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California Roadhouse, the now-defunct bar and grill at 401 Castro Street, was going for an old-school image. But its replacement, due to arrive this summer, could be a whole new frontier in eating.
The incoming restaurant and bar, uWink, is packed with technology, including a touch screen at every table with interactive menus, video games, movie trailers and horoscopes.
Waiters don’t take orders — the touch screen sends it straight to the kitchen.
The “fast casual” diner will take over the 6,700-square-foot site at California and Castro streets as early as this summer. It was approved for the spot by the zoning administrator on March 12.
A uWink has existed since 2006 in the Los Angeles suburb of Woodland Hills, but Alissa Tappan, the company’s vice president, said the Mountain View location will have a new look and new games. The goal for Woodland Hills was to test the business model on a typical American city before coming to Silicon Valley, Tappan said. New uWinks are also set to open this year in Canada, Florida and Texas, and another in Southern California. The Mountain View location is the only uWink planned for Silicon Valley.
Several residents of Old Mountain View have discussed the site on the neighborhood list serve, with one resident concerned about a possible increase in traffic from the bustling restaurant. Another said he hoped the food “was as tasty as the theme is interesting.”
The restaurant was founded by Nolan Bushnell, who also started Atari and Chuck E. Cheese. The new restaurant could be described as a cross between those two companies, but without the animatronics and with a menu aimed at people of all ages.
According to the company’s Web site, Bushnell holds several major video game patents, once owned a robotics company, and is known by some as the father of the video gaming industry. It said uWink is showcasing a new interest of Bushnell’s: “social gaming.”
According to Bushnell, social games must not stifle conversation, must interest people of various backgrounds, must be easy (and not produce sore losers) and, of course, there must be breaks for the ordering of food and drinks.
Wall decor at the new restaurant includes projected digital images. The images can be changed upon request, like during birthday parties.
In Woodland Hills, appetizers and sandwiches go for $5 to $12. The food could be classified as “international comfort food,” with mainstream dishes from around the world.
Oh, sounds wonderful. Heaven forbid that people actually TALK to each other over a meal. Sounds like just the place for the family that eats dinner in front of the TV.
People not only TALK, they LAUGH, SMILE & HAVE LOADS OF FUN at uWink. I have been to the Woodland Hills location numerous times. The prior smug & uninformed comment is totally off the mark. Mr. Bushnell is an advocate of SOCIAL gaming & at uWink he hits the mark! The whole family, party or even people at other tables interact, making for a wonderfully social & cutting edge experience. To quote a tried & true phrase “don’t knock it until you try it”. Personally I can’t wait for uWink’s to open everywhere, so others can have as much fun at affordable prices as my family has & does at uWink!
What!!!! Another restaurant
I stand by my ‘smug’ comments, but its nice to know that reps of the newest Mtn View business are paying attention to the local news.
Video games–call it what you will, but thats what they are– rot the brain and are anything but social. They are a substitute for conversation and real social interaction. Knock yourself out, but my family certainly wont be going to uWink.
considering that we don’t have a lot of family/kid friendly restaurants on Castro Street, I don’t believe this is a bad idea for a restaurant.
GSB, dont think Im jumping on you, but what do you mean by ‘family friendly’? That seems, frankly, to be code for crappy fast food– theres cerainly a place for stuff like that, but I dont think a downtown is it. My kids love Amici’s, Fiesta del Mar, Cafe Yulong, Pasta?, Le Bou, Cascal– I cant think of too many “unfriendly” spots on Castro, aside from a few pubs.
uWink sounds like a juiced up Chuck E Cheese. Put it in the mall where it belongs.
As a younger resident in MV, I’m pretty excited about uWink. I think it sounds a great mix of food and entertainment and sounds perfect for downtown.
uWinks sounds like a really good idea to me. Our kids are younger and there really aren’t any restuarants (other than the Roadhouse, now closed) that we feel comfortable to take them to on Castro. Most of the restaurants there are aimed at adults and are NOT that kid friendly, especially if you have typical kids who can be a little loud or like getting up from the table several times during a meal. So we are really excited about this new idea in restaurants and look forward to checking it out when they open.
Eric,
Though the restuarants you named may offer a degree of a family-friendly environment, i wouldn’t say they are tailored for the younger set as uWink seems to be. I believe Debbie’s comment leans more towards what I am thinking. uWink sounds like a place where a kid can laugh or talk without being “shhh”‘d by the people at the next table, etc.
There is no way to say this without sounding smug, but that isnt my intent. First, it is the job of the parent to expect kids to act well in restaraunts and learn how to do so– start young, it works. Second, the sort of ‘kid-friendly’ place that you are talking about–and we are talking about fast food, and there are so, so many reasons to steer families with young kids away from THAT trap– is a poor choice for a downtown. It doesnt do well, and it doesnt do much for the downtown environment.
I have seen kids act like kids in every one of the eateries that I mention above. Except in the really bad cases where the kids are practically jumping on other peoples tables (and I wouldnt allow my kids to act like that at Chili’s, and I’m sure you wouldnt either), I’ve never seen anyone bat an eye. I’ve seen the owners of Cafe Yulong walk very small kids over to look at the fish tank. I’ve never BEEN to Amici’s when it wasnt full of kids. The owners of Fiesta del Mar have known my kids by name since they were very little.
Saying that stuff like uWink is “family friendly” is like saying Baby Einstein vids make your kids smarter and that an afternoon with the Wii is every bit as good as a game of basketball. Ugh, ugh, ugh.
eric,
dude. chill.
You’re right. Discussions are bad. More video games for me…
I can’t wait for UWink to come to Mountain View. I’ve been to the one down in So-Cal a few times and what I like about it more than anything… is the food. It’s absolutely delicious!!! And we didn’t even really play the games on the computer, we sat around chatting.
And yeah, I have to comment on what Eric said. Eric, your comments basically embody everything I hate about people. You have such a narrow mindset it just makes you sound very ignorant. I’m sure UWink will do fine in Mountain View without you as a customer. The only one who is missing out is you.
Hate? Wow– thats pretty funny!
Eric,
I look forward to uWinks. I also look forward to NOT seeing you there.
such vitriol. I didnt realize that there was such a militant pro-fast food bloc in Mtn View.
We eat in Castro St. quite often because my husband works there. I would like to say that now my kids are getting older, they do better, but there are very few kid friendly restaurants. What kids want is a kids menu with food they like and perhaps a coloring sheet while they are waiting. I have been charged $21 for a plate of pasta with no sauce for my child which is a rip off when the rest of us are paying $21 plus for our entrees. A kids menu would really help.
I love the kids menu at St. Stephens Green, but it is a pub and although I have taken my kids there at lunch times when it is not so full, it is not a place to take kids when there are lots of adult groups and fans watching games on tv.
Castro St does need more kid friendly places. I don’t mean fast food. They do need to learn to look at a menu, make their choice and then wait for the food to be served to them. They need to learn how to be polite to wait personnel and to use their table manners. The only real restaurant experience for young kids are the chinese restaurants as you can order as many dishes as you want, not one per person and since everyone shares, it is a good place for kids.
I look forward to the opening of uWink. I am a young adult and have always viewed Castro St as very trendy and upscale. I believe uWink will fit in perfectly and look forward to locations in San Jose or San Francisco area!! ;O )