(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2919/14045672737_efb44b22bd_n.jpg)
Quite a challenge but perhaps they can make it.
This location at 81st and Harvard has been more restaurants than I can count. Originally it was a Mexican place called ???? back in the 90s. Then it was about 6 other things. It's one of those real estate locations haunted by failure.
It has great fixtures and a nice bar that has traveled from owner to owner. I hope El Guapo's can survive here.
I can't resist Mexican food. So I'll be there!
Quote from: Gaspar on May 20, 2014, 02:53:36 PM
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2919/14045672737_efb44b22bd_n.jpg)
Quite a challenge but perhaps they can make it.
This location at 81st and Harvard has been more restaurants than I can count. Originally it was a Mexican place called ???? back in the 90s. Then it was about 6 other things. It's one of those real estate locations haunted by failure.
It has great fixtures and a nice bar that has traveled from owner to owner. I hope El Guapo's can survive here.
I can't resist Mexican food. So I'll be there!
Is that the old So-Co's/Steamroller/etc?
If that's the building, started as a Furrs Cafeteria +/- 1980
Quote from: Conan71 on May 20, 2014, 03:08:13 PM
Is that the old So-Co's/Steamroller/etc?
If that's the building, started as a Furrs Cafeteria +/- 1980
That's the one. I completly forgot about the Furr's.
Quote from: Gaspar on May 20, 2014, 03:09:49 PM
That's the one. I completly forgot about the Furr's.
My brother worked there when it opened.
They had a lot of, uh,
guest workers. Back then INS could control things better. They would come in and deport a van-load back to Mexico. Within days, there would be a new van load of Mexicans living in the same apartment the previous ones were and some would even catch a return ride. True story. It's almost as if Furrs/Bishops had a system of revolving Mexicans.
What happened to the Embers? I heard it was a great steakhouse.
Strange place for a shoot out.
https://screen.yahoo.com/shooting-outside-soco-club-190100268.html (https://screen.yahoo.com/shooting-outside-soco-club-190100268.html)
Quote from: Townsend on May 20, 2014, 03:25:55 PM
Strange place for a shoot out.
https://screen.yahoo.com/shooting-outside-soco-club-190100268.html (https://screen.yahoo.com/shooting-outside-soco-club-190100268.html)
2am...alcohol...testosterone...
Not
that strange
One of the reasons I have a 10pm self-imposed curfew. Just seems to get crazier after that.
Quote from: Conan71 on May 20, 2014, 03:33:04 PM
2am...alcohol...testosterone...
Not that strange
One of the reasons I have a 10pm self-imposed curfew. Just seems to get crazier after that.
81st and Harvard. Just being in that intersection makes you think, "I bet shoot outs rarely occur here."
Quote from: Conan71 on May 20, 2014, 03:33:04 PM
2am...alcohol...testosterone...
Not that strange
One of the reasons I have a 10pm self-imposed curfew. Just seems to get crazier after that.
That's when the creatures of the night start coming out.... well, usually about midnight...
Quote from: Conan71 on May 20, 2014, 03:13:55 PM
My brother worked there when it opened.
They had a lot of, uh, guest workers. Back then INS could control things better. They would come in and deport a van-load back to Mexico. Within days, there would be a new van load of Mexicans living in the same apartment the previous ones were and some would even catch a return ride. True story. It's almost as if Furrs/Bishops had a system of revolving Mexicans.
What happened to the Embers? I heard it was a great steakhouse.
It was awesome! Great food, and a nice quiet atmosphere where you could have a romantic meal without being bothered by other customers, because there were none.
There have been some good places in there, but for some reason they could never drive any traffic.
81st and Harvard just doesn't get the traffic you would think it would.
Heck, the Git-N-Go is still standing.
Quote from: Conan71 on May 20, 2014, 03:13:55 PM
My brother worked there when it opened.
They had a lot of, uh, guest workers. Back then INS could control things better. They would come in and deport a van-load back to Mexico. Within days, there would be a new van load of Mexicans living in the same apartment the previous ones were and some would even catch a return ride. True story. It's almost as if Furrs/Bishops had a system of revolving Mexicans.
What happened to the Embers? I heard it was a great steakhouse.
My mom worked at furrs about 1986.
She said that they would inspect all the restaurants the same day in the area. So they would get a call ahead and put the illegals on the roof until the inspection was over. Now
That I think about it that doesn't make sense.
I just can't picture in my head what building or corner that this is. I keep thinking of the Charlie Mitchell's that was kind of hidden at a South West corner. But I'm not sure if that was 81st and Harvard. ???
Quote from: DolfanBob on May 21, 2014, 08:13:43 AM
I just can't picture in my head what building or corner that this is. I keep thinking of the Charlie Mitchell's that was kind of hidden at a South West corner. But I'm not sure if that was 81st and Harvard. ???
Southeast corner...
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/26442998/Photos/2014-05-21_083142.jpg)
Quote from: DolfanBob on May 21, 2014, 08:13:43 AM
I just can't picture in my head what building or corner that this is. I keep thinking of the Charlie Mitchell's that was kind of hidden at a South West corner. But I'm not sure if that was 81st and Harvard. ???
Yep, Charlie Mitchell's was in the center on the SW corner in the space where Hideaway Pizza is now. I worked for them when it first opened. Michelle's (Mike Samara of the Celebrity Club) and Oklahoma Territory (Fred Parkhill, Parkhill's Liquors) were in the space where Brookside By Day II is. The old Furrs/new El Guapo is in the center on the SE corner where Safeway and Med-X were and the building EG is going into is in the NE section of that center.
McNellies south is doing surprisingly well @ 71st in Yale, in arguably the worst "out-parcel" location in town.
El Guapo's south. I'm not so confident in.
A good chunk of El Guapo's appeal in the atmosphere, the building, the rooftop bar, etc
I think this will really be testing the McNellie Group magic
Quote from: Conan71 on May 21, 2014, 08:32:59 AM
Yep, Charlie Mitchell's was in the center on the SW corner in the space where Hideaway Pizza is now was.
Fixed that for you.
Thanks guys. I like the El Guapo downtown. I think it will be tough to have the same ambiance but I hope they do well.
My same thought when Shogun moved from 51st and Harvard to 71st and Memorial. I went once and have never been back. It was just way to generic.
Quote from: BKDotCom on May 21, 2014, 09:24:17 AM
A good chunk of El Guapo's appeal in the atmosphere, the building, the rooftop bar, etc
It sure as hell isn't the food.
Wasn't this spot also an El Paso Barbeque at one time? Back in '84 the building south of this was a place called Bee Jay's Comedy Restaurant. Was kind of a cool set up. The floor you walk in on was the restaurant, down stairs was a game room with darts and pool tables, and the upstairs was a bar and stage.
Quote from: dbacksfan 2.0 on May 21, 2014, 10:07:28 AM
Wasn't this spot also an El Paso Barbeque at one time?
Yes it was. That may have been the next venture after Furrs. I believe Steamroller Blues BBQ came after that. El Paso moved to 71st St. in the Easy Rider's center if memory serves me correctly.
I think the whole El Paso BBQ chain went tits up some time back.
Quote from: Conan71 on May 21, 2014, 10:12:09 AM
Yes it was. That may have been the next venture after Furrs. I believe Steamroller Blues BBQ came after that. El Paso moved to 71st St. in the Easy Rider's center if memory serves me correctly.
I think the whole El Paso BBQ chain went tits up some time back.
Think so, Googled El Paso BBQ, and there may be a couple of locations in SoCal near the LA area, but there are too many other places to go eat at including BBQ for me to even think about them.
Quote from: Conan71 on May 21, 2014, 09:32:38 AM
It sure as hell isn't the food.
I've heard that has improved. Have I heard wrong?
Quote from: Townsend on May 21, 2014, 10:27:00 AM
I've heard that has improved. Have I heard wrong?
I went there and ate the opening night this season of the Ice Oilers game. We were pleased with the food and service. It had been some time before that and we dined on the roof. But back in the day and several drinks later. Who tastes the food past the chips and salsa? ;D
El Guapos has been decidedly average overall. Not real consistent. The Wet Burrito was the awesome item for awhile, but it has shrunk in recent years. It used to be the "I can't finish it" item on the menu, now it's headed towards an appetizer.
Quote from: Townsend on May 21, 2014, 10:27:00 AM
I've heard that has improved. Have I heard wrong?
No idea, it's been a few years since I've been. Lately, when we want Mexican we venture over to the barrio or hit a taco truck.
Quote from: Conan71 on May 21, 2014, 10:12:09 AM
Yes it was. That may have been the next venture after Furrs. I believe Steamroller Blues BBQ came after that. El Paso moved to 71st St. in the Easy Rider's center if memory serves me correctly.
I think the whole El Paso BBQ chain went tits up some time back.
El Paso BBQ. Brings back memories. . .
Was invited out to Scottsdale, AZ to meet the owners, about 14 years ago. Very nice California couple with lots of very successful restaurant concepts. That location at 81st had already failed and they had moved to where Chuy's is now (71st and 169). They couldn't understand why their BBQ chain wouldn't take hold in Tulsa. They had already arranged franchise licensing for the entire SW and wanted someone to fix what was wrong. We reviewed their menu (ridiculous high prices and nothing that anyone in Oklahoma would associate with BBQ) and provided them with recommendations and a marketing plan. They refused to admit that cold smoked salmon and pressure cooked ribs were not bbq. They also refused to accept that Okies were not going to pay $19 for ribs. There was a bunch of stuff on the menu that had no business there. They had a whole 6-pack of sauces on the tables that made no sense and really tasted awful. The waitstaff was instructed to "train" the customer as to what sauce could be used for what, and it took at least 2 minutes just to get through that diatribe before you ordered your meal.
Needless to say, what we offered, they rebuked, and quickly went out of business after going through all kinds of ridiculous undulations (I think they even tried to become a biker bar with the same menu). They had some great equipment in that location, and spent a fortune on fixtures and custom painted murals. They had two large Southern Pride smokers, they just had no clue how to use them. That's one of those businesses that would have been really easy to fix (because it was all recipe & technique). Some people just get a dream in their heads and will follow that dream all the way into the ground, because to admit that even a fraction of their vision is wrong is just to painful for their ego.
Quote from: Gaspar on May 21, 2014, 11:07:44 AM
El Paso BBQ. Brings back memories. . .
Was invited out to Scottsdale, AZ to meet the owners, about 14 years ago. Very nice California couple with lots of very successful restaurant concepts. That location at 81st had already failed and they had moved to where Chuy's is now (71st and 169). They couldn't understand why their BBQ chain wouldn't take hold in Tulsa. They had already arranged franchise licensing for the entire SW and wanted someone to fix what was wrong. We reviewed their menu (ridiculous high prices and nothing that anyone in Oklahoma would associate with BBQ) and provided them with recommendations and a marketing plan. They refused to admit that cold smoked salmon and pressure cooked ribs were not bbq. They also refused to accept that Okies were not going to pay $19 for ribs. There was a bunch of stuff on the menu that had no business there. They had a whole 6-pack of sauces on the tables that made no sense and really tasted awful. The waitstaff was instructed to "train" the customer as to what sauce could be used for what, and it took at least 2 minutes just to get through that diatribe before you ordered your meal.
Needless to say, what we offered, they rebuked, and quickly went out of business after going through all kinds of ridiculous undulations (I think they even tried to become a biker bar with the same menu). They had some great equipment in that location, and spent a fortune on fixtures and custom painted murals. They had two large Southern Pride smokers, they just had no clue how to use them. That's one of those businesses that would have been really easy to fix (because it was all recipe & technique). Some people just get a dream in their heads and will follow that dream all the way into the ground, because to admit that even a fraction of their vision is wrong is just to painful for their ego.
Interesting. There was a BBQ place that opened up in '04 in Phoenix that their hook was a six pack of sauces on the table so that you could try sauces from different regions of the US. The sauces were good, but the rest of their product was underwhelming. No real smoke flavor, very little dry rub. Place lasted about 8 months and no one really noticed it was gone.
I think we tried El Paso twice. Once at 81st and once on 71st. Underwhelmed both times. I'd forgotten all about the six pack of sauces.
I've often wondered if Steamroller would still be at 18th & Boston if Tom hadn't opened the second location. He got spread too thin and it seemed like his employees weren't real good at employing his touch when he wasn't around.
Quote from: dbacksfan 2.0 on May 21, 2014, 11:19:52 AM
Interesting. There was a BBQ place that opened up in '04 in Phoenix that their hook was a six pack of sauces on the table so that you could try sauces from different regions of the US. The sauces were good, but the rest of their product was underwhelming. No real smoke flavor, very little dry rub. Place lasted about 8 months and no one really noticed it was gone.
Yeah. That was one of theirs.
Quote from: Conan71 on May 21, 2014, 11:22:21 AM
I think we tried El Paso twice. Once at 81st and once on 71st. Underwhelmed both times. I'd forgotten all about the six pack of sauces.
I've often wondered if Steamroller would still be at 18th & Boston if Tom hadn't opened the second location. He got spread too thin and it seemed like his employees weren't real good at employing his touch when he wasn't around.
He had some family issues to deal with too. I'm glad to see him back with Blue Rose. He's a great guy and a smart marketer.
Quote from: Gaspar on May 21, 2014, 01:56:27 PM
He had some family issues to deal with too. I'm glad to see him back with Blue Rose. He's a great guy and a smart marketer.
Mitch being sick at the time had some to do with it. He might have also been a little burned out from being stretch so thin. He's a great hands-on guy and ambassador for the Blue Rose.
KOTV is reporting this story today.
http://www.newson6.com/story/25789487/mcnellies-group-to-open-second-el-guapos-in-south-tulsa
Late and wrong (They say "81st & Yale")
(http://kotv.images.worldnow.com/images/25789487_BG1.jpg)
And the TW
http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/el-guapo-s-cantina-coming-to-south-tulsa/article_3bf7fc27-34d6-5df2-bab1-6b7258e2de32.html
(correctly has 81st & Harvard)
I dont see this lasting....
Quote from: Breadburner on June 16, 2014, 03:31:59 PM
I dont see this lasting....
Elliot hasn't closed anything yet, but there's always room for a first.
Quote from: Conan71 on June 16, 2014, 09:56:01 PM
Elliot hasn't closed anything yet, but there's always room for a first.
The one time I went to El Guapo's downtown was the first two weeks or so I started working for my current employer (back in August of 2012). I was underwhelmed to say the least. They had good margaritas though. Especially when the company foots the tab.
8)
Quote from: Conan71 on June 16, 2014, 09:56:01 PM
Elliot hasn't closed anything yet, but there's always room for a first.
Unless you count that little lounge that was next to McNellie's that closed and McNellie's expanded into.
Quote from: swake on June 17, 2014, 04:18:16 PM
Unless you count that little lounge that was next to McNellie's that closed and McNellie's expanded into.
Can we get a call on that?
(http://i.usatoday.net/sports/_photos/2012/06/05/NFL-referees-say-they-werent-planning-strike-6C1K57EH-x-large.jpg)
The Continental. Ahead of its time. Serving good cocktails before they were called craft.
Quote from: rdj on June 17, 2014, 06:06:59 PM
The Continental. Ahead of its time. Serving good cocktails before they were called craft.
(http://www.thecompleteperformer.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/the-continental2.jpg)