Nostalgia buffs: Anyone remember the Spaghetti Factory on S. Penn?

[SoonerDave]

Back in the 70's, there was a wonderful, hidden little Italian restaurant called the "Spaghetti Factory" (or possibly Spaghetti House) on the west side of S. Penn around 44th or thereabouts. Checkered tablecloths, dimly lit with candles and breadsticks at every table, and they delivered your spaghetti with four different choices of sauce on a little rotating stainless steel serving lazy susan. After supper, you got a small dish of orange sherbet for dessert. You could buy one of those huge peppermint discs at the register on the way out.

Anyone else remember this place? Its been gone for years, and I won't promise it was the greatest place ever, but it was a pleasant memory for me because it was one of the first "grown up" kind of places (in addition to Eddy's) my folks took me to when I was a kid, and at least in my head the spaghetti was terrific....

[Generals64]

Back in the 70's, there was a wonderful, hidden little Italian restaurant called the "Spaghetti Factory" (or possibly Spaghetti House) on the west side of S. Penn around 44th or thereabouts. Checkered tablecloths, dimly lit with candles and breadsticks at every table, and they delivered your spaghetti with four different choices of sauce on a little rotating stainless steel serving lazy susan. After supper, you got a small dish of orange sherbet for dessert. You could buy one of those huge peppermint discs at the register on the way out.

Anyone else remember this place? Its been gone for years, and I won't promise it was the greatest place ever, but it was a pleasant memory for me because it was one of the first "grown up" kind of places (in addition to Eddy's) my folks took me to when I was a kid, and at least in my head the spaghetti was terrific....

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On the West side of Western at about 58th st. There is still an Italian Restaurant like you described. It's right next door to Capitol Hill Florist. If you didn't know where it was, you'd never find it or you would just drive pass....Don't remember one on 44th and Penn. but, I'll put the dogs out on it.
Hey, the Southside Thread is having it's monthly meeting at Dan's Old time diner...82nd and s. Western...Come if you can 12:30 Jan. 24th, 2009

[SoonerDave]

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On the West side of Western at about 58th st. There is still an Italian Restaurant like you described. It's right next door to Capitol Hill Florist. If you didn't know where it was, you'd never find it or you would just drive pass....Don't remember one on 44th and Penn. but, I'll put the dogs out on it.
Hey, the Southside Thread is having it's monthly meeting at Dan's Old time diner...82nd and s. Western...Come if you can 12:30 Jan. 24th, 2009

No, General, that's not what I'm talking about. The location I'm talking about was on Penn, not Western, down the street a ways from Grant on the west side of the street...

Note of the lunch taken!!

[Generals64]

No, General, that's not what I'm talking about. The location I'm talking about was on Penn, not Western, down the street a ways from Grant on the west side of the street...

Note of the lunch taken!!

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O.K., now I'm remembering the whole thing. The building was just a small building that didn't have a whole lot of parking and it is (the building) just south of a tire shop I think. Pretty nice place to eat (spaghetti house). I kept trying to put it in Grant Square Shopping Center but it wouldn't fit....The building is a light red brick ...Does this make sense to you?....The restaurant has been closed for quite some time however...

[SoonerDave]

General, it wasn't a standalone building, although the sign was out in front. You actually had to drive to the back of the building to park, and the entrance was on the south west side (south-facing, IIRC). Something else occupied the front of that building, don't remember what.

The frame of the sign is actually still there, and I think the door is still the same as it was back then, but I don't recall the tire shop part...I'll try to swing by there this weekend and take a look.

[rjstone208]

I remember it perfectly. It was on the west side of Penn about 46th or so. It was a good, affordable, nice place to have dinner for my very young family. We rented a house in the Del Rancho area at the time about 35 years and 5 grandkids ago.

Ray

[MikeOKC]

I wonder if it was the same people who had a little place in the Paseo in the '80s called The Spaghetti Factory?

[bornhere]

I think the Spaghetti Factory on Paseo was owned by Jack Sussy.

[MikeOKC]

I think the Spaghetti Factory on Paseo was owned by Jack Sussy.

Interesting, I didn't know. That guy was connected. Anybody that goes to Nomad II's can tell you of all his pictures on the wall with everyone you can think of. The old Sussy's sauce and other menu items are all at Nomad's (which come to think of should have been mentioned in the Italian restaurant thread).

[rjstone208]

Anyone remember the Sussy's on S. Robinson at 26th? Next to a movie theater that I can't remember the name of now. First real date and first time I had pizza. I think I even dressed up in coat & tie to go to the movie and then to Sussy's.

[Generals64]

Anyone remember the Sussy's on S. Robinson at 26th? Next to a movie theater that I can't remember the name of now. First real date and first time I had pizza. I think I even dressed up in coat & tie to go to the movie and then to Sussy's.

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Yes, remember Sussy's on 23rd and Robinson. Don't you remember they put the kids in the back..The theater has been brought up several times on the Southside Memories thread...I'll try and recoup it and give you the name. If you are from the Southside or wherever, we have a monthly get together at Dan's old time Dine ...82nd S. Western 12:30 on Saturday Jan. 24th, 2009....Come if interested, we usually have a pretty good crowd and a pretty good time......I'll get the name...

[rjstone208]

Yeah, I'm a Southsider. Probably shouldv'e posted this in that thread but anyhow. Graduated from Southeast in 1964. Lived on the wrong side of the tracks near S. High.

[USG '60]

I think the Spaghetti Factory on Paseo was owned by Jack Sussy.

Jake Samara owned it til his death and it went to his estate. For YEARS john Belt tried to buy it. If he was ever successful, I'm not sure. But it has been out of operation for at least 20 years.......I tHINK.

[Generals64]

Yeah, I'm a Southsider. Probably shouldv'e posted this in that thread but anyhow. Graduated from Southeast in 1964. Lived on the wrong side of the tracks near S. High.

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Hey:...We have quite a few Southeast People at he meeting.....Knew a few of your guys in '64....Bobby Murcer et al. I graduated from Grant in '64.....Didn't realize there really was a different side of the tracks.....I lived off Independence and 47th st......

[gen70]

The spaghetti factory was just north of the YMCA on Penn. Had a girlfriend that worked there.

[gen70]

Isn't or wasn't there a spaghetti factory in bricktown that basically started bricktown?

[kevinpate]

gen 70, you're thinking of the spaghetti warehouse. Decent enough place, but not the same folk

[gen70]

Kevinpate, Thanks for straighting me out on that one.

[OKCFitness]

the spaghetti factory in paseo, I went inside it one time when thinking of opening a bar, probably 8 years ago. It had a indoor swimming pool in it that had been filled seems like. Was it a indoor pool after the spaghetti factory or before?

[Martin]

kinda been in research mode lately. i looked through the oklahoman archives to see what i could find. the place at 5303 1/2 s. pennsylvania was called 'the family spaghetti house.' spaghetti factory was, indeed, in the paseo district.

from the best i can tell, spaghetti house lasted until some point in 1986... the last ad i could find was from december 1985. the oklahoman indicates that the establishment was bought by an asian gentleman sometime late in 1984. here are some pictures i dug up: -M


12/9/1969


1/8/1972


9/30/1979


12/10/1978

[FRISKY]

^^^They had good food in the early 1970s, but they weren't real keen on bringing more than one refill on the "all-you-can-eat" dinner.

[sgt. pepper]

$1.79 for all you can eat, can you image that?

[FRISKY]

$1.79 for all you can eat, can you image that?

There were times back then that $1.79 was hard for me to get together.

[grantgeneral78]

where was this in relation to taco bell that was on penn?..I am having a time trying to place it.

[FRISKY]

The next building north.