to the light when they get them out of the cabinet to make sure they're polished perfectly, etc. Decor and music were great too - understated, but contemporary and cool.

How is the place doing? Does it get good business?

How is the place doing? Does it get good business?

Not sure about current business, but on 7/15 (a Sat), it was easily 2/3 full when we left (we got there at 5:30 or so and left around 7:30).

How is the place doing? Does it get good business?

I came in a little early, and by the time I left it was almost full.

http://newsok.com/mmr-prime-steakhouse-pumping-out-the-hits-under-new-chef-jonas-favela/article/5590187

New Signage going up for Union wood fired Grill.

Does that mean MMR failed?

Does that mean MMR failed?

No, just rebranding.

Menu will change as well.

Pete, is Union going to be same ownership? What kind of concept is Union?

Pete, is Union going to be same ownership? What kind of concept is Union?

It's the same ownership. I'll see if I can get my hands on their new menu and branding.

They've completed the rebranding and have a new website which shows the menus:

https://www.unionwoodfiredgrill.com



We are a Union of inspirations of popular worldwide cuisines, fresh food, great wines, cocktails and our wood fired grill. Chef-owner Jonas Favela only uses the finest ingredients from local and dependable sources. Located at the South West corner of NW 63rd & May Avenue, Chef Favela uses his understanding of American, Italian, Latin & Asian flavors along with French and Italian Techniques to create memorable food and experiences. Local owners Lance & Cindy Ruffel worked closely with Chef Favela to ensure that any special occasion or a night out with friends and family is a great experience, from the artwork on the walls to the specialty cocktails to the featured Chef's creations, they are always around to ensure that everything is consistent and executed with precision. A relaxed and comfortable setting allows for a unique service experience, servers are very knowledgeable about food, wine and cocktails and can accommodate any occasion.

The centerpiece of the restaurant is the Omega Bar, the perfect place to begin the Gastronomic journey. Union Wood Fired Grill was created with the idea that there are many different types of people, with many different needs. We offer a casual relaxed atmosphere for a quick bite at the Omega Bar or a night out friends and family.

For dinner as a starter try our Jumbo Lump Crab Cake, Skillet Cornbread cooked to order or Pimento Cheese dip. The crisp Caesar salad is a must do - and perhaps the best in OKC or try the full flavored Thai Salad. We are really proud to offer great seafood selections such as Jumbo Diver Scallops, Cedar Plank Seabass, Lobster Tagliatelle, Wood Grilled Lobster Tail and Wood Grilled Steel-head Salmon. Our Landfood offerings include Boneless Short Ribs, Wood Grilled Filet, and 45 day Dry Aged Wood Grilled Ribeye. If you have a plant based diet or choose to not eat meat we offer a grilled Italian Brown Mushroom "Burger", Glass Noodle Vermicelli, and a full flavored Buddha Bowl. There will also be a kids menu to boot!

It will be difficult to save room for dessert. Then again, it is hard to not to with choices like Chocolate Mousse, Creme Brûlée , Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake, and our famous Brioche Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce.

wondering if gift certificates I have for MMR will still be honored.. hmmmm

wondering if gift certificates I have for MMR will still be honored.. hmmmm

I think there is a good chance.

You should call them and ask.

Went for dinner with friends on Saturday night and had a really good experience.

Service was great, all the food was tasty and interesting and they were quite busy.

I really like their bar area. It's a beautiful spot and the bartenders are friendly and professional.

They are closing their doors at the end of this week per the Oklahoman.

They are closing their doors at the end of this week per the Oklahoman.

Well darn, my wife and I were thinking of trying this place out... Oh well.