Link to KC Star article:

http://economy.kansascity.com/?q=node/802

I see this being a better fit for the P&L District.

Agreed. This is good news.

Goodbye Carpetbaggers!

Just don't forget that Tarantino's Chicago style soundly defeats Old Chicago.

Also, seems like a small space for Old Chicago.

It looks like FD closed because of a lack of parking. There was nothing wrong with the Q. Right.

With Old Chicago and Flying Saucer so close to each other--will this be heaven for beer lovers?

man... i was coming to grips with the possibility of the place becoming an UNO's Grill.... Old Chicago is like tearing the scab off again.

The one out on Metcalf kind of sucks.... badly.

I went to the one in Lawrence quite a bit when I lived there because of the beer selection, but I have to admit the food was average at best.

yeah, the two times i've been there it has been with friends more interested in drinking than eating

Interesting how the comments in the Star article mirror the ones in this forum.  Probably the only time I have seen that. 

One comment stood out.  I don't believe a word of it.

"We had a friend who went to P&L Famous Dave's to pick up a "to go" order. They questioned him at the door because he wasn't dressed appropriately (he was dressed in factory-type work clothes). He told them he was just picking up an order and leaving. I think they just barely let him in! No surprise this restaurant didn't make it!"

hmm, I kind of like Famous Dave's, actually.  The food is decent, they have large glasses of Flying Monkey on draft for like $3 and their awesome two-meats, two-sides, cornbread and small corn on the cob special for $8.99 is a deal unmatched by any local 'que shops that I'm aware of. 

  I had some nice evenings last summer sitting on the patio, watching baseball and eating that special slathered in a variety of their sauces.  It will be missed (though I would never have thought I would ever say such a thing)...only b/c of the special, of course, but that alone kept me away from Gates/Bryants/etc. for some time, and I'd never drive out to another location to get it.

  P&L does need some type of BBQ, IMO, and I still can't believe that one of the local shops hasn't stepped up, or changed locations, a la Peachtree to represent Kansas City bbq in the 'dist.

I know some downtown Old Chicago locations have a nightlife/bar element to their business. I'd prefer UNO because it's more of a pizza place (at least last time I went) and less just about bar food. P+L already has mediocre bar food and beer up the arse.

Also...this is NOT confirmed. It's the owner of the local Famous Dave's that wants to make the change (turn the lease over I assume)...Cordish has no comment. Flying Saucer and Gordon Biersch already have the market cornered for this type of thing and Old Chicago across the street is pretty much offering more duplication. If I were Cordish I'd fight this move...

It was probably a situation where Cordish had little say because otherwise Famous Dave's would just close and nothing would be in the space.

Good to see it coming here.
Could have got a Johnny's Tavern,Dave and Buster or so on.

I've never been to Gordon Biersch, but somehow I got the impression they were a lager house. Do they also serve ales, porters, stouts....?

Yes, they have all types of beer-stout, porters, ales.

Gordon Biersch only brews lagers, including a dark lager.  They may offer Guinness, the Blvd line, etc., but they pride themselves on being lager-only for their own brews.

There are some good downtown Old Chicago's - Lincoln, CO Springs and Boulder all have decent OC's in the downtown. I opened the OC in Lenexa when it was out there - worked there for a few years. Used to be a good company that paid ridiculous attention to customer service. And when it opened in Lenexa, the food quality was fantastic for a chain.

But, as with most things, they expaned too fast and tried to become everything to everyone. It has hurt the quality of food and service across the board in my opinion.

But, I'll try and support them. I just have a soft spot in my heart for that particular chain. I mean, if you're going to support a chain, it may as well be the one with 110 beers. I don't think they'll do well against Flying Saucer, but we'll see.

I don't think that's correct. I've only been twice, but they had a Hefe one of times I was there. Pretty sure that's an ale.

hmmm.  perhaps I'm wrong.  I know I've had a stout there before though. 

http://www.gordonbiersch.com/resources/ ... I_BEER.pdf

That link does say "hand-crafted lagers and ales" right atop, so perhaps they do some seasonal ales.

On their website (http://www.gordonbiersch.com/brewery/beer/index.html, scroll to bottom), they note all their flagships are lagers.

Only reason I have any input on this is that my sister was part of their opening team, and during training they made a big point about how all their beers were lagers, which had less room for error, required more skill, and were more pure (rheinheitsgebot marketing) than all the craft ales being produced.  Which I repeatedly tried to explain, from a pure taste perspective, was hogwash.  I'm an equal opportunity drinker.