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Old Germany Restaurant set to reopen, Choctaw Oktoberfest 2018 slated

Choctaw’s Old Germany Restaurant closed its doors on April 16 after 42 years of business.
Less than two months later the beloved dining establishment is now set to reopen.
The eastern Oklahoma County community along with patrons from around the country were stunned to hear of the sudden restaurant closure and festival cancelation.
Following the news, many reached out to the Turek family to offer condolences and well wishes, while one Choctaw couple reached out offering something more, a solution.
Tylar Colton and his wife Kristin have agreed to step in as investors to allow for a June 14 reopening.
“They saw the outpouring on social media after we closed down, and they came to us and said ‘We can’t let that happen. What do we need to do to reopen Old Germany?'” said Mike Turek. “I explained what we needed and the changes we needed to make. They stepped up, and we shook hands last Sunday.”
Turek’s Tavern is set to reopen to the public at 10 a.m. June 14.
Making the event easily memorable, the reopening will coincide with the opening round of the 2018 World Cup.
While the tavern reopens, the attached Old Germany Restaurant will be blocked off for renovations.
“We should have construction complete and all the changes done for a grand reopening August 1,” said Turek.
Among changes slated is the removal of the wall separating Old Germany and Turek’s Tavern.
Turek believes a more bright, open and overall inviting floor plan combined with a new menu, that will appeal to new and loyal patrons alike, will allow the local favorite to rebound and possibly surpass its former glory.
“Our hybrid menu will be simplified and more price conscious. It really just needed an update. The concept of the old world German cuisine just got stale, and it wasn’t being embraced by the younger crowd. So we needed to change that, but I need to keep enough of the old menu to keep our regulars, that have supported us over the years, happy and coming back,” explained Turek.
The same menu will now be served throughout the entire establishment. Food will be prepared in the main kitchen throughout the day, and after 9 p.m. the small tavern kitchen will continue to serve a light menu.
“I’m just elated these two people, Tylar and Kristin, came in as guardian angels and are now going to be part of the family. It’s just neat to see that they stepped up to the plate and said they’re not letting it go away after 42 years,” said Turek. “There were people interested in buying the land for other purposes, but these two really wanted to keep this tradition going. It’s still going to be a family business, and they’re just next in line as family.”
The authentic cuisine and family atmosphere have been a tradition at the Choctaw business since 1976.
Turek says the reopening of the tavern should be smooth, and guests can expect the same quality of service they’ve come to expect as renovations are completed.
“A core group of our staff will be coming back so there’ll be some familiar faces and we won’t miss much of a beat,” said Turek. “This is a family business, and the staff that have been here the longest are a part of that and they’ll be back. It’s good to see our tradition here continue as well as the things we do with the community.”

Oktoberfest 2018 scheduled

Choctaw Oktoberfest will continue for a 28th straight year as the event has been slated for Thursday, August 30 to Sept. 2.
“We’re just going to do four days this year, because we’re already in crunch time to get enough stuff ordered from Germany. Now we just have to get with Ashley Bower, our volunteer coordinator, to get the troops rallied so we don’t lose this great event,” said Turek. “It will just be four days this year, but should make for a great event.”

31 Comments

  1. Eileen Tucker on June 6, 2018 at 10:58 pm

    Yay! Our German family is back! What a great birthday gift for Tom’s birthday onthe14th!

  2. Gretel on June 7, 2018 at 12:13 am

    I am so glad that they are going to have other options in the menu. We went years ago when my girls were little and it wasn’t the food wasn’t kid friendly so we never went back.

  3. Kianna on June 7, 2018 at 8:10 am

    Yay. Have missed you guys. So happy for you

  4. Carl hayward on June 7, 2018 at 8:16 am

    Glad you are going to still be her

  5. Desiree Lewis on June 7, 2018 at 8:22 am

    So so happy! I grew up in Choctaw America long before the population boom and Old Germany was always a treat to experience and people came from afar!

    A big thank you to Tylar & Kristin you are Angels without wings!!

    Welcome back Old Germany!! ????

  6. Cynthia Willoughby on June 7, 2018 at 9:02 am

    I am so happy. Every time I pass the building I just can’t believe it’s closed. It was our favorite anniversary spot. I loved the food. My husband complained about the prices and the fried potatoes added seed into it which he didn’t like. Me no complaints I love it. We quit going to October Fest when it went to Choctaw. Please keep the desserts they were awesome. We spent 6 years in Germany when my husband was stationed there with NATO. Good luck with the reopening!

  7. Floyd miller on June 7, 2018 at 9:35 am

    The food was bad, i am German i know

    • Jerry shiles on June 7, 2018 at 7:50 pm

      After 21 years in Germany I have to completely disagree-and so does my German sister-in-law.

    • gloria fritzler on June 8, 2018 at 9:33 am

      Miller German? Who knew? Well sad you hate the food of your ancestors.

      • Carolyn Lea on September 5, 2018 at 3:02 pm

        Spellings of names and even the name itself can be very different depending on the country, even county, and time period. Miller may have been spelled Meuller, Muller, Meuler, and so on. Just as the name Smith was Schmidt, etc,

        I am German/Polish – remember there was Prussia – not a United Germany – and I like occasional German food but prefer Thai.

    • Fake account on June 8, 2018 at 12:54 pm

      You have know idea what your talking about. Quit drinking your Lama milk and quit spamming

  8. Bonnie Savage on June 7, 2018 at 9:56 am

    Can’t wait!!! It was sad to drive by the restaurant and for it to be closed????I hope Gene comes back, we always requested him, awesome waiter. This makes a lot of people happy!

    • Sheli Oliver on July 4, 2018 at 3:12 pm

      When I read that OGR was closing I was so disappointed. In my opinion there are no substitutes fir your cuisine. Im so happy you are reopening! The best to you! Thank you and thank you. to Coltons.

  9. Joe Klaus on June 7, 2018 at 9:57 am

    Off The Grid Band is a high energy Progressive German Polka Trio based out of Austin Texas. We have played the North Texas Oktoberfest festival for the past four years. We would be interested in playing for your 2018 Oktoberfest. Thanks Joe Klaus Accordion Squeezer 512 560-0440.

  10. Judi Kastl on June 7, 2018 at 1:48 pm

    Had you been open, we would have celebrated my birthday there. Please keep some of the old traditional German dishes. I do cook German food but nice to eat it out as well. We will return many times! Thank your guardian angels for stepping up! J. Kastl, Stillwater, OK

  11. Karen and Rick Schreiber on June 7, 2018 at 1:56 pm

    Welcome back, we are so excited Old Germany is reopening!

    • Jim and Kari Long on June 7, 2018 at 4:59 pm

      Great news ! So happy to hear the wonderful news for this nice family and staff. Great food and always a very fun enjoyable time! Best German food around!

  12. Elaine Stone on June 7, 2018 at 4:28 pm

    We are excited. We celebrate our anniversary there every year and we just celebrated 30 in March. I love the food and have been going since they opened up 40 something years ago. I thought the food was wonderful. Hopefully they keep the schnitzel, that is my favorite.

  13. Maureen Fisher on June 7, 2018 at 5:15 pm

    We are thrilled to know our wonderful Turek family is back in business. We love Old Germany and celebrate most important family milestones with them. Thank you to the guardian angels who stepped in to help. We’ll be there !!!

  14. Kelly shumny on June 7, 2018 at 6:23 pm

    Such exciting news! Old Germany was a diamond in Choctaw. You have followers that drive 50 miles to experience the atmosphere and class of Old Germany in the country. Loved it! See you soon!

  15. April Zeier on June 7, 2018 at 9:05 pm

    I have went to the Old Germany Restaurant since I was 5. I’m 47 now. They are like my family. I have 15 children and all but one have eaten there. Now our baby will get too. We so excited. Our baby will be one August 30. We love Old Germany Restaurant!

  16. Susie & Jerry Morris on June 7, 2018 at 9:50 pm

    So glad to hear that Old Germany is reopening… We’ve been going there for forty years and love the food and staff… It’s like one big family and they’re always so friendly. Us along with our neighbors and friends always have one big night in Jan to celebrate anniversaries and birthdays! So happy that someone came forward to help reopen this.

  17. Shelia and Doug Oliver on June 7, 2018 at 10:09 pm

    Im so happy Im doing the happy dance! Thank you! Thank you! God Bless all of you! Btw this is a celebration for many people who enjoyed this delicious food. Also for the Turek family and the couple who invested. Nay sayers should go somewhere else with their shameful comments. They aren’t welcome here. I can’t wait for the restaurant to open!

  18. Leah Ho on June 8, 2018 at 2:23 am

    Would it be possible to let the volunteers keep their tips? I know my family was alarmed to know the workers are mainly volunteer and we’re not allowed to keep any of their tips. I felt that was a rip off for the amount I tip when buying beer. Maybe the workers told me wrong?

    • Employee on June 15, 2018 at 7:27 pm

      Ive been employed here for a very long time an that is not true at all. The volunteers are for Oktoberfest only. And Oktoberfest is made up of volunteers has been that way for many many years.

  19. Brian on June 8, 2018 at 4:05 pm

    Great News!

  20. Matt Carpenter on June 9, 2018 at 2:37 am

    So happy to hear the great news! I loved the old menu and everything Old Germany did for the community! This is a great place ran by even greater people. I love that Tylar and Kristin have such a love for the place and are willing to invest in the business to keep this great tradition going. Can’t wait to see everyone at Octoberfest!!!

  21. Matt Carpenter on June 9, 2018 at 2:52 am

    They wouldn’t “volunteer” if they expected compensation. I know they get some free beer and food for helping out. You pay with coupons so there would be no way for the venue to know if it was an actual tip or not and people take advantage of situations like that. The beers are a little pricey but that’s because they cost so much to buy in the first place. If they had to pay the workers it would not Be possable to have the event in the first place.

  22. Corinna Arico on June 16, 2018 at 9:32 pm

    Das macht mich ja wirklich glücklich! Can’t wait to see you all again this October fest.

  23. Janice Choate on July 21, 2018 at 12:02 am

    We were hoping you’d be open this Saturday the 21st for dinner. We will celebrate our 41yr anniversary. If your pub is open now is it possible you make food for your patrons who come in to drink? Just wondering!!!
    Let us know. Thank you

  24. C'mon Man! on August 28, 2018 at 9:25 am

    This is for a REAL authentic German Fest experience!
    https://tulsaoktoberfest.org/

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