another new Old Chicago

[Rage_Kage]

Has anyone noticed the new one near the new interuban on S. 74TH and penn. It is still in the early stages but they have banners up. This kinda surprises me as the edmond store does not seem to be doing so well.

[SoonerDave]

Rumor I heard was that Old Chicago was scouting OKC locations, saw the Pearl's restaurant there, and offered them a plum chunk of $$ for it. Pearl's couldn't turn it down, and the rest is history.

I'm delighted to have an OC closer to my home. The one in MWC is always packed at lunchtime, and I have yet to be disappointed in whatever I've gotten there.

[John]

I'm thinking there might be another Old Chicago coming to OKC, possibly at the old Don Pablo's on Memorial.

There's been some construction activity going on there recently.

Either way, something is going in there in the not too distant future.

[CCOKC]

There is a big restaurant being built in the Westpoint area between MacArthur and Rockwell north of I-40. There are no signs in front of it and I was wondering the other day if it might be an Old Chicago. Does anybody here know what it is?

[Markbb]

Thats all we need is another chain.......Oklahoma will be number one for the amount of chains in a state......

[Rage_Kage]

I dont think the don pablos on memorial is going to be an old chicago. The development has not been nearly as aggressive as the edmond or south side locations. I drove by last night and saw that it has two main entrances side by side and i was wondering what was going on.

[MikeLucky]

Thats all we need is another chain.......Oklahoma will be number one for the amount of chains in a state......

Apparently you've never been to Wichita..... My friends and family from Kansas always marvel at how many restaurants we have here that are unique and NOT chains.....

Plus, as much as we (okctalk posters) would love to have nothing but unique restaurants, there are more people that would rather have the chain places..... a lot of people prefer consistency and no surprises....

It takes all kinds....

[SoonerDave]

Thats all we need is another chain.......Oklahoma will be number one for the amount of chains in a state......

What's with all the hatred for chains around here? Geez, its like they have no chance to be good or even worth someone's time if they even smell like a chain.

I've been to Old Chicago's in MWC, and I found their food and service to be good, reasonably priced, and the restaurant itself to be clean and inviting. That's good enough to earn my money. Who cares if its a "chain?"

I guess I'm just not sophisticated enough to know pre-emptively that if something is a chain, it must suck rocks. I'm lame enough to try it first, if it seems appealing.

[Rage_Kage]

Yea i have never understood the anti-chain trend here. The reason there are so many chains in wichita is because alot of them started there, ie pizza hut, fox and hound, many many others.

[MikeLucky]

Yeah, I'm certainly not anti-chain. I do like to have a good selection of unique, okc-specific establishments. It does help make OKC a place people want to visit, but I like lots of chain restaurants and I don't think it inherently makes it a bad place because it's a national chain restaurant.

[Markbb]

I've been to Wichita to watch the dogs run, and I guess the reason I dislike chains it's outta the box cooking, if your looking for consistancy get a microwave dinner......I guess I'm alittle partial to mom and pops any kind of food style!

[MikeLucky]

I've been to Wichita to watch the dogs run, and I guess the reason I dislike chains it's outta the box cooking, if your looking for consistancy get a microwave dinner......I guess I'm alittle partial to mom and pops any kind of food style!

I get what you are saying.... but.... Outback is as chain-consistent as you can get. Have you ever had a microwave dinner as good as a steak and baked potatoe at Outback?

Like I said, I understand the desire to have a unique feel about restaurants, especially in areas like Bricktown, but chains are good too and obviously A LOT of people like them or there wouldn't be so many..... lol

[Markbb]

I've been to the outback bad steak at a high price, all I'm saying is that Oklahoma get into the culenary world I certianly wouldn't go to New York City and stop at a Mickey Ds or go to New Orleans and have a Subway,

[jbrown84]

I think it's healthy to have a certain level of chain restaurants. It just shows that the market is strong. We have many great independents.

RED
Cheever's
Iron Starr
Trattoria il Centro
Nonna's
The Mantel
Mickey Mantle's
Deep Deuce Grill
Coach House
The Metro
Chica's
The Ranch
Saturn Grill
Mamasita's
Irma's
Cocina de Mino
La Luna
Museum Cafe
Cafe Nova
Mushashi's
Sushi Neko
Flip's
Cascata
Cafe 501
Boulevard Steakhouse
Opus Prime
Cattleman's
Bricktown Brewery
Park Avenue Grill
Goldie's
Rococco
Ingrid's Kitchen
Pearl's
Ann's Chicken Fry
Jamil's
San Marcos
Falcone's
Zorba's
City Bites
Country Line
Leo's
Haunted House
Sleepy Hollow
Beverly's Pancake Corner
Michael's Grill
Ajanta
Gopuram
Grand House
Sala Thai
Shogun
Classen Grill
Pepperoni Grill
The Wedge
Red Cup
Cafe do Brasil
Deep Fork
Crab Town


...they just aren't on Memorial Road.

[Markbb]

Thanks for list jbrown.....

[bwana_bob]

Great list jbrown! I noticed "Country Line" right after City Bites. Do you mean County Line, as in BBQ? If so, it is an Austin, TX based chain and the OKC location is the only one outside of Texas. Cool location in that old speakeasy, independent or not....

[jbrown84]

Sorry. Last I checked the Austin location was the only other one, and this location has been around for at least 30 years. You'd never know it was a chain.

[SoonerDave]

Sorry. Last I checked the Austin location was the only other one, and this location has been around for at least 30 years. You'd never know it was a chain.

It wasn't always a chain.

What we now know as The Couny Line restuarant originally opened as the "Oklahoma Line" about 25 years ago. It was only in the last decade or so, maybe a bit longer, that it became affiliated with the "County Line" chain out of Texas. When I first frequented the place, it was Oklahoma Line and it was wonderful. It was typically packed on a Saturday evening, and became my annual birthday haunt for several years.

IMHO, "County Line" is but a faint image of what "Oklahoma Line" used to be. We had a departmental dinner there just a few months ago, and it frankly wasn't very good. That said, I won't claim that the chain affiliation was the source of the downturn, but I know it just isn't the same.

[jbrown84]

Well I know it's been called County Line as long as I can remember (18+ years).