McNellie's

[Pete]

[category=]Restaurants[/category]
[category=]Bars[/category]
[category=]Current[/category]
[category=]Midtown[/category]
[toc]no[/toc]

Address: 1100 Classen Dr. Phone: (405) 601-7468 Hours: Mon-Sun 11 am - 2 am Development: Plaza Court Status: Opened June 2008 Links: Official Website Menu Yelp Urban Spoon Eat Around OKC

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[jbrown84]

Looks like it will be a great addition.

[Pete]

I think Midtown is really starting to gain some much needed momentum.

And with the absurd prices being asked at the new downtown condo projects ($600K+ for the Browstones at Maywood and The Hill) I'm seriously considering buying a home in the Univeristy section of Heritage Hills as an investment.

You can buy a darn nice place for about $250K there and I've gotta believe that entire area is really going to take off at some point.

[wsucougz]

Doesn't look took bad. Beer looks a little pricey for OKC, though.

[Stinger]

My Tulsa friends love it. I may have to preview it before it comes to OKC.

[TStheThird]

McNellie's is a good place my friends... will be a welcome addition to OKC.

[Pete]

Biting into OKC: At 27, entrepreneur expands McNellie’s to OKC, adds another Tulsa restaurant, bar

by Kirby Lee Davis
The Journal Record
8/31/2006


TULSA – Entrepreneur Elliott Nelson will open two restaurant/bars and one English pub over the next seven months, carrying his James E. McNellie’s flagship into the Oklahoma City market.

This represents the start of a long-term expansion plan by Nelson, who hopes to open two McNellie’s and one other restaurant/bar concept every year. His target market: midsize urban areas.

“I’m kind of looking in secondary markets,” he said, “some cities other people may not look at, like Omaha (Neb.), Des Moines (Iowa).”

Nelson, 27, intends to open his second McNellie’s Irish pub and restaurant on St. Patrick’s Day, almost three years to the day after the first one launched his food-service career. The Oklahoma City bar will fill 7,000 square feet across two floors of the triangular Plaza Court building at 10th and Walker, within walking distance of the several thousand employees of St. Anthony Hospital, Bone and Joint Hospital, and other health care operations.

Contractor Mickey Payne of the Happy Hammer in Tulsa will handle that $1 million renovation project, as he does all of Nelson’s construction needs. For this one, he will work from designs by Duvall Architects of Tulsa.

Nelson expects the new restaurant to carry not just the same menu and beer choices – McNellie’s is known for offering 60 taps on each of its two floors – but also a staff of 45.

Across the corner from the original McNellie’s in Tulsa’s “Blue Dome” District, Nelson has started renovation work for El Guapo’s. That 332 E. First St. eatery will provide both Tex-Mex and traditional Mexican food on more than its two bricked floors.

“We’re actually building a full rooftop bar,” he said of the 7,200-square-foot site. “This will be the first rooftop bar in Tulsa.”

Payne’s workers should complete its $750,000-plus renovation in January, though Nelson doubts El Guapo’s will be ready for New Year’s celebrations. Shelby Navarro provided the architectural work.

A staff of 40 should manage its 240 customer seats.

In a 1,500-square-foot brick building at 28th and Harbor in Tulsa’s Midtown region, Nelson expects to open The Colony by Oct. 1. This “little British pub,” decked out with a large Union Jack on the outer wall, marks the Notre Dame graduate’s first small bar – though he doubts it will be his last.

“I think every neighborhood should have a pub,” he said with a smile.

As The Colony required only a simple cleaning and furnishing effort, Nelson projected its cost at only $50,000. Since it will offer limited food items, he thinks it will require a staff of only seven to 10 – much like The Continental, his jazz club and cocktail lounge that opened at the end of April next door to Tulsa’s 7,200-square-foot McNellie’s.

That 2,300-square-foot bar, started at a cost of $300,000, has “more or less” hit expectations through its first four months.

“We expect to do a lot better in the winter,” said Nelson, whose family has an extensive history in the Tulsa automotive market.

The Continental draws some strength from McNellie’s, which Nelson will expand to 9,500 square feet by stretching it across the floor above The Continental. The extra space will allow Nelson to add several recreational games as well as bump the Irish bar’s seating to 260-plus from its existing 225 customer spaces across two floors.

Nelson hopes to complete that $200,000 project within a few months.

“It’s a real advantage to have a destination neighborhood,” he said of the Blue Dome District. He believes the area is achieving that level of acceptance, just as he hopes McNellie’s helps create that in the Plaza Court area.

“What I really like to do is be in old buildings,” he said. “That’s the trick; finding the building and getting the people to listen to you and what you want to do.”

From these projects, Nelson expects to build total revenue of $8 million next year.

“Ten million would be amazing,” he said. “If we can get $10 million, that would be great, but $8 million will probably be the target.”

He hopes to build both McNellie’s and El Guapo’s – and perhaps The Colony – into growth engines for future duplication, including further expansion in Tulsa.

“I believe there’s room for a second McNellie’s in Tulsa,” he said. “I like building places that are affordable and accessible to everyone, because in that way you’re offsetting any downturn in the economy.”

[jbrown84]

That's really cool that it will be on both floors of the Plaza Court.

[Midtowner]

Can't wait for it to open. I expect it'll become an after-school favorite place for me to hang out on Thursdays.

Edna's still maintains a special place in my heart though...

[Pete]

That's really cool that it will be on both floors of the Plaza Court.

I think that's so they can have a smoking room upstairs, ala their Tulsa location.

[TStheThird]

I am excited about this. I hope they serve a good Newcastle... the one and only!

[The Old Downtown Guy]

I am excited about this. I hope they serve a good Newcastle... the one and only!

Their website www.mcnellies.com has a complete list of both bottled and on-tap beers. It's quite a lineup. Newcastle Brown Ale is one of 27 bottled beers from England that they offer. This place is suds-city with about a bizillion beers available. Opening in the SE corner of Plaza Court in Spring 2007 I believe. I'll buy the first round.

[TStheThird]

I'll be there.

[Pete]

Plaza Court to house Irma's II, pub, French bakery
By Steve Lackmeyer
Business Writer

Banta Development on Wednesday announced anchor tenants for MidTown's Plaza Court Building -- a mix they hope will transform the area into a new downtown destination.


Irma's II, James E. McNellies Public House and Prairie Thunder all are scheduled to open this winter. The Plaza Court Building is one of more than 30 properties bought by developer Greg Banta in the past year as part of his planned MidTown Renaissance project.

"What we really want are local restaurateurs, not national chains," said David A. Ortenburger, president of Banta Realty Advisors. "We've turned down more tenants than we've accepted. Plaza Court is the heart of our development, and it has got to be right."

One tenant, Irma's, is well known to local burger lovers. Lines are the norm at the existing restaurant at NW 63 and Western Avenue.

"I was there yesterday and there was still a wait when I left," Ortenburger said.

Irma's owner Chris Lower said he and his partners see MidTown as an ideal spot for a second location.

"The area has been challenged for the last few years, but with what Greg (Banta) is doing, I have every expectation it's going to come back in a big way and we want to be part of that."

Lower said the second Irma's will include up to 15 outdoor patio tables and possibly an expanded dinner menu targeting nearby Heritage Hills residents.

"We're close enough to downtown I think we'll get a lot of their business," Lower said. "And I think Heritage Hills has traditionally been under-served when it comes to restaurants."

Lower promised the second location will match the same quirky old fashioned diner feel at NW 63 and Western.

"Irma will be in the building," Lower joked.

Lower and Ortenburger share excitement over the second restaurant anchor, James E. McNellies Public House. The Irish bar and grill will occupy two floors at the Plaza Court.

While the first floor will include a neighborhood pub and restaurant, the second floor will include a live music stage, shuffle board and other amusements.

"They're very successful in Tulsa," Ortenburger said. "They have over 60 beers on tap, excellent food, and a really comfortable atmosphere."

Ortenburger said the third tenant, Prairie Thunder, will be a bakery that he said will complement, not compete, with Brown's Bakery across the street.

"It will have very high end ovens coming from France," Ortenburger said. "They will offer pastries and different types of loaves of bread. There are no ovens like this in the state of Oklahoma."

"We've turned down more tenants than we've accepted. Plaza Court is the heart of our development, and it has got to be right."David A. Ortenburger, president, Banta Realty Advisors

[Midtowner]

Plaza Court's going to end up being what Bricktown could have been -- great local restaurants.

Can't wait for this to materialize.

This Irish Bar is going to steal some of my business away from Edna's.

[Karried]

Whoo Hoo, I'm buying my green outfit as we speak... one of my favorite authors is Maeve Binchy. She writes primarily about Ireland and I love reading about all characters and of course, the Irish pubs. I always wanted to visit Ireland.. I'm going to add that to my To Do before I Die List..

This is exciting stuff!

[Pete]

It seems pretty clear that Midtown will continue to be the spot for locals and more urban types, while Bricktown will be more for toursits and families.

And I think that's a great plan.

[BDP]

And I think that's a great plan.

100% agree. This is what I have been hoping to see for some time.

[jbrown84]

This is coming together really well.

[Stinger]

This Irish Bar is going to steal some of my business away from Edna's.

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but is Edna's your place, Midtowner? I've been meaning to give it a shot, but haven't yet. What's it like? What would you compare it to?

[Easy180]

Hey Stinger...Edna's is a great little dive...Their "lunchboxes" sound nasty, but are great

Shot of Amaretto submerged in a glass of Coors Light topped off with some OJ (or something close to that)

The inside is similar to a smaller Hudson's, but with much better scenery if you know what I mean

[Midtowner]

Hey Stinger...Edna's is a great little dive...Their "lunchboxes" sound nasty, but are great

Shot of Amaretto submerged in a glass of Coors Light topped off with some OJ (or something close to that)

The inside is similar to a smaller Hudson's, but with much better scenery if you know what I mean

Better scenery? You talkin' bout 'Edna????:tweeted:

Careful with the jukebox, if you play "her song," Edna, the 70+ year old proprieter will be dancing on the bar.

[Midtowner]

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but is Edna's your place, Midtowner? I've been meaning to give it a shot, but haven't yet. What's it like? What would you compare it to?

It's a true dive. It's not really 'my place.' I probably go there about once per month. Even so, if I had a "my place," that'd probably be it. Lots of us law students like to go there after class on Thursdays. There's a 50/50 chance I'll end up there tonight.

[trison]

Things are really starting to happen in Midtown. Hopefully 10th and Walker will become a nice restaurant row. Plenty of space to the north.

[trison]

Midtown is alive and well