Cheesecake Factory

[John]

Just checking...

You won't have to wait too much longer!

[Pete]

I assume this means the Cheesecake Factory is almost ready to announce an OKC location.

I've said all along that they'd be a great fit for OKC and I'm sure they'll do very, very well no matter the location.

It would sure be nice if the ended up on Lake Hefner or another place where it's more than just another restaurant in the middle of a huge parking lot.

[Patrick]

My money is on Penn Square. Manager at Penn Square told me they're signing with a new restaurant on one of the north pads....he said it would be just south of the bank. He said it would be a nationally known, upscale chain, new to the "Oklahoma" market, but he wouldn't announce. I would assume its Cheesecake Factory, since that's who he told me they were talking with months ago.

[Pete]

That parking area at Penn Square is already over crowded and you can bet on huge crowds if it is indeed a CF.

Regardless, another good get for OKC and that area of town could use some more restaurants.

[BDP]

Regardless, another good get for OKC and that area of town could use some more restaurants.

Really?

Western is right there. I'm all for more restaurants, I just feel it's one of the better areas for restaurants as it is. Mainly becuase they're not all chains. It's not like Memorial, but I don't think we want any more of that, anyway.

[Pete]

Just meant that Memorial and Bricktown have been getting all the bigger (though certainly not better) names and it's good to see NW OKC getting into the action.

I absolutely abhor the Memorial area, so next time someone wants to go to one of the big 'family' restaurants when I'm in town (which is frequently) I can hopefully convince them of other options.

[writerranger]

Where exactly in the Penn Square lot is the Elephant Bar going to be? Is that what's going in on the SE side where Wards Auto was a long time ago?

[Patrick]

Where exactly in the Penn Square lot is the Elephant Bar going to be? Is that what's going in on the SE side where Wards Auto was a long time ago?

Yup, that's Elephant Bar Restaurant and Grill.

Penn Square is also leasing 2 pad sites on the north side of the property. One north of the bank, and one south of the bank. I believe the Cheesecake Factory, if that's what it is, will be going on the pad south of the bank.

By the way, Penn Square is planning on adding two more levels to the parking garage here in a couple of years.

[writerranger]

Thanks, Patrick! Penn Square never lets things get stale. They're always a step ahead. Thanks for the good info!

[Patrick]

Thanks, Patrick! Penn Square never lets things get stale. They're always a step ahead. Thanks for the good info!

Unfortunately, they won't always reveal the fun though!

I was told a new to the state, upscale national retailer will be moving into the old Casual Corner location this fall.

I'm guessing Fossil will be locating somewhere, since they just opened one recently at Woodland Hills. Penn Square and Woodland Hills seem to get the same stores since they're both Simon malls.

Aldo Accessories, and upscale national retailer, is moving into the old Love Sac space.

The rest, they won't reveal to me yet.

[swake]

I have been to Elephant Bar twice in Tulsa, and frankly it is just plain awful. Really bad food and poor service. The only mitigating factor is that the food is only kind of expensive.

I think they must have hired the chefs from Planet Hollywood to design the menu (that is NOT a compliment) and they were out of ideas.

I have no idea why anyone goes to that place. I have no idea why I went a second time. The food makes Chili's look upscale. The service was Chef Nazi without the fun.

[swake]

I will however visit for Cheesecake Factory, I've been to them in several cities and they are always good. The wait can be very long, but it's worth it.

[escan]

Am I the only one NOT excited about Cheesecake Factory? It's just another chain restaurant with a long wait. Good food, yes, but not unique at all. Oh well!

[Karried]

Anything with the word Cheesecake in the title is okay in my book! LOL, I can't wait- I'm assuming they make a good cheesecake?

escan, how was Mahogany's?

MalibuSooner? Other than the traffic what don't you like about Memorial & Penn? A few miles West there are some really nice restaurants without the traffic... if you can stay on the turnpike you miss all of the congestion.

I live about 5 minutes from there and I'm there every day - I've noticed only during high shopping seasons and dinner time is it really, really crowded. I love the convenience of everything in one area though so I don't have to drive all over the place with these high gas prices.. I guess I'm trying to say that the traffic is bearable for me due to the convenience.

I'm hoping they continue with traffic improvements though in the area - any word on that?

[escan]

I go to Mahogany on Friday....I'll let ya know. I usually don't go up that far either Malibu Sooner...it IS crowded, but I guess the one reason is that I live right by the Western Ave. corridor and I like to stick close to home!

[Pete]

Karried, I just think the Memorial corridor is a very ugly example of urban sprawl.

Just a string of big-box stores and chain restaurants in seas of parking, with little architectural interest or landscaping.


And although I'm not a big fan of chain restaurants, I've always really liked the CF. Even though their menu is huge, they do a good job on most items and even the 'lunch portions' are massive. Plus, the wide variety of cheesecakes really are delicious.

[BDP]

Just meant that Memorial and Bricktown have been getting all the bigger (though certainly not better) names and it's good to see NW OKC getting into the action.

I gotcha. Belle Isle/Penn Square have been getting more of these industrial type restaurants. I guess it's good, because it will keep traffic levels up for those shopping areas and keep them full. But at the same time it just seems like more homogenization to me. You want to keep at least some of the areas different, if for nothing else just to have more options for people in OKC.

I live off the Western corridor as well, below 50th, and while Penn and Belle are certainly different beasts, I can't say I get excited about any efforts to make it like Memorial, I-240, or outer NW Expway. But I guess it will always be more dense, which is good, and hopefully increases in traffic will spill over into the local shopping and eating establishments on nearby Western.

So, I'll take the high road and share the excitement with the CF enthusiasts, if, in fact, it is going into the Penn Square complex. But, I still think it would be best for all if they’d take a seat on the canal and it would be a perfect fit for the Lakeshore area.

[Pete]

I agree about a canal or Lakeshore location.

Out here, there is one right on Marina Del Rey with a great patio that is a fantastic seeting. Another is on the Redondo Beach harbor and also feels special.

There are other locations, including one very close to me, but I never go because the other two are true destinations and places to take out-of-towners as a real experience.

[BDP]

I have actually been to the one on Marina Del Ray and was thinking of it when I mentioned Lakeshore. That Marina Del Ray location would make a great blue print for one on the Lake.

[Patrick]

MalibuSooner? Other than the traffic what don't you like about Memorial & Penn? A few miles West there are some really nice restaurants without the traffic... if you can stay on the turnpike you miss all of the congestion.

I'll answer this question as well. I live near Quail Creek off May Ave., so I frequent the Memorial and Penn area frequently. We shop at both the Wal-Mart and Target there, as well as the many other stores.

I don't like the area for a number of factors:

1. There's nothing pretty about the area. It's simply big box building separated by seas of parking lots. I'd much rather eat at a nice restaurant facing Lake Hefner, than a boxy restaurant with absolutely no scenery, other than an empty field. Landscaping is almost non-existent.

2. The area only promotes urban sprawl. People are going to continue to move out that direction because the services are there.

3. There was absolutely no planning in this area. At least on NW Expressway, you see a great diversification of offices, restaurants, retail stores, etc. At Memorial and Penn it's a million stores crammed into one corner. Absolute chaos.

4. Nothing unique about it. It's just like any other strip center area. Quail Springs Market Place and Belle Isle Station and one in the same.

[Patrick]

Karried, I just think the Memorial corridor is a very ugly example of urban sprawl.

Just a string of big-box stores and chain restaurants in seas of parking, with little architectural interest or landscaping.


And although I'm not a big fan of chain restaurants, I've always really liked the CF. Even though their menu is huge, they do a good job on most items and even the 'lunch portions' are massive. Plus, the wide variety of cheesecakes really are delicious.

I think the courtyard outside of PF Changs is absolutely hilarious. It's like they just took some open space, bricked it, and threw a fountain in the middle. There's no tress or anything.


Compare Memorial and Penn to Utica Square in Tulsa....no comparison. Utica Square actually has class.

[Patrick]

I live off the Western corridor as well, below 50th, and while Penn and Belle are certainly different beasts, I can't say I get excited about any efforts to make it like Memorial, I-240, or outer NW Expway. But I guess it will always be more dense, which is good, and hopefully increases in traffic will spill over into the local shopping and eating establishments on nearby Western.

At least Laredos decided to build a new location in the same area. That will be a nice addition to the area.

[Patrick]

I have actually been to the one on Marina Del Ray and was thinking of it when I mentioned Lakeshore. That Marina Del Ray location would make a great blue print for one on the Lake.

I'd love a CF on the lake, but the recreational enthusiasts out there seem to be fighting pretty hard to keep any further development from taking place out there.

[Patrick]

Just got a confirmation that the location I mentioned (Penn Square) was correct.

[jbrown84]

I have to disagree with you about the PF Chang's/Bravo Cucina/Red Robin. I think that's the one bright spot in that whole area and is easily nicer than Lower Bricktown--it's just really small.

Instead of seperating all those restaurants by parking lots like all the others, they clumped them together with a nice fountain plaza in the middle and they landed some pretty upscale restaurants (especially Bravo).

And I was just there and there ARE trees, Patrick. Obviously not big ones yet, but the area looks really nice IMO.