Attaboy, Eddie!
Eddie's No. 3 lands in Chisholm Creek confident it can crack the code on Tract 30 corner
On the eve of the grand opening of the third location of his eponymous restaurant, Eddie Wrenn’s confidence was palpable.
“I got a good feeling about this one,” he said last Friday in the upstairs lounge in the new Eddie’s in Chisholm Creek. “When people get a feel for what we do … Got a special feeling about this place.”
“Unbelievable,” he said before corralling his daughter Brittany Raines, beverage director for the family business, for a quick photo behind the bar. “She’s such a big part of this.”
Wrenn replaced the former Yo! Pablo on Ollie to open location number two earlier this year, but the new spot taking over where a pair of barbecue concepts couldn’t make it is by far the most spectacular.
“People ask me if I’m worried a couple of places didn’t make it,” referring to Iron Star Urban Barbecue and Bandee’s BBQ. “When people get a feel for what we do, the way we take care of them? The menu?”
Eddie’s Restaurant is a throwback to the 1980s. When Norman Brinker used Chili’s to spread the gospel of babyback, babyback, babyback ribs across the country and partnered them with a menu of bulky burgers, enormous entrees and apps aplenty for the whole family. And Eddie, who grew up near Buffalo, New York, not only happens to be from the wing capital of the world, he actually grew up working in ground-zero for Buffalo Wings.
Turns out when Eddie was a fledgling teen he took a job at The Elbow Room in Buffalo, New York. His growing passion for wings took him also to The Anchor Bar, where Buffalo Wings proper purportedly originated. The selection his restaurants carry is second to none.
Fast-forward to 2015, and Wrenn, 51, is opening his first iteration of Eddie’s in the basement of what once had been a hotel across from the University of Central Oklahoma Campus.
The key to his success?
“No airport service,” he said. “When you come in here, it’s ‘How are you doing?’ How’s your day?’ No blank stares or ‘right this ways.’”
Wrenn has five restaurants altogether. Hott Wings continues to pump out his specialty while The Lounge offers an elevated menu.
The new Eddie’s in Chisholm Creek has one thing neither of the other do: a second-floor lounge. The stage Bandee’s installed is gone, but there is live music on the weekends. Just no bands.
“Wanted to do something less noisy,” Wrenn said. “This is a beautiful setting up here with the patio. Music is great, we just wanted people to be able to have a conversation, if they want.”
Eddie’s is open seven days a week, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday. They close at midnight on Friday and Saturday. Sunday are 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“Up in Edmond they shut the city down around 9 o’clock,” Wrenn laughed. “But I’m thinking this one will go pretty late.”
The new Eddie’s continues the recent burst of openings in Chisholm Creek, following Twenty Pho Hour Café, and a new Spark. Speaking of Spark, the new Nichols Hills location will be up and running next Tuesday. …
Two decades of East Coast Style
Don’t look now, but Rococo is about to turn 20 years old. Chef/owner Bruce Rinehart has a celebration planned for June 20. The big day will begin with an event in the original Rococo space, now aVenune. Bruce promises menu items from the early years, giveaways and more from 5 to 7 p.m. Then the party moves to Rococo on Western where a special Driftwood Menu will be in play. Rock Island will provide live music while grilling swordfish and kebabs and passing firecracker shrimp. There will be a raffle for dinner for six, and a dunk tank. All that goes 7 to 10 p.m.
Rococo knows how to throw a party. From annual clambakes to Paella on the Patio last Wednesday, Bruce and his staff have it down.
Last week, Rococo executive chef David Sullivan hosted the aforementioned Paella on the Patio event, which he’s been doing for nine years. Sully said he started the party way back when he was at Hensley’s Top Shelf Grill in Yukon, then continued it at Castle Falls. Don’t’ feel bad about missing this one, Sullivan does more than one a year.
“We’ll probably do another one in the fall,” he said. “Just depends on the weather.”
Thanks, please drive through
Some of you might remember the Honduran restaurant Misasa Latin Grill just north of Northwest Classen High School. It opened back in 2021, but is currently closed. Honduran chef/owner Samuel Bueso is determined to get back open. He held a preview for the grand reopening two weeks ago and said he’ll need a couple more before official opening. These empanadas were mighty fine and worth the wait. …
As paying subscribers learned last week, Xi Lian officially closed last week in Midtown. Look for it to return under a new name, bearing soup dumplings. …