KCRag Forum

A site for a place called Otto's Malt Shop somewhere in the deserts of the southwest used to specifically mention the first location as having been relocated from Kansas City. I don't see that on the site now, and I vaguely remember thinking that the Otto's I looked up years ago while nostalgia-hunting had been in Arizona, not Vegas, but it's been quite a while and I don't remember for sure. So, I'm pretty sure Otto's Malt Shop did move from here and reopen somewhere in the southwest, and it'd be pretty odd coincidence for a completely unrelated and separate Otto's Malt Shop to expand to KC from the southwest, but I suppose stranger things have happened.

dangerboy wrote: It was the talk of 39th street when it happened.  An IRS agent showed up a the business to talk about the owner's non-payment of taxes.  A woman (maybe manager not owner) threatened to assault the agent, and the next day the IRS seized the business.  Next time you are in from Lawrence, ask any business owner on 39th about Otto's and they'll tell you the story.

again, where do you get your gossip?

mean wrote: A site for a place called Otto's Malt Shop somewhere in the deserts of the southwest used to specifically mention the first location as having been relocated from Kansas City. I don't see that on the site now, and I vaguely remember thinking that the Otto's I looked up years ago while nostalgia-hunting had been in Arizona, not Vegas, but it's been quite a while and I don't remember for sure. So, I'm pretty sure Otto's Malt Shop did move from here and reopen somewhere in the southwest, and it'd be pretty odd coincidence for a completely unrelated and separate Otto's Malt Shop to expand to KC from the southwest, but I suppose stranger things have happened.

if you snoop around the web site...the guy's name is Otto Miller. moved the shop to Vegas from KC. He went to Mizzou with Brad Pitt and they moved out to LA. his name is Otto Miller.

Stopped in for a burger last night. Pretty decent stuff. Less on the "fancy" side and more on the "quirky" side. Pity they did away with the Elvis.

mean wrote: Stopped in for a burger last night. Pretty decent stuff. Less on the "fancy" side and more on the "quirky" side. Pity they did away with the Elvis.

so Otto's is open there? is it separate menu, signs, workers or is it just Otto's burgers/malts now @ Czar Bar?

It's the same old Czar Bar, except Otto's took over the kitchen and they added a shake mixer behind the bar. Most people probably wouldn't even notice anything was all that different than before, except that the menus now say OTTO'S across the top, and the chalkboard sign out front advertised the new menu. No separate staff or anything.

Fairly certain that Otto's also had a connection to the ill-fated Lucille's on Westport Road.  Maybe siblings or something, although I think it was Charlie Margolin who owned Lucille's.

Thaine wrote: Fairly certain that Otto's also had a connection to the ill-fated Lucille's on Westport Road.  Maybe siblings or something, although I think it was Charlie Margolin who owned Lucille's.

I remember some sort of a connection too, people were calling it "Lucille's Lite".   

I really miss Lucille's.  That used to be our nightly hangout back in college.  Though the place did seem to be cursed.

mean wrote: On the last page of the menu...

They dropped off a stack of menus where I work and I saw no mention of adults shakes and malts.

Scroll down:

http://czarbar.com/docs/menu.html

word on Yelp is that Otto's is already out of the Czar Bar and Westport-bound. All mention of Otto's was removed from the CB web site.

Good on 'em. The product was solid, although admittedly not good enough that I actually ever remembered it was there. 

trailerkid wrote: word on Yelp is that Otto's is already out of the Czar Bar and Westport-bound. All mention of Otto's was removed from the CB web site.

from their fb page a few weeks ago:
"Otto and ruthie have decided to open a new restaurant called Otto & Ruthies in midtown (spring/summer 2011). Serving breakfast, lunch & supper 7 days a week."
& then commented: "Should be in the spring-39th street"
ottoandruthie.com will be their website

Is this what's going into the old Nichols Lunch/Mama's spot?

Czar Bar has been bought by the guys that own Riot Room and Union of Westport. Not sure if i think this is a good thing or not.

I was under the impression that the owner of Union is completely separated from Riot Room.  Are the two still under similar/same ownership? 

Not sure what this means for Czar Bar, but it seems like Czar Bar could go on pretty much unchanged, and if anything this could be a positive.  I talked with ownership of Czar Bar last Summer, and they were trying to sell it then.  They just wanted to own the building and not operate the business.  So if a true bar operator/business manager shows it some love, it should increase business. 

I haven't been to Union, but it seems like those 3 bars would cater to a pretty similar crowd, just in different neighborhoods. 

Union needs to get rid of the Blayney's signage.  pretty confusing to have a single space branded as two different places!  i haven't been to Union yet, but it seems they have some good DJ nights - soul, rock, funk, and the Louder Than Bombs 80s UK music night...

^^^I'm heading to Union late tonight for the WC&B employee party.  Looking forward to it, I haven't been in that space in at least 10 years. 

The Simpsons arcade game at the Union has some issues.  Choose your character wisely or the sticky handles will kill you (but it is still awesome they have it).

In other news, has anyone been brave enough to visit the Ultra Lounge which allegedly, according to the used car lot flags outside, sells Otto's stuff?  I have walked or driven by it a few times over the last few weeks, and the identity crisis that is this place has been on full display each time.

bobbyhawks wrote:
In other news, has anyone been brave enough to visit the Ultra Lounge which allegedly, according to the used car lot flags outside, sells Otto's stuff?  I have walked or driven by it a few times over the last few weeks, and the identity crisis that is this place has been on full display each time.

No.  I keep thinking about popping in there though.  To add to their identitiy crisis of being the "hottest ultralounge/dowtown-lunch-spot/Otto's, this past week they were also "The Official Headquarters for the Big 12 Tournament".  According to their signage, anyway.

This debacle reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry is obsessed with watching the new Pakistani restaurant across the street that serves spaghetti and franks & beans, and hoping that someone goes in there.  He then finally decides to do it himself, and ends up being the restaurateur's best friend, until he ends up getting the guy deported.  

are we talking the place literally across the street from Czar Bar? The one that used to be Dolce and then maybe 3 other places in rapid succession?