Bellini's at Waterford

When will Holt ever give Jimmy's some love? Always see him posting about places he goes, but don't think he's ever given them the time of day! Jimmy's empire began during some pretty difficult times if I am remembering correctly...

Is Jimmy's Egg local? I thought it was a national chain.

Buffalo Wild Wings on Danfoth & Santa Fe has closed.

I found thins out the hardway. We went there for lunch around the beginning of the year and they had a bunch of construction stuff there, so we thought they were renovating. Tried to go again a couple weeks ago and saw they were completely closed.

I always thought the layout was very awkward. Never packed, but never empty either.

I didn't see it on the list, but Peter Pipers Pizza off I-40 and Sunnylane closed awhile ago.

PDQ Chicken (all locations in OK, apparently)

Chop Chop ; Downtown on Walker closed a couple of weeks ago. A bit of a bummer.

Chop Chop ; Downtown on Walker closed a couple of weeks ago. A bit of a bummer.

The same owner is opening a new concept: Cafe 106, Simple & Casual (breakfast and lunch).

The Fit Pig closed some time ago.

Briefly tried to rebrand as The Taco Shop, but they have been completely closed since the end of last year.

Chic fill a has been closed a couple weeks. They are obviously doin a whole renovation on what is basically a brand new building. My assumption is that they do an insane...crazy insane amount of business that they are probably doing flooring and streamlining he drive thru operation.

The Fit Pig closed some time ago.

Briefly tried to rebrand as The Taco Shop, but they have been completely closed since the end of last year.

Did they have a food truck? I feel like I have seen their name on a food truck in the past.

Chic fill a has been closed a couple weeks. They are obviously doin a whole renovation on what is basically a brand new building. My assumption is that they do an insane...crazy insane amount of business that they are probably doing flooring and streamlining he drive thru operation.

Wanted to clarify, are you speaking of the Chick-fil-a on N May and 63rd?

Did they have a food truck? I feel like I have seen their name on a food truck in the past.

No, I don't think so.

Wanted to clarify, are you speaking of the Chick-fil-a on N May and 63rd?

Both that one and also the one at western and 240 are both closed at the moment for reconstruction

Did they have a food truck? I feel like I have seen their name on a food truck in the past.

You may be thinking of The Flying Pig which is a BBQ truck.

You may be thinking of The Flying Pig which is a BBQ truck.

Ah, F words...

Did they have a food truck? I feel like I have seen their name on a food truck in the past.

Might be thinking of the Flying Pig.

Anyone know the sich with the Sonic at 23rd and Penn? Sign says they are remodeling, but its been closed for awhile, and nobody's been doing nuthin' there?

Anyone know the sich with the Sonic at 23rd and Penn? Sign says they are remodeling, but its been closed for awhile, and nobody's been doing nuthin' there?

They have filed detailed plans that show a completely remodeled store.

Not sure why it's taking them so long to get started, as that location has been closed for a few months now.

Kamps 1910 closed their Edmond location at 33rd and Boulevard.

Kamps 1910 closed their Edmond location at 33rd and Boulevard.

Wow, that really surprises me. I liked that place.

Wow, that really surprises me. I liked that place.

As did I. I would stop in there and get lunch 2-3 times per week as it was probably one of the healthiest options in that area close to my office. There's a sign with the name "Wicked Hangry" in the window now and some work going on inside.

Union Wood-Fired Grill

Tsubaki Szechuan

Old Germany

Union Wood-Fired Grill

Tsubaki Szechuan

Old Germany

We were just at Super Cao Ngyuen this weekend and there was a banner for a new restaurant in the building were Tsubaki was. I wonder if it's the same people with a new restaurant concept, someone else took over Tsubaki's spot or if the new restaurant is in a different location in the building?

I don't recall what type of cuisine it was but I think it might have been Thai.

We were just at Super Cao Ngyuen this weekend and there was a banner for a new restaurant in the building were Tsubaki was. I wonder if it's the same people with a new restaurant concept, someone else took over Tsubaki's spot or if the new restaurant is in a different location in the building?

I don't recall what type of cuisine it was but I think it might have been Thai.

Dave Cathey has an article about it, partners are splitting up and doing different things, can't remember the details, but it's on newsok.com somewhere.

We were just at Super Cao Ngyuen this weekend and there was a banner for a new restaurant in the building were Tsubaki was. I wonder if it's the same people with a new restaurant concept, someone else took over Tsubaki's spot or if the new restaurant is in a different location in the building?

I don't recall what type of cuisine it was but I think it might have been Thai.

Tsubaki was in the space where previously had been a Thai restaurant. Mr. Pho also closed and is re-opening with a new concept.

City Bites on NW 22nd/Classen has a sign in the window that says "Please visit our other locations", so I guess that one's closed now.

Dave Cathey has an article about it, partners are splitting up and doing different things, can't remember the details, but it's on newsok.com somewhere.

https://oklahoman.com/article/5624972/crisis-averted-tsubaki-szechuan-owner-says-closing-temporary

City Bites on NW 22nd/Classen has a sign in the window that says "Please visit our other locations", so I guess that one's closed now.

City Bites is one of those places that I used to go to all the time but nowadays I forget about.

City Bites is one of those places that I used to go to all the time but nowadays I forget about.

We occasionally go to the one on 59th/May, but there are so many other places to go, we don't do it much either. If we wanna do subs, we usually hit up Neptune on Classen.

City Bites on NW 22nd/Classen has a sign in the window that says "Please visit our other locations", so I guess that one's closed now.

Bummer. It was the one closest to work. Our company used them to cater lunches. Too far to go to either the N May or N Western locations.
p.s. As of Friday evening, the corporate site still showed the Classen location as open.

City Bites is one of those places that I used to go to all the time but nowadays I forget about.

Same here. We did City Bites all the time when the kids were little. They changed a lot in a short time, started farming out a lot of their operations, and the quality went down the tubes. After a couple of trips that were downright nasty, we just stopped going when it was clear CityBites just stopped caring. The sites we visited are long-since gone.

Wow, didn't realize Union Wood Fired Grill is already closed. How long did that re-brand last? I don't think it even made it for a 1 year. Seems like that is a cursed location. Odd considering the crazy traffic volumes at that intersection.

Wow, didn't realize Union Wood Fired Grill is already closed. How long did that re-brand last? I don't think it even made it for a 1 year. Seems like that is a cursed location. Odd considering the crazy traffic volumes at that intersection.

It lasted six months to the day. It's crazy, isn't it? One of the busiest intersections in the city and that spot seems - well, you said it.

It lasted six months to the day. It's crazy, isn't it? One of the busiest intersections in the city and that spot seems - well, you said it.

Even though the traffic count through that intersection is huge, it's just a pain to get in and out of any of the corners unless you turn right into one of the corners while going down 63rd or May, then turn right back out of it when you leave. When we go to Petco in the SE corner's strip, we always turn right onto 63rd and take back streets to get to 59th to get back out on May going south. And the lot that Union/MMR is in is horrendous with the Batteries+ building, Chick-Fil-A, one other outlying building (I think there's one other bldg) and all the little islands and weird layout.

Even though the traffic count through that intersection is huge, it's just a pain to get in and out of any of the corners unless you turn right into one of the corners while going down 63rd or May, then turn right back out of it when you leave. When we go to Petco in the SE corner's strip, we always turn right onto 63rd and take back streets to get to 59th to get back out on May going south. And the lot that Union/MMR is in is horrendous with the Batteries+ building, Chick-Fil-A, one other outlying building (I think there's one other bldg) and all the little islands and weird layout.

You know, that's a real good point. Busy intersection means nothing if the access is poor - and it is.

You know, that's a real good point. Busy intersection means nothing if the access is poor - and it is.

The Chick-Fil-A at that intersection is an absolute monster and makes that entire parking lot a nightmare with how busy they get.

Urban Taco at Robinson and Main has closed.

West has closed.

The Provision Concepts guys had taken it over but their deal only ran through the fall, and they decided to pull the plug.

The Johnnies group (Rick Haynes & Co.) still have a lease and made a big investment, so they may eventually try to restart something there.

Urban Taco at Robinson and Main has closed.

Interesting, they still have their food trailer set up in Yukon as of two days ago.

Johnnie's Express in Norman is now closed. They were open last week, and this morning have a notice saying the shop is closed and to visit the closest location in Moore.

Johnnie's Express in Norman is now closed. They were open last week, and this morning have a notice saying the shop is closed and to visit the closest location in Moore.
This doesn't surprise me. That location was kind of weird to access and the service (and usually the food) absolutely sucked every time we visited.

This doesn't surprise me. That location was kind of weird to access and the service (and usually the food) absolutely sucked every time we visited.

Only went for breakfast, and the crew that worked the morning shift was very friendly, and the food was always good.

Only went for breakfast, and the crew that worked the morning shift was very friendly, and the food was always good.
I only ever visited for lunch and dinner.

Interesting, they still have their food trailer set up in Yukon as of two days ago.

I want to give an update and say that the food trailer is no longer in Yukon.

Johnnie's Express in Norman is now closed. They were open last week, and this morning have a notice saying the shop is closed and to visit the closest location in Moore.

that is sad i bet that location had been open for 20 years or so

West has closed.

The Provision Concepts guys had taken it over but their deal only ran through the fall, and they decided to pull the plug.

The Johnnies group (Rick Haynes & Co.) still have a lease and made a big investment, so they may eventually try to restart something there.

I had not noticed this closing but not surprised in the least. I drive by that location 20x a day and it was clear it was doing worse than ever. I wondered why they didn't setup a Hatch there - learning now that they were just leasing makes sense.

I loved the Urban Jonnies concept, I assume they just spent too much to keep it profitable - perhaps a version of that concept would work there. I know I would go a few times a week at least. That area of town could use another casual bar space similar to the deep deuce location. Everything around it too upscale for most occasions aside from Republic.

Ouch! My OU son loves Johnnies. This will make a mark on him. :)

The Oklahoman reporting that Kwan's Kitchen has closed...
https://oklahoman.com/article/5633136/four-locals-among-parlor-okcs-first-vendors

^

They made a MASSIVE investment in that space.

Tons of expensive, custom woodwork in a very large building.

The Oklahoman reporting that Kwan's Kitchen has closed...
https://oklahoman.com/article/5633136/four-locals-among-parlor-okcs-first-vendors

They just introduced a new brunch menu and chef this past weekend!

They need to forget the fancy fusion crap and focus on good Chinese food. If they would serve a menu like Fungs, we'd be there quite often. We are already there several times a month for dim sum, which is excellent.

We went once for Dim Sum and it was great and packed, but I never went outside of that. It was hard for me to drive up to Memorial with so many options on Classen.

That building is so doomed. It's on Memorial but sits far from the road. It looks like a "big box" chain restaurant from the exterior. That place had no chance to succeed despite the admirable efforts to make it a nice space.

Memorial sucks. Driving on Memorial and waiting two green-light cycles before getting through an intersection sucks. Chisholm Creek will keep soaking up the patrons to the detriment of every other restaurant along Memorial.

That building is so doomed. It's on Memorial but sits far from the road. It looks like a "big box" chain restaurant from the exterior. That place had no chance to succeed despite the admirable efforts to make it a nice space.

Memorial sucks. Driving on Memorial and waiting two green-light cycles before getting through an intersection sucks. Chisholm Creek will keep soaking up the patrons to the detriment of every other restaurant along Memorial.

They ain't getting any of my money.

That building is so doomed. It's on Memorial but sits far from the road. It looks like a "big box" chain restaurant from the exterior. That place had no chance to succeed despite the admirable efforts to make it a nice space.

Memorial sucks. Driving on Memorial and waiting two green-light cycles before getting through an intersection sucks. Chisholm Creek will keep soaking up the patrons to the detriment of every other restaurant along Memorial.

Agreed. If I can't get there from the backside mall drive then I don't bother because Memorial is such a cluster.

^

They made a MASSIVE investment in that space.

Tons of expensive, custom woodwork in a very large building.

Given how rapidly OKC's restaurant landscape has expanded and changed in the last year or two, it would seem to me a lot more of these kinds of shakeouts are just about inevitable. Think we're just starting to see the leading edge of it. I have no knowledge of anything, but I think it will be interesting to see where things stand in, say, another year. Hard not to imagine a few high profile places probably going out before things settle down.

^

The shakeout has been happening for a while and the pace is accelerating.

Apart from the additional and more sophisticated competition, it is still very hard to find and keep good employees. The bigger boys have much better training programs and offer more opportunities to move up and to different concepts.

It's the nature of food service that staff are always going to be jumping to the new and hot places, but at least the bigger hospitality companies have a deep bench when that does happen. If the little guys lose a key chef, bartender or waiter you start seeing the "it's gone downhill lately" posts.

And I have to say, given the way things are now it can be really refreshing to go into a Good Egg or Hal Smith concept and get good, consistent service and food. Seems like things are becoming more hit-and-miss by the day.


By the way, keep your eye on Fox Concepts out of Phoenix. Will be entering OKC with Flower Child at 63rd & Grand and have been scouting locations for some of their other concepts. Fox is universally revered and will put even more pressure on the local competition.

By the way, keep your eye on Fox Concepts out of Phoenix. Will be entering OKC with Flower Child at 63rd & Grand and have been scouting locations for some of their other concepts. Fox is universally revered and will put even more pressure on the local competition.
Music to my ears! I love Fox's restaurants!

Fox must have 7 or 8 concepts. Ate at North Italia in Plano and loved it.

Auroura posted that this weekend will be their last service.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzMTtXRFRjZ/

That's odd. I've never seen Aurora not busy.

*edit*
rumored that they had trouble keeping a chef.