MBG Restaurant & Cafe - OPINIONS WANTED

[metro]

Go with the best Shake Shack...
Shake Shack

Ding, Ding, Ding, this would be a huge land for OKC. Most Oklahoman's probably dont' even know what Shake Shack is. It's not too "national" either, they only have locations in NYC and Miami. People wait hours for their food in NYC. The stores even have webcams set up on line so you can check out the line before going. We don't have NYC population/tourism, so I don't think we'd have to contend for near as long lines here.

Gardens make me think of light food. Salads, perhaps California Pizza kitchen type pizzas, a few sandwiches (Wild Fork in Tulsa has a great prime rib sandwich on french bread with grilled onions and cheese), smoothies, flavored teas.

Dress code: If you want tourists, you can't be too picky about dress. I'd say casual, i.e. shirt and shoes required.

Hours: Lunch, Sunday brunch. Dinner would be nice, but not necessary.

Yes, a limited menu for large night events is an excellent idea

Restaurants that would work: I think it should be local, not a chain, although as I suggested, California Pizza kitchen has the type of menu I envision. I'd get someone from the Good Egg group to run it if you could interest them. Actually, Cheevers would be awesome in that location.

Totally agree, casual dress code, and prefer Good Egg Group to manage a new concept if interested.

The restaurants at the downtown library and state museum are locally owned.
Not impressed. Should ownership trump quality as the determining factor? Not saying you should go for an average chain restaurant.
But if you were to get Shake Shack interested and turned it down out of hand in favor of an untested local, I'll be totally bewildered.

Steve, I think for the most part we agree on local/national, but in this case I think it just makes sense to have one of each. The national for a draw/brand awareness and the local to give a sense of local flavor/talent. We'd be stupid to turn down Shake Shack.

I have to say, Steve is right on with the Shake Shack. Coolest thing in lower Manhattan. A couple of years ago I was there on business around lunch time and happened to walk by Madison Square Park and couldn't understand why so many people were lined up (and it's not a big park by Manhattan standards).

I still haven't eaten the food but I've read about it and saw a nice bit on the Food Channel about it. Unbelievable hamburgers and fries.

If OKC could get a location, it would be extremely hip.

Exactly. People would drive from surrounding states to eat her on occasion, similar to how many Oklahomans drive to Dallas to shop/eat at certain places. I'd also welcome a 5 Guys Burgers, mmmmmmmm.