BaylorHistory said:

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Brian Ethridge said:

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trey3216 said:

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cowboycwr said:

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trey3216 said:

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cowboycwr said:

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trey3216 said:

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A Grateful Bear said:

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Someone suggested that inability to pull weekday lunch crowds to that location is its Achilles heal.

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*heel

But that's what a lot of people say. Of course, Lula Jane's, Tony D's, and Jasper's would argue against that. IT's all about perception.

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Those are established favorites though that people will drive to. A new restaurant, even a chain, off by itself will often get forgotten about when people start discussing lunch options.

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Of course. But it's not as if it takes longer to get to that location than it does the 3 I mentioned. It's the fickle Waco mindset that "it's far off" or some crap. Just like how CenTex Marketplace is "far from Hewitt/Woodway" when it's 5 damn minutes away.

Some folks' sense of time, direction, and form of entertainment around here just absolutely crack me up.

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Depending on where a person is coming from I would agree. Jasper's is one block from 35. Manny's a little further.

I would say the other obstacle is the crunch that some people are under for lunch. Some don't have enough time to drive 10 extra minutes (total) and sit waiting for food.

I agree with you though that nothing in Waco is really that far. Just that a restaurant by itself gets forgotten about, is left out at lunch time because of time constraints, etc.

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I'm talking about driving across the river from downtown to eat lunch. It takes the same amount of time to get to 'Manny's' as it does Jasper's. Maybe less. It's all about perception

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I always wondered if old Waco had issues driving on that side of the river at night. I know it was not a great or even good area while growing up, but I never had issues on Elm, Clay, etc.

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I know growing up in Robinson I knew some older people who believed that going downtown was reserved for the weekends because of the distance. My great grandparents would often stay the night in Hillsboro when the outlet mall first open because the drive was too much for one day.

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Or so they said...

The Corner

I was there from '73-'78. Favorite food related memories:

• The fabulous croutons at Black Angus on the circle.
• Turkey fries, cheap pitchers, and the first Pong video game I recall ever seeing at Mother's.
• Cheese burger basket and a Big O at George's for about $2.00 (and before the addition).
• The McDonald's on 35 was one of the first I can recall ever going to (imagine a world without McD).
• Double crust pizza at Poppa Rollo's and the 3 Stooges.
• Long late night coffee fueled group sessions at Denny's.
• Discount coupons for Bonanza on Sunday night when Penland cafeteria was closed.
• Can't remember the name, but a couple of BU students (I think) started a little soup and sandwich place around 5th and James that had absolutely the best blue cheese dressing ever and a really good salad bar.

Rog said:

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Bear Doc said:

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TrapIt4Life said:

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Rog said:

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It's a newer one and only made it a couple of years, but I really miss the brisket tacos and atmosphere at Manny's on the river... It's too bad they couldn't sort out the ownership/partnership/management agreement to make it work, it does well in Dallas and should have done well in Waco.

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That location looks so sad and empty now. Kayaked by it a few times in the last couple weeks and it just looks like a cursed abandoned Mexican carnival ground.

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I thought that place was going to be prime for Magnolia to pick it up and open like a Casa de Magnolia del Rio or something similar. They would print money there (as if their money printing machine needs any help)...

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As much as I love what Chip and Joanna have done and are doing for Waco, I really don't want to wake up one day and have everything be Magnolia this or Magnolia that. Would love to see other investors follow the lead of them and others(Turner brothers have done a ton downtown) that have shown you can reap benefits of your investment in Waco.

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I don't think anyone wants their redevelopment chips all in one basket, like Magnolia, but the reality is they have the resources and ambition to try things that might fail...because they can afford it...that would scare off others. So I'm thankful for every one of their endeavors, most of which wouldn't be tried by anyone else...at least not yet.

Fort Worth hated how the Bass Family "took over" downtown. But today, they are credited with what has become a tremendous 30 year renaissance of the city.

Pancho's. Their flautas and sopapillas were the best!

BellCountyBear said:

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Pancho's. Their flautas and sopapillas were the best!

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And when Panchos was around, you couldn't find a cat within ten blocks of the place. They finally got closed down by the health department.

EWSD said:

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Oso Burrito. Nuff said.

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When did that close? I feel like that was the burrito place downtown that had maybe a pool table or two inside...

BellCountyBear said:

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Pancho's. Their flautas and sopapillas were the best!

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Did you mean to type flatus and autocorrect changed it to flautas?

trey3216 said:

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cowboycwr said:

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trey3216 said:

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A Grateful Bear said:

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Someone suggested that inability to pull weekday lunch crowds to that location is its Achilles heal.

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*heel

But that's what a lot of people say. Of course, Lula Jane's, Tony D's, and Jasper's would argue against that. IT's all about perception.

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Those are established favorites though that people will drive to. A new restaurant, even a chain, off by itself will often get forgotten about when people start discussing lunch options.

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Of course. But it's not as if it takes longer to get to that location than it does the 3 I mentioned. It's the fickle Waco mindset that "it's far off" or some crap. Just like how CenTex Marketplace is "far from Hewitt/Woodway" when it's 5 damn minutes away.

Some folks' sense of time, direction, and form of entertainment around here just absolutely crack me up.

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I think Manny's suffered from poor service and food that was very mediocre. I tried it 3-4 times and the food was "so-so" and the service was actually pretty poor. A similar opinion was held by most of my friends and acquaintances. The location was great and they certainly spent some money making it more "Hula-Hut-like", but they just didn't back it up with food and service. Too bad.

Volunteer said:

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trey3216 said:

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cowboycwr said:

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trey3216 said:

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A Grateful Bear said:

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Someone suggested that inability to pull weekday lunch crowds to that location is its Achilles heal.

---

*heel

But that's what a lot of people say. Of course, Lula Jane's, Tony D's, and Jasper's would argue against that. IT's all about perception.

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Those are established favorites though that people will drive to. A new restaurant, even a chain, off by itself will often get forgotten about when people start discussing lunch options.

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Of course. But it's not as if it takes longer to get to that location than it does the 3 I mentioned. It's the fickle Waco mindset that "it's far off" or some crap. Just like how CenTex Marketplace is "far from Hewitt/Woodway" when it's 5 damn minutes away.

Some folks' sense of time, direction, and form of entertainment around here just absolutely crack me up.

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I think Manny's suffered from poor service and food that was very mediocre. I tried it 3-4 times and the food was "so-so" and the service was actually pretty poor. A similar opinion was held by most of my friends and acquaintances. The location was great and they certainly spent some money making it more "Hula-Hut-like", but they just didn't back it up with food and service. Too bad.

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There's no doubt about that. I was merely making the point it's not any further than several other popular eateries. A well-run spot with good food will kill it there.

Did I miss it or has Po' Folks restaurant been mentioned yet? I remember it as ok, not great but seemed to go there way too much.

Really liked Godfather's Pizza, back when carbs weren't an issue!

Not a fan of Hickory Stick...was served a glass of tea with a roach in the bottom. Also had an unpleasant experience at the Elite in the early 80s...our football team ate there after a game, and as we walked in, there was a glass pastry display case at the entrance with pies, cookies, with roaches noticeably crawling around the corners of the case...

One restaurant I don't miss: The Rapid Rabbit on Valley Mills. Who thought that concept was a good idea???

Was a big fan of Wiseguys in Westview Village. Great Chicago style hot beef sandwiches. Closed about 5 or 6 years ago. Poor management seems to be the reason.

witchmo said:

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Italian Village

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FWIW, La Fiesta has added some of Italian Village's menu to its own including the lasagna.

Was there back in the 80s a steakhouse on Franklin up in the area that would now be in the parking lot of the large strip center next to the boat dealership near the VM intersection?

PartyBear said:

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Was there back in the 80s a steakhouse on Franklin up in the area that would now be in the parking lot of the large strip center next to the boat dealership near the VM intersection?

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You're thinking of what was originally Sam Coates, then Old Town, then Rommie (not Ronnie) & Marylou's Our Town. Now CTWP copiers and stuff. Other side of Duncan Buick/Yowell's Boat yard from the strip centers.

Ok that makes sense as to what I was remembering. Was it called Lone Star Steakhouse perhaps around 84?

Tiny Elvis said:

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Did I miss it or has Po' Folks restaurant been mentioned yet? I remember it as ok, not great but seemed to go there way too much.

Really liked Godfather's Pizza, back when carbs weren't an issue!

Not a fan of Hickory Stick...was served a glass of tea with a roach in the bottom. Also had an unpleasant experience at the Elite in the early 80s...our football team ate there after a game, and as we walked in, there was a glass pastry display case at the entrance with pies, cookies, with roaches noticeably crawling around the corners of the case...

One restaurant I don't miss: The Rapid Rabbit on Valley Mills. Who thought that concept was a good idea???

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Where was Po' Folks. I think it closed my freshman year or just before I came to Waco. Was it near Fuddrucker's? In that same shopping center, there was a seafood restaurant that was open like 93-94 ... it was pretty good ... not great but good for seafood in Waco.

Po Folks was where Johnny Carinos was later located. I do not believe the Carino's building which currently houses another business is the same actual building that housed Po Folks.

I do not recall a seafood place there.

Wasn't there a Cotton Patch?

bularry said:

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Wasn't there a Cotton Patch?

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Still there

Corner of Bosque and V Mills. Target parking lot.

PartyBear said:

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Ok that makes sense as to what I was remembering. Was it called Lone Star Steakhouse perhaps around 84?

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Not sure about the year, but yes. There was also one on Sanger and one in Temple.

Does anyone remember the name of the seafood restaurant that was near the corner of New Road and Bosque during the 60's or 70's. Now Ward Liquors, behind Bush's fried chicken. I keep thinking Zuider Zee because it had a windmill as part of the building exterior but I don't know if they ever had a Waco location.

WacoKelly83 said:

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Does anyone remember the name of the seafood restaurant that was near the corner of New Road and Bosque during the 60's or 70's. Now Ward Liquors, behind Bush's fried chicken. I keep thinking Zuider Zee because it had a windmill as part of the building exterior but I don't know if they ever had a Waco location.

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Correct!

Zuider Zee was a chain? I had heard that name as having been a seafood place in that building originally. I assumed it was a local place.

I remember Zuider Zee in Dallas.

What years was the Ward's Liquor a Zuider Zee's?

PartyBear said:

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What years was the Ward's Liquor a Zuider Zee's?

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Zuider Zee was probably gone long before the Dunkin Donuts that became a Polar Bear Ashburns that ultimately became Bush's Chicken was built at the corner in 1974. (Bush's tore down its previous location and the old CVS behind it to build its current location).

Brian Ethridge said:

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Big Daddy's

The Chinese place in Ivy Square.

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Ate so much fried rice from that Chinese place when I lived at the Landing

OsoCoreyell said:

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Tangle wood Farms for breakfast!

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A friend of mine from HS in Victoria and a roommate at the Quad one year and another year at an old house at the corner of 7th & Wood that is no longer there, his Dad opened Tanglewood Farms. He also owned a Wendy's franchise at the time with 10 or so locations. I was at the Tanglewood Farms grand opening.

Steely Dan said:

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TrapIt4Life said:

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Loved me some JT McCords

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Ah yes, home of the Long Island Iced Tea. Many nights at the bar my frosh year in '83.

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My memory is eluding me. Was JT McCords the former Ache & Stale or were they next door to each other or nearby?

Sampi82 said:

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Steely Dan said:

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TrapIt4Life said:

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Loved me some JT McCords

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Ah yes, home of the Long Island Iced Tea. Many nights at the bar my frosh year in '83.

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My memory is eluding me. Was JT McCords the former Ache & Stale or where they next door to each other or nearby?

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Next door. Steak & Ale building still stands next to old Skaggs (which is now Harmony School) and is insurance offices. JTMcCords was torn down and replaced by a quick lube and dry cleaner. The old McCords parking lot is still there behind the cleaners.