What restaurants do you not "get"?

[soonerfangirl]

What makes you say, "I just don't get it"?

What is worth the hype and which ones (in your opinion) don't deserve the publicity?

Some of my local favs are Big Truck, Rococo, Cool Greens, Republic, Iguana, The Wedge, Cafe Antigua, and Picasso on Paseo

I don't get excited about Teds, Sara Sara, Cattlemens, Leos, Ingrids, Falcones, or the Rock Cafe (in Stroud, but I still don't understand how it became popular)

[BBatesokc]

The hot spots I've tried and don't get the hype are....... Stellas, Teds, Cattlemens, Sara Sara, Chelino's, Iguana, 105 Degrees, Cool Greens, Bolero's, Eischen's, Cafe do Brasil, Falcones and Flattire.

The ones worth the hype are... Rococo, Republic, Paseo Grill, Big Truck Taco, Red Prime, Cheevers, Signature Grill, Cafe 501, Red Cup, In the Raw and probably a few more I'm forgetting right now.

[oneforone]

To be honest.... I don't get excited about places to eat. I go to whatever is nearby and fits in the price range of my budget. Sometimes it's a chain restaurant, sometimes it is a local place that everybody raves about. For instance, I Love Jack In The Box. However, I am going to drive to Norman or Moore to eat there. I am going to patiently wait for the one in Midwest City to open and be clear of the long lines. I refuse to drive all over metro when I can have a good meal pretty much anywhere.

I still don't get the cupcake craze. I am not going to pay $3-$5 for one cupcake when I can pick up a dozen or more at local grocery store or bakery for the same price. I don't care how awesome something tastes value always come first. It is kind of like the Starbucks craze of the last decade. Starbucks was charging insane prices for their coffee and people lined up to pay it because they want be a part of the in crowd. Now every food outlet and convienience store sells the stuff for next to nothing.

[bluedogok]

We pretty much always go to Leo's and Ted's when we are in town and mix in a few other places that we don't have in Austin like Cajun Kitchen (or whatever they call it now) or Chuck House. I grew up going to Leo's and my wife loves Ted's, it reminds her of the type of food her mother made growing up in West Texas. It is consistent and a value for all they give you, down here they charge you for everything in most Mexican places here.

As far as "value eating", it just isn't for me if I am "dining out". it may be fine for lunch during the week or a highway stop while traveling somewhere but when I go eat I want something good and tasty and am willing to pay a premium for that food. To me there may be "good food" almost anywhere but that is not what I am looking for....just different priorities and tastes, that's what makes us different and really makes opinions about restaurants fairly invalid. There are places that I know people rave about that I never "got" as well, especially down here.

[jbkrems]

Definitely 105 degrees I do not get.

Worth the publicity? Republic; Signature Grill; Red Prime; maybe others.

[calitook]

I agree on Ted's- gross!
Deep Fork- I didn't dislike it, but I didn't see what the big whoop was.
We've kind of lowered our expectations on restaurants because places that people rave about we just think are somewhat meh.

I'd rather go to Cafe 7 and know that we can get dinner for two and a couple of drinks for under 30 bucks and the quality is consistent.

[icemncmth]

I don't get Ted's...The food is just OK..
Iguana ...service just plain sucks. The last time I was there I ordered a beer and they brought it about the time I was finishing my meal.
Anyplace that sells a 10 dollar burger. It is a burger! I buy brisket and grind it myself and make a great burger, better than anything you can buy.
I don't get BBQ joints that don't smell like smoke. If it isn't smoked it isn't BBQ and there are several places in town like this.
CoolGreens....I get the concept but the food is too expensive for what it is.
105 degrees...Really! Raw food and way too expensive. I wonder how long this trend will last.

[flintysooner]

I go to Ted's for The Best Mexican Tacos.

As I think about it most places I patronize there are a couple of menu selections that keep me coming back.

[JayhawkTransplant]

I don't "get" a lot of the Mexican restaurants here. My coworkers took me to Chelinos for my first day of work here, and it was almost depressing to me. They were all excited to show me a restaurant where you get so much "free stuff!"--the watery cheese and salsa, the tortillas, and the "garnish" (or whatever it's called). I've noticed a lot of places have that kind of stuff...I'm sorry, I don't care how much free stuff you throw on the table before I order, if it's gross, I'm not impressed.

Ted's is okay...my favorite places so far for tacos are Iguana and Big Truck.

Lots of my friends also love Cafe Seven. I'm not a huge fan. Also Earl's.

[okyeah]

Places I don't "get": Saturn Grill, Iguana, Victoria's (in Norman), Jack in the Box, Braum's, Italia Express, Cafe 7, Golden Palace


Places I like: Tarahumara's, El Pollo Chulo, Flip's, Iron Star, Swadley's, Cafe Antigua, Ingrid's


everything based purely on the taste of the food, not service

[corwin1968]

I don't get Ted's. Their salsas are very good (my wife loves the Atomic) and their service is outstanding but their food way overpriced and mediocre at best. We ordered fajitas last time we were there and they were not good. I look at it as just another trendy place. The crowds that converge there just completely boggle my mind. That building was much better utilized as a Bellini's.

If people want good tacos they should try Tacos San Pedro on SW 44th, next door to the bowling alley and just west of Penn. There are a lot of other small, hole-in-the-wall Mexican joints on 44th and 29th but I have only tried a handful. I'm fortunate to work in this area and their really is nothing comparable in the NW OKC/Edmond area where I live.

[JerzeeGrlinOKC]

Hype I don't get: Chick Fil A, Jack in the Box, or rather any new fast food place with lines around the corner when they open for the first time in an area, Ted's, Chelino's, Abuelo's, Zio's, Deep Fork, McNellie's (well ok I like them for drinks, but not food), Fro-yo places, Cafe Nova, Sushi Neko, Hideaway Pizza, Eischens, Italia Express

Hype I do get: Cheevers, The Wedge, Saturn Grill, Republic, 1492, Red Prime, 105 Degrees, Big Truck Tacos, Falcone's (for the food, but who may fall to the hype I don't get if service continues to stink), Humble Pie, Ingrid's
'
Places that don't receive hype which should: Tokyo Sushi, Zarate's, Med Deli, Cuppies and Joe, Prohibition Room, Midtown Deli, Hobby's Hoagies

[Bostonfan]

I don't get Big Truck Tacos. Why people stand in line to pay $3.00 for a little taco is beyond me. I don't get Ted's either. Ted's is average at best. I've never understood the Chick Fil A hype. I feel like I get ripped off everytime I go. Even their breakfast meals are getting smaller and smaller.

Two that come to mind that I do get is Abuelo's (great flavor, great service, great atmosphere, great prices) and Cattlemens.

[OKCMallen]

I need to go back a couple more times before forming my final opinion, but Pachinko Parlor might be one of my "don't gets."

[BBatesokc]

I don't get Big Truck Tacos. Why people stand in line to pay $3.00 for a little taco is beyond me.

Regardless if I 'get' or 'don't get' an establishment, I will never stand in line or wait longer than 10/15 minutes to place my order. I don't care how good the food is. If I'm going to a nice popular sit down place we won't even wait more than 20 minutes for a table. Too many choices to sit around and wait at any one particular place.

[Millie]

Cheevers. Twice was more than enough for me. I've also tried most of the menu at Earl's and can't out what people see in that place either.

[corwin1968]

Regardless if I 'get' or 'don't get' an establishment, I will never stand in line or wait longer than 10/15 minutes to place my order. I don't care how good the food is. If I'm going to a nice popular sit down place we won't even wait more than 20 minutes for a table. Too many choices to sit around and wait at any one particular place.

I won't wait at all. On the rare occasions that we decided to eat at Ted's, at least half the time I never even pulled into the parking lot because we could tell it was busy. We've gotten there at 11:15 in the morning and it's already packed!

[jbrown84]

I don't get they hype/love for:

Tarahumara's
Ted's
Flattire Burgers

[alan]

i don't understand why Chili's is so busy. bleech.

and why does anyone go to starbucks anymore? if i wanted attitude and bad coffee, i'd go to a truck stop.

[flintysooner]

i don't understand why Chili's is so busy. bleech.

and why does anyone go to starbucks anymore? if i wanted attitude and bad coffee, i'd go to a truck stop.

I like Chili's although I do not like very many of the menu items. I love my Starbucks to the point where I'd just as soon not drink coffee if I can't get my usual. On the other hand I've been to a number of Starbucks that are terrible.

[kevinpate]

i don't understand why Chili's is so busy. bleech.

and why does anyone go to starbucks anymore? if i wanted attitude and bad coffee, i'd go to a truck stop.

For the same reason there are not more stampedes at slaughter houses. Follow another, often. Even if the view ain't all that spectacular, it takes little thought.

[bradzilla]

Wow- I've never seen the hype behind chilis, texas road house, mcdonalds (only good thing i can say is you know exactly what your food will taste like if you are traveling anywhere across the country) teds, chelinos, starbucks (or any coffee that cost over a buck) , taco bell, and jack in the box.

[Debzkidz]

I don't get Ted's either. Food is ok at best and way overpriced. Besides I just hate the way the entire entrance area at the Edmond location smells like bathroom air freshener.
Chelinos - yuk!
Hideaway Pizza - bland!
Buffalo Wild Wings, or any other kind of wing place. Way overpriced for what you get.

[BBatesokc]

I so forgot Buffalo Wild Wings. My wife and I always shake our head when we pass one by and its packed. We've eaten at them three different times and each time we've thought it was crap. I'd much rather buy the tequila lime ones from Sam's and make them at home.

[metro]

I don't get the hype about Leo's or Cattlemen's. Leo's is just nasty and no flavor (dozens of BBQ places with better fare). And Cattleman's, well that place died a decade or more ago, it only lives on nostalgia. The food is mediocre at best and their steaks don't even come close to a steak at Red Prime or The Ranch or other places for that matter. I could get a better steak at some bland chain restaurant. It sickens me how people that don't get out much continue to insist their guests must eat a "great steak" at Cattlemans. That is a poor reflection of our city both culinary talent and elsewise. Now if you're taking them for nostalgia that is completely different, but I hear too often people say their steaks are the best and that just doesn't serve OKC well on the culinary scene.