Late night drink and dining options in OKC

[Laramie]

Waffle House would kill it down there.....

Possibly a 24 hour establishment like Waffle House. IHOP 24hrs, (E. California Ave.,) has made an established presence along with McDonalds & Sonic.

Wouldn't be surprised to see a few more fast food restaurants like Chick-fil-A, Whataburger, Steak 'n Shake &/or a dual combination of YUM brands--KFC-Taco Bell-Pizza Hut-Long John Silver's and A&W Restaurants.

OKC has some great fine dine restaurants established on the canal, you don't want to kill it with too many fast food restaurants in the area.

Bring back a Dairy Queen if you want to see something really take off.

[bchris02]

Waffle House would kill it down there.....

Would like to see a similar concept but locally owned. OKC needs a locally-owned 24-hour diner. Something like this.



Bricktown needs to avoid having fast food restaurants with drive throughs. There definitely is a place for fast food, but it can't be their standard format.

[ljbab728]

As more housing comes in that is more likely. It really wouldn't quite work yet.

[bchris02]

As more housing comes in that is more likely. It really wouldn't quite work yet.

Bricktown would be perfect for it. Those kind of establishments are very popular with clubgoers after the clubs let out.

[dankrutka]

As more housing comes in that is more likely. It really wouldn't quite work yet.

Denton, Texas -- a city with a population of 125,000 (albeit a college town) -- has a 24 hour diner on the Square. A well run one would survive in the core of OKC.

[d-usa]

Denton, Texas -- a city with a population of 125,000 (albeit a college town) -- has a 24 hour diner on the Square. A well run one would survive in the core of OKC.

Weatherford, Oklahoma -- a city with a population of 12,000 (albeit a small college town) -- has a 24 hour diner downtown as well.

I won't claim that Jerry's is a poster child for great food, but I do remember spending quite a few drunken college nights in that place.

[Pete]

College towns are a completely different breed of cat.

When I was at OU, there were a couple of all-night places, don't know if any remain.

[Roger S]

When I was at OU, there were a couple of all-night places, don't know if any remain.

It's called Waffle House, Denny's, or IHOP.... Which is something Jerry's, mentioned above, in Weatherford isn't competing against.

Not saying a 24 hour diner serving better than good food couldn't, and wouldn't, make it here, but they do have some competition in the area where the bar closers already congregate.

[Bullbear]

I would love a local 24 diner .. something like Magnolia café which has several locations in Austin.. or Café Brazil in Dallas which also has several locations but not sure how many are 24 hours.
also 24 Diner in Austin is top notch and more than just late night drunk food.

[Pete]

I wonder how well IHOP does between 2AM and 6AM, especially during the week?

Otherwise there are 24-hour places outside of downtown and a bunch of places that serve until 2AM or start at 6AM.

We have Hatch, Sunnyside Diner and Nic's Diner all opening soon and none of them are going to open 24 hours; in fact the first two will not even be open for dinner.

[Roger S]

I wonder how well IHOP does between 2AM and 6AM, especially during the week?

There was a time I could have told you...... But then I got old.

[jerrywall]

One concern with 24 hour places, especially in areas like Bricktown with clubs (although less than there used to be) is overnight crime. The IHOP in Bricktown has seen overnight stabbings, assaults, and more in the past few years. A sheriff's deputy who was working security was assaulted as well. When I ran a convention downtown, we had a couple of guests who came in from out of town late and went to IHOP to eat (at like 2 am) and while they were there a large fight broke out, and one of our guests got arrested in the sweep (they were released later as they weren't involved).

I'm not opposed to 24 hour places. Spent some time in them when I was younger. Kettle, Waffle House, etc. I just think location matters.

[bchris02]

I wonder how well IHOP does between 2AM and 6AM, especially during the week?

Probably not great, but they probably make up for it on the weekends. Most, if not all IHOPS are 24-hours though. It helps that it has no competition anywhere downtown.

Having to deal with the drunk crowd is a definite downside to opening a 24-hour diner, especially in an area like Bricktown. With that said, I am not sure any of the other urban neighborhoods could support it yet. Midtown might be able to because of St Anthony's employees but the others simply don't have the critical mass. Maybe in five years though.

[sooner88]

Even with more rooftops, is there really that much demand from 2:00-7:00 am 7 days a week? I understand feeding the bar crowd on a Friday or Saturday... but even then staying open past 3:00-3:30 seems like that would keep that covered. 24/7 restaurants seem like the cons outweigh the pros for the owners/waiters/waitresses, etc.

[bchris02]

Even with more rooftops, is there really that much demand from 2:00-7:00 am 7 days a week? I understand feeding the bar crowd on a Friday or Saturday... but even then staying open past 3:00-3:30 seems like that would keep that covered. 24/7 restaurants seem like the cons outweigh the pros for the owners/waiters/waitresses, etc.

This is definitely a legitimate question. Charlotte has a couple of 24-hour diners and a 24-hour french bakery as well. The college crowd from UNCC helps keep these places in business on weeknights. A lot of people questioned Charlotte's ability to support a 24-hour french bakery (this isn't New York!), but it ended up being a huge hit. You could go to Amilie's French Bakery at 2 or 3AM and you would see people there studying. The key is having a concentration of people age 18-27ish, preferably students, as that is the demographic that is most likely to frequent these late night establishments on nights the clubs are closed. Does OKC have this?

[Thomas Vu]

Beverly's is 24 hours. Not sure if there are any others.

[Laramie]

IHOP holds its own from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. They close off sections of the restaurant for cleaning and reopen as soon as they prep the area for the next day. Love their breakfast.

Other area 24hr restaurants are Mamma Lou's (I-35, SE 30th) and Iron Skillet (Reno/MLK) Petro Truck Stop draw a rough looking crowd (Iron Skillet does have visible security guards). The Petro Truck Stop does have a fenced in security area for trucks--it keeps the lot lizards out.

I believe the old Skyline Restaurant is closed--they use to serve up some decent meals; however, there were too many lot lizards frequenting the area because of the truckers who stopped there.

Area truck stops can be a concern if undercover law enforcement doesn't get a handle on the area (no pun intended).

[kevinpate]

Did not know Mama Lou's was 24 hours. Thanks for that.

[Tundra]

Perry's over off I240 and May is 24hrs, and it is packed from 12am on....

[Pete]

Beverly's on NW Expressway is open 24 hours.

There are more places than people realize.

[bchris02]

Beverly's on NW Expressway is open 24 hours.

There are more places than people realize.

I think it's because this discussion is mostly centered around the urban core. I agree, there are plenty of 24-hour places in the suburbs.

[OKCRT]

Bricktown would be perfect for it. Those kind of establishments are very popular with clubgoers after the clubs let out.

When we used to hit the clubs we usually went for breakfast or something afterwards. No hangover (usually) in the morn if you get a good meal in the night before.

[Pete]

I think it's because this discussion is mostly centered around the urban core. I agree, there are plenty of 24-hour places in the suburbs.

So now Beverly's at NW Expressway and May is in the suburbs?

It's 5 miles from the middle of downtown and only a couple of miles from the places on Western.


Pump, Guyutes, Knucks and several places serve food until 2AM which is plenty late for 99% of people.

I don't get the obsession with 24-hour places when I doubt hardly anybody pining for them would go with any regularity anyway. and IHOP is good enough for anyone drunk enough needing to eat at 3AM.

Just seems like yet another to bitch about not having.

[Tundra]

So now Beverly's at NW Expressway and May is in the suburbs?

It's 5 miles from the middle of downtown and only a couple of miles from the places on Western.


Pump, Guyutes, Knucks and several places serve food until 2AM which is plenty late for 99% of people.

I don't get the obsession with 24-hour places when I doubt hardly anybody pining for them would go with any regularity anyway. and IHOP is good enough for anyone drunk enough needing to eat at 3AM.

Just seems like yet another to bitch about not having.

We used to go over to Beverlys after a night out at Groovies and Russell's

[TheTravellers]

When we used to hit the clubs we usually went for breakfast or something afterwards. No hangover (usually) in the morn if you get a good meal in the night before.

Yep, definitely a good thing to eat a meal after getting dehydrated/hungry dancing your ass off until 3-4 AM (the "underground" clubs in Bricktown and on Classen stayed open late (or early, depending on your POV)), our diner of choice was Girlie Pancake House (yeah, I'm old)... Be nice if today's club kids had something besides IHOP (waaaaaaaay too expensive for the quality of food, we literally get the same thing at Jimmy's for $10 less).