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  • Re: Disappearing establishments

    The Oriental Buffet restaurant that recently opened in May at the former site of Jack in the Box at the corner of McCully and Kalakaua in Waikiki has already closed their doors...



    It's been shut down the entire labor day weekend (perhaps even before that), and there's a sign out front looking for a new tenant.

    That was quick. I wonder what happened? Not enough business? They were featured recently on the cover of Advertiser's Dining Out section, but apparently even that wasn't enough. The lease rent there must be ASTRONOMICAL.
    sigpic The Tasty Island

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    • Re: Disappearing establishments

      Originally posted by Pomai View Post
      The Oriental Buffet restaurant that recently opened in May at the former site of Jack in the Box at the corner of McCully and Kalakaua in Waikiki has already closed their doors...



      The lease rent there must be ASTRONOMICAL.

      Another possibility of its FAILURE is it looked too much like the old Jack In The Box the PINK seen in the picture kills their look.
      What could have worked in their favor is they should have made some renovations and tailor it to their look.
      Their business being mentioned in the paper may have been promising but the owners should have gone the extra mile IMO to get their business goin 24/7 with constant advertisting. I hate to see what the INSIDE Looked like.

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      • Re: Disappearing establishments

        Has anyone tried the food at the Oriental Buffet? I went there once and once was enough. They had a $2 off coupon in the Advertiser's Dining Out section in the Sunday paper so I decided to give it a try for lunch. Boy was I disappointed. I know, what can i expect for $8. Apparently, it wasn't much. The only thing decent was the fried chicken wings and sweet sour spareribs. Egg fu yung was tasteless and dry. Sad looking noodles and fried rice. Beef broccoli had no beef. Hot and sour soup was not hot nor was it very sour. Few other items looked so bad I didn't even want to chance them. Dessert was pineapples, papayas, and some kind of cheap looking cake. Biggest disappointment was the drinks. All they had was a soda chiller like the kind you see at the supermarket checkout stands. They had two liter sodas in there that you had to pour your own soda from. Ice (half melted) was placed next to the cups in a couple of water pitchers with a spoon inside. I am not surprised to hear that they closed down. It was not a question of IF but WHEN. Geez, what a dive.

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        • Re: Disappearing establishments

          The screaming neon pink exterior put me off even considering stopping in for a meal. My gut feeling was that anyone who had the bad taste to ruin a perfectly good fast food shell could possibly be in league with the people responsible for shipping deadly pooch vittles to the U.S.
          I kid! I kid! (a little)
          "If it's brown, it's cooked. If it's black, it's f***ed" - G. Ramsey

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          • Re: Disappearing establishments

            I ran into one of Magoo's old bouncers last night at Kelly O'Neals and he mentioned that "The Varsity" will be opening on Friday at the old Magoo's location.

            Can anyone confirm this? I didn't see anything in the papers so I was wondering if anyone knew anything about it.

            He described the renovations that went on since Magoo's closed and if he's right on, then I can't wait to check that place out.
            Tessie, "Nuf Ced" McGreevey shouted
            We're not here to mess around
            Boston, you know we love you madly
            Hear the crowd roar to your sound
            Don't blame us if we ever doubt you
            You know we couldn't live without you
            Tessie, you are the only only only

            Comment


            • Re: Disappearing establishments

              Originally posted by Pomai View Post
              The Oriental Buffet restaurant that recently opened in May at the former site of Jack in the Box at the corner of McCully and Kalakaua in Waikiki has already closed their doors...



              It's been shut down the entire labor day weekend (perhaps even before that), and there's a sign out front looking for a new tenant.

              That was quick. I wonder what happened? Not enough business? They were featured recently on the cover of Advertiser's Dining Out section, but apparently even that wasn't enough. The lease rent there must be ASTRONOMICAL.
              i just read in the PBN that oriental buffet was open only four months and that the monthly rent was a jaw-dropping $30,000. hadunno what the oriental buffet leadership was smoking when they thought they'd have a possibility of breaking even with their kind of restaurant in that expensive of a space.

              Originally posted by Lei Liko View Post
              I ran into one of Magoo's old bouncers last night at Kelly O'Neals and he mentioned that "The Varsity" will be opening on Friday at the old Magoo's location.

              Can anyone confirm this? I didn't see anything in the papers so I was wondering if anyone knew anything about it.

              He described the renovations that went on since Magoo's closed and if he's right on, then I can't wait to check that place out.
              eric, a couple of friends and i went to have dinner at the greek corner at puck's alley. whatever's in the former magoo's spot was still boarded up. but through the boards, we could see the myriad of bar taps, and that made us happy.
              superbia (pride), avaritia (greed), luxuria (lust), invidia (envy), gula (gluttony), ira (wrath) & acedia (sloth)--the seven deadly sins.

              "when you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: the people i deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly..."--meditations, marcus aurelius (make sure you read the rest of the passage, ya lazy wankers!)

              nothing humiliates like the truth.--me, in conversation w/mixedplatebroker re 3rd party, 2009-11-11, 1213

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              • Re: Disappearing establishments

                Originally posted by ericncyn View Post
                i just read in the PBN that oriental buffet was open only four months and that the monthly rent was a jaw-dropping $30,000. hadunno what the oriental buffet leadership was smoking when they thought they'd have a possibility of breaking even with their kind of restaurant in that expensive of a space.
                That's how much it costs to operate The Shack in Hawaii Kai. The only way to cut the cake here is to either stay open late hours like Jack in the Box used to do, and/or sell plenty of liquor and sex (visual eye candy). Or sell $12 hamburgers like they do across the street.

                Shack does all of the above (except the burgers aren't that expensive), and the formula works.
                Last edited by Pomai; September 22, 2007, 09:11 AM. Reason: cheap chow funn vs. expensive burgers
                sigpic The Tasty Island

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                • Re: Disappearing establishments

                  Originally posted by Pomai View Post
                  That's how much it costs to operate The Shack in Hawaii Kai. The only way to cut the cake here is to either stay open late hours like Jack in the Box used to do, and/or sell plenty of liquor and sex (visual eye candy). Or sell $12 hamburgers like they do across the street.

                  Shack does all of the above (except the burgers aren't that expensive), and the formula works.
                  is that how much hawaii kai shack pays for rent alone (as in oriental buffet's case) or is that what it costs to operate on a monthly basis?
                  superbia (pride), avaritia (greed), luxuria (lust), invidia (envy), gula (gluttony), ira (wrath) & acedia (sloth)--the seven deadly sins.

                  "when you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: the people i deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly..."--meditations, marcus aurelius (make sure you read the rest of the passage, ya lazy wankers!)

                  nothing humiliates like the truth.--me, in conversation w/mixedplatebroker re 3rd party, 2009-11-11, 1213

                  Comment


                  • Re: Disappearing establishments

                    Originally posted by ericncyn View Post
                    is that how much hawaii kai shack pays for rent alone (as in oriental buffet's case) or is that what it costs to operate on a monthly basis?
                    Yup. That's the monthly lease rent, not including utilities and, most importantly, OVERHEAD, according to Brendan. I'm not sure what the square footage figures are in comparison to this Waikiki location. But the Shack IS located on the waterfront, which is a HUGE factor. I'll check back with Bren' tomorrow to verify that claim.

                    Seriously, @ $30,000/month, I'd much rather be where Shack is, than at this Waikiki location, which is mostly just surrounded by automobile traffic and pedestrians on another mission (but to go there). Plus, in Hawaii Kai you have the regulars (like me), a sense of being part of a community and a much slower pace vs. being stuck in a hurried urban jungle.

                    Go check out the The Shack Hawaii Kai. It's such a cool place, and the burgers are great. They need to renovate the bathrooms though. Other than that, solid.

                    Imagine what Roy's pays for that huge upper-floor corner space in front of Hawaii Kai Towne Center overlooking Maunalua Bay. Ouch! And he's been there for years. Every night that place slams, so there ya' go.
                    Last edited by Pomai; September 22, 2007, 10:09 AM. Reason: moved link
                    sigpic The Tasty Island

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                    • Re: Disappearing establishments

                      Originally posted by Pomai View Post

                      Imagine what Roy's pays for that huge upper-floor corner space in front of Hawaii Kai Towne Center overlooking Maunalua Bay. Ouch! And he's been there for years. Every night that place slams, so there ya' go.

                      My classmate in Hilo who owns a restaurant gave me a $50.00 Roy's gift-card. That wasn't enough to cover even one of us when I used it for my AF's birthday.

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                      • Re: Disappearing establishments

                        Originally posted by Pomai View Post
                        Go check out the The Shack Hawaii Kai. It's such a cool place, and the burgers are great. They need to renovate the bathrooms though.
                        Remember when the bathrooms were upstairs, before The Shack expanded? (Maybe the old ones are still upstairs. Last time I ate there, I used the newer bathrooms downstairs. They were clean at the time.)
                        Now I frequent The Shack in Kailua instead of the Hawaii Kai location, just because it's so much closer. (It's not on the water, though, darn it.)
                        No matter which location, I'm a big fan of The Shack.
                        Ask me what two things I'd want if I got stranded on a desert island, and I'd say The Shack, and Bob's Big Boy.
                        .
                        .

                        That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

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                        • Re: Disappearing establishments

                          BOB'S BIG BOY .............. now, there's a place I haven't been to for YEARS, no, make that DECADES! I don't frequent the Mapunapuna area that much, though I whiz by on the H-1 almost daily.

                          I may give them a try as I'll be taking one of my clients to lunch next week. He works in the area.

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                          • Re: Disappearing establishments

                            Originally posted by Pomai View Post

                            Go check out the The Shack Hawaii Kai.

                            i'm familiar, thank you. and eric? chances are very good you and he have breathed the same air on numerous occasions if you go there often.

                            beer, wings, burgers--always a seductive combo.

                            cheap, poorly cooked chinese food highlighted by screaming neon pink? not so sexy.
                            superbia (pride), avaritia (greed), luxuria (lust), invidia (envy), gula (gluttony), ira (wrath) & acedia (sloth)--the seven deadly sins.

                            "when you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: the people i deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly..."--meditations, marcus aurelius (make sure you read the rest of the passage, ya lazy wankers!)

                            nothing humiliates like the truth.--me, in conversation w/mixedplatebroker re 3rd party, 2009-11-11, 1213

                            Comment


                            • Re: Disappearing establishments

                              Don't know if this was posted earlier in the thread (should search, but...honeslty, lazy) I apologize.

                              Anyways, when I moved home 'bout two years ago I was disappointed that there no longer was

                              WASHINGTON SAIMIN on King Street.
                              SEI'S on Waialae.
                              KC DRIVE INN on Kapahulu (again, I ate my first waffle dog at the original location).

                              and...WISTERIA was closing!
                              ___
                              "Be god to each other."

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                              • Re: Disappearing establishments

                                Originally posted by ericncyn View Post

                                eric, a couple of friends and i went to have dinner at the greek corner at puck's alley. whatever's in the former magoo's spot was still boarded up. but through the boards, we could see the myriad of bar taps, and that made us happy.
                                A friend drove by last night and it looks like the Varsity is open for business! Beer flowed, the jukebox blared, and friend's eyes almost popped out when she saw the new furniture.

                                Payday's tomorrow! You know where I'll be headed!
                                Tessie, "Nuf Ced" McGreevey shouted
                                We're not here to mess around
                                Boston, you know we love you madly
                                Hear the crowd roar to your sound
                                Don't blame us if we ever doubt you
                                You know we couldn't live without you
                                Tessie, you are the only only only

                                Comment

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