Wild times: Othello’s owners open sports bar in downtown Edmond

By: Molly M. Fleming The Journal Record March 31, 2016

EDMOND – Downtown Edmond is a little wilder after a local restaurateur opened a new bar.

Othello’s Italian Restaurant owner Nancy Weiss was looking for a fourth location to add to her restaurants in Edmond and Norman, and the Around the Corner diner.

She didn’t have to look far once Sweeney McGann’s closed. She and her family took over the former Irish pub in early February and opened it as The Zu in March.

“(Sweeney McGann’s) was a good opportunity because it was close to the other restaurant,” she said.

Othello’s, 1 S. Broadway, and The Zu, 16 S. Broadway, are across the street from each other.

The Zu offers a family-friendly atmosphere for sports fans, Weiss said. She and her family cut down the bar length, creating space for booths and tables. Some of the tables are painted with chalkboard paint, so people can color while they wait.

The name is a play on Zoo University. With a zebra in the logo, The Zu name helps perpetuate the fun environment, as it’s a place where the animals hang out, she said.

Downtown Edmond Business Association President Stephanie Carel said her family is particularly excited about the family-friendly aspect because of her sports-loving 17-year-old.

“It’s nice to have a place for a son and father to go watch a game together,” she said.

Weiss said she knew she would need something to bring people into the restaurant when there isn’t a big game on TV, so she created a high-quality menu. Sauces, breading, dressings, pretzels and even baguettes are made in-house. Smoked wings, a foot-long hot dog, and nachos are some of the menu items.

“Our food is really, really good,” she said.

The restaurant has 10 beers on tap, a white and red wine, and 25 other beers available in cans or bottles. She said she plans to expand the beer menu up to 35 selections, but she isn’t looking for a lot of local choices.

“Since The Patriarch (craft beer house) serves all local beers, I didn’t want to compete with them,” she said. “About 30 percent of our beers will be local or craft, and others will be more mainstream. I didn’t want to step on Patriarch’s business. We all have to work as a team.”

Carel said Weiss and her family have the best intentions for downtown Edmond, so the sports bar is a good addition to the area.

“They know the clientele that’s down here and they know the area,” she said. “They know what will be good for downtown.”