The Elite Cafe back in the 60's. My dad would always take me there before or after the football games. The Red Snapper was the best on the planet.

ABC BEAR said:

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whitetrash said:

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WacoKelly83 said:

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I think I remember some details about that place. It was in a converted house behind the old Knights of Columbus Hall that sat directly behind the current home of Starbucks and Extraco Bank (which originally was the parking lot area of the hall). It had really good chicken fried steak and some of the best mashed potatoes I can remember. Kind of a Northwood Inn clone. Not sure about liquor sales

Does that sound familiar? No idea what the name was.

Another place I remember that is seldom mentioned is O'Phalens. It was located in the Bosque Square Shopping Center at Hwy 6 and Bosque. Was a local outpost of the original that was in Temple. Kind of Chili's-like. Anyone have any memories of this place?

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For a brief period in 1982 O'Phelans was known for its 3 for 1 happy hour on Thursdays. Anyone who went has no memory of it.

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.....or how they got home.

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Or whom they got home with...

PartyBear said:

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Yes Kettle is/was a chain similar to Denny's but not as popular and widespread. The specific one you are talking about opened around Fall of 91 and left around 96 but could have been some other year of the late 90s.

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I believe it went Sambos (70's) to The Kettle (80's) where the Wells Fargo bank building sits currently off Wooded Acres. Then, Howie's (80's) opened where the 7-11 is now located that the intersection of Hwys 6 and 84 and Howies then became The Kettle in the early 90's.

So biblically, it would be Sambos begat The Kettle, which begat Howie's, which begat The Kettle, which begat 7-11.

Here's another restaurant memory: Trevino's in the Lake Air Mall. I want to say it was owned by the same family that currently owns another Mexican restaurant in the Waco area.

Speaking of Lake Air Mall, this may jog some memories:

https://wacotexashistoryinpictures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/210301-march-2021-magazine.pdf

Yogi said:

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Here's another restaurant memory: Trevino's in the Lake Air Mall. I want to say it was owned by the same family that currently owns another Mexican restaurant in the Waco area.

Speaking of Lake Air Mall, this may jog some memories:

https://wacotexashistoryinpictures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/210301-march-2021-magazine.pdf

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They moved around a bit. They were in Diamond Point in the old Mr. Gatti's then moved to Lake Air Mall. After that they were on Hewitt Dr. in Midway Plaza near Keith's Hardware, then they moved out to China Spring Highway. That closed 10 or so years ago and that's the last I knew of them.

The Kettle that I thought the poster was asking about was the one on 340and 84 across from Richland Mall. The building was built as a Kettle in 91. The building was torn down maybe 15 years ago, maybe even longer ago, and the 7/11 that is now at the location there was built in its' place.

PartyBear said:

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The Kettle that I thought the poster was asking about was the one on 340and 84 across from Richland Mall. The building was built as a Kettle in 91. The building was torn down maybe 15 years ago, maybe even longer ago, and the 7/11 that is now at the location there was built in its' place.

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Yeah, that began its life as a grill called "Howie's".

The chain went down years ago.

Howies had a pretty mean breakfast buffet. Went there several times before school in 1992/93

Perhaps the building was built to be a Howie's in 91. I remember eating there twice for a breakfast buffet. Once around Dec 91 right after it opened and once about this time of year in 95. I remembered it as a Kettle though both times I was there.

Yogi said:

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PartyBear said:

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Yes Kettle is/was a chain similar to Denny's but not as popular and widespread. The specific one you are talking about opened around Fall of 91 and left around 96 but could have been some other year of the late 90s.

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I believe it went Sambos (70's) to The Kettle (80's) where the Wells Fargo bank building sits currently off Wooded Acres. Then, Howie's (80's) opened where the 7-11 is now located that the intersection of Hwys 6 and 84 and Howies then became The Kettle in the early 90's.

So biblically, it would be Handy Dan begat Sambos, which begat The Kettle, which begat Howie's, which begat The Kettle, which begat 7-11.

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FIFY

I was in love with the egg rolls and egg drip soup at a Hunan style Chinese place in a little boxy building on the south side of Valley Mills Drive, about half way out West if you were heading toward the lake. This was like 83 to 86 or so. I cannot remember the name if the place.

I can also remember the buzz around the opening of People's on Valley Mills.

Peoples was pretty popular in the 1986 time period Despite it being popular, I do not remember it being there very long. The Elite also had a renaissance under new ownership that began around late spring early summer of 86 that lasted perhaps about 5 years.

Yogi said:

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Here's another restaurant memory: Trevino's in the Lake Air Mall. I want to say it was owned by the same family that currently owns another Mexican restaurant in the Waco area.

Speaking of Lake Air Mall, this may jog some memories:

https://wacotexashistoryinpictures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/210301-march-2021-magazine.pdf

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Had many of meals at the Piccadilly Cafeteria in Lake Air Mall. My dad loved that placed. Of course it was a real treat when we ate at the Piccadilly Cafeteria in Highland Park.

blueskymesa said:

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Yogi said:

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Here's another restaurant memory: Trevino's in the Lake Air Mall. I want to say it was owned by the same family that currently owns another Mexican restaurant in the Waco area.

Speaking of Lake Air Mall, this may jog some memories:

https://wacotexashistoryinpictures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/210301-march-2021-magazine.pdf

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Had many of meals at the Piccadilly Cafeteria in Lake Air Mall. My dad loved that placed. Of course it was a real treat when we ate at the Piccadilly Cafeteria in Highland Park.

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What were all the Piccadilly locations? We had Lake Air and Richland Malls with one at some point I know that much. Were there any others or were those all Luby's and Underwood's?

BaylorHistory said:

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blueskymesa said:

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Yogi said:

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Here's another restaurant memory: Trevino's in the Lake Air Mall. I want to say it was owned by the same family that currently owns another Mexican restaurant in the Waco area.

Speaking of Lake Air Mall, this may jog some memories:

https://wacotexashistoryinpictures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/210301-march-2021-magazine.pdf

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Had many of meals at the Piccadilly Cafeteria in Lake Air Mall. My dad loved that placed. Of course it was a real treat when we ate at the Piccadilly Cafeteria in Highland Park.

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What were all the Piccadilly locations? We had Lake Air and Richland Malls with one at some point I know that much. Were there any others or were those all Luby's and Underwood's?

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The first Piccadilly in town was on Austin between 7th and 8th in the space that is now the outdoor patio for the wine bar. The reason that space is open and not a storefront is because that location burned in Spring 1968 and was never rebuilt.

Second location was at Lake Air Mall in 1961. I too ate there once or twice a week as a little kid until I was in HS. It lasted until the mall was redeveloped in about 2000 or 2001. It moved for 5-6 years into the old Underwood's building further down VM (that is now EOAC) until Piccadilly retrenched out of Texas in about 2007 or so.

Richland Mall location opened at the end near Penney's in 1980, but was never as good as the Lake Air one. Can't remember when it closed, but it didn't last as long as the Lake Air one.

Piccadilly still exists in Louisiana, where it originated. Last time I ate at one was in Baton Rouge on the way to the 2020 Sugar Bowl. I even regressed and got my standard order I used to get as a little kid (chopped steak, mashed potatoes, corn, lemon Jello).


BTW--that was Highland Park Cafeteria, not Piccadilly in HP. It died around 1994 or 1995.

As a kid I remember thinking that my classic go to of Fried Chicken, Macaroni, and Mashed Potatoes was better at Piccadilly than it was at Luby's, but I never complained about eating at either. Always a good time.

There was a little restaurant in the shopping center at 6 and bosque called show room cafe in the late 90's. That place was pretty good.

Also, the brazos club had its moment when it was really good as well.

whitetrash said:

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BaylorHistory said:

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blueskymesa said:

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Yogi said:

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Here's another restaurant memory: Trevino's in the Lake Air Mall. I want to say it was owned by the same family that currently owns another Mexican restaurant in the Waco area.

Speaking of Lake Air Mall, this may jog some memories:

https://wacotexashistoryinpictures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/210301-march-2021-magazine.pdf

---

Had many of meals at the Piccadilly Cafeteria in Lake Air Mall. My dad loved that placed. Of course it was a real treat when we ate at the Piccadilly Cafeteria in Highland Park.

---

What were all the Piccadilly locations? We had Lake Air and Richland Malls with one at some point I know that much. Were there any others or were those all Luby's and Underwood's?

---

The first Piccadilly in town was on Austin between 7th and 8th in the space that is now the outdoor patio for the wine bar. The reason that space is open and not a storefront is because that location burned in Spring 1968 and was never rebuilt.

Second location was at Lake Air Mall in 1961. I too ate there once or twice a week as a little kid until I was in HS. It lasted until the mall was redeveloped in about 2000 or 2001. It moved for 5-6 years into the old Underwood's building further down VM (that is now EOAC) until Piccadilly retrenched out of Texas in about 2007 or so.

Richland Mall location opened at the end near Penney's in 1980, but was never as good as the Lake Air one. Can't remember when it closed, but it didn't last as long as the Lake Air one.

Piccadilly still exists in Louisiana, where it originated. Last time I ate at one was in Baton Rouge on the way to the 2020 Sugar Bowl. I even regressed and got my standard order I used to get as a little kid (chopped steak, mashed potatoes, corn, lemon Jello).


BTW--that was Highland Park Cafeteria, not Piccadilly in HP. It died around 1994 or 1995.

Ahh Yes, thanks for the reminder. Did it have a second level too or am I just misremembering things.

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Does anyone remember a restaurant from perhaps 88-89 in the space where now is a Cafe Cappuccino in the Liberty Building on 6th Street called SOS?

I thought that was pretty good. It tried to make a go as a fairly nice restaurant when down town was nothing remotely close to what it is now.

Wasn't a restaurant by any means, but a little shack south of the B-school on 4th street with a good BBQ sandwich …. the Jailhouse. Anyone else ever stop by there?

And still open but it has changed a little bit is the Lone Star Tavern. Was a favorite in the 70's. Do people still go there?

And the original Heitmillers (not the fancy one)… pretty good when the Heitmillers owned it. Expansion of 35 took the original out. The "new, fancy one" was good the last time I ate there… but a whole different experience!

Fat Daddy said:

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Wasn't a restaurant by any means, but a little shack south of the B-school on 4th street with a good BBQ sandwich …. the Jailhouse. Anyone else ever stop by there?

And still open but it has changed a little bit is the Lone Star Tavern. Was a favorite in the 70's. Do people still go there?

And the original Heitmillers (not the fancy one)… pretty good when the Heitmillers owned it. Expansion of 35 took the original out. The "new, fancy one" was good the last time I ate there… but a whole different experience!

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. . . and the owner at Heitmiller's, KK, used to walk around the dining room with his hands about waist-high, barely waving his fingers, checking to see if everything was all right at each table. Service. Always about service. I liked it.

Fat Daddy said:

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And still open but it has changed a little bit is the Lone Star Tavern. Was a favorite in the 70's. Do people still go there?

And the original Heitmillers (not the fancy one)… pretty good when the Heitmillers owned it. Expansion of 35 took the original out. The "new, fancy one" was good the last time I ate there… but a whole different experience!

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Went to Lone Star Tavern for dinner after a hoops game a couple of years ago. It was really crowded. Friendly service. Old school place for sure.

It must have new owners since we tried to go about 15 years ago. When we went it was kind of like the earth version of the Cantina in Mos Isley. The place did not appear to be the type of place Baylor folks in town for a game would go to. We went with another couple there and ended up leaving before ordering, not due to the people but because it was chokingly smoke filled and the other couple we were with were actually smokers and they were overwhelmed.

blueskymesa said:

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Yogi said:

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Here's another restaurant memory: Trevino's in the Lake Air Mall. I want to say it was owned by the same family that currently owns another Mexican restaurant in the Waco area.

Speaking of Lake Air Mall, this may jog some memories:

https://wacotexashistoryinpictures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/210301-march-2021-magazine.pdf

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Had many of meals at the Piccadilly Cafeteria in Lake Air Mall. My dad loved that placed. Of course it was a real treat when we ate at the Piccadilly Cafeteria in Highland Park.

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My favorite thing about the Lake Air Piccadilly was the conveyor belt for the dirty dishes. Loved that thing.

Sometimes, we would go to the Richland location. Used to sit in the non-smoking section there near the entrance. I wish I had pictures. That place screamed 1980's.

PartyBear said:

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Peoples was pretty popular in the 1986 time period Despite it being popular, I do not remember it being there very long. The Elite also had a renaissance under new ownership that began around late spring early summer of 86 that lasted perhaps about 5 years.

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Where was it? There as a Peoples open in my home town for about a year maybe.

PartyBear said:

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Perhaps the building was built to be a Howie's in 91. I remember eating there twice for a breakfast buffet. Once around Dec 91 right after it opened and once about this time of year in 95. I remembered it as a Kettle though both times I was there.

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Okay I think I sort of remember Howie's ... but no idea where it was ....

Harrison Bergeron said:

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PartyBear said:

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Peoples was pretty popular in the 1986 time period Despite it being popular, I do not remember it being there very long. The Elite also had a renaissance under new ownership that began around late spring early summer of 86 that lasted perhaps about 5 years.

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Where was it? There as a Peoples open in my home town for about a year maybe.

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Valley Mills and Bosque, next to the Chevy dealer. In the space that was later Pancho's, then Shogun, and now Abuelita's.

Harrison Bergeron said:

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PartyBear said:

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Perhaps the building was built to be a Howie's in 91. I remember eating there twice for a breakfast buffet. Once around Dec 91 right after it opened and once about this time of year in 95. I remembered it as a Kettle though both times I was there.

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Okay I think I sort of remember Howie's ... but no idea where it was ....

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Where the 7-11 is now at 84 and 6. When it was being built we were all excited thinking it was going to be a Black-Eyed Pea, then it turned out to be just another Denny's knockoff.

whitetrash said:

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Harrison Bergeron said:

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PartyBear said:

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Perhaps the building was built to be a Howie's in 91. I remember eating there twice for a breakfast buffet. Once around Dec 91 right after it opened and once about this time of year in 95. I remembered it as a Kettle though both times I was there.

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Okay I think I sort of remember Howie's ... but no idea where it was ....

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Where the 7-11 is now at 84 and 6. When it was being built we were all excited thinking it was going to be a Black-Eyed Pea, then it turned out to be just another Denny's knockoff.

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It could not hold a candle to Shoney's

Well…,a black eye pea did come in about 6 months later around spring of 92.

Shoney's was good for breakfast buffet. It only lasted 3 years if I recall correctly. It opened around Fall of 93/spring of 94 maybe? It was gone at some point during 97 I believe. The building then became a Jim's in 98 and that didn't last but about a year at the most perhaps. Then if I recall correctly the building was then vacant until it was removed along with everything else on that corner around 2000 to create the Vision 2012 green space around campus which lasted for about 20 years before Baylor began it's own construction on that corner.

A little foot note on Jim's. It was at the time and may still be a long time popular SA diner, that I guess experimented with trying to become a regional chain. I only saw two outside of SA. The one mentioned in Waco and the Shoney's in Temple on 35 was one for about the same time period as the one in Waco. I am not sure if they are still around in SA or not. The one I remember there was a rather large one that looked like it was from the 50s or 60s or so on Leon Valley Rd and 410. It had the look of something like that old "Big Boy" in LA that has been in movies such as "PUlp Fiction". For some reason I am thinking it was no longer there when I was last driving by that spot a couple of years ago.

I remember Jim's.