Carlos O'Kellys is Closing!

cyrevkah

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Apr 12, 2008
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I'm not an Applebee's fan at all, I always felt like Carlos O'Kelly's at least did a few things passably and that were sort of unique. Awfully hard to justify going there over Azteca, however.

Between CO'K and LJS closing, it's sort of a ghost town at the corner of Grand and Lincoln Way.

It does make you wonder what will come to replace them. Did we really need another subway where Quiznos was?
 

Angie

Tugboats and arson.
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Only redeeming quality of Carlos O'Kellys is the queso.

The queso fundido at either Fuente or Azteca are so much better, though. Carlos O'Kellys had a chipotle pasta that used to be passable. The chipotle cheese crisp also used to be okay, just never great.
 

Angie

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It does make you wonder what will come to replace them. Did we really need another subway where Quiznos was?

I do understand why they'd go there, though, it's already built for a sandwich shop, and they don't have any other presence on Lincoln Way other than way out west. It's a little silly when it's about two blocks south of the one on Main Street, but I can sort of see the reasoning.
 

ruxCYtable

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Applebee's and Carlos O'Kellys are related? This explains so much.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong. I think both Applebee's and Carlos O'Kelly's are franchised but some franchises of each are owned by the same conglomerate in Iowa.

So, they may not be related at all at the corporate level, but they may be in Iowa due to certain franchise agreements.
 

alarson

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Between CO'K and LJS closing, it's sort of a ghost town at the corner of Grand and Lincoln Way.

That whole stretch of lincoln way between grand and duff could use some redevelopment and liberal use of a bulldozer.
 

Cyclones_R_GR8

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Not getting into the whole chain food thing (knowing we will) Applebee's at least has a lot better quality food and I eat there more than once every few years.
I would rather take my chances at getting e-coli from Taco Bell than eat at Applebees.
 

3TrueFans

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We used to be big La Fuente believers until the new Azteca was built, that **** is thoroughly good.
 

ThurgoodMarshal

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Jul 18, 2011
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I honestly thought Carlos O'Kelly's had already closed.

I noticed El Azteca is getting a lot of love on here, does that mean La Fuente on Duff is closed? I liked El Azteca but always thought it came in 2nd to La Fuente when I was living in Ames. It's been a while so they may have closed or gone down hill since I lived there.
 

cyrevkah

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Apr 12, 2008
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I'd put El Azteca the best in town, not only for price/quality, but the customer service/friendliness. I think we went a whole month with out going and when we showed up again the servers we knew all stopped by!


It could be they just wanted to see Zoe though :wideeyed:
 

Ciclone

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May 5, 2008
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I have no idea how the one on Westown Parkway stayed open so long. It's such a bad location.

That was truly a mystery. It was seemingly a worse location than the Twin Peaks location (pre-Twin Peaks...amazing what Peaks will do for a business). Nothing worked in that spot before.
 

CycloneErik

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Jan 31, 2008
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I honestly thought Carlos O'Kelly's had already closed.

I noticed El Azteca is getting a lot of love on here, does that mean La Fuente on Duff is closed? I liked El Azteca but always thought it came in 2nd to La Fuente when I was living in Ames. It's been a while so they may have closed or gone down hill since I lived there.


We actually went to Carlos on a whim a few weeks ago, and weren't planning to repeat that error.

La Fuente is still there, just not nearly as good as El Azteca. That cheese at Fuente just doesn't work.
 

stormchaser2014

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Mar 12, 2012
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I know there's a lot people who are not an Applebee's fan, but I like it. I've never had a bad experience. Although I've only eaten at 6 or 7 different stores between Iowa and Wisconsin
 

bos

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We actually went to Carlos on a whim a few weeks ago, and weren't planning to repeat that error.

La Fuente is still there, just not nearly as good as El Azteca. That cheese at Fuente just doesn't work.

Poor blockage properties?
 

Daserop

Well-Known Member
Feb 9, 2011
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The Carlos O'Kelly's in the Cedar Rapids / Marion are is always busy. The only logically reason is that is full of hawk fans.

I never understood why people would go to those places when there is better and cheaper Mexican food places.
 

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