Bye bye Luby's

[conVINCEd 21,477]

1 hour ago, Judge Roybeanbag said:

I lived in those condos across the street from ‘89 to ‘93.  When we wanted to splurge we’d hit up Little Italy down the street.  Lady offered to sell me the 2 bedroom for $25k.  Of course I didn’t have the money at the time.  

Little Italy had the best lunch special in the history of mankind.  $5 for soup, salad, pasta, and a lot of bread.  Generous portions, so it was basically 2 meals for $5.  The next year I lived in a place on the east side behind academy off of 38th.  Our landlord begged me to buy the 3/2 house for $100k, I didn’t have the money either.

[ImissWallyPryor 9,046]

I knew the guy who wrote their insurance in the late-80s and well into the 90s. He was from Connecticut, and his wife never believed him that a cafeteria could be as good as he claimed. He was on vacation one year with his family in some state not called Texas and spotted a Luby’s. The whole family became believers that day. Love me some Luby’s, even though it’s been a solid decade. The only liver-and-onions I ever liked. 

[mchookem 16,764]

last thanksgiving, for a number of reasons, we ordered the whole Luby's spread. it was glorious. and delicious!

we live near the one on Steck and went with some regularity (every other month or so)... hope they are bought and continue!

[Deej 77,753]

11 hours ago, ImissWallyPryor said:

The only liver-and-onions I ever liked. 

Threadgill's did a pretty good liver and onions, but alas...

[gecko 1,104]

F**k you if you don't like blue jello

 

[CycleTex87 3,020]

Luann platter, 1/2 fried fish patty w/ tartar sauce, green beans, mac-n-cheese, dinner roll, chocolate pie, iced tea. Thanks I’ll be waiting at my table. 

[Underdog 29,132]

13 hours ago, ImissWallyPryor said:

I knew the guy who wrote their insurance in the late-80s and well into the 90s. He was from Connecticut, and his wife never believed him that a cafeteria could be as good as he claimed. He was on vacation one year with his family in some state not called Texas and spotted a Luby’s. The whole family became believers that day. Love me some Luby’s, even though it’s been a solid decade. The only liver-and-onions I ever liked. 

And here I am thinking I was the only one who like the L&O at Luby's, seemed they always gave me a bit more than usual fair on the LP because not many would order it and they'd rather give extra than throw it away.  I'd also ask for extra onions and then grab a few rye crackers on the way out. 

[Underdog 29,132]

1 hour ago, Deej said:

Threadgill's did a pretty good liver and onions, but alas...

Always got the chicken livers there and they'd pile it on too.  

[Deej 77,753]

1 hour ago, Underdog said:

And here I am thinking I was the only one who like the L&O at Luby's, seemed they always gave me a bit more than usual fair on the LP because not many would order it and they'd rather give extra than throw it away.  I'd also ask for extra onions and then grab a few rye crackers on the way out. 

Went with my mom for Thanksgiving a few years ago and ordered liver and onions. They gave me so much, I took enough home to eat for the next two days. 

[billfromlaketravis 11,808]

The Luby’s closest to me is definitely closed. Drove by during lunch hours and it was a ghost town. Looks like the location on 290 and 34th is still open for interested Houstonians. 

[John Lawrence 244]

Looks like the one on Post Oak is open.

[HenryJames 67,302]

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,860]

5 hours ago, mchookem said:

last thanksgiving, for a number of reasons, we ordered the whole Luby's spread. it was glorious. and delicious!

we live near the one on Steck and went with some regularity (every other month or so)... hope they are bought and continue!

The funniest thing about the one on Steck was when they had to put up the turn barriers there to keep patrons from getting killed.  I remember Brisket talking about that.

[dcbc 14,644]

39 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

Wild caught?  Okay. 

[WBT 20,956]

Our high school football coach used to joke about being happy when we stayed in the playoffs until Thanksgiving because then he wouldn't have time for a proper get together and he could get Luby's rather than having to eat his wife's cooking.

2 hours ago, billfromlaketravis said:

The Luby’s closest to me is definitely closed. Drove by during lunch hours and it was a ghost town. Looks like the location on 290 and 34th is still open for interested Houstonians. 

The one by me has a "temporarily closed" sign.  I'm hoping it really is temporary.  I've been going since I was a kid.

Edited June 5, 2020 by WBT

[WBT 20,956]

dp

Edited June 5, 2020 by WBT

[billfromlaketravis 11,808]

17 minutes ago, WBT said:

Our high school football coach used to joke about being happy when we stayed in the playoffs until Thanksgiving because then he wouldn't have time for a proper get together and he could get Luby's rather than having to eat his wife's cooking.

The one by me has a "temporarily closed" sign.  I'm hoping it really is temporary.  I've been going since I was a kid.

I’ve had all of one Thanksgiving dinner better and than Luby’s. The ladies in my family would benefit from some cooking classes.

[Chet Steadman 940]

On 6/4/2020 at 6:42 PM, Deej said:

Grew up eating regularly at the one on North Loop. 

 

When did the North Loop location close?  The nineties or before?

I want so badly to remember what that one looked like but I’ve never been able to place it. 

[bullzak 428]

On 6/4/2020 at 1:49 PM, TwiceHorn said:

Also noticed that Highland Park Cafeteria, in Dallas, never actually in HP, and more recently in Casa Linda, is down for the count.  That place was SRO at lunch and dinner for like 30 years straight, maybe 50.  By most accounts it was head and shoulders above any of the chains. 

It was flat awesome. Used to go to the one downtown in the mid-80s. 

Definitely haz a sad about that. 

[Underdog 29,132]

Who all remembers when Kmart had cafeteria style eatery? 

[Deej 77,753]

1 hour ago, Chet Steadman said:

When did the North Loop location close?  The nineties or before?

I want so badly to remember what that one looked like but I’ve never been able to place it. 

90's. It's now Univision. 

[Brisketexan 106,859]

90's. It's now Univision. 

We lived nearby as young marrieds. I remember one evening, we’d run a bunch of errands, were hungry as hell, and decided to hit it for dinner. Got there at 7:30...and the manager greeted us to say they were already packing up the serving line. Fucking old people hours.

Side note: that was Lady Bird’s favorite Luby’s, she ate there regularly.

[deadshank 24,654]

8 hours ago, Underdog said:

Who all remembers when Kmart had cafeteria style eatery? 

DEEP fried scrimps.  Get that shallow fried junk out my face. Also, Italian spaghetti.  Visionary Kmart took the Norwegian version off the board.

[Parliament 14,592]

You guys have a Golden Corral down there? It's 1 step above truck stop food, but I've never been disappointed. I fancy their sirloin tops. Combine it with an ice cream cone on the way out and you'll be able to visit the Shart Thread before you get home.

[conVINCEd 21,477]

2 hours ago, Parliament said:

You guys have a Golden Corral down there? It's 1 step above truck stop food, but I've never been disappointed. I fancy their sirloin tops. Combine it with an ice cream cone on the way out and you'll be able to visit the Shart Thread before you get home.

Yes we do, and it’s not a step above anything.

[Underdog 29,132]

Thought GC did a solid job on fried chicken but have been disappointed on last few visits, mainly went for breakfast.  

[HenryJames 67,302]

GC used to be a solid small town steakhouse franchise. Now it’s just a fucking human feedlot.

[Macanudo 13,295]

On 6/5/2020 at 5:25 PM, Judge Roybeanbag said:

The funniest thing about the one on Steck was when they had to put up the turn barriers there to keep patrons from getting killed.  I remember Brisket talking about that.

Where the turn barriers to protect him or other people from him?

[tokamak 6,687]

Surprised to see mentions of Piccadilly in this thread. My parents used to drag me to the one in Forum 303 mall in Arlington all the time as a kid. It survived long after the rest of that mall was dead as a door nail. Never knew it was a chain.

Y’all Houston guys are overselling Cleburne. It very well may be the best cafeteria food around, but that’s like saying the most reasonable aggy.

[Iceman 2,978]

Went to Piccadilly in WF at Sikes Senter many times growing up.  That mall also had the old fashioned Walgreens coffee shoppe with the ice cream/ soda fountain.

 

Holy furk, I'm not even 50 and that seems like forever ago...

[Hate 20,236]

GC used to be a solid small town steakhouse franchise. Now it’s just a fucking human feedlot.

This is the truth. We used to go to one every Sunday after church and it was good. It was “almost” cafeteria style in that you slid a tray across some line when you place your order, but they brought the food out to you when it was ready. They had a fantastic salad bar as well. I’ve been once in the last 35 years or so and it was awful.

[idigTexas 2,330]

Luby's was in my regular rotation until about 12-13 years ago when they decided to replace the water cart lady with wait staff.  Wait.  Staff.  At a cafeteria.  If I wanted this shit, I'd go to Chotchkie's:

I haven't set foot in a Luby's since. 

[BearSchlong 8,238]

Went to Piccadilly in WF at Sikes Senter many times growing up.  That mall also had the old fashioned Walgreens coffee shoppe with the ice cream/ soda fountain.
 
Holy furk, I'm not even 50 and that seems like forever ago...

Omg Wallgreens coffee shop. My grandma would take me to the mall and we would stop off there - I'd get a coke, shed get coffee and smoke a few cigarettes. . . that had to be about 1975 or 76.

[deadshank 24,654]

18 hours ago, tokamak said:

Surprised to see mentions of Piccadilly in this thread. My parents used to drag me to the one in Forum 303 mall in Arlington all the time as a kid. It survived long after the rest of that mall was dead as a door nail. Never knew it was a chain.

Y’all Houston guys are overselling Cleburne. It very well may be the best cafeteria food around, but that’s like saying the most reasonable aggy.

LOL.  Forum 303 mall.  I grew up in Arlington, too.  Has that joint been torn down?

[tokamak 6,687]

10 minutes ago, deadshank said:

LOL.  Forum 303 mall.  I grew up in Arlington, too.  Has that joint been torn down?

I think so. I actually haven't driven over that way in a long time. It and Six Flags Mall both went downhill FAST. I think one or both first turned into some sort of Hispanic bazaar type thing, then closed entirely.

But even when I was a kid (probably talking early '90s here), I remember Forum 303 being pretty quiet inside. We'd just go in, eat at Piccadilly, and bounce. No idea why my parents liked it so much, although I do specifically remember the cornbread sticks being legit.

[TexMex Horn 68]

On 6/4/2020 at 12:22 PM, CycleTex87 said:

I guess you throw Fudruckers in there as well, owned by the same company.  Down the street from my house is a combo Fudruckers/Luby’s in the same building.  Next door was a PDQ Chicken place (Also closed). All built in the last five years, that block is going to look empty for a while. 

Neighbor? C.R. Holla

[billfromlaketravis 11,808]

I assume all of the "temporarily closed" locations are gone for good. Link: https://www.lubys.com/locations

I'll probably stop by the Post Oak location this week, just in case. Not my favorite location, they 86'ed the LuAnn a couple years back, I haven't been back since. It's probably the nicest/cleanest Luby's I've ate at in Houston.

[Hate 20,236]

Damn, that map shows The Woodlands location as temporarily closed. The wife and I had hoped to get there one more time before it closed.

[Lobwedgephil 1,146]

23 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

I assume all of the "temporarily closed" locations are gone for good. Link: https://www.lubys.com/locations

I'll probably stop by the Post Oak location this week, just in case. Not my favorite location, they 86'ed the LuAnn a couple years back, I haven't been back since. It's probably the nicest/cleanest Luby's I've ate at in Houston.

I love that location, and always get the LuAnn when there, not sure why you think it has been gone. 

[billfromlaketravis 11,808]

1 minute ago, Lobwedgephil said:

I love that location, and always get the LuAnn when there, not sure why you think it has been gone. 

It's been a few years. 

[DoobieWah 1,533]

The Post Oak location is also “Temporarily Closed” as is the Waugh store. The one way out Westheimer is takeout and delivery only. 

[billfromlaketravis 11,808]

2 hours ago, DoobieWah said:

The Post Oak location is also “Temporarily Closed” as is the Waugh store. The one way out Westheimer is takeout and delivery only. 

290 and 34th Street appears to be open. Looks like take out only as well.

[The Ace of Aces 5,374]

Longview has a Piccadilly and a Luby’s. Dad love the liver and onion at Luby’s but we were a Piccadilly family cause mom. Usual paired it with a trip to pick something up at Service Merchandise since it was in the mall. 

[WBT 20,956]

1 hour ago, The Ace of Aces said:

Usual paired it with a trip to pick something up at Service Merchandise since it was in the mall. 

Those bastards were way ahead of the curve on asking every customer for their phone number 

[billfromlaketravis 11,808]

I just read all the Fuddruckers are also closing. This is awful. 

[Armybrat 41,365]

On 6/6/2020 at 11:41 PM, conVINCEd said:

Yes we do, and it’s not a step above anything.

It’s like stepping into something.

[Deej 77,753]

18 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

I just read all the Fuddruckers are also closing. This is awful. 

If only they had figured out way to manufacture a line like Hopdoddy's. 

[billfromlaketravis 11,808]

Just now, Deej said:

If only they had figured out way to manufacture a line like Hopdoddy's. 

I posted it in the Unpopular Food Opinions, but I love Fuddruckers. It’s not easy to find an elk burger. 

[Deej 77,753]

If loving Fuddrucker's is wrong, I don't want to be right. 

[Hate 20,236]

I too love Fuddruckers. I grew up going to the original one in SA on Broadway and 410. There is one 10 minutes from our house that we would go to once every couple of months and always enjoyed it. This sucks!