I'm looking at the plan for the new basketball arena, phase 1 looks to include the arena, hotel, and restaurant pad sites on the river.

Those River restaurant sites will be pricy, but curious as to what people would love to see down there?

I think George's on the River could be a cool site and opens up gameday tailgating options!

I want to see some new places come in though. Any thoughts or opinions?

I have been underwhelmed every time I have been to El Tiempo. I know people love it, so I keep going back to figure out what I am missing.

PTGHUNTER said:

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I have been underwhelmed every time I have been to El Tiempo. I know people love it, so I keep going back to figure out what I am missing.

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Sounds a little like one of my favorite "Yogiisms"..."Nobody goes there anymore because it's too crowded." :-)

Hula Hut.

CorsicanaBear said:

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Hula Hut.

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Agree!! I have thought they should have been on the river here for quite some time.

PTGHUNTER said:

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I have been underwhelmed every time I have been to El Tiempo. I know people love it, so I keep going back to figure out what I am missing.

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Yeah, it's a sad place because everyone there is wishing they were at one of Hugo Ortega's places.

Instead of Pappas, we will get Bubba Gump Shrimp.

FirmBear24 said:

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Instead of Pappas, we will get Bubba Gump Shrimp.

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PTGHUNTER said:

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I have been underwhelmed every time I have been to El Tiempo. I know people love it, so I keep going back to figure out what I am missing.

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filet fajitas

BUwolverine2012 said:

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PTGHUNTER said:

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I have been underwhelmed every time I have been to El Tiempo. I know people love it, so I keep going back to figure out what I am missing.

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filet fajitas

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Las Vegas Filet lunch. Best deal there.

CorsicanaBear said:

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Hell no to Georges. Something nice with decent food and a decent selection of libations. A true higher end Mexican establishment on the order of El Tiempo would be great. Any Pappas concept. They are probably going after a national concept of some type, don't know if they will get it.

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Agreed. I've eaten at George's less than 10 times in my life and I spent my first 18 years in Waco. It's fine for what it is but it isn't anything special. I fully recognize the hype comes from older folks who went there as a student for super cheap big beers. That's not a thing anymore. It isn't any cheaper than anywhere else and the big o isn't unique anymore. Not worth the wait at all when crowded either. It is by far the 2nd most overrated restaurant in Waco. 2nd only to ninfas

Also unless George's moved their entire operation to a river front spot, it doesn't make sense in my mind. The current spot is only a couple min drive away. They would be competing with themself

T-REX said:

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CorsicanaBear said:

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Hell no to Georges. Something nice with decent food and a decent selection of libations. A true higher end Mexican establishment on the order of El Tiempo would be great. Any Pappas concept. They are probably going after a national concept of some type, don't know if they will get it.

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Agreed. I've eaten at George's less than 10 times in my life and I spent my first 18 years in Waco. It's fine for what it is but it isn't anything special. I fully recognize the hype comes from older folks who went there as a student for super cheap big beers. That's not a thing anymore. It isn't any cheaper than anywhere else and the big o isn't unique anymore. Not worth the wait at all when crowded either. It is by far the 2nd most overrated restaurant in Waco. 2nd only to ninfas

Also unless George's moved their entire operation to a river front spot, it doesn't make sense in my mind. The current spot is only a couple min drive away. They would be competing with themself

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Their second location doesn't seem to hurt the original too much. But a riverfront location would be much closer.

And I agree.... it is a good restaurant but not great.

I would prefer to see some bigger name chains there (the good ones).

cowboycwr said:

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T-REX said:

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CorsicanaBear said:

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Hell no to Georges. Something nice with decent food and a decent selection of libations. A true higher end Mexican establishment on the order of El Tiempo would be great. Any Pappas concept. They are probably going after a national concept of some type, don't know if they will get it.

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Agreed. I've eaten at George's less than 10 times in my life and I spent my first 18 years in Waco. It's fine for what it is but it isn't anything special. I fully recognize the hype comes from older folks who went there as a student for super cheap big beers. That's not a thing anymore. It isn't any cheaper than anywhere else and the big o isn't unique anymore. Not worth the wait at all when crowded either. It is by far the 2nd most overrated restaurant in Waco. 2nd only to ninfas

Also unless George's moved their entire operation to a river front spot, it doesn't make sense in my mind. The current spot is only a couple min drive away. They would be competing with themself

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Their second location doesn't seem to hurt the original too much. But a riverfront location would be much closer.

And I agree.... it is a good restaurant but not great.

I would prefer to see some bigger name chains there (the good ones).

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2nd location is all the way over in the Hewitt/woodway area correct? That's pretty far removed from the original and serving a different geographic client base which is why it doesn't have issues

Swart Dra said:

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cowboycwr said:

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T-REX said:

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CorsicanaBear said:

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Hell no to Georges. Something nice with decent food and a decent selection of libations. A true higher end Mexican establishment on the order of El Tiempo would be great. Any Pappas concept. They are probably going after a national concept of some type, don't know if they will get it.

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Agreed. I've eaten at George's less than 10 times in my life and I spent my first 18 years in Waco. It's fine for what it is but it isn't anything special. I fully recognize the hype comes from older folks who went there as a student for super cheap big beers. That's not a thing anymore. It isn't any cheaper than anywhere else and the big o isn't unique anymore. Not worth the wait at all when crowded either. It is by far the 2nd most overrated restaurant in Waco. 2nd only to ninfas

Also unless George's moved their entire operation to a river front spot, it doesn't make sense in my mind. The current spot is only a couple min drive away. They would be competing with themself

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Their second location doesn't seem to hurt the original too much. But a riverfront location would be much closer.

And I agree.... it is a good restaurant but not great.

I would prefer to see some bigger name chains there (the good ones).

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I've heard of people like you, just never knew they really existed.

Why would you want to fill a unique dining destination with very bland, corporate, repeats that are everywhere.

I'm guessing you live in Plano.

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So you want a no name restaurant there? You don't like a single chain?

So yeah I would like to fill a unique dining location with something that will last. There are lots of options that could go there that are not "bland corporate repeats" as you say.

And clearly you are in the minority as the corporate repeats make lots of money, open lots of locations and do well.

I dont know what is meant by bigger name chains. Things are changing of course but Waco does not have the demographic for the chains you see in major metropolitan areas or on Disney or Universal properties. But again I'm not sure what is meant by big name chains.

.....and many of us stay away from "big chains". Why? No local ownership. Just employees.

Give me locally owned, independent places any day.

I'll take 135 Prime, de Camplis and Georges any day.

CTbruin said:

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.....and many of us stay away from "big chains". Why? No local ownership. Just employees.

Give me locally owned, independent places any day.

I'll take 135 Prime, de Camplis and Georges any day.

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Well these two also create food that is easily better than the "fancy" national chains.

Swart Dra said:

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cowboycwr said:

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T-REX said:

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CorsicanaBear said:

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Hell no to Georges. Something nice with decent food and a decent selection of libations. A true higher end Mexican establishment on the order of El Tiempo would be great. Any Pappas concept. They are probably going after a national concept of some type, don't know if they will get it.

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Agreed. I've eaten at George's less than 10 times in my life and I spent my first 18 years in Waco. It's fine for what it is but it isn't anything special. I fully recognize the hype comes from older folks who went there as a student for super cheap big beers. That's not a thing anymore. It isn't any cheaper than anywhere else and the big o isn't unique anymore. Not worth the wait at all when crowded either. It is by far the 2nd most overrated restaurant in Waco. 2nd only to ninfas

Also unless George's moved their entire operation to a river front spot, it doesn't make sense in my mind. The current spot is only a couple min drive away. They would be competing with themself

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Their second location doesn't seem to hurt the original too much. But a riverfront location would be much closer.

And I agree.... it is a good restaurant but not great.

I would prefer to see some bigger name chains there (the good ones).

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I've heard of people like you, just never knew they really existed.

Why would you want to fill a unique dining destination with very bland, corporate, repeats that are everywhere.

I'm guessing you live in Plano.

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because they allow babies to dine in

trey3216 said:

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CTbruin said:

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.....and many of us stay away from "big chains". Why? No local ownership. Just employees.

Give me locally owned, independent places any day.

I'll take 135 Prime, de Camplis and Georges any day.

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Says someone who was practically brought to tears when Johnny Carino's went out of business...

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Yep

Went there most Monday nights with my late wife and two other couples in the bar. Drank wine and feasted on Italian nachos.

And then one week the door was locked. Ran into the manager a while later. He was surprised too. So much for locals and local management.

Oh yeah. Art Briles was there on some Mondays.

The food was just okay. But we loved Monday in the bar with friends.

CTbruin said:

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trey3216 said:

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CTbruin said:

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.....and many of us stay away from "big chains". Why? No local ownership. Just employees.

Give me locally owned, independent places any day.

I'll take 135 Prime, de Camplis and Georges any day.

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Says someone who was practically brought to tears when Johnny Carino's went out of business...

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Yep

Went there most Monday nights with my late wife and two other couples in the bar. Drank wine and feasted on Italian nachos.

And then one week the door was locked. Ran into the manager a while later. He was surprised too. So much for locals and local management.

Oh yeah. Art Briles was there on some Mondays.

The food was just okay. But we loved Monday in the bar with friends.

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I know brother. I have to rib you about it sometimes. All in fun

CTbruin said:

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trey3216 said:

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CTbruin said:

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.....and many of us stay away from "big chains". Why? No local ownership. Just employees.

Give me locally owned, independent places any day.

I'll take 135 Prime, de Camplis and Georges any day.

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Says someone who was practically brought to tears when Johnny Carino's went out of business...

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Yep

Went there most Monday nights with my late wife and two other couples in the bar. Drank wine and feasted on Italian nachos.

And then one week the door was locked. Ran into the manager a while later. He was surprised too. So much for locals and local management.

Oh yeah. Art Briles was there on some Mondays.

The food was just okay. But we loved Monday in the bar with friends.

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That sounds nice CT. I am sorry for your loss. Chuy's serves that purpose for me and my wife. (Well the pandemic has curtailed that substantially still for now). But that is our place for that type of thing.

I actually liked the food at Carinos though.

I'm guessing that because the riverfront will be a 'tourist' area and because of Catalyst's relationships, it will be a regional chain with a name that tourists recognize.