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Downtown OG Closes
The Hennepin Avenue Olive Garden has closed. There are probably two ways to look at this: 1. Slow evening traffic reflects downtown consumers are fading or 2. Consumers are choosing to eat at local establishments instead of suburbanesque chains. I choose to see this as option 2.
23 Reader Comments
Oh no, now where will I get my all you can eat breadsticks in a safe, family fun environment?
Now I can't play Cheese Chicken without going to the suburbs.
Goddamnit. Now I have to go back to the Roseville location.
Alexis might be the only pro-OG person I know.
(Oh wait, Klosterman too. Nevermind.)
I refuse to take any crap for it, too. I'm not saying the whole menu is key, but a couple of things are pretty damn tasty. And, come on. Unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks for $5.95? Get right outta town.
The closing sort of pissed me off. I had made reservations on the Wednesday before it closed for the next Monday for some people in the office. When they got there it was just closed! I didn't get a call or anything saying maybe I should make a new reservation somewhere else. Classy Act that OG.
I feel sorry for the employees too, who probably showed up for thier shifts and the place was locked up with no warning.
I do not know if this is true or not, but I was told by a local real-estate attorney that the downtown restaurant had a special "Urban Olive Garden" decor that was had only been used in Minneapolis and New York, NY. So, in many ways, losing Olive Garden is like losing Aquavit.
I wonder what will go into that space.
Bring back the Nankin!
Do you think if they brought the Nankin back I could have a couple of Wander's Punch for lunch and still make it through the rest of the day?
When I'm at Olive Garden I'm family. Henceforth downtown will be the loveless marriage of my culinary experience.
surprised it lasted as long as it did honestly.
only people who probably frequented it was downtown workers during the day, and even then, maybe just the ones longing for their suburban fare.
i have nothing against OG's food, it is what it is, and as pointed out above, relatively cheap. but i'll admit it is kind of a fun target for rants about suburbanites ;)
Maybe a little off topic but i've always referred to places like Olive Garden, TGI Friday's, etc. as amnesia restaurants. It's like one day you wake up and say, 'mmmm, I could go for some riblets [insert onion blossom, fettucine alfredo, etc. here].' but then when you get there you think 'This is the worst food I've ever eaten!'
A couple months later the feeling comes back again, with no memory of the actual experience. I'm convinced it's something in the salt.
Oh, and without latticework on Hennepin the downtown OG never felt that inviting anyway.
I don't think OG, or Friday's for that matter has that bad of food. I just can't fathom why anyone would come downtown and likely pay to park and eat at restaurants they can eat at (with free parking) anywhere else in the city and at half a bazillion locations outside it.
I'm just thinking out loud here, but I've lived in Uptown for two years now and not once have I gone out to eat downtown. How about something unique?
Exactly, Kevin! I hate latticework and iceberg lettuce!! But ummmm, breadsticks and corporate cock. MNspeak rocks!
Sorry, I meant, "Exactly, Kristoff!" and not "Exactly, Kevin!" Now that I think about it, however: Are you in favor of latticework, Kevin? Don't be, man. Don't.
Latticework is acceptable when used properly, much like crackcocaine. Oh, wait...
I'm firmly in the Pro-OG camp with Alexis and Klosterman. Good company, if you ask me.
I am eagerly anticipating the C.Klosterman op-ed arguing that it was wrong for some to grieve the passing of Goodfellow's when TGI Friday's and Olive Garden meant to much to so many more.
R.I.P. O.G., and may a similar fate befall all venues that target our base instincts: lots of crap food for cheap.
Recently I was at Country Kitchen, and I heard a old lady say: "This restaraunt has the best food, and its not like I have to go to a real fancy place like the Olive Garden to get what I want."
I thought that was too funny.
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