Lincolnite

I can understand the expansion of D’Leons. All you need to do is go to one of their locations after the bars close and you’d understand why they are expanding so quickly. There is almost always a line in the drive through, which is more than can be said of most places. Being opened 24 hours is probably what keeps that place in business, but I like the idea of being able to get better quality mexican-style food at any time of the day.

Let me help. The first Boston Market (then Boston Chicken) was in the little strip center between 16th and 17th, I think on P Street. It once housed a Pickles records store. Once housed a MaggieMoo’s. Still houses a Blockbuster. It had a Boston Chicken.

There was the one that stands in front of Best Buy, and there was one in the outlot on N 27th Street in front of Shopko and Menards. I think now it could be a bank, or a Taco Bell or something. It was in that area.

We had 3 at one time. The first time I ate at the one over on 17th Street, I fell in love. The food was awesome, the portions were huge, and the price was right. Much like our old friends at the Garden Cafe, quality and portions shrunk quickly while prices shot up.

I can’t believe I left this out of my original post: I do think the Downtown location will work out for them. I would think they will be packed with drunk 20-somethings at least 3 nights a week. And I know I would have been all over their breakfast items when I worked Downtown. My only concern is speed during the lunch hour. Can they get food out quickly enough to generate a decent turnover?

I completely forgot about the one by Maggie Moo’s. The one by Menards isn’t ringing a bell.

Why did you have to go and bring up Garden Cafe? Damn, I miss that place.

I’d have to drive up to 27th and Superior to peg the location - however, if you look at the physical building in front of Best Buy, there’s a physical building on the NE side of 27th and Superior that matches it. I think it’s a Taco Bell, but it could be a Lincoln Federal Bank. I just don’t drive that way much any more.

I loved having a small ham and cheese omelet with a huge cinnamon roll at Garden Cafe. And, their angel muffins were a thing of glory. They also had a fantastic array of soups, and more varieties of bread pudding than should be allowed by law.

I also think I was remiss in my post at the LJS. I meant to refer to “Hi-Way Diner”, not 24-hour diner. They once had 4 locations in Lincoln alone, and undertook a feasibility study in 1986 or 1987 to determine if they should franchise out from here. Crazy.

When I think of a chain contracting in Lincoln, I think of both Amigo’s and Schlotzky’s.

There used to be a Schlotzky’s downtown where the Starbucks is now, one in Gateway, one about 52nd and O, one up at 27th and Superior and one down around 33rd and Cornhusker. Now I think the only one is the 27th and Superior, which is kind of awkward to get to for being on such a major corner.

Remember when there used to be three separate Amigos locations in downtown alone?

From this and your down-thread comment, it seems like you’re conflating 27th and Cornhusker with 27th and Superior.

As my knowledge of Lincoln before 2000 is largely confined to the State Fair Park environs, I’m no help for nailing down this elusive Boston Market location.

Amigos has contracted as a whole; take a look at their current location map. They’ve entirely abandoned northern and most of western Nebraska.

I’m one that is all about supporting local restaurants.  I have some favorite chains, but I pride myself in finding the hole in the walls.  My problem with Lincoln is that everyone acts like this is a metropolis to drive around in.  I tell friends about a great place on the other side of town and they act as if they had to drive to Omaha. 

So to compensate, I think restaurant owners think they have to have a north, south, east and west location (See Applebee’s).  I think Lincoln could easily support another Outback, but they have done very well with just one location.

We had fun driving over to west O for D’Leons.  Now that it’s everywhere, I don’t think of it as a destination anymore.

I still have no clue why the outback does not have another location.

I agree.  For a chain, it’s by far my favorite and most frequented restaurant in Lincoln.  That’s why we go there on a Tuesday night because it’s impossible on a weekend to get in there.

I agree that Lincoln is no metropolis, but it is a PITA to get around town. Two lane arterials don’t help…but well save that topic for another time and place.

here is a pic of the sign

Sorry - Cornhusker it is. My bad!

It also seems Amigo’s has pretty much abandoned any attempt at quality.

It was before my time, but somebody once told me a Boston Chicken (or maybe it was a Kenny Rogers) was attached to what is now the downtown Holiday Inn.

I think D’Leons will do well downtown, assuming they aren’t paying an arm and a leg for overhead.

Okay - that jogs me. Did we have a Kenny Rogers in the building that has since been “Extreme Motors” or something along those lines just south of the north Home Depot (back when it was Super K)? I swear it was a restaurant. North side of CORNHUSKER, north of where the Subway sits on the south side.

Yes, that was a Kenny Rogers. My high school band teacher loved that place.

Totally agree.  Another outback would be perfect in south or north lincoln.

And not on the restaurant side but in the same area…why is there not another Best Buy in Lincoln?  (unless they’ve added one that I was unaware of)

That place is a pain in the ass to get in and out of during this time of year.

I love these food threads. Makes me hungry!

I must be having a brain lapse…there’s the Amigos at 14th and Q, and there used to be the one at the Miller & Paine food court…where was the third one?

Was it at the Student Union?  Come to think of it…

D’Leon’s on O Street!
...oh sorry, thought this was a Where in Lincoln…

Don’t worry, Nikki. I have a hunch you’ll get Monday’s Where in Lincoln in record time!