We all know that the downtown area has added tons of bars and restaurants over the last 10-15 years.

I did a little exercise where I drew a 1.5 mile radius from Midtown, which takes in the Plaza, Bricktown, Uptown, Deep Deuce, etc. Did not go as far as the Paseo or the many places on Western.

I also did not include all the lunch-only places in the CBD.

I wanted to compare this to the way things were when I left in 1990 and the only thing in the core was the Spaghetti Warehouse. Nothing along 23rd or in Midtown (beside Boulevard Cafeteria), nothing in the Plaza, DD or any real full service restaurants in the CBD. The Skirvin was closed so you can't even count the bar and restaurant there, although there was one at the Sheraton.

So, I have the total at 3 for 1990... Provide your best guess for the total today.

I'll say 60.

75

I'm still hazy on the parameters: Do we include ABC-3 bars (like Captain Norm's in Bricktown) or just Restaurants where I can grab dinner and a drink?

We're north of 100:

Bricktown: ~35
Midtown: ~25
Deep Deuce: ~10
Auto Alley: ~15
Plaza: ~5
Uptown: ~15
Miscellaneous: ~15

I'll guess 122 to be exact. 107 without ABC-3 places.

Pretty amazing. You could probably even go to 2000 and not see too many more than 1990 although Bricktown had several places that opened after the ballpark and canal were built in the late 90's.

Believe it or not, I have the number at 203, but that also includes the under construction and formally announced places, such as Twisted Spike, Cultivar, Yuzo. and Nic's Diner.

I'll eventually post the list because I"m sure I missed some.


So, from 3 to 203 (and growing).

no fewer than 100

I would have guessed 80 or so. I was astounded to see Pete's number.

The only thing that I would doubt is the original number of 3…surely OKC was on the north side of 10. But there certainly weren't many more than 30. We've at least quintupled whatever the amount in the last 25 years, which really is obscene growth.

But there's so many things that we never talk about on this forum, or things that have been around for a bit and have been forgotten about.

I assure you, there was nothing else in Bricktown (a BBQ place called Piggy's but it didn't last long), there were zero full-service restaurants in the CBD other than the Sheraton once the Skirvin closed.

When I worked in Leadership Square, we would drive to Paseo for lunch -- and what we considered an urban adventure. And the original Cocina de Mino on south Shields.

There was absolutely nothing in Midtown... I don't think Kaiser's was open in the late 80's but I could be wrong. Plaza Court, of course, was completely boarded up. There was some fast food on 23rd but I also didn't count the fast food that is there now. In fact, almost all those Asian restaurants opened since then and I didn't even count them in the 203 number.

There was the Taco Bell on Classen and Sheridan because I remember going there before leaving in 1990.

Urbanized could probably help me here but there was much less than most of you can imagine.

The 3 number for 1990 is probably a little low but still under 10 and the 203 number for now is definitely low and probably closer to 250.

And the original Cocina de Mino on south Shields.

Pete,
Not to attempt to derail the thread, but wasn't the original Cocina de Mino on Southeast 29th? I will take your word, just wanted to mention it to see if it jogs your memory any. I thought I was eating at their first and only location at the time, but... I've been wrong before.
C. T.

Pete,
Not to attempt to derail the thread, but wasn't the original Cocina de Mino on Southeast 29th? I will take your word, just wanted to mention it to see if it jogs your memory any. I thought I was eating at their first and only location at the time, but... I've been wrong before.
C. T.

Yes, that was the location I meant. It was at 333 SE 29th, just east of shields:

http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/Searches/sketches/picfile/1639/R093998410001nA.jpg

Early 90's, I worked at a mortuary service at 13 and Robinson. Trying to remember where we would eat. There was a Mexican restaurant at 10th and Walker called Durango. (next to where GOGO is). There was a Sammy's pizza on 13th across from Presby hospital. Brown's Bakery at 13th and Robinson but not sure that counts. Miriwa Asian on 23rd street was the Asian place to go. I don't think Allen's was around yet.

Alien's was definitely around in 1990. My stepmom worked at SWB at 6th and Robinson and took me there for lunch in the '80s. But I think it would fall under the lunch-only definition.

I'm not sure if Pizza Town was open in 1990 (originally on Robinson in Kirkpatrick Hotel), but it WAS open in 1992 and open after work. Same with Athenian, which was next door. Pretty sure Sweeny's Deli on Broadway where Schlegel is today was open (had beer, open after work). I THINK Peacock was open in 1990. Colcord Oyster Bar. Was La Luna open? There was another Mexican restaurant open in a ramshackle place on south Hudson immediately south of the Crosstown, which I want to say was ALSO La Luna, and that there was a divorce and both places operated simultaneously for a few years, but might be wrong.

I have a bit of a handicap with this question as I didn't start working downtown until 1992, and most of my experience with it before then revolved around clubs in Bricktown (which unlike today were edgy and underground places).

Also, regarding Bricktown, someone made the statement above that suggested Bricktown really didn't have any places until the ballpark and canal opened, which is simply not true. The first wave of restaurants happened 1990-1998 or so and included places like Bricktown Brewery, Chelino's, Abuelo's, Monkee Moose Saloon (now Hooters), Baja Cafe, TapWerks, Uncommon Grounds, Boomerang Grill, Varsity (and a steakhouse which preceded it in the same space circa '90), a BBQ joint where City Walk's western bar was most recently, Birdies (soul food, where ACM's Performance Lab is), and others.

While it's also fair to say that some places opened after the PASSAGE of MAPS based on its promise (Crabtown is an example), the idea that Bricktown barely existed before the canal and ballpark is revisionist history and dead wrong. Part of the reason MAPS passed is because Bricktown was gaining significant vibrancy and showing incredible promise. The fact that the district stalled for a bit in the mid-aughts post canal and ballpark construction - after showing such early promise - is the main reason so many became critical of it.

Anyone remember going to the Hub - in the bottom of what was then Mid-America Tower (now Continental). We'd eat lunch there and then at night it turned into more of a bar certain nights of the week. It was the happenin' place!:cool: Later became a Cocina de Mino for a while.

Interurban was open in Cityplace where Coolgreens is today, throughout the nineties. And they were open after hours. That said, not sure if they were open yet in 1990. Definitely there in 1992.

^

Absolutely not there in 1990.

Also, was it ever open for dinner? That is one of the criteria I am using and have excluded breakfast and lunch only places in the CBD from the 2015 count as well.

Interurban was open in Cityplace where Coolgreens is today, throughout the nineties. And they were open after hours. That said, not sure if they were open yet in 1990. Definitely there in 1992.

When did Bricktown Harleys open? I know it was open before April, 1995. A friend of mine bought it in early 1995 and he had to change the name (Harley Davidson was going to take legal action if necessary), so he called it Bricktown Charley's.
C. T.

What was the oyster bar like in the Colcord when it was office space? I'm too young to really remember it (and never went into it), but I remember walking by it in the early 90s and thinking it looked pretty cool. Was it open for dinner?

^

Absolutely not there in 1990.

Also, was it ever open for dinner? That is one of the criteria I am using and have excluded breakfast and lunch only places in the CBD from the 2015 count as well.

Well, define dinner. It was open after hours for happy hour and generally open until around 8 PM or so I think. You could of course order off the menu, so if you chose to have dinner at 6 PM you absolutely could do so.

When did Bricktown Harleys open? I know it was open before April, 1995. A friend of mine bought it in early 1995 and he had to change the name (Harley Davidson was going to take legal action if necessary), so he called it Bricktown Charley's.
C. T.

C.T., Bricktown Harley's was preceded by Baja Cafe, which opened circa '89 or '90 and was there several years. Lots of great live music. They often had a "beach" outside with deep sand and swimming pools, and had some great live music. Since it was a dead end street and the surrounding buildings were vacant, I think they actually let it creep out into California Avenue a bit. I remember when it was Bricktown Harley's/Charley's that Jim Belushi got in a fight there and it was big news.

Big Ed's Hamburgers was open on NW 10th between Kaiser's (Walker) and St. Anthony. It was in an old-school International House of Pancakes building that has since been demolished, and was open late eighties to very early nineties.

^

Don't think Big Ed's was ever open for dinner or on weekends.

I THINK Peacock was open in 1990. Colcord Oyster Bar. Was La Luna open? There was another Mexican restaurant open in a ramshackle place on south Hudson immediately south of the Crosstown, which I want to say was ALSO La Luna, and that there was a divorce and both places operated simultaneously for a few years, but might be wrong.

Peacock was there as well as La Luna. La Luna used to be La Roca. Family squabbles forced the name change. Don't think Peacock was open for dinner.

What was the oyster bar like in the Colcord when it was office space? I'm too young to really remember it (and never went into it), but I remember walking by it in the early 90s and thinking it looked pretty cool. Was it open for dinner?

Great for lunch but don't think it was open for dinner. Had fantastic clam chowder!

Peacock was there as well as La Luna. La Luna used to be La Roca. Family squabbles forced the name change. Don't think Peacock was open for dinner.

THAT'S what it was! La Roca! La Roca was in a building on S. Hudson roughly SW 3rd.

Great for lunch but don't think it was open for dinner. Had fantastic clam chowder!

Absolutely open in the evening at some point. I spent a number of evenings bellied up to the bar.

Peacock was there as well as La Luna. La Luna used to be La Roca. Family squabbles forced the name change. Don't think Peacock was open for dinner.

BB,
Thanks, I was really having trouble with La Luna, I knew it had another name. I used to meet a friend from IBM for lunch at La Roca. I seem to remember, it was really good food.
C. T.

I walked around today and found a bunch of places I had not included in my 203 number.

I'll revise and post my list soon -- it's huge!

Have you revised your list, Pete? :p

Have you revised your list, Pete? :p

Haha... I forgot about this!

Much has changed but the overall # has certainly grown.

Dang I remember this thread... Two years ago!? What has happened to time...

Dang I remember this thread... Two years ago!? What has happened to time...

Yep...I was sure that this thread was about a year old...

Not sure if you included i believe "triple's" the restaurant that is on 16th and classen was open in the late 80's i believe.
There was some bbq joint in the plaza district on the north side of 16th.
Tony's italian was also open where Rococo's is on Penn and 28th.