So, what restaurants have been in continuous operation since the 80's?

Feel free to list places anywhere in the Metro, but not so interested in chains like McDonald's.


Here's a start:

Flip's
Mamasita's
Haunted House
Spaghetti Warehouse
Petroleum Club (not counting Beacon Club because it moved)
Coney Island
Coach House
Don's Alley (Del City)
Jimmy's Egg on N. MacArthur
Tim's Drive-in
Legend's (Norman)
VZD's

Nomad II
Jamil's

The Mont (Norman)
Ozzie's (Norman)
The Diner (Norman)
O'Connell's (Norman, Jeff still owns, but location changed due to OU housing needs)

Ingrid's Kitchen.
Bellini's (I believe they have been in the Waterford complex since the 80's).
Charcoal Oven.
Leo's BBQ.

Yes, Bellini's, definitely.
Pepperoni Grill? I think it opened right around '89 or so.

Chuck House on 10th.

Just researched Pepperoni Grill and it opened in 1990.

The Metro
Coach House
Pearl's (with a break for the move though)
Leo's BBQ (maybe, I think they may have had a few breaks but the same family has owned it)
Johnnie's
Charleston's
Ted's Cafe Escondido is close to that old
Chuck House
Junior's
The Haunted House

Dot Wo at 31st & Portland. Yes, they are still there. There is one on North May, but it's different (family troubles).

Wasn't the original Johnnie's on the SW corner of 33rd & Boulevard? I know they closed that location a long time ago.

Good call on Charleston's. Opened March of 1987.

Ted's didn't open until 1993.

Metro just had it's 25 year anniversary, so they definitely qualify.


Junior's is another great call. Of all OKC restaurants, it might represent the biggest time warp as it's barely changed in 30+ years. Opened in 1973.

Boulevard Cafeteria.

May be the longest continually-operating restaurant at the same location in all of OKC. I know they were established in 1947; not sure when they moved to their current locale.

I thought Ted's opened before I moved to Dallas (91) but wasn't quite sure. I know that the May Cafe was in that spot for awhile until the Curtis' took possession of the building and Ted was looking for his next business after selling his recording studio (Studio 7).

I think the original Johnnie's is the one on Britton, the 33rd & Boulevard was the second location I believe. I know that we ate at Johnnie's when I was working at Sound Warehouse at May & Grand in 83-84.

Bella Vista? If it hasn't been there 25+ years, they sure went to some effort to make it look like it has. Love it all the same.

Maybe, but not positive on these next two:
Choice Cafe on S. Shields
Friendly's on S Shields.

Bella Vista? If it hasn't been there 25+ years, they sure went to some effort to make it look like it has. Love it all the same.

Maybe, but not positive on these next two:
Choice Cafe on S. Shields
Friendly's on S Shields.

No on Bella Vista. I don't remember when it opened but Milt (owner) was at OCU when I was a law student 94-97. They didn't have restaurant then.

Researching Johnnie's shows:

1971: 1st location at Britton & Military
1978: Moved to 2652 W. Britton (still open)
1982: Opened 33rd & Bouelvard location in Edmond (moved across the street sometime later)
1985: Opened 421 SW 74th (still open)

Pizza Shuttle in Norman, Chequers in MWC, Mama Lous, Tacoville, the Peacock, Cocina De Mino although original has closed, and not sure if Pelicans is still open or not in MWC

Steve's Rib in Edmond

He started out as a BBQ stand in the Homeland at Edmond Road & Santa Fe, moved into a space in the same center a little later and moved down Edmond Road in recent years. He was an architect who started the BBQ stand when things weren't going well in the mid to late 80's. I got to know him from when I was working at Triangle A&E and he was just starting out with the BBQ biz while still working some in architecture.

Pizza Shuttle in Norman, Chequers in MWC, Mama Lous, Tacoville, the Peacock, Cocina De Mino although original has closed, and not sure if Pelicans is still open or not in MWC
The Shuttle opened my freshman year (82-83) at OU.

Ann's Chicken Fry House opened in the early seventies.

Spaghetti Warehouse in Bricktown is about to have its 25th anniversary (opened in '89) so it would qualify, amazingly.

Beverly's Pancake House. When did Old Germany open?

Yeah, Beverly's is actually quite old, depending on how you decide to judge the age of a place. Or, not old at all. Gotta say, Cattlemen's, Boulevard, Junior's and The Haunted House are about the only places left with what I would call an old-school OKC vibe, which is a bummer IMO. You can blame a lot of that on the way downtown was gutted between the fifties and eighties.

Yeah, Beverly's is actually quite old, depending on how you decide to judge the age of a place. Or, not old at all. Gotta say, Cattlemen's, Boulevard, Junior's and The Haunted House are about the only places left with what I would call an old-school OKC vibe, which is a bummer IMO. You can blame a lot of that on the way downtown was gutted between the fifties and eighties.

I would love to go down in the basement of Hightower and check that old place out. Would be cool if Mortons went in there but since Landry's bought them, they seem to be moving away from basement Chicago steakhouse to above ground locations with windows

Nobody had mentioned Cattleman's yet. Good job Urbanized!

Considering their website says they've been in operation since 1910, I guess we don't have to spend much more time thinking about what place might be the oldest in town.


I'm not really counting the places that moved... Just those operating in the same place since the 80's.

When did Old Germany open?

Their website says 1976.

What is sad is that there are TONS of fast food restaurants all over the metro that are 25+ years old. It's certainly a comment on the lack of food culture we had in this town for an extended period. The good news is that's changing at a breakneck pace these days. No shortage of great places to eat around here anymore.

What is sad is that there are TONS of fast food restaurants all over the metro that are 25+ years old. It's certainly a comment on the lack of food culture we had in this town for an extended period. The good news is that changing at a breakneck pace these days. No shortage of great places to eat around here anymore.

The changes in the culinary scene in just the last few years are pretty stunning.

And while it's sad to think about how few places have survived the last quarter decade, almost all that are gone were pretty lame.

In fact, among the places we've been able to identify, few of them compare well to the best we now have to choose from.

The changes in the culinary scene in just the last few years are pretty stunning.

And while it's sad to think about how few places have survived the last quarter decade, almost all that are gone were pretty lame.

In fact, among the places we've been able to identify, few of them compare well to the best we now have to choose from.

look how the players have changed. When I started in the restaurant business (before law school), the movers were Val Genes about the time Gene and Jim were transitioning out and Pete and Paul were coming in, Vince Orza, and Paul Siekel. With the exception of Pete Holloway, these guys seem to best resting on the old concepts while Good Egg and Hal Smith are rolling out new concepts along with a bunch of other guys bringing new and interesting concepts forward.

look how the players have changed. When I started in the restaurant business (before law school), the movers were Val Genes about the time Gene and Jim were transitioning out and Pete and Paul were coming in, Vince Orza, and Paul Siekel. With the exception of Pete Holloway, these guys seem to best resting on the old concepts while Good Egg and Hal Smith are rolling out new concepts along with a bunch of other guys bringing new and interesting concepts forward.

Great observations.

One interesting bridge between this prior generation to some of the more new, interesting and successful concepts is Chris Lower first of The Metro, and now Big Truck, Mutts, Back Door BBQ and Pizzeria Gusto.

Chelinos? Western sizzlin, Cocina da mino

Great thread.

Dans ol time diner

I'd have to think through them to remember specifically which ones, but I think a number of Chinese restaurants are 25+. I know for a fact that Blue Moon on Broadway in Edmond is.

Sherri's diner

Tacoville

Around the Corner (Edmond), La Baguette, Nino's

Around the Corner (Edmond), La Baguette, Nino'sis Niño's still open?

Sooner Dairy Lunch (Norman).

is Niño's still open?

Oops. Looks like it may be closed. If so, R.I.P., Nino's.

Shoguns

I almost posted that, but was second-thinking that one. I think early nineties? Same for Bellini's, BTW. How old is Tokyo?

Jimmy's egg

Harry bears

Jimmy's egg
Already mentioned. Brown Bag Deli?

Las fajitas

Del rancho

I hope these haven't been mentioned.

Beacon Club
Petroleum Club
The fountain that was in the Drugstore in Nichol's Hills Plaza
that moved. I don't know if it had a name.
Coney Island
Jack's BBQ
Old Orchard Restaurant - Bethany
The Boomerang - Norman
Goldies - Norman
El Chico
Boulevard Cafeteria
Harry Bear's - Yukon
Spaghetti Warehouse
Big Ed's

Here are some I'm not certain about.
The restaurant inside the Waterford - Veranda?
Keller in the Castle, I believe.
Chellini's?
Jim's Diner? in Bethany
Bunny's Burgers? 50th & N Meridian.
La Luna

Some nearby but not OKC per se.
Old Germantown - Choctaw does that count?
Ken's Steakhouse - Amber

Already mentioned. Brown Bag Deli?
Was it located in Nichol's Hills Plaza?

Boulevard Cafeteria.

May be the longest continually-operating restaurant at the same location in all of OKC. I know they were established in 1947; not sure when they moved to their current locale.I'm not at all sure this isn't the original location. In 1947, the street now known as Classen Drive was Classen Boulevard, and the part of Classen Boulevard that goes from Reno up to NW 13 didn't yet exist under that name. Part of that stretch, north of Main, was called Olie; the rest wasn't there at all. Details are on Doug Loudenback's web pages.

Brandywine Room at the Biltmore Hotel.

Johnnie's Charcoal Broiler opened in 1971 at Britton Rd & Military. They moved west on Britton Rd to Wellington on the west end of The Village about 1974 or 1975. I believe the Edmond 33rd St location was their 2nd location.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pete,
Looks like what I was about to comment on has been covered. Oh well, maybe next time.
C. T.

Wasn't the original Johnnie's on the SW corner of 33rd & Boulevard? I know they closed that location a long time ago.

Good call on Charleston's. Opened March of 1987.

Ted's didn't open until 1993.

Metro just had it's 25 year anniversary, so they definitely qualify.


Junior's is another great call. Of all OKC restaurants, it might represent the biggest time warp as it's barely changed in 30+ years. Opened in 1973.

I thought Ted's opened before I moved to Dallas (91) but wasn't quite sure. I know that the May Cafe was in that spot for awhile until the Curtis' took possession of the building and Ted was looking for his next business after selling his recording studio (Studio 7).

I think the original Johnnie's is the one on Britton, the 33rd & Boulevard was the second location I believe. I know that we ate at Johnnie's when I was working at Sound Warehouse at May & Grand in 83-84.

I think Britton was the original Johnnie's, too... (and reading ahead, Pete confirms)

And wow, I probably bought records and cassettes from you. Hung out there a lot, went there instead of Peaches. Went to Rainbow a lot, too.

Boulevard Cafeteria.

May be the longest continually-operating restaurant at the same location
in all of OKC. I know they were established in 1947; not sure when they
moved to their current locale.
Was Cattleman's in a different location? I've not known it to be but I do
remember when the Boulevard Cafeteria moved from NW 10th and
N Classen to the current location. That was around 1963 and was quite
a big deal. It was close to my Dad's lab.

Was it located in Nichol's Hills Plaza?

yes in the early-mid 90'a was on the north side by the barber shop and the baseball card store that was there for a summer. Might be where the chicas and now the iguana is currently located

Tim's Drive In on the SW corner of NW 50th and N MacArthur. Fantastic!

Was Cattleman's in a different location? I've not known it to be but I do
remember when the Boulevard Cafeteria moved from NW 10th and
N Classen to the current location. That was around 1963 and was quite
a big deal. It was close to my Dad's lab.

Remember the family squabble that left, basically, two Boulevard cafeterias open across the street almost from each other? People had to take sides and pick one or the other. That got pretty rough there for a while. The Smith's had so many cafeterias in Oklahoma City - loved Queen Anne and Lady Classen and of course, the Grandma of them all, the Anna Maude.