Urban Johnnie

[Urbanized]

This is where you start to feel bad for not going more often but then realize there are a bunch of places that you like pretty well...

And even if you go out as much as I do, you simply can't get to them all.

Yep, Like I said, I had just recently developed a renewed enthusiasm for the place. But also, I can't count the number of times I have tried to run over there to grab a burger or a beer when there were tons of people downtown and they were closed. It just felt like they never clicked with the rhythm of that location.

[Pete]

There is a massive amount in the pipeline as well.

I've seen this coming for a while. Sadly, I usually know when a place is struggling and there are several.

[Drake]

I had heard awhile back from someone that would know that this was probably coming.

Its never been a money maker. Start up costs never could be overcome.

Good space. Maybe an operator can come in and make it work

[Anonymous.]

Well they made it longer than I expected (see my post April 2017). The patio was activated better after my post, but still not regularly enough. This place needs some remodeling/redesign with the patio to create a more intimate setting.

I hope a solid operator comes in and turns this spot into something cool.

[HangryHippo]

There is a massive amount in the pipeline as well.

Of closings coming?

[Pete]

Of closings coming?

No, new places.

[jonny d]

No, new places.

If they have name recognition, they have a better chance of survival. I never heard Urban Johnnie. I heard about Johnnie's. But never the urban form.

[derp]

What a bummer. I had recently started going back some because I really like their salads and I'm working on weight loss. I hate to speak ill of the dead, but I always felt like they never connected with the location. I love Johnnie's Charcoal Broiler - as I know other OKC folks do - and thought it was a good idea to tune the brand a bit for that location as the Johnnie's demo tends to be a bit older and suburban. So I felt they got off to a great start.

But where I saw problems was in a quickness to close on holidays, weekends, early evenings, etc., as if they were on Memorial Road or Northwest Expressway or whatever. Same with being quick to not serving on the patio. I always felt the way a place in that location on second survives is by catering to the neighborhood first and foremost. Deep Deuce Grill has this down to an art. I really think the secret to to operating downtown is to be adaptable, and to take what the area gives you rather than trying to force your own expectations on the neighborhood.

Regarding the FB announcement, does it not sound like they would be the ones behind the new and exciting concept to open at that location in the future? Why else would they say that? Maybe just a rebrand?

Interesting that you say Deep Deuce Grill is good at catoring to the neighborhood. I find that the bar there has about as bad of bar service as anywhere in Oklahoma City. I've been there probably 15 times over the last 12 months, and the service hasn't been outright bad for the majorit of those visits. The food isn't very good either. Just typical bar food. I found UJ's service much, much better, even though the food wasn't great there either. I hope somemthing decent opens down here soon.

[bchris02]

There is a massive amount in the pipeline as well.

I've seen this coming for a while. Sadly, I usually know when a place is struggling and there are several.

This is good for OKC though. It wasn't very long ago that the city was extremely underserved in terms of quality local bars and restaurants, especially in the urban core. It's only natural that some won't make it. I never went to Urban Johnnie myself but I remember it being brought up several times on this board as somewhere that probably wouldn't last. I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did in all actuality.

[Pete]

I know they were trying to sell the business for quite some time.

I really do hope someone takes over the space.

[OKCretro]

this was a go to place for me before thunder games. Last year we went in the spring and there might have been 10 thunder fans eating before the game. I realized then it wasn't going to last.
They were even doing a "remote" from the location

[tsou89]

I always feel bad when a place closes but I think Johnnies is one of the worst spots in okc and never thought much more of this location. Hopefully someone with some creativity (and flavor) takes this spot very soon.

[Teo9969]

Interesting that you say Deep Deuce Grill is good at catoring to the neighborhood. I find that the bar there has about as bad of bar service as anywhere in Oklahoma City. I've been there probably 15 times over the last 12 months, and the service hasn't been outright bad for the majorit of those visits. The food isn't very good either. Just typical bar food. I found UJ's service much, much better, even though the food wasn't great there either. I hope somemthing decent opens down here soon.

It's that bad and you've been there nearly 15 times in the last 12 months...it's doing something right to bring you back that many times - even, and especially if what is taking you back there is other people.

DDG is not a great restaurant nor bar nor anything - but it's a staple and they have their two things down: great patio that can be used year round, and towers of beer. The rest doesn't need to be anything special. Doesn't seem like Urban Johnnie ever found their 1 or two things, and it had some pretty serious advantages (that patio is one of the only places I can be in OKC and feel like I'm somewhere else).

[Dustin]

There are becoming way to many restaurants in OKC.

Said no one in the 90s.

[ShadowStrings]

Could BWW work here?

[Urbanized]

Interesting that you say Deep Deuce Grill is good at catoring to the neighborhood. I find that the bar there has about as bad of bar service as anywhere in Oklahoma City. I've been there probably 15 times over the last 12 months, and the service hasn't been outright bad for the majorit of those visits. The food isn't very good either. Just typical bar food. I found UJ's service much, much better, even though the food wasn't great there either. I hope somemthing decent opens down here soon.

My comments were related to being open when people in the neighborhood were looking to eat or sit on a patio and had little if anything to do with food and service. I thought that was pretty clear, but perhaps not.

Simply put, when the people living in the surrounding neighborhoods are off work, on holidays and such, you can generally count on DDG being open. On nice weather days you can count on patio service. More often than not the opposite was true with UJ.

I’m not at all making a case for food or service at either place. I liked the food fine at both. Service was also generally good at both, although at DDG service tends to be better at lunch than during the evening.

[Thomas Vu]

Didn't know UJ was a part of Johnnies. Could I technically say that I've had their burgers then?

[TheirTheir]

Put a Torchys in there and it would slay.

[bucktalk]

This is where you start to feel bad for not going more often but then realize there are a bunch of places that you like pretty well...

And even if you go out as much as I do, you simply can't get to them all.

My concern, which I expressed about a year or so ago, is I worry there will be a saturation of restaurants where the supply overwhelms the demand. But like you Pete...you can't go to all of them, sadly.

[TheTravellers]

Didn't know UJ was a part of Johnnies. Could I technically say that I've had their burgers then?

Never been to UJ, but I believe their burgers are different from Johnnie's, so you probably can't say that... Maybe a couple of decades ago, you'd want to say you had Johnnie's burgers, but now? Eh....

[HangryHippo]

I never made it to UJ's, but sometimes, I love a Johnnie's cheeseburger and onion rings.

[Urbanized]

Never been to UJ, but I believe their burgers are different from Johnnie's, so you probably can't say that... Maybe a couple of decades ago, you'd want to say you had Johnnie's burgers, but now? Eh....

They had more burger (and other menu) variety than Johnnie's, but you could still get a Johnnie's burger (and all of the other burgers offered on the Johnnie's regular menu).

[Thomas Vu]

Never been to UJ, but I believe their burgers are different from Johnnie's, so you probably can't say that... Maybe a couple of decades ago, you'd want to say you had Johnnie's burgers, but now? Eh....

You're probably right when I do try it, but I got to for comparisons sake.

[Johnb911]

Sorry, went there twice, saw no reason to go back. The only thing that surprises me was how long this took, though reading through some of the other posts, maybe they figured some things out but just couldn't capture the market back in time. Best of luck in the future, the location and buildout are fantastic. On my two trips, the food was long awaited and overpriced, while the service was uninterested (and this with the restaurant mostly empty.)

[Easy180]

They were proud of their food and beer as my happy hour usually ran $50 there so it wasn’t on the rotation much. I liked the place and especially their pimiento cheeseburger. Just way too many just as good, cheaper and closer to home options out there.