Nic's Diner + Lounge

[Pete]

I can't wait to try this!

Everything about this place is pretty special and unique...

I absolutely love that bar and I can't wait to try their breakfast and other items like chicken fried steak.


To be honest, I am not a fan of Nic's on Penn. Yes the burger is great but I hate the crowd and waiting and jostling once inside then not getting a table and the only time I went they messed up my order. I know it's a unique experience but one I dread so much I haven't been back.

I've already been to the new Nic's twice.

BTW, the two high marble tables in the middle of the main dining room are communal, so it's super easy to go alone and just have them seat you there and then interact with the other patrons. That's close enough for me for the original location experience.

[catch22]

I think it will be on my list for my November trip!

[TheTravellers]

Eh, I guess in our family we're past the point where we care if we're dressed appropriately for the local establishments. We usually ride our bicycles when we go to these places and are always in our "grubby" comfort clothes. Not a single time has an eyebrow been raised at our appearance. The guys at the Ambassador even volunteered to valet park our cycles for us when we went up to the O Bar awhile back on a nice evening.

I think people are starting to understand better the pedestrian/cyclist culture and are more accepting of a "come as you are" appearance. Even last night at the ballet there were people dressed super-casual--mixing right in with those who were not. If you like to dress up for stuff, that's great. However, it's nice that things aren't so strict any more. And this is coming from someone who used to be a snob about being dressed appropriately for whatever occasion. I've changed.

Wasn't going to post, and apologies for doing a thread hijack, but I just had to - it's kind of sad that you don't care enough to get dressed up for places (and maybe you do sometimes, and just didn't mention it), but that's part of the fun of going out for us is to dress up in something besides our ordinary daily clothes and just doing something special. Most of the time, I don't care too much if someone isn't "dressed appropriately" for the venue/restaurant, but it shows some respect for the place, the staff, and the other diners/patrons if you don't show up in shorts and flip-flops at someplace that isn't a fast-food/casual dining place. If I'm eating a $100 meal, I absolutely do *not* want to see anybody's armpit hair (men *or* women) or sweatpants or torn-up jeans and underwear underneath, etc. (and yes, we've had meals that expensive that have had people clothed like that show up.

Sorry, went to the ballet today and Cultivar afterwards and read this tonight and had to say something, off my high horse now...

[turnpup]

Wasn't going to post, and apologies for doing a thread hijack, but I just had to - it's kind of sad that you don't care enough to get dressed up for places (and maybe you do sometimes, and just didn't mention it), but that's part of the fun of going out for us is to dress up in something besides our ordinary daily clothes and just doing something special. Most of the time, I don't care too much if someone isn't "dressed appropriately" for the venue/restaurant, but it shows some respect for the place, the staff, and the other diners/patrons if you don't show up in shorts and flip-flops at someplace that isn't a fast-food/casual dining place. If I'm eating a $100 meal, I absolutely do *not* want to see anybody's armpit hair (men *or* women) or sweatpants or torn-up jeans and underwear underneath, etc. (and yes, we've had meals that expensive that have had people clothed like that show up.

Sorry, went to the ballet today and Cultivar afterwards and read this tonight and had to say something, off my high horse now...

Wow, Travellers, I think you missed my point entirely. There's nothing "sad" about us, or our lifestyle. Trust me, if you knew us or how we live, you wouldn't be passing judgment on our ability to be appropriate in whatever circumstance we're in. t'm not a controversial poster on here, and always try to emphasize the positive, but I feel a need to call you out on this. Your response was a bit over the top, snotty and offensive, in my opinion.

What I was *trying* to convey was that, for places right in Midtown, such as the new Nic's, it's nice to see a culture where people have the choice to either dress more nicely, or to ride up on their bicycles from HH, Mesta or other close-in neighborhoods and be comfortable being casual and not having to have gotten the car out of the garage. We pay a very high premium for living right here, and it's *our* neighborhood. If we can bicycle to places of interest, and keep our dollars local, then great.

For the ballet--which we did in fact attend on Friday for the premiere, and were part of the group that was fortunate enough to go behind the scenes at both intermissions for food, drink and special conversations with those who made the wonderful event happen--we did dress up. We did not ride our bicycles and did not therefore have a need to be casual. At no time that I can recall have we ever showed our armpit hair, underwear or worn tattered clothing in *any* establishment.

[Plutonic Panda]

Wasn't going to post, and apologies for doing a thread hijack, but I just had to - it's kind of sad that you don't care enough to get dressed up for places (and maybe you do sometimes, and just didn't mention it), but that's part of the fun of going out for us is to dress up in something besides our ordinary daily clothes and just doing something special. Most of the time, I don't care too much if someone isn't "dressed appropriately" for the venue/restaurant, but it shows some respect for the place, the staff, and the other diners/patrons if you don't show up in shorts and flip-flops at someplace that isn't a fast-food/casual dining place. If I'm eating a $100 meal, I absolutely do *not* want to see anybody's armpit hair (men *or* women) or sweatpants or torn-up jeans and underwear underneath, etc. (and yes, we've had meals that expensive that have had people clothed like that show up.

Sorry, went to the ballet today and Cultivar afterwards and read this tonight and had to say something, off my high horse now...

I have noticed in OKC people don't care enough to dress up much although that does seem to be changing. I always dress like I normally do, and I spend about an hour and a half each day, I spend a fair amount of money on clothes, and make sure I'm always looking good. Very rarely will I go out in something plain. I blend in, in Dallas and Los Angeles, but I go to Oklahoma City, and people usually look at me or compliment me which is nice, but somewhat depressing to the fact like, wow dude, there is nothing fancy about what I'm wearing. It's just people being trashy. I guess it is cool to wear t shirts paying homage to Oklahoma and OU t shirts, but it would be nice if OKC became more fashionable.

[Uptowner]

lol this thread has gotten very juvenile. Is this the part where I name drop my tailored Hans Herman in the lunch counter line? Or transversely how I might like to eat pizza at gusto in my cycle gear after the Monday night ride and that's a good thing? I've done opening night swan lake in jeans an a short sleeve, tattoos out, just because I wasn't feeling black tie after a long week. I don't care. Trashy all you want. Yes, I have a pink flamingo in my yard.

Also. Cultivar, despite being expensive, is as casual as can be. If they hand you a pager to retrieve you food = casual. Arm pit hair is welcome!!!

[Martin]

ugh. tried to go today but found out they're not open on mondays. -M

/either that or they saw that i wasn't sufficiently dressed up and locked the door.

[Roger S]

/either that or they saw that i wasn't sufficiently dressed up and locked the door.

I tipped them off that you were coming undressed.... Don't ask me how I knew.

[jccouger]

All of the decoration & decor, alone with the staff dress code screams that it is a high quality establishment that demands respect through high fashion.

However, TVs in every corner while playing billboard top 100 music over the speakers at a moderate volume, offering communal seating (which Pete already brought up), having viewing areas in to the kitchen and offering behemoth sized burgers that implode as soon as you poke them screams this is a casual affair.

Its a unique experience, and I think the atmosphere they are trying to build is one that everybody is welcome no matter who you are or how you are dressed. Just expect to eat good, drink plenty & have an excellent time.

[FighttheGoodFight]

99% of Oklahoma restaurants are casual. Sometimes I wish for restaurants with an enforced dress code.

Serving burgers and have the name Diner in the name makes me think it is casual but the inside looks awesome. Can't wait to try.

[TheTravellers]

Wow, Travellers, I think you missed my point entirely. There's nothing "sad" about us, or our lifestyle. Trust me, if you knew us or how we live, you wouldn't be passing judgment on our ability to be appropriate in whatever circumstance we're in. t'm not a controversial poster on here, and always try to emphasize the positive, but I feel a need to call you out on this. Your response was a bit over the top, snotty and offensive, in my opinion.

What I was *trying* to convey was that, for places right in Midtown, such as the new Nic's, it's nice to see a culture where people have the choice to either dress more nicely, or to ride up on their bicycles from HH, Mesta or other close-in neighborhoods and be comfortable being casual and not having to have gotten the car out of the garage. We pay a very high premium for living right here, and it's *our* neighborhood. If we can bicycle to places of interest, and keep our dollars local, then great.

For the ballet--which we did in fact attend on Friday for the premiere, and were part of the group that was fortunate enough to go behind the scenes at both intermissions for food, drink and special conversations with those who made the wonderful event happen--we did dress up. We did not ride our bicycles and did not therefore have a need to be casual. At no time that I can recall have we ever showed our armpit hair, underwear or worn tattered clothing in *any* establishment.

No, I didn't miss the point, and I did say that you may dress up when you go out, you just didn't say so in your post.

None of it (except the part where I said that it's sad that you're "past the point where we care if we're dressed appropriately for the local establishments.", and you'll notice I didn't say your lifestyle was sad, just that it's sad that you don't care - there's a difference) was directed specifically at you, just at OKCitians in general. And I'm glad you did dress up at the ballet, too often I see people that show up for Lyric and OKC Ballet shows that aren't, and I am just basically lamenting an apparently-soon-to-be-lost era of dressing nicely for things.

And yeah, we knew Cultivar was casual, unfortunately their food wasn't that great (just not enough different flavors, despite all the different ingredients, they just blended together on all 6 tacos we got (except my wife's mushroom taco, which she really liked), but the chips/queso was really good), so we probably won't be going back, so I won't have to worry about armpit hair there, at least.

[Pete]

^

People in OKC are more careful about what they wear in restaurants and public in general than California, I assure you.

[Uptowner]

Second that. And the Pacific Northwest or mountain zone where people just look like they could go spelunking between the intermezzo. Nalgene on their belt loops and backpacks at the table.

[TheTravellers]

^^^ Have to third that, having lived in Seattle-ish for a coupla years, they are definitely worse dressers than OKCitians. Guess OKC ain't that bad.

[Anonymous.]

Edited to remove first question.

Also anyone have inside sales info with The Garage across the street? Wondering what kind of burger poaching is going to be happening here.

[Urbanized]

I've talked with Garage staff about it and they agree if anything so far it has INCREASED business due to spillover. Honestly I don't think they compete much at all.

[Martin]

I've talked with Garage staff about it and they agree if anything so far it has INCREASED business due to spillover. Honestly I don't think they compete much at all.

completely anecdotal but that's exactly where we ended up on monday after finding out that nic's wasn't open. wouldn't surprise me that others are doing the same when they can't get in.

i do wonder if there's going to be an issue with parking... despite the signs, i don't doubt that more than a few people are using the garage's lot to get to nic's.

[RealJimbo]

Good grief. When did the snoot police take this website over?

[turnpup]

completely anecdotal but that's exactly where we ended up on monday after finding out that nic's wasn't open. wouldn't surprise me that others are doing the same when they can't get in.

i do wonder if there's going to be an issue with parking... despite the signs, i don't doubt that more than a few people are using the garage's lot to get to nic's.

I think we may have crossed your path that evening. We were parking our bicycles outside Garage and heard a couple of guys talking about something along the lines of "crap, we're screwed if Nic's is closed" or something along those lines. Yes, it was surprising to us as well that it wasn't open on Mondays.

[aDark]

Any recent pictures of the bar downstairs? What have wait times been like for dinner? Wait times for lunch?

[sooner88]

Any recent pictures of the bar downstairs? What have wait times been like for dinner? Wait times for lunch?

I went on Tuesday for the first time at lunch. We got there a little before 11:30 and it was a 40 minute wait for 2 (we only waited 20-25). If you're on a time crunch during the work week it would pretty difficult to get in and out of here in an hour with the current crowds.

As has been mentioned, the place is extremely nice. I was really impressed with the finishes. We walked downstairs after lunch and I can't wait to come back and try this out as well.

[Pete]

Really anxious for them to add some more items to the menu, such as CFS.

Love the burgers but would like to see what they do with some of the other comfort food standards.

[warreng88]

Went yesterday for lunch, got there at 11:00 and there were people standing outside by 11:30am. I am not sure how this will do because the place suffers from an identity crisis. The interior, waiters, glassware, everything about it, except the food screams that it is a fancy restaurant where you would get a good steak, seafood, nice salad. It looks like the décor would work well as a restaurant in the Skirvin or Colcord. Then you get a monster burger with fries. Now, don't get me wrong, I love the food and I loved the décor, I just don't think the two work well together. I would think it would be less out of place if it had more of a pub feel than fine dining.

[Roger S]

Maybe it will feel less out of place when the menu expands.

Or maybe just embrace Justin's attempt to blur the lines between low brow and high class..... I know it's tough because I struggle mightily when BBQ places try to do it... But it can be done.

[Pete]

Their full menu will feature several salads and steaks as well as other items.

I love the decor but wish they would lose the TV's scattered around that always seems to be playing the Price is Right. Doesn't fit at all.