Crystal's

[dismayed]

All this talk of Showbiz and Chuck E. Cheese's got me strolling down memory lane... so how many of you folks remember Crystal's restaurants? There were two in the city, one on the NW Expressway and one at I-240 and Penn. I remember going to a "lock-in" at one as a kid and having a blast.

A friend of mine recently told me that the original Crystal's in Dallas is still open. Here's their website for those of you looking for a blast of nostalgia:

Crystal's Pizza

[drumsncode]

I ate at Crystals many times on NW Expressway. It was a nice oasis in the desert of my work day.

I also remember eating pizza at a place called Shotgun Sams (is that the name of it?) that had a killer buffet at lunch. They not only had pizza, but fried potato wedges and all sorts of wonderfully unhealthy food! It was great for a bunch of ravenous 25 year old computer programmers who were stressed to the max.

[Easy180]

I was a regular as a kid at Crystal's on the southside...Great watching cartoons and Little Rascals on that big screen and playing games...Much better pizza than Showbiz and Chuck E

[pepper37]

Ah, the memories! I fondly remember both Crystals and Shotgun Sam's. I thought there was not a soul who remembered Shotgun Sams other than me. Thanks for the memory lane walk....many a fun times were spent at both

[drumsncode]

It just dawned on me: The quality of life in a town is defined by the quality of pizza it serves.

Oklahoma City has a rich tradition of pizza. Looking back over 35 years of pizza eating, those memories are defining moments.

Pizza Planet, Pizza Hut, My Pie, Crystals, Shotgun Sams, Bit-o-Italy, Little Caesars, Mazzios, Jack Sussy's, Hideaway, and the legendary Minuteman in Sand Springs.

That's what makes a city worth living in! It's all about the pizza...

[traxx]

I remember both Crystal's and Shotgun Sam's although Crystal's on NW Expwy was really the one that I frequented. I remember back in the 80s going there as a teenager, hanging out, checking out girls, going with my youth group etc. They had Chuck E. Cheez (formerly Showbiz) beat. Not only did they have entertainment but also a great athmosphere and good pizza. Each section of the restaurant had a feel all its own. The theater, the library, the loft. Ahhh memories.

[CMSturgeon]

A friend of mine recently told me that the original Crystal's in Dallas is still open. Here's their website for those of you looking for a blast of nostalgia:

Crystal's Pizza[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the info! I was planning on taking a trip to Dallas to take my step daughter to Six-Flags in the Spring. That will be a great add to the trip. Good call! I am just old enough to have only gotten to go there once when it was on NW Expressway but I really loved it, can't believe it's open!

[SoonerBent]

I lived a couple of blocks from Shotgun Sams. Went there a lot as a kid. Crystal's was owned by Casa Bonita. I worked for Casa in the mid seventies and groups of Casa employees would go to Crystals's and visa-versa. Memories.

[traxx]

Oh yeah, Casa Bonita. I'd forgotten about that. I still say in that Madonna song she's saying "Casa Bonita." Anyone know the song I'm talking about?

[windowphobe]

"La Isla Bonita," circa 1987. Allegedly she and longtime collaborator Patrick Leonard hoped to persuade Michael Jackson to record it; however, her own version charted at #4, so it was hardly a total loss.

[floater]

Crystal's has a special place in my childhood memory. After middle school band concerts, we would have our parents drive us to the I-240 location to celebrate.

[traxx]

"La Isla Bonita," circa 1987. Allegedly she and longtime collaborator Patrick Leonard hoped to persuade Michael Jackson to record it; however, her own version charted at #4, so it was hardly a total loss.

Yeah! That's the one. Too bad Casa Bonita was already on its way out by that time or they could have changed it slightly and used it for their commercials.

[Rifleman2C]

My first real job was at the Crystal's Pizza at 22nd and Sheridan in Tulsa. I worked there for almost two years... good times! The pizza and lasagna were excellent... I still remember how awesome the 'Vegetarian Sampler' Pizza was to this day, and I'm not vegetarian!

[Dungeon Master]

I worked at the Crystal's on SW 74th back in the early 80s. It was a blast working there. "Blocker" was the manager at the time (don't remember his real name). Us cooks put on like a show running the pizza ovens with e oven paddles as showing off tools (gosh, what memories). All of us would work together as a team and once we got off work, we would party together and go bowling together. I remember the large screen movies in the back, the bands that played there and the lines out the door every weekend. Those were the days. Then they went to a "Showbiz" type atmosphere and added games when they expanded. That didn't help and probably was the straw that broke the camels back. Before the closing, I remember helping to train employees and assisted in getting the NW Expressway Crystal's location up and going. Those pool tables were heavy.
They should have kept it one location and the way it was before the expansion. It was a one of a kind (before the games) and I bet it would still be open. That's what people enjoyed about it.
My favorite pizza to make was the mushroom pizza. I made it look like a bloomed flower (flower power mind you, but on a drug free note) with peddles of mushrooms in each row circling the pizza. Nobody else did that that I ever saw.
It was probably the funnest job I ever had. I met some great friends there.
Yep, those were the days.

[metro]

Yeah, I remember growing up on Crystal's Pizza in the 80's. The one on NW Expressway and Rockwell. I loved the movie theater rooms and such. I wish they were still open. Can't believe Chili's tore that building down a year or so ago. The previous tenant (Mexican restaurant that escapes me), had just spend some serious money remodeling the place. Probably had 2 million easy in the building. Now it's a small boxy Chili's.