The Tulsa Forum by TulsaNow

So, Midtown Village..   nothing but Best Buy and Bed Bath Beyond for years.
Looks like World Market is opening "soon" (banner has said coming soon for seems like a couple of months).
Also noticed that a Sketchers store is going in.   This will be the first "notable" non-big box retail to go into the center
Let's see if they can keep the "momentum"

If an In-And-Out Burger went in there, the place would be booked up in no time

The burger aficionados on this forum don't like In-N-Out Burger.  Most actually despise it.

Lol...

In-N-Out is kinda like a cult thing.  Not very good, but once in a while, ya just gotta get one.  Like Coney Islander!  Or Taco Bueno.

I was commenting on what could drive people to that area and not on the quality of the food.  The last time I had In-And-Out, the fries were inedible.

Absolutely would drive people there.  The cult thing.

Random thoughts;
Ate at one in Dallas a couple years ago - less than impressed.  There was a shooting going on about 2 blocks away at the time...

Originally there was to be a Red Robin and a Krispy Kreme if I remember right. The donuts might have brought people.
Myself I'd like to see a Smashburger.

I'd always heard Olive Garden.

My wife 2nd's the smash-burger.   Could use a midtown burger joint.

I just want World Market to open. "Coming Soon"  ::)

Great visibility from the highway;  still confusing to get to.

Bill's.

Bill's is a great burger place but it is almost 8 miles away, not exactly in the neighborhood.  This part of town is sorely lacking in a good burger joint. 

There is a Ron's at the Farm, and Claud's on Peoria isn't that far away.   But I think if you are going to anchor that center with a burger joint, it's going to have to be a "name" chain.  I'm not a fan, but I do think a Smashbrothers would probably work well there.

Oops...brain was thinking something else... 2 - 3 miles.  Oh, well.  It's those space/time distortion waves created by the current wrongness in the universe!  Higgs Bosun run amuck!!

I have heard that the owner of the property doesn't want any restaurants there. Which to me seems really odd.

Maybe the owner has stake in some of the surrounding area chains/joints, and doesn't want to drive away business from those restaurants?

Elliot Nelson's reaction:
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Shame on you!!   Invoking the Smash's....!

I believe there was an interview with the owner who said the food chains don't believe it has enough visibility/traffic and the big retailers won't come to a center with no restaurants.

Still surprised it doesn't at least have a subway. I'm pretty sure my backyard has a subway.

What happened with the Pappadeaux rumor going in?

WHAT???   How did I miss that...?   We need Pappadeaux so bad.!!  I have had to make special trips to Dallas in the past just to go there!  Expensive dinner that....

I don't recall that ever being a rumor.   It was mentioned that it would be a great fit, but nothing that I remember regarding it actually happening.

I guess I don't get all of the Pappadeaux love. I saw that some were gushing over the thought of one coming into the old Spaghetti Warehouse spot in another thread.
Why is this such a desirable chain? I find it on par with Jazmos.

It's called "restaurant envy" it's an affliction that Tulsa has had since the 70's. I can remember in the early 80's when a lot of people were so excited to get TGI Friday's and Bennigan's and they wouldn't have to go to Dallas to eat at one anymore.

No. Better menu and a touch more upscale. Service/Food quality is always good especially for a chain as large as this. And there are 29 in Texas so Okiess in general are pretty familiar with them.

I used to frequent the Oak Lawn location WAY too much.

Yep!   Probably a big dose of that - but since it is 'forbidden' to us hear, makes it wanted all the more.  If there was one here, I might become complacent and just say, "Ho, hum..."  But the crawfish ettouffe...maybe I wouldn't become compacent!

Yeah, but back in the 80's TGI Friday's was huge deal.   I can't remember which Dallas location it was, but the Friday happy hour was a big thing.   You often couldn't get in the bar area.   Over time it mainstreamed and gentrified and lost it's luster.   

Restaurant envy is alive and well here, but it is not unique to Tulsa.  I remember living in Washington, DC when Cheesecake Factory opened in Bethesda and people went bonkers.  A group from my office took a 30 minute subway ride just to eat lunch.

Given all hotels at I44 and Yale, there should be a lot of demand for several restaurants in this center.  Perhaps it is because of the negative impression after sitting nearly empty for so long, but I thought this center would finally take off once the I44 widening project was completed.  Unfortunately, given the retail/big box store climate, it may have missed its chance and never fulfill its potential.

Would you say that TGI Friday's lost it's flair?

Ok, I will admit to it right now...we went to Friday's a few weeks ago.  (Let the shaming begin...)  Wanted to try the endless apps thing just to see how it was.  In the past, I have always liked the potato skins.  This trip made us realize why it has been about 20 years since we were there.  Will likely be another 20.

The exits from 44 makes it really difficult to access that shopping center if you ask me.

Is that Best Buy even still open. I honestly hardly go down that stretch of 44.

That has always been an issue going back to when Smugglers Inn opened up along that stretch. JMO  that area has always had issues in the neighborhood between the access road and 51st and from Yale to where the village is now. Seems like it was the mid to late 70'summer that the apartments in that area slid downhill and the the Hilton started it's decay in the 80's.

From some things I've read about that area it just hasn't really recovered, and the Village is still not that easy to get into and out of.

All two stores in that center are open and seem to do decent business.

I see what you did there.

I also went a few months ago. I used to eat there almost weekly with coworkers, but haven't in about 10 years. Kinda sorry I went back.

Also ate at the one that was in the airport, which wasn't really the same, also not really good either.

Restaurants like TGI Friday's and Applebee's are slowly dying across the country.  Good riddance.

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Ooops, wrong flair......

There is some truth to this, and casual dining places are having to rethink how they do business by adding delivery since Millennials can't let go of doing everything from an app and staring at their phones.

http://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-endanger-casual-dining-restaurants-2017-5 (http://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-endanger-casual-dining-restaurants-2017-5)

But I also think the type of dining has changed from national chain to locally owned places to a degree.

Sadly, one of my favorites that I have not been able to go to for several years - near 41st and Memorial is gone - building bulldozed and leveled.  Ich-ban.  Next to Tulsa Stained Glass.  Huge loss for Tulsa!!  Or at least me personally.

The place where I volunteer gave me a gift card for Outback Steakhouse last Christmas and yesterday I had some time on my hands and was around 41st and Yale so I figured I'd go have lunch at Outback which is a short distance away.  There was quite a bit of traffic and I had to pull in rather quickly entering the parking lot where there were several cars.  It was around 1:30.  I sat in the bar at a high top, chose a nice grilled chicken meal and when it came time to pay, I laid my gift card on top of the check.  The waitress, who had been quite good, cleared her throat and said "That's an Outback Steakhouse card!"  After a couple of seconds of awkward silence, I realized that I was at Applebees.  In my haste, I just pulled in the parking lot with all the cars in it.  As I left, I noticed that Outback Steakhouse next door had exactly one car in it's parking lot.  I figure I came out ahead.

I don't think Outback serves lunch.

Their website has a lunch menu and says they're open at 11am.  Based on the last meal we had there last year, may not make it back, even with a gift card...

Sounds like she deserved a really good tip...!!

She got one.  I've never been a huge fan of Applebee's (first one I've been to in 5-6 years), but I have to say the lunch I had was good.

Re outback:    Went there (Yale location) for lunch a few weeks ago (gift card in hand).  We were early birds (11:10am) and were the first ones there.  Started to fill up as we left.   A bit pricey for what it was.  But everything was tasty.

Went to that Applebees a few months ago.  I felt like I had entered a time-warp.   Same interior from 20 years ago... very dingy, tattered, and worn.  Service was terrible.    Meal was fittingly meh.

TLDR:  Outback > Applebees

Went to Applebee's a couple months ago, too.  No need to repeat for another 5 years or more.

This year has been a stroll down bad food memory shame lane...  Another admission - we went to Golden Corral.  I know...  And it was everything one would expect and more!!   But I gotta admit, I do like their yeast rolls!  What's not to like about fluffy golden bites of no-nutrition sugared flour with a buttery, sugar coating...??

Yeah, I know this is an old thread - but it is the latest to mention Outback.

If memory serves, it has been well over 20 years since we went to an Outback.  And tonight just reinforced that avoidance.  Celebrating a kid's birthday, she got to choose the spot.  First choice was Texas Roadhouse, but it was over an hour wait, so second choice was to go down the street to Outback and got seated in less than 2 minutes.  First clue, right there!

6 people, 1 order actually right!  And the food was slop!   I would NEVER feed that to one of my hogs!!  Ever!!   Lots of leftovers, most left on the plate.

And 1 of the so-called 'meals' did not arrive at the table for over 30 minutes after all the others got there!

So next time a kid says Outback, they are welcome to go, but I will never step in there again.  And what made it all the worse was that there is a Golden Corral just a few blocks from there!   With better steak.  Better sides.  Better desserts.  Better selection of everything.  And much lower prices.
(Still prefer Rustic Chophouse in BA, but comparing food value vs cost, Golden Corral has Outback beat by miles!)

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