Pub W

[slayerinokc]

Drove by the former Wes Welker's today and noticed they have a new sign up. American Ale House. Anyone heard of this? Hope they have lots of taps!

[slayerinokc]

Ah, I see it's another Hal Smith place...looks like they closed Wes Welker's and rolled right into this: http://pubwnorman.com/

Home | Hal Smith Restaurant Group

[tsou89]

I've been to the one in Norman and like it a lot. It will do well if people will give it a chance. I just wish the place had a patio and more natural lighting inside.

[Pete]

I found Wes Welker's to be completely lacking character; even by Memorial Road standards. Just a big open rectangular box with a rectangular bar in the middle.

Lots of TV's but otherwise, not much else.

Hopefully they infuse some personality.

[Kemotblue]

I'm excited looked at the Menu and they have a sandwich that used to be my Favorite at a Pub house called Bennigans. The Sandwich was called Turkey O' Tool served on a pretzel bun. Wooohoooo They will have this sandwich. Cannot wait till this place opens.

[Chadanth]

If it mirrors Pub W, it's better than WW. I never had anything good there.

[bradh]

I found Wes Welker's to be completely lacking character; even by Memorial Road standards. Just a big open rectangular box with a rectangular bar in the middle.

Lots of TV's but otherwise, not much else.

Hopefully they infuse some personality.

So true Pete. It was the most empty feeling sports bar I had ever been in.

[IanMcDermid]

Wasn't this applewood's? the place that served the free apple fritters, before it became north fork, them rok bar, Dan obriens (where the off duty cop was beat to death), then budda bar, then Wes Wilker?

[brian72]

No, that's where the new Inferno's Pizza is going. Carrabbas used to be at that location

[FighttheGoodFight]

We live close to the one in Norman. We go have drinks on the patio all the time as we can walk up there.

Brunch is good too. This will be loads better than Wes Welkers.

[catch22]

Wasn't this applewood's? the place that served the free apple fritters, before it became north fork, them rok bar, Dan obriens (where the off duty cop was beat to death), then budda bar, then Wes Wilker?

It's hard to keep track of, but I believe you are right. In fact as many times as the concept has changed, you are probably missing a few.

[OKCisOK4me]

Wasn't this applewood's? the place that served the free apple fritters, before it became north fork, them rok bar, Dan obriens (where the off duty cop was beat to death), then budda bar, then Wes Wilker?

No. The building that has been 20 concepts is east of May between Barnes & Noble and Baker Street. The building that Wes Welkers was in and now this Pub W is west of May by Twin Peaks.

[John]

Wasn't this applewood's? the place that served the free apple fritters, before it became north fork, them rok bar, Dan obriens (where the off duty cop was beat to death), then budda bar, then Wes Wilker?

This one has *only* been Carrabba's, Ole', Wes Welker's, and now Pub W.

[lasomeday]

Anybody go by there yesterday? It was the grand opening.

[Pete]

Here is their menu:

http://www.ehsrg.com/secure/wp-conte...u-Memorial.pdf

[Pete]

Went last night to the Memorial location.

It seems to be a nice upgrade from Wes Welker's, which always felt like a rectangular box with lots of TV's everywhere.

They put in a dividing wall (not completely solid) between the bar area and a somewhat separate dining area and it makes a pretty big difference. They were quite busy and it was a good vibe.

They have a big beer list with lots of good choices and their menu looked interesting, but I just ordered the breaded brussel sprouts off their appetizer menu and they were okay but I wouldn't order them again. I'll go back (I have friends up far north and there aren't a ton of fun-ish places) but will try different items.


BTW, I know some here like to to bag on Hal Smith but I've always found the staff at his restaurants to be very well-trained and professional and the general execution to be a cut above. His restaurants won't knock your socks off with the food but every one I've tried has been solid and well-managed. And I've actually really enjoyed everything I've had at Red Rock and The Garage is darn good. Frankly, I don't understand the criticism of his group of restaurants. Never had a bad experience at any location.

[Urbanized]

^^^^^^^
They have an excellent corporate-wide training program, hence the consistency. Most of the best FOH people and quality restaurant managers in OKC - regardless of where they work now - have spent at least SOME time inside the Hal Smith machine.

Of course there are now others who are now making the same type of impact locally - and with a more intense focus on making the food itself great too - such as A Good Egg.

[Pete]

Right, I was going to say the OKC dining scene has benefited greatly from all the people that have learned the trade through Hal's group and the same is starting to be true for A Good Egg.

This reminds me that I need to go try out the bar at the downtown Mahogany because I went by there last night and it looked like a very cool setting.

Hal's restaurants also tend to have very, very nice build-outs. I really like the setting at Red Rock, the Upper Crust in Classen Curve and The Garage in Midtown. And even the Charleston's in Edmond (the only one I've been into) was extremely nice inside. I even enjoyed the atmosphere at Louie's in Midtown.

Likewise, they spent a fortune on KD's, Toby Keith's, the Northside Mahogany. They have invested a ton of money in OKC.

[Thomas Vu]

Probably people being down on chains in general in favor for local places.

[jbkrems]

Also, by the way, there are many managers and executives in A Good Egg restaurants who came into Good Egg directly from Hal Smith.

[Urbanized]

Probably people being down on chains in general in favor for local places.

I'm not sure what this means. HSRG is local. And most local places that people (including myself) get excited about are connected to restaurant groups, and/or expand into them after having success.

[Thomas Vu]

I'm not sure what this means. HSRG is local. And most local places that people (including myself) get excited about are connected to restaurant groups, and/or expand into them after having success.

HSRG is regional. Charleston's is in Nebraska, Texas, Indiana, and Arizona.
Krispy Kreme is in Arkansas
Mahogany's is in Nebraska
RedRock is in Kansas
Garage is in Arkansas

Pete mentioned that people like to bag on HSRG, and I offered a possible reason as to why that might be.

[Questor]

Hollie's Flatiron Steakhouse if also one of theirs. I think it's interior may be my favorite of their collection of restaurants. It's very polished. I also think they may have the best food of the bunch.

[Urbanized]

So...is S&B local? Bricktown Brewery? I don't understand punishing a place as "not local" just because they've had enough success to open locations outside of OKC. If Tucker's or Republic expand to other markets (the former almost surely will at some point) will that mean that A Good Egg is no longer "local"?

There is a whole other layer of this with people giving places like McNellies and Fassler/Dustbowl a pass as "local", yet they're actually Tulsa-based. Tons of people think of Skinny Slims as local, but they aren't even based in-state.

I'm no HSRG groupie (though I do have a soft spot for Red Rock and also love Midtown Garage), but I think the rules people play by on this topic are pretty inconsistent and unfair. There is a massive gray area where places are arbitrarily judged as "local" vs "non-local" or worse "chain". Again, nearly every highly successful restaurant in town is connected to a restaurant group of some type, and places that are dismissed as "chain-y" usually/often have one-offs.

[Pete]

^

Whatever backlash there is towards HSRG, it's probably based in the shear number of their restaurants in the area.

Although I have to say, for the longest time I wasn't aware that a lot of these places were connected and I doubt very many others know that even now.