Prohibition Room (closed)

[JohnDenver]

You're a self-proclaimed bourbon fan that's criticizing someone else's knowledge when you don't even know what a bourbon is. Just takes away your credibility, that's all.

Word. Credit is taken.. Hurts... I love clouds too.

[RSA]

I appreciate your offer. I may take you up on that some day. Speaking of full pints – do you serve 16oz pints or are they the 14oz cheater glasses?

Just curious. I know Drunken Fry sells the COOP Imperial Stout for $7, but they are upfront about it being in a 14oz glass serving. It was my impression that you guys were serving full 16oz pints and that was the reasoning for your increased price.

I’m not trying to bust your balls or anything, but I’m a bit upset over finding out about the ‘shaker’ or ‘cheater glass’ thing. It’s not like craft beer isn’t expensive enough to buy when you go out, but to be getting shafted on the amount being served doesn’t go over very well with me.

no we do not use 14oz glasses. they are easy to spot as the bottom is much thicker and quite obvious. Being somewhat of a beer snob myself, I hate that too.

[JohnDenver]

Well, OKCMallen, your brow beating over a quick typed message regarding (ahem, let me correct it) American Whiskey -- is just plain ritarded. I fully expect the bartender to know more than me when it comes to their TRADE. Same goes for a chef, mechanic, cowboy, whatever.. I am a fan of ribs, I can only imagine a butcher knows more than me. That is why I ask for recommendations on meats and cooking techniques from him. I know more about my trade than the bartender would. If he came up to me and asked for an algorithm for shortest path or a good big O sort algorithm, I would be able to answer expertly. I do this at restaurants ALL the time. At Red Prime a couple weeks ago, I asked the waitress if she would ask the chef if he would make a *hot* rub, not spicy like ancho, but straight up hot. I wanted it... She came back and described what he was going to do, and it was GREAT. At Galileo's my wife used to ask for a veggie sandwich on a roll, instead of a veggie burger. They would always whip something up and pick a price to charge. This is very common.. and any cook/chef/bartender should be able to think on their feet and be professional. I am not selling the bartender anything, so if I fat finger it and say Tennessee Bourbon instead of Tennessee Whiskey, he should roll with it -- not being a straw-man punching internet troll like you. You ignore the obvious intent and want to focus on a simple error. Moran.

This forum is for precisely what we are doing, talking ABOUT restaurants. You can call it bitching, but they are only reviews, the good and bad. If you want a cheerleader section, starting lobbying for it. You are a VIP poster, so I imagine you have pull to get it done. Or, just could just keep throwing pebbles at newer people and say they bitch too much, until they don't review restaurants.

Come to think of it, your brow beating has made me think of the meal in more depth.

Three more observations, though I have no credibility.

1) The Bruschetta was far from being a real (good) Bruschetta. It was just the run of the mill soggy baguette from Homeland with some toppings. Though the mozzarella was obviously fresh and tasted homemade, not bought from the store across the street.

2) The pacing of the meal was terrible. We ordered two appetizers and our drinks. They brought the drinks and then we ordered our meals (with two soups and two salads) and 10 minutes later the appetizers showed up. Then nearly IMMEDIATELY they brought the two salads and one soup (then they told me they didn't the soup of day that I ordered). Our table was overflowing with food and plates.. they didn't space it. About 10 minutes later the main courses came and the waiter joked about overloading us with plates. Well, yes you did... He offered to hold the main courses in the back until we were ready for them. I guess that is nice, but I don't like microwaved food for the price of the dishes, so we just consolidated plates (appetizers onto the salad plates, for example) and took the main course. For Christ's sake, I spent $150 on the meal, I expect more than what I would get from a teenager serving me at Chili's.

3) It just seemed like the restaurant was on its last leg... The (huge scoop) olive dip came with ~10 crackers that were very good match for the dip. They were gone with each of us having a couple of them, so we asked for more. The waiter said, "just a couple minutes, I have to go to the dry storage and get some more crackers, we have run out." He comes back later in the meal with a hodge podge of mismatched and broken crackers.. like they were poured from the bottom of a couple boxes. It was just odd.

So with some more thought, this place won't get a second chance. Maybe I had too much expectation though.. I looked at the menu online and got my hopes up. Like I said previously, they menu is very good.. it is pretty good at being a modern middle-fancy dishes. Also, it was the 90th anniversary of the passing of Prohibition that day, so I thought it was serendipity that the whiskey bar up the street is named Prohibition Room.

So you are right, my lack of credibility and not their lack of execution is to blame. Also, you are right, our posts in this forum regarding our opinions on restaurants BETTER be made without any errors, or else they will have no credibility.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it. If you don't mind, I need to go drink some Dr. Pepper and eat Taco Bell with my unsophisticated uneducated palate.

[Martin]

that's enough, people... you're fighting over useless things. get back to topic.

-M

[OKCMallen]

Sounds good mmm.

[RSA]

Here is a video so everybody can have a better understanding about bourbon.

Hulu - Three Sheets: Kentucky - Watch the full episode now.

All we have tried to do for the past almost 2 years is to provide something different to OKC. We are not the cookie cutter restaurant you will find all over town. It has been our goal since day 1 to provide a large amount of food and drink for a reasonable price. for example, Filet Medallions $18.00. Comes with 2 sides and a salad. Where in this town can you get a filet for $18? Our cocktails are BIG. At least 2oz on every pour. We are not an upscale fancy restaurant and we have no dress code. Show up in your underwear, it makes no difference to us. If you don't like the food or drink, we understand. We did win "Best Restaurant Under the Radar" in 2009. So plenty of people like what we are doing.

Old Saying: you can please some of the people all the time , but you can't please other people at all.

Thanks for giving us a shot. I'm sorry it did not work out.

Eat at a locally own restaurant and stay out of the chains.

[JohnDenver]

Old Saying: you can please some of the people all the time , but you can't please other people at all.

Eat at a locally own restaurant and stay out of the chains.

Completely agree and that is what we do... We don't step foot in chain restaurants unless we are on a road trip and the tiny town only has a Burger King. It is our mantra.

I gave your restaurant props on certain aspects. I like everything about the place, I think you have a good combination going, except the quality control.. Maybe it was bad night, or the regular cook was off as well as the bartender and waiter.

Either way, I agree with your goals; they are good. I wish you all the success, sincerely.

[RSA]

Completely agree and that is what we do... We don't step foot in chain restaurants unless we are on a road trip and the tiny town only has a Burger King. It is our mantra.

I gave your restaurant props on certain aspects. I like everything about the place, I think you have a good combination going, except the quality control.. Maybe it was bad night, or the regular cook was off as well as the bartender and waiter.

Either way, I agree with your goals; they are good. I wish you all the success, sincerely.

Thank you very much.

[Roadhawg]

I'm going to have to try this place

[alan]

Thank you very much.

i appreciate everything you've said here. sometimes we do all we can as small business-people and others still don't walk away satisfied. keep plugging away!

[warreng88]

Gold Dome seeks end to Prohibition
Journal Record
By Brianna Bailey
Oklahoma City reporter - Contact 405-278-2847
Posted: 02:54 PM Thursday, February 17, 2011

OKLAHOMA CITY – The owner of northwest Oklahoma City’s iconic Gold Dome is trying to evict one of its largest tenants, the Prohibition Room restaurant and bar.

The Jazz Age-themed restaurant serves vintage-style cocktails from a real Prohibition-era bar that was shipped in from Chicago.

The owner of the Gold Dome filed a forcible entry and detainer lawsuit against the owners of the Prohibition Room on Wednesday in Oklahoma County District Court.

The lawsuit claims the Prohibition Room has refused to pay $4,055 in rent it owes the Gold Dome, as well as late fees and interest on the unpaid rent. The lawsuit also states the Gold Dome plans to terminate the restaurant’s lease on its 2,900-square-foot space on the first floor of the building.

The Gold Dome also claims the Prohibition Room owners violated the terms of their lease by failing to notify their landlord that one of the restaurant’s guarantors, Joe Rosati, filed for bankruptcy in November, according to court records.

Prohibition Room owners Richard Sauve, Donn Cross and Rosati opened the restaurant in 2008.

The restaurant is current on its rent, but has had an ongoing conflict with the building’s owner, local optometrist Irene Lam, Cross said.

“She has been trying to get us out of here since the day we opened our doors, but we’ve been paying our rent,” Cross said.

Lam declined to elaborate on the conflict between Lam and the Prohibition Room owners.

Cross said she was surprised to learn that Lam was seeking to evict the restaurant, because the Gold Dome has struggled to attract and keep tenants.

“The place isn’t even halfway full,” Cross said. “We’ve been here for three years and we’re the biggest draw here.”

Attorney Steve Sherman, who is representing the Gold Dome in its lawsuit against the Prohibition Room owners, declined to comment on the matter.

Lam did not respond to phone messages left at her office on Thursday.

The Prohibition Room ownership has squabbled in the past with its landlord over the use of the Gold Dome. In 2009, the restaurant asked a judge in Oklahoma County for a temporary restraining order to halt plans the geodesic dome had for a hip-hop concert in the lobby of the building, according to court records.

“The vulgarity of the music from the event will make it impossible to attract and service patrons and will basically shut the restaurant down,” the Prohibition Room owners claimed in the lawsuit.

The Prohibition Room sought the restraining order after a similar cultural event in the lobby of the building ruined business one Saturday night by blocking access to the restaurant and making it impossible for patrons to use the bathroom, the restaurant’s owners claimed in court documents.

The restaurant never pursued the restraining order after filing its initial petition with the court and the case was later dismissed, according to court records.

The landmark Gold Dome building at 1112 NW 23rd St. was built in 1958 and originally housed the Citizens State Bank. The building was home to several assorted bank branches over the years. A group called Citizens for the Golden Dome narrowly saved the building from being bulldozed in 2001 to make way for a chain drugstore. Lam bought the dome in 2003 for $1.1 million and the building underwent extensive renovations before reopening in 2005.

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

The Gold Dome launched a new marketing campaign called “Making it Happen at the Dome” in January, with plans to host a series of monthly networking events, as well as catered business meetings.

[BoulderSooner]

Maybe they will find a home in downtown or in Midtown. I have enjoyed going there many times.

me too .. i hope that they will relocate

[Steve]

They would be a perfect fit for Film Row

[kickingangel2002]

The Prohibition Room is NOT closing!!!!!

[metro]

Ok but is it moving?

[Steve]

That's the question for sure.

[OKCMallen]

Midtown would be cool...you know, I'm sure the rent is outta sight since it's been vacant so long, but is that building on the E edge of Bricktown on Sheridan where the Green Door used to be still vacant? The Pro Room always has lots of music and events going on, so a stage might be cool. I'm sure it would cost and arm and a leg to get it to food service standards, but that would be great in my little dream world for the Pro Room with its loyal clientele to lock down that E edge of Bricktown.


Otherwise, just move up Western a little bit to the area around Nova or maybe a spots in the Classen Crawl area amongst Ednas, Drunken Fry, HiLo and Speakeasy.

[metro]

I still like the idea of film row

[okclee]

I would like to see them staying in Uptown 23 area, maybe just moving to the east a bit.

Lots of empty space toward the Tower Theater.

[OKCMallen]

I still like the idea of film row

NO one would drive to film row. Like, NO one. Film Row isn't even on the radar of most people of the age that would go. Film Row is an awful idea.

Saw this on Twitter:

CamiStinson Cami Stinson
by ProomOKC
Glad to hear the Prohibition Room wasn't, and isn't going anywhere! Ugly rumors. @ProomOKC #localmusic
2 Mar Favorite Undo Retweet Reply

[metro]

Disagree

[workman45]

Just talked to the bartender at Prohibition room and he said they had an agreement on something in the local area, but he couldn't say where.

[okclee]

I hope by local area he means uptown 23rd street. As much as I like Midtown and Auto Alley, uptown really needs Prohibition Room.

[workman45]

Yes, he said very close.

[MSully]

I agree, but I also don't think anyone is trying to match Central Grocery.

Haven't been to the Prohibition room yet, but did hit Central Grocery last year... OMG...