Editor’s note: many of you will remember our former contributor, Andrew Littleton, famous for his reviews of OKC’s tastiest and shadiest restaurants. This review was written by Andrew before his move to Nashville but never published until now. I have added impressions of my own to this review as well.

I’ve been meaning to write about Barry’s Grill for months now.  Barry’s is nestled along that shady strip of North May that sports pawn shopping, tobacco, “herb” shops, and “adult” shopping.  Sure, Barry’s has a lot of qualities that constitute shady dining, and could in fact be called shady.  I’m not going to make it a “Shady Restaurant of the Month,” however.  First off, there are shadier spots with equally good burgers, and ever since they fixed the hole in the wall from an apparent confused driver it has become much less shady.  Barry’s does, however, serve a pretty good meal in a convenient location for a quick lunch. They also feature quite possibly the largest outdoor burger sign in all of Oklahoma City (see picture).

Barry’s Grill has the look of a typical neighborhood hamburger joint with a big, ugly green awning declaring that they serve old fashioned burgers, window paint begging you to try a mushroom burger, plus the aforementioned giant burger sign. However, they are mysteriously absent of the lingering smell of burgers in the air like many other burger joints in town. In fact, inside you don’t smell much either, which is kind of weird. They also have these huge faded pictures of tropical paradise on the walls inside.  Makes me wonder if this place used to be something else before Barry bought it.  If you know about this, please let us know in the comments.

At Barry’s, you sit in mismatched tables and chairs, and throw your food away in the biggest trash cans I have ever seen.  Plus, they share a building with a pawn shop and an adult novelty store.  Say, maybe this place is a little more shady than I first thought.

Part of the reason I have not reviewed Barry’s yet is because nothing in particular really stands out here.  They make good, old-fashioned burgers in a variety of forms plus hand cut fries and other grilled sandwiches.  It’s not the best burger in town by any means, but every time I eat here I hear the voice of Jules in Pulp Fiction declare “That IS a tasty burger.”

Barry’s is not an onion burger.  You can ask for a grilled onion burger, but his specialty seems to be just regular griddle-fried burgers with raw onion slices and garnishes.  The patties here are more along the lines of a typical thin onion burger style patty, not the big, thick, juicy variety that Nic serves. Still, the flavor is good, and the price isn’t too bad.  A meal here will cost 6 to 9 bucks depending on how many patties you get, how big of a drink you get, and whether you split fries or tater tots with someone else. They also offer daily special “baskets” with come with fries (or tots) and a drink in the range of $7. Problem is, there is only one basket special available each day. You can see the daily specials, and the rest of their menu, on their website.

Barry’s, like nearly every other burger joint in town, makes hand cut fries.  Here is my complaint about the hand cut fries in town.  Everyone, except for Nic’s, serves up a flimsy, brown french fry.  Flavor isn’t terrible, but texture is horrible.  The thing is, no one else seems to care.  Everyone always goes, “ooh, hand cut fries.” But this isn’t necessarily a good thing if you don’t have time to double fry them to get that golden-brown, crispy texture.  Again, Nic’s somehow turns out a fry that is golden-brown and delicious without double frying or burning his fries.  This may be one of the 7 culinary wonders of Oklahoma City.  Anyhow, if you like these flimsy brown fries, you will love Barry’s.  Apparently most people in town do, so this is probably not a problem. Of course, Barry’s tots are another option and they are much crispier.

If you are looking for a pretty good, convenient burger, Barry’s Grill is a good place to go. It may not be drop dead amazing like Nic’s, but it’s still nice to have a handful of spots like Barry’s in your OKC culinary quiver to pull out when your co-workers can’t decide where to go for lunch. Oh, and Barry’s takes credit cards which can really come in handy.

Check out Barry’s for yourself and let us know what you think in the comments below.

A quick glance at the unimpressive, slightly run-down exterior of Classen Grill and you won’t be expecting much more than an average greasy-spoon. Walk inside to find a mix-matched, unpolished interior and your expectations will be reinforced. Try the food, however, and you’ll most likely be impressed. The folks at Classen Grill appear to be masters at managing expectations, setting you up for run-of-the-mill food and surprising you with an edge of quality you don’t expect.

Take the orange juice, for example. I’m not sure you can get a fresher glass of OJ anywhere. They’ve got an orange juicing machine right in the dining room where the juice is squeezed right into pitchers which are then brought to your table to serve. You’ll pay up for it, of course, but if freshness is what you’re after, you’ll love it.

The surprises don’t end there. Read down the menu and you’ll see that this isn’t average diner fare at all. You’ll find creative ideas all across the breakfast and lunch menus.

For an appetizer, I like the chips with red and green salsa ($2.29). There’s nothing special about the chips, but the salsas impress me. There’s a tasty, tangy red one and, my favorite, an unusual green salsa, served warm, that’s not too hot but has a little kick. It’s not that these are the best salsas I’ve ever had, but they are good, and much better than I would expect at an average diner. Plus, they’re a great value as one order can easily satisfy a party of 4-6.

For my meal, I almost always get the jalepeno swiss burger. It’s not on the menu, but it was a special one time and every time I go back I’ve just asked for it and they’ve made it for me. They’ve always charged me $5.99 for it, which is a great deal considering it comes with home fries. Their home fries are thick-cut chunks of potato encased in a very tasty batter, but for some reason, they just don’t seem very greasy.

I think the burgers here are very good. They’re served on a very good bun, which is slightly toasted and a little crispy on the edges. The burger patty is thick with a seared exterior and very juicy inside. It’s always well done with no pink but never, ever dry. On the jalepeno swiss burger, the toppings are fresh and the jalepenos are hot and whatever sauce they put on it is fantastic. Of course, there are several other burger options to choose from and all are good.

Lots of people love the breakfast here, which I can understand. They’ve got things like the Biscuit Debris ($6.89), which is three biscuits topped with ham, sausage, gravy and cheddar cheese and served with hashbrowns. It’s definitely a conversation starter, but for me, it’s just too much. I’ve also tried the migas ($6.99) and the pancakes for breakfast. Both are fine, but for some reason, I’ve never been as wowed with the breakfast as others I know have. For me, lunch is the time to go.

Whenever you choose to go, Classen Grill is worth your attention. You’ll find interesting dishes that almost always exceed your expectations.

Have you been to Classen Grill? Leave us a comment below and let us know what you think.

Well I found myself cruising around SW 59th again looking for some shady wonders and stumbled upon a not-so-shady but wonderful place called Jimmy’s Roundup Cafe.  There are lots of shady spots in the area around here. In fact, we had a gun pulled on us just down the road a few days ago, but that’s another review.  Jimmy’s lacks too many shady qualities to be part of the prestigious Shady Restaurant club, but it does have a lot of qualities that make it a fantastic place to eat on the south side of OKC.  Jimmy’s is family friendly, work lunch friendly, and very friendly to your stomach and taste buds.

Jimmy’s Round-Up Cafe has apparently been around for years and at multiple locations.  He had a few locations on the north side that are no longer there but has since consolidated to just one location.  Our first experience was fantastic.  We were immediately recognized as non-regulars, and that prompted a visit from Jimmy himself.  Jimmy was not afraid of his food or the quality.  He proceeded to sell me on the selection I should have and offered to buy it back from me if I wasn’t completely satisfied.  I respect that in a restaurant owner.

The decor has that good-ole’ country diner feel.  Dark wood beams cris-crossing around, decorated plates, plus a load of cowboy and country decorations.  They also have a crane machine to tempt you into spending several dollars in hopes of scoring that awesome 50 cent toy. And, of course, they have a couple candy dispensers.  My favorite non-food items in the place however are the fiber-optic ball caps!  That’s right, get your OU, OSU, or even Texas fiber-optic hat right at the register.  If they start selling Jimmy’s Round-Up fiber-optic merchandise you may see me sporting a new hat around town!

The food offerings are actually pretty diverse.  You have your standard country diner options (catfish, chicken fried steaks, burgers, and sandwiches), a fairly good-sized BBQ offering (claiming the tenderest ribs in town), and now some Mexican dishes as well.

I’ll start with what Jimmy sold me on.  It was a dish that consisted of tender cuts of beef covered in his signature BBQ sauce.  I was a little nervous, especially after the last couple of recommendations I’ve had, but this was a winner!  The cuts of beef in these types of dishes are usually left over from the previous “special” and drowned in a sauce to hide the flavor and help you break down all the un-chewable connective tissue.  Not in the case of Jimmy’s special.  This was fantastically tender, full of flavor, and accompanied by two home-style sides (I had fried okra that rivaled Pappy’s and mashed potatoes with gravy).  You also get a basket of homemade dinner rolls with every meal.  I like to dip my rolls in the little puddle of grease at the bottom of the cup of fried okra, but that’s just me.

As good as my meal was, however, the shining star at Jimmy’s is the chicken fried steak. I will put myself out there and claim it as the best in OKC.  I think it’s the best value in town, not to mention the best taste.  For $4.99 you get chicken fried steak, two sides, and a roll.  This chicken fried steak uses a very light batter, and it’s fork tender.  Amazing.  Too often the chicken fry’s in this town are heavy, thick batters — thicker than the cut of meat hidden inside. They also tend to be Texas-sized with a Texas price, and infused with all the flavors of the kitchen that have been dipped in the same grease. Not so here (oh, and don’t leave nasty comments about how Ann’s Chicken Fry is better until you have tried Jimmy’s).

There is a lot to try at Jimmy’s. There are other great deals including a Super Bowl Special for ribs (seasonal, of course) and all you can eat catfish for $9.99.  I may never get past the chicken fried steak again, but if you do, you may want to try the cinnamon rolls that are the size of my head.  And I have a big head.

There is a guy who sits right next to the cash register who is there every time I’m there, and apparently there for breakfast too.  Don’t take my word for it, ask him.  He will be happy to tell you about the great food offerings here.  Plus, if you can’t decide on what to eat, Jimmy will be happy to make personal recommendations and back them up with a guarantee.  The wait staff here is fantastic as well.  They are sold on what this place has to offer. The waiter we had last time spent so much time telling us how we should be bringing back friends and spreading the Jimmy’s Round-Up gospel that we accused him of being the owner and having the other Jimmy as a stunt double.  He said he was simply a loyal waiter and loved his job.  Refreshing huh?

Our only complaint comes from a friend who went there and had some serious confusion on the bill.  They have a lot of specials, and apparently can get confused on when something is on special price or not.  He really had to go around and around a few times with his bill to figure it out.  I have not had a bad experience personally.

Go try Jimmy’s Round-Up.  Take your family, take your co-workers, or take me!  You will find something here that you will find time to go back for, I guarantee it.  Like I said, I may never make it past the chicken fried steak, so please let us know what else is good here and any other thoughts on Jimmy’s in the comments.

Having a penchant for trying all things shady, I’ve been excited about a couple of suggestions I received lately. The first was a recommendation of a place that serves fried pig ears, pigs feet, and Mexican donuts. That one will definitely be reviewed soon. The second was Big Johnson’s Highway Grill, home of the Big Johnson World Famous Trucker Burger! That name and claim had me anticipating lunch so much I barely got any work done all morning.

Big Johnson’s Highway Grill is joined to a gas station. When you walk in you get a great, shady diner feel complete with stained, tile floors and creepy, unsanitary bathrooms with malfunctioning soap dispensers. There’s a long bar where you can sit on a stool and make friends with other shady eaters that have a hankering for trucker burgers. If communal bar stool dining isn’t your thing, there are also tables and booths. We chose one around the corner with a good view of the nice, large, flat panel TV.  I’m starting to feel sorry for myself since I don’t have a flat panel TV at home. Even the shadiest spots in town are starting to broadcast news and sports in HD-capable, flat panel glory. Anyway …

The nice thing about shady spots joined to gas stations is that if the food is no good you can always go next door for beef jerky and an energy drink. Unfortunately, you may be more satisfied with the beef jerky than the menu items here at Big Johnson’s. The menu is typical diner fare — hot plates with various warm meats and sides, several fried options slathered in gravy, a handful of sandwich options, and its namesake — the Big Johnson World Famous Trucker Burger.

There is a danger in heaping praise on yourself. Declaring yourself as “world famous” is setting yourself up for undue scrutiny. I probably wouldn’t have thought twice about a shady place serving a frozen patty if it hadn’t been declared “world famous.”  Big Johnson’s uses one of those weird, uniformly mis-shapen patties.  You know, the ones that are neither round nor square, but rather created to be oddly asymmetrical in an attempt to fool the rubberneckers at neighboring tables into believing they are hand made. They’re not. So much for world fame.

I actually didn’t order the burger myself. My shady companions were already getting burgers and I was skeptical in the first place because mustache man from the Golden Touch Grill was eating one.  Big red flag.  Of course, I did get to observe them on my companions’ plates. They were paired with ordinary orders of fries.  Not bad looking plates, just not deserving of a world famous title.

So, what did I order since I didn’t go for the burger?  Well, I broke one of the rules of shady dining.  I took advice on what to eat from a truck stop waitress.  Believe me, I paid for my mistake. When I asked her what was best and heard, “Oh honey, the hot beef sandwich is unbelievable,” I should have resisted and ordered a corn dog.  Instead, I not only placed my order but also found myself anticipating my meal. The anticipation only increased the disappointment when I tasted it. It was obviously reheated from frozen meat.  The whole thing was completely covered in a dark, salt-jelly that posed as gravy and it was all served on top of a piece of soggy, white bread.  It really was terrible. On the bright side, I did play with the gravy for a while and was amused by the way it bounced.

Perhaps the most disappointing part of Big Johnson’s is the pricing.  It seemed pretty high considering its shadiness.  If dishes were three and four dollars, you could probably find some value here. But the food here is pricey by shady restaurant standards. I spent over $8 on my hot beef sandwich.  Chicken fry rings in at over $10, catfish for $8, and most everything else for $6 or $7. With prices like these, I just can’t recommend it when one can go to Nic’s Grill and experience a burger worthy of world fame with fries and a drink for around $7.

When it comes to shady atmosphere and quirky names, Big Johnson’s really has it all going on.  I just wish it offered a good value of flavor and price. I mean, come on, who wouldn’t love to announce to their coworkers, “I’m headed to Big Johnson’s for lunch, you want anything? Burger? Skoal? Jerky?”  I know that would make my day.

It’s possible that the breakfast at Big Johnson’s is good. Shady places often do breakfast right. I’ve just never tried it. Have you? Let me know what you think in the comments.

If you are like me you have probably seen Fulton’s Fried Pies for years now sitting just west of Portland on NW 50th.  I had just never been inside because I’m not a big dessert guy.  But then I heard they have breakfast, lunch and dinner pies.  This definitely piqued my interest so I finally got around to visiting them the other day.  What a pleasant surprise this place turned out to be!

The inside reminded me of a small donut shop so I instantly felt at home.  As you enter, you will find a display case full of pies that are only distinguishable by their labels.  There are two four-seater tables, a small coffee table with a few chairs, and a rack of free local newspaper offerings in case you want to sit down and read something while you snack.  This place is not particularly shady, but to get there you do have to drive past Coit’s Drive-In which could cause your stomach to wrench and send you into traumatic flashbacks of the time you were talked into eating there.

When you think “fried pie,” you probably think of a grease-saturated pastry with a pasty, super sweet filling.  That has always been my experience.  But the pies at Fulton’s are anything but greasy.  They start with a light, homemade puff pastry, stuff it with some filling, and fry it.  Pretty simple, but the secret is in this delicate, beautiful pastry.  If you’ve been disappointed by overworked, flavorless, hyper-dense dough in the past, you need to try Fulton’s and experience how delightful a fried pie crust can be.

While they do have an assortment of fruit pies and other dessert pies like chocolate, coconut cream, apricot, peach, cherry … etc., the lunch and dinner pies are what really make this place great for me. I mean, dessert pies are standards and, you know, a breakfast pie isn’t much of a stretch (who wouldn’t like a  combination of sausage, bacon, egg, and cheese wrapped up in a pastry). But, lunch and dinner pies, now that’s truly novel.

Think of them like … well … like hand-held pot pies.  Wait! That’s a bad comparison because if you are like me, pot pies of your past have consisted of a frozen vegetable mixture in a bad gravy topped with an overworked, tough pastry, or worse … canned biscuits.  Nevermind … get that out of your head.  Ok, now try to image if that pot pie of your past had tasted good … and if you could somehow hold it in your hand.  Mmmm … now that’s why I believe these fried, tender, flaky, stuffed pockets of goodness are truly a unique treasure in our city.

My lunch companions and I sampled six of the seven offerings.  Let’s walk through these.

First, the Tex-Mex pie was stuffed with beans, chili, and yellow cheese.  It’s like a chili burrito in a pastry shell.  Not the favorite of the crowd, but not bad.

Next, the chicken and broccoli pie was quite good.  Pretty familiar concept.  You see chicken broccoli and cheese stuffed into stuff all the time.  Good choice.  Also, the spinach, mushroom, and cheese pie presents a similarly tasty concept.

The beef and vegetable pie is like a traditional pot pie offering.  You know, stew wrapped in pastry. The BBQ pie was probably the least favorite. Not bad, but it was just kind of weird to have shredded beef barbeque and barbeque sauce in a pastry.

I think the shining star was the comfort food pie which features potato, cheese, and slices of polish sausage.  Fantastic.  What made it even better was the fact that it wasn’t sitting under the warmer ready for the lunch crowd.  They made this one fresh.  It was piping hot and plenty filling.

We also tried an assortment of dessert pies which you can top with a scoop of ice cream if you choose.  Dessert pies are what you would imagine. They taste like dessert pies.  I’m not a dessert guy, except for bananas foster and pumpkin pie which unfortunately they did not serve. But, regardless of your pie preference, there is certainly something here that will make you happy.

Now a word of warning. There are repercussions to eating loads of fried pies.  First, if you have a peanut allergy, these will kill you.  They are fried in 100% peanut oil.  Second, fried pies aren’t exactly light, healthy, foods.  These stick with you when you leave.  I don’t have the capacity to hold large quantities of food, so I’m a bad judge of filling capacity, but you can trust my lunch companions who will tell you that these are filling.  I think we were all less productive than normal after this lunch.  As always, eat fried meals in moderation.

But aside from the obvious dangers of consuming fatty foods wrapped in pastry and deep-fried, I can’t say anything bad about this place. There’s no doubt that tasty, unique morsels can be found inside. Plus, there are so many ways to try them. Pick up some breakfast pies on your way to the office and be an instant hit among your peers or direct reports. Indulge yourself with delicious and unique lunch and dinner pies. Or, simply stop by to have a dessert pie for an afternoon snack or to cap off a meal.  Whatever you choose, please leave us your comments and let us know what you think.

I love a good burger, and am actually pretty picky when it comes to burgers. I also like shady, hole-in-the-wall-type places.  Nic’s combines the best of both worlds with a fantastic burger prepared in a little building, a shack actually, just off NW 10th on Penn.

I like my burgers thicker than onion burgers, greasy, and full of meaty flavor. The problem with griddle-fried burgers is that often times they are very bland when they are not squashed down to typical onion burger thickness. In fact, I hate watching Oklahoma City’s onion fry chefs (I hear they are better in El Reno, but I don’t know from personal experience) get their big spatulas and then squish every last morsel of juice out of every patty they fry. I also hate watching friends do this when they are grilling burgers at home. My favorite part of a burger is all the flavorful beef juice that explodes into a cholesterol and fat-laden flavor bomb with every bite. Nic has figured out how to serve a big, beefy (dare I say manly?) burger without murdering it while it cooks.

I have actually been meaning to experience a Nic’s burger for myself for a long time now. The problem is that every time I drive by there are people lined out the door and there is no place to park. There are only 15 seats in the entire place — nine at the bar, where you get a front row seat to all the cooking action, and 3 two-seater tables along the back wall. I went at 11:20am and had no trouble claiming 2 bar stools, although Nic did say it was one of his slower days in quite some time.  By the time we left, it was standing room only. My advice is get there early, before the big lunch rush.  Apparently there is major to-go and call-in business here as well, so you have options.

Before I dive into the burger and fries I experienced, let me go over the menu.  Breakfast, burgers, and chicken fried steak.  No frilly salads, no fruit cups, no yogurt and raisin parfait, just different slabs and hunks of meat and eggs thrown on a griddle. That’s my kind of place. He does have a daily special of pork chops, meatloaf, or fried chicken, depending on the day. I can’t wait to say that I have tried them all. I love a griddle or pan fried chicken fried steak, so I can’t wait to try Nic’s. He seasons, lightly flours, then throws it on the griddle. Once it’s done it is plated, and then he goes around to a back room where he finds mashed potatoes and white gravy to cover everything in.  I have to admit, my eyes started to well with tears of joy when I first saw him do this.

The burgers are thrown on the grill in what appears to be 1/3 to 1/2 pound of meat.  I didn’t ask the exact weight as I was feeling a little verklempt after watching the chicken fry and the precision with which Nic fielded orders from patrons in seats, over the phone, and from standing, waiting to-go orders. The burger was covered with cheese, grilled onions, dressed to my specifications, and then piled onto a toasted bun. It was huge, sloppy, and extremely hot.

He also has hand-cut curly fries that are fried to each order. Sure, lots of places serve hand-cut fries, but Nic’s look better. They aren’t mushy and brown like you so often see.  They are crispy, golden, and fresh.  He doesn’t care about letting them sit and drain. He believes that hotter is better and throws them straight from the grease directly onto your plate.  The portion of fries is the size of a small child, and when paired with a burger it is a daunting task just to finish everything.

Nic, always looking to help curb coronary disease, does not serve a double burger.

A few comments I and my lunch companion made really help to sum up the experience.  My companion thanked me for making him experience a place like this. He had no idea the treasures you can find if you just take a risk and jump into some of these little dives to experience true Oklahoma City culture.  He is obviously not a regular shady companion, but after this experience, he may well be. My reaction to Nic’s was equally sincere. I believe I muttered something about this burger changing my life as I wiped tears from my eyes.

I would call Nic’s shady, but not so shady as to deserve the prestigious designation of “Shady Restaurant of the Month.”  To me, it has shady characteristics, but falls more into hole-in-the-wall status. We don’t want to cheapen the title given monthly to those truly shady places, so let’s just call Nic’s a great hole-in-the-wall with fantastic food.  Prepare yourself properly before going so you can maximize your experience. Arrive early, skip breakfast, and be prepared to either sneak a nap at work afterwards or to at least have access to a highly caffeinated beverage. I have a feeling you, like me, will agree this is the best burger in town.  Let us know what you think in the comments.

The goal of every shady pick is to find a tasty bit of food at a location the average person may never have the guts to try on their own.  This month’s pick, Macy’s Pancake House, was actually recommended by one of our shady-lovin’ readers. The only thing is, Macy’s Pancake House was sold, and the name changed.  It is now 44th Cafe Pancake House.  Actually, I think it’s really only called 44th Cafe, but Pancake House still is pasted down the pole so that is what I will call it.

I had been to 44th Cafe about a year ago (when it was Macy’s) and remembered it to be pretty good.  I decided to go back and try it again.  Sure, it’s pretty shady.  You will find 44th Cafe nestled snuggly among a long line of pawn shops and cash advance joints.  The pawn shop next door actually outfitted my Volkswagen with a new stereo not too long ago.  So, how shady is this stretch of road, you ask?  Well, Sydney’s Restaurant, the famed inaugural Shady Restaurant of the Month, chose to move just down the road at SW 44th and May.  I will miss the old location with its leaky awning and its requirement of unplugging the fan to plug in the credit card machine, but even places like Sydney’s are looking to advance themselves.

As nearly every shady restaurant does, 44th Cafe likes to proudly put pictures of their food on the sign outside.  I’m not sure what the reasoning is behind this is.  You would think the words “Cafe” and “Pancake House” would be enough to clue people in that there are delicious greasy morsels inside.  Maybe they simply want to be sure that the image of their food can transcend language. Who knows.

Inside, I was pleasantly surprised by the well-lit, air conditioned environment.  Smokers are segmented in a separate room and unsurprisingly, that room was full.  There was no one in the non-smoking area except for myself and my shady companions.  Also, if you were thinking about borrowing the proprietor’s phone for personal reasons, you’d better think again.  There is a big sign on the counter plainly stating “No More Personal Phone Calls.”  Lucky for me, I had my cell phone for emergencies.

After we looked over our menus, our waitress approached and broke down the options for us.  I appreciated her candid honesty.  “Breakfast is great!” she said.  I asked about the daily specials and she said, “Oh, they are all good!”  I asked if that was really the case given that all of the specials were under $5 and she clarified that wasn’t really the case.  She said the chicken fried steak is terrible, a frozen parts-is-parts patty.  She raved about the spaghetti, though.  We all decided to play it safe and order breakfast.  I say we played it safe, but a couple of my shady friends ignored my sage advice and ordered the breakfast steaks along with their eggs and home fries.  Please, hear my plea — never order a steak that costs less than $10.  $4.99 is seductive, but it’s bad news.  The breakfast “New York Strip” looked like a thin shave of arm steak, but I could be wrong.  Whatever it was, my repentant friend informed me it was terrible and tough.  On the other hand, the eggs, home fries, biscuits, gravy, and pancakes were all fantastic — and very affordable. 44the Cafe also offers diner staples like meatloaf, pot roast, beef tips, catfish, and burgers … etc. I think I’ll stick with breakfast, though.

One thing that stood out was the fact that everyone who came into this restaurant was known by name.  Clint (who I called “Mr. Suspenders”) came in and ordered while he walked into the smoking chamber.  He ordered like this — it was brilliant:

waitress: “Hi Clint, be right there with your coffee and the usual.”

Clint: (nods head and says something unintelligible while pulling on suspenders)

waitress: “Ok, I’ll make that iced tea.”

This was an amazing exchange of verbal and non-verbal communication.  I can only hope that one day I can go into a shady diner, mumble and tug on my sagging pants, and find that my waitress hears my message — which will inevitably be “extra gravy and Dr. Pepper please” — loud and clear.

I love ordaining a diner with the shady honor, especially when it is a reader recommendation.  44th Cafe is a particularly shady location with big flavors and personalities inside.  One of the waitresses swears that if you come back for dinner and order the ribeye, you won’t be disappointed.  She says you can cut it with a butter knife.  That proposition is too shady even for me, but if one of you dares to try it and survives, please post your comments.  Until next time, keep the shady requests coming, and don’t be afraid to visit some of these places for yourselves.

Ahhhh … the smell, the taste. If you’ve ever made the short trek west of Oklahoma City to partake of an original El Reno onion burger, you know what I’m talking about. If you don’t leave with your hands, hair and clothes reeking of fried onions for the rest of the day, you’ve missed it. El Reno is the onion burger capital of the world, and they even host an annual burger day festival every May where crowds swell up to 25,000 people.

Legend (actually, internet lore) has it that the first onion burger was created back during the depression, when meat was expensive and onions were cheap.  By smashing half an onion into a small meat patty, one got a larger-looking burger along with a phenomenal taste.  And the rest is history.

The first original onion burger joint was known as Bob’s White Rock.  In 1946, W. J. Siler opened Johnnie’s Grill (the J. stands for Johnnie) in El Reno.  The original restaurant had only nine bar stools.  Johnnie ran it until 1967 when Otis Bruce bought the place.  Steve Gallaway took over in 1995 when the place seated up to 29 people.  In 2005, he expanded to seat up to 100, and he still owns it today.  Gallaway was more than happy to talk history with me.

The atmosphere is one-of-a-kind. I’m talking the kind of place Hollywood directors dream of — with crusty ol’ Oklahomans fresh off the farm and Route 66.

Plus, the food is terrific. Onion burgers are traditionally smaller than the usual big-mouth restaurant burgers, but the taste they pack beats anything you’ll get from a chain. I’ve had onion burgers made two ways — with sliced onions and with diced onions.  I prefer sliced onions because they look better and you get more taste.  They’re usually served on a small, real plate (not paper) with one onion slice hanging over the plate’s edge.  And when you bite into it, you need to have onions hanging down your chin to get the full effect.  That’s why I started my great onion burger tour at Johnnie’s — I knew I would get the atmosphere I wanted and the onions hanging out of my mouth.

The only other thing on the traditional onion burger is pickles.  Then, you can add your own mustard, mayo or ketchup.  Personally, I like to add so much mustard that the meat usually ends up sliding out of the bun.  But talk about a knock-out taste!  You can also order your burger with the other standard veggies, but if you’re a beginner onion burger student, just start with the pickles and onions for $2.70.  A half order of fries, tots or rings is an additional $1.95.

For an onion burger joint, Johnnie’s has quite an extensive menu.  If someone in your party is not in the mood for an onion burger (gasp), then there are also salads (chicken or ham, $4.75), coneys ($2.70), dinner specials ($6.50), frito pies ($3.75) and a variety of sandwiches ($4).  They even offer a breakfast menu in the mornings.  Another specialty I noticed at Johnnie’s was a really tempting dessert display.  Steve said that Everett Adams makes fresh desserts for the restaurant every day.  Adams is a retired cook from the local prison, and boy did his coconut pies look tasty!  You can even purchase whole pies for $11 if you’re in the mood to take one home.

I love it that part of our state is known for onion burgers.  I was in a local restaurant last week and the owner said her Philly cheese steaks were the best in town.  I told her I’d never had one, and she about fell over.  I said, “We’re not in Philadelphia! You wouldn’t go up to Philly and order an onion burger, would you?” She said that made sense, and I tried one of her pizzas instead.  When you’re in Rome …

Anyway, that does it for part one of the great OKC onion burger tour. Johnnie’s is definitely a must-try if you want to experience onion burger history. We’ll see how it stands up against the others to come on the tour.  I plan on reviewing the other two famous places in El Reno as well as several in OKC.  If you have been to Johnnie’s please leave us your thoughts in the comments.  Or, if you have your own favorite onion burger place, let me know!

Mom has been trying to get me to go to Neighbors Cafe for about five years now, and I’ve refused on the grounds that I’m not old enough yet. I mean come on, it’s where she and my granddad went for lunch every Friday. So, with the recent passing of my granddad, she wanted to go “for old time’s sake,” and since my brother conveniently lives in Dallas, I was the only person handy enough to take her (sigh). So off we went.

First of all, if Mom didn’t have that handicapped sticker, we wouldn’t have found a parking place. Of course, skeptic that I am, I wrote the crowded parking lot off to the fact that it’s in a strip mall and all of the other cars were obviously there for the other businesses. But I was proven wrong as we walked in and grabbed the only booth left by a window. By the time our menus were dropped off, I noticed all of the tables in the dining room were taken. I was beginning to think that perhaps I judged this place too quickly. After all, they were doing some serious business.

But it’s tough to let go of your preconceptions, so I began perusing my menu options with the blase’ attitude still firmly intact. Given my experience with most corner cafes, I figured that even the carpet in this place was likely loaded with grease. So, I was very pleasantly surprised that the first items on the menu were fresh-squeezed juices and handmade fruit smoothies ($2.99), followed by specialty coffees ($1.99) — not your typical greasy-spoon menu items. Still needing something reasonably low-fat but more substantial than fruit juice, I proceeded on down the menu and hit the salad section. Naturally I doubted how good a diner salad could be, but that’s what sounded good and some of the my mom’s “senior” friends who we ran into out in the parking lot were raving about the salads. So, I ordered the Santa Fe salad with grilled chicken ($5.99). Mom chose the veggie omelet with home fries ($4.59). I told her the fries cancel out the veggies. She ignored me and added three packets of sugar to her decaf.

A group of younger guys occupied the table next to us. They ordered the Friday special — fried catfish. I stole two or three looks at their plates and it looked pretty good. As I was eating my huge salad with the homemade chipotle dressing (very tasty and spicy), I continued down the menu looking for additional reasonably healthy choices. The omelets can also be ordered with egg whites or egg substitute — that’s good. And the other breakfast entrees come with a choice of a side of fresh fruit. That’s good too. There’s also a nice variety of burgers, which looked really good on the little man’s plate behind mom.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with my “senior” dining experience here. Neighbors Cafe serves quite a bit of quality food at great prices. I think you’ll definitely be surprised as I was if you go in expecting your typical greasy spoon experience. The owners were on vacation the day we went in, so I didn’t get to do my usual interview, but that will give me a reason to go back next Friday and try the burgers.

So, if you take your parents out and they want to go here, bring them. Now, I can’t say I would bring my hip, big-city brother here, but for a handy little place with a homey atmosphere and pretty good food, it’s nice. By the time we left, there was a line of people clear out the door waiting for tables. I suppose I should learn not to pre-judge a place before I see how crowded it is.

I know, March came and went without a “Shady Restaurant of the Month” award. I’m making up for it with a particularly strong April recommendation that was actually brought to me by a loyal Shady reader. Please keep the suggestions coming! You never know when your favorite place could get the honorable Shady Restaurant of the Month award making you the envy of all your friends.

I got the email yesterday that I should give Choice Cafe a try. Luckily, I had no other shady plans and decided to go give it a shot. Choice Cafe sits on South Shields Avenue in Southeast Oklahoma City. As we neared the restaurant it became clear that it had some strong shady characteristics. We passed the Dreamland Motel, a couple pawn shops, a large bingo hall, and just before you reach the Swank Hotel (you can’t make up a name like that) you find Choice Cafe.

Like many of its shady cousins, Choice Cafe has a big, blue awning with jumbo letters advertising its name along with its phone number. A large portion of the awning was torn off on one side. Honestly, though, with these 78 mph Oklahoma winds, I’m not sure how anyone maintains a decent awning in this town. The parking lot was packed. In fact, we “made up” our own parking space. A full parking lot is always a decent sign, but Western Sizzlin’ also typically has a full lot so take that with a grain of salt.

Inside, it was very clean, although it did still maintain some shady interior characteristics such as water-stained, multi-colored ceiling tiles, and cinder-block walls. There was a large menu over the counter and as we walked up to order, we were told that we could sit down and that they would bring us menus. The menus were surprising. I’m used to a grease-stained menu at these places, but this was a nice, bright, laminated menu with great pictures and graphics, plus a large ad mentioning their catering business. There wasn’t the slightest bit of ketchup, meatloaf juice, or burger grease to be found lingering from the last guy. Our beverages were brought to us in nice, clean, sturdy glasses. Again, very surprising. I’m used to those beady, red, plastic cups with a worn-out Dr. Pepper or Coke logo on them. Also, in true South Oklahoma City fashion, they boast enough signed OU footballs, plaques, and framed snapshots of all the glories and traditions of Sooner Football to classify this place as an OU museum.

There are lots of food options here including burgers, gyros, baked potatoes, several varieties of chicken, and then a host of diner meals including meatloaf, roast beef, catfish … etc. I asked about the burgers. I was prepared for the “all beef patty” speech that can be translated as “frozen, all beef — but not the parts of beef you would normally want to eat — patties.” Instead, our waiter surprised me by saying how they hand-weigh the fresh beef every morning for their burgers. I figured I’d better try one. My shady lunch companions (no, they won’t mind being called that) got gyros and a roast beef dish.

The burger came exactly as advertised. It was an all beef, hand-made patty. I was impressed. A little under-seasoned for my taste, but I added some salt and it was quite enjoyable. It came with hand-cut curly fries. They were fantastic. The chef must have some mediterranean / middle-eastern influence. I say this because of the gyro offerings, plus the seasoning on the fries had a strong hint of garam masala or something similar. It was all very good. The roast beef came in typical diner fashion with mashed potatoes and gravy, and bland green beans.

I was quite surprised at the quality we experienced here. They have a very friendly waitstaff, good quality food, and prices that are in line with shady spots everywhere. I got in and out for $5. Not bad for such a quality meal. Oh, and like every good diner, they also provide a large display case of oversized slices of homemade pie. This is a tradition I rarely get to experience. I’m just not a big dessert fan. Sure, pie is good and all, but why waste that stomach space when it could be filled with meat, cheese, and gravy?

There may be shadier places in town, but Choice Cafe combines great taste with plenty of shady surroundings to provide an all-around great experience that earns it the prestigious Shady Restaurant of the Month award for April. Try it, and let us know what you think.

Being a shady adventurist has its challenges. I mean, think of it this way – you’ve got one hour for lunch, your only break from a crazy day of work, and you are leaving the fate of your precious lunch time in the hands of an inexperienced griddle chef and a waitress that, more often than not, has a progressive form of emphysema from her two pack a day habit. Why do it, you ask? Well, simply put, it’s exciting! Even when you have a less-than-stellar experience at one of these joints, you typically walk away with a good story, more money left in your pocket than McWhataKing’s “value meal” would have left you with, and the chance to mingle with some of Oklahoma City’s more dynamic personalities.

Cesar’s Grill is no exception to this rule. It is border-line shady. In fact, my lunch companion and I had a good healthy debate about the ultimate shadiness of this particular eatery.

A few key shady factors:

1. Surrounded by wheel and tire shops (I am in no way saying these have a dishonest practice, but you have to wonder why they always seem to have that hubcap you were missing on special. Maybe they have all those left socks I’m missing in back too. Never thought to ask! The one down the road from Cesar’s does have those hard-to-find Volkswagen sized tires for only $20!! What a bargain!).
2. It is located down the street from the Red Dog Cafe. Pretty sure bad things go down here. It looks like the bar in that Quentin Tarantino film, Dusk Till Dawn. I’m not a frequenter of these places so I can’t give you specific details. Besides Red Dog, there are at least 3 additional sleazy men’s clubs in the immediate area (I refuse to call them Gentlemen’s clubs).
3. Lots of vagabonds wandering around this side of town. It’s not far off Reno, so transients often find this particular stretch of road a good place to take a mid-day stroll. It could very possibly just be the bouncers from Red Dog Cafe killing time before the Happy Hour action starts. Who knows?
4. It seems like the apartment complexes over here seem to always have cops, and even a random shooting or two every quarter or so.

And the arguments against the shady rating:

1. It’s not an overly dangerous part of town. Aside from what happens here in the late evening hours, I think if you stay out of Red Dog Cafe, and don’t go swapping meth pipes in the apartment complexes, you are pretty safe to be around here, even in evening hours.
2. The clientèle here are pretty un-shady. There is usually a table of Senior Adults enjoying a laid back lunch while socializing (or I guess they could be planning their excursion into the Red Dog, in which case my assumption could be way off).
3. The inside of this place is not shady at all. In fact, it has that feel of an old BBQ restaurant, or cheap budget steakhouse. Wood paneling, old western pictures, Coca-Cola memorabilia, and a crane machine to try and win a stuffed animal after lunch.

I’ve been so torn with its classification that I even went here twice in the same week to try and figure it out. I may need reader assistance in properly categorizing this place. Let me describe some of the food offerings to give you proper preparation before you try this place for yourselves.

First off, they serve breakfast all day. Bonus! And its pretty good! The Cesar Omelette throws together a lot of what’s in the kitchen (in their words) to make a spicy and robust meal. Again, breakfast is always a safe option as it’s hard to mess it up. The burgers, however, are a different story. I asked our waitress what she thought and she said, “oh, they are awesome!” She was a young and energetic sort, literally running between tables and the kitchen to try and give everyone quick service. She didn’t look, or smell, like the heavy smoker type that I’m used to in these types of places. That, paired with her age, (the older you get the more taste buds you lose) made me think her opinion could be valid. Wrong. Frozen patty. Not 100% sure it was even all beef. I was unable to finish it.

They do have a daily special, which on one occasion looked really good. They had a baked chicken dish with fried okra and some type of green vegetable. It looked and smelled awesome, and everyone in the place but us had ordered it (and cleaned their plates). It may be that the daily special is the way to go every day. The second time I went, though, the special was a roast beef dish, and the quality of the burger made me a bit squeamish so I went with the breakfast. My fellow shady adventurer tried the $3.99 chicken fried steak. I told him not to, but the price sucked him in. No amount of intervening was successful in averting his curiosity. I even offered to pay for something else myself, but he wouldn’t listen. Of course it was a frozen, processed patty, but he finished it off. There is something about gravy (even if it does come from a mix) that can really make processed meat edible by masking the flavor.

Overall, Cesar’s isn’t bad. Great prices, great service, decent food offerings. As long as you treat these places like they should be treated, as quick and cheap lunch adventures, you will set them up for the way they are meant to be enjoyed. If you are taking the family out at night, I would stick to places like Iron Starr, El Pollo Chullo, Sophabella’s, and a number of other non-shady eateries listed on our site. And stick to the places like Cheevers, Deep Fork, Red Prime, and La Baguette for those nicer dinners. No hate mail please if you go into my shadier suggestions with the wrong expectations.

PLEASE NOTE: The Red Brick Restaurant is no longer open.

I first heard about the Red Brick Restaurant in Oklahoma City’s Downtown Magazine. The photography of the food at this place was over-the-top spectacular, plus the write-up was very favorable, so I was excited to check it out. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. Red Brick is a decent restaurant and I give them credit (as I always do) for bringing it to downtown, but I found their menu offerings about as plain as their name.

Red Brick is in a red brick building right across the street from the new federal building downtown. It’s a quaint little spot, which even has a free parking lot to the south (always a welcome surprise in downtown). The interior of the building is interesting. The funny thing is, I can’t remember too many specifics about it. I remember it being brightly lit and sort of reddish. It feels clean and new, and a bit nicer inside than the exterior would suggest.

But let’s talk about the food. I guess my main complaints are that the options are so limited, and not-so-healthy. Their lunch menu pretty much consists of a hamburger and a chicken-fried-chicken sandwich. That plus the buffet, which stands right in the center of the room. The buffet appeared to be a limited selection of southern-style “home-cooking” type foods. The day I was there, fried chicken was the only meat option, then there were a couple types of beans, mashed potatoes … etc. I think perhaps the buffet changes from day to day, but it seems to be centered around the southern-style (and not very healthy) cuisine.

I didn’t get the buffet because I know that an all-you-can-eat serving of southern-fried foods would leave me feeling like I swallowed a boulder. But, as I scoured the menu for something a bit lighter, I came up short. I did see a couple of salads (chef and garden) on the menu and asked about them, but the server told me they were pretty much just iceberg lettuce with a few other “salad things” mixed in. That didn’t sound all too great.

So, I opted for the burger. I know, not very healthy either, but at least it wasn’t all-you-can-eat burgers so there would be a limit to the amount I could take in. Plus, with the burger and fries I could get out for a couple dollars less than the buffet which runs $6.99. At least two waitresses came by and told me how good the burger was, so I figured it was a good bet. I really did hope it was good because it seemed they were pretty much dependent on it with such a limited menu. The verdict? The burger was pretty good. It was extremely greasy, though. I got mine with grilled onions and cheese. The grilled onions were a bit thick-cut for my taste. Onions and cheese are the only two options you have on the burger. Of course, it comes standard with iceberg lettuce, tomato and pickle.

So, they have a decent burger. I’ve had better any number of places. If you like all-you-can-eat southern-style buffets, then perhaps that is good as well. But, the bottom line is, this place isn’t putting anything out there to really stand out — that is, other than their location. And that might just be the most unique thing about the Red Brick Restaurant. I don’t know of any other southern-style home cookin’ places in the downtown area.

One final thing that I found odd. The pricing on the “combos” and the burgers is very strange. Usually, when you get a combo, you expect to save a bit of money off of what the individual components would cost when purchased separately. But, in most cases at Red Brick, you don’t save anything. In some cases, the individual prices are actually less than the combo price. Just be sure to check the pricing carefully before you order.

Bottom line, the Red Brick restaurant is bringing something new to downtown, but I’m afraid they’re not quite hitting on all cylinders. I would like to see a few “healthy” options on the menu, plus the use of more quality ingredients (like an interesting and actually “green” salad). In general, a few more menu options, and more consistent pricing across them would help this place take things up a level. If they can implement some changes like these, I would give them another shot.

Have you ever wondered what “soul food” is? Visit Mama E’s and they will be glad to educate you. I told the friendly lady preparing my meal a couple days ago how glad I was to find a soul food joint in this town and she said, “Baby, this is truly soul food because we make it with lots of love from deep down in our soul.” I’ll tell you what else it does; it warms the soul. In short, “soul food” is “comfort food”and Mama E makes it as well as anyone I know. Soul food is made the way all comfort food should be made. The made-from-scratch gravies are creamy, the casseroles are cheesy, and everything comes with an extra scoop of lard for flavor.

Not only is Mama E’s great, it’s shady too. It’s a small little shack in a less-than-desirable part of town (off 36th between Kelly and Martin Luther King). Luckily, Mama shuts down before it gets too late, so it’s usually pretty safe to frequent during operating hours. Mama E’s is open from 11-7 Tuesday through Friday, but they close at 6 on Wednesday. Mama says, “You better be goin’ to Wednesday night meetin’ at Church!!” Mama E’s has 4 or 5 tables and a long bar with seats as well. Lots of people came and got food to go while we ate. After seeing the portions Mama serves, I’m sure these people were taking them home to share.

Mama E’s has several fantastic offerings to choose from. Chicken and waffles, burgers, catfish, fried ribs, and pork-chop sandwiches. The chicken and waffles are amazing (dusted with powdered sugar), but to me, the real shining star is the Soul Food Daily Special. Sure, it’s $9.95, but wait until you hear what it includes! You get two meats, three sides, a roll or cornbread, dessert, and all-you-can-drink Kool-Aid! When I say two meats, I mean two full servings of meat. When I say three sides, I mean you better be ready for an afternoon nap when you get back to work. You get a roll or a slice of cornbread (or in my case she gave me both because I was taking too long to decide) and dessert, which could range from bread pudding to sweet potato pie (both are great, according to my lunch companions). I’ll admit, I’ve never made it to dessert. First, I’m not a big dessert fan, and second, not many people can make it through two meats and three sides and live to describe the desserts. In all reality, the soul food special could, and probably should, feed 2 people.

Meats can include a variety of options from day to day. You might get neckbone, chicken and dressing, pork-chops, meatloaf, catfish, fried tilapia (or other whitefish), spaghetti casserole, stroganoff, beef tips, fried ribs, or the like. If you have never had neckbone, try Mama E’s. It’s perfectly seasoned and slow cooked for hours until it’s fall-off-the-(neck)bone tender. To give you a perspective on portion sizes, a typical neckbone is about the size of a man’s fist. Granted, its not loaded with tons of meat, but she loads up 3 or 4 of these chunks of flavor for one serving. The stroganoff had big chunks of meat in a homemade gravy. It was very filling and very tasty. The sides were fantastic as well. Baked macaroni and cheese was perfectly done, mashed potatoes had a homemade turkey gravy drizzled all over them, and I also tried a squash, okra, and tomato saute of some sort that was unique and flavorful. Of course, you can also get corn, greens, beans, yams, cabbage, or whatever else Mama has cooked up for the day.

Next time I think I will bring the whole thing home and split it with my wife. I’m pretty much useless after a meal like that if I try to conquer it by myself. And how can you go wrong with Kool-Aid? Its one of those things that you would never be caught drinking while out with your buddies, but Mama makes everyone drink Kool-Aid, and it’s a nice nostalgic flashback. It’s also funny to see all your buddies with Kool-Aid mustaches.

If you have never had soul food you are missing out on a passionate art form, tasty food, and some of the nicest people you will ever meet. Go visit mama, but bring a big appetite!

PLEASE NOTE: R-Way-Cafe is no longer in business. A new business has opened up in this location called Maggie’s Cafe. However, we don’t have a review of Maggie’s yet. The article below is not about Maggie’s.

On 39th St, in between car lots (the perfect place for a diner), sits R-Way-Cafe. This building has had two or three different names over the last couple years. The latest is R-Way-Cafe. R-Way-Cafe is in a very diner-esque building and has breakfast, lunch and dinner. I went into it hoping it would be a great place, since it is so close to my house, and it wasn’t all that bad.

The atmosphere at R-Way-Cafe is unlike any diner I had ever been in. The decor is warm, soft, and a little overplayed for what the place is. It is decorated in Pottery Barn type colors with empty picture frames, book ends, and other “modern” type decor. I’m used to my diners having tin signs, white walls, and dirty, tile floors.

R-Way-Cafe serves breakfast until 2PM on Saturday and Sunday. Other times, they serve burgers and diner specials such as chicken fried steak, chicken, pork, meatloaf, catfish, etc. I chose the chicken fried chicken, and the reason may sound like sacrilege, but I’m just not a fan of Oklahoma chicken fried steak. I know, I know, it’s practically the state dish, and there are loads of loyal chicken fry nazis that will more than likely come after me now. It just seems that every place I’ve had it, from Cattlemen’s to Classen Grill to Ann’s Chicken Fry, have had enough breading on their steaks to cover an entire cow. I don’t like that much breading. I guess I like the pan fried version best rather than the deep fried version, similar to how I like my squirrel cooked. I guess it’s a Tennessee thing.

Anyway, back to R-Way-Cafe. The burgers are hand-made patties, and the vegetables are fresh, no fake potatoes, and dinners come with a salad bar. The salad bar was not bad for a diner. Not a lot of “trimmings”, but it was cold, and better than the very anemic lukewarm salads you get at a typical diner. The mashed potatoes were OK. A little chunky and dry for my taste. I like mine with a little more cream. The corn was not good at all. It had a very watery flavor going on with it.

The chicken fried chicken was cooked perfectly, and fork tender. I was pretty excited about it. However, my excitement died down as I slowly began tasting everything they had fried in the past week. Flavors of catfish, pork, garlic, onions, and other fried goodies began to dance across my palate. Not bad flavors in and of themselves, but not what I expected my chicken to taste like. Another very strange flavor was that of a tandoori masala spice. For those not familiar with this popular Indian seasoning, it is a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cumin, cayenne, and whatever else the Indian chef feels like tossing in at the time, before throwing it into a tandoor oven. Again, not a bad flavor. I love a good goat masala dish here and there, or chicken tandoori, but not what I want on my fried chicken. Apparently, at R-Way-Cafe, everything is fried in the same place, and the oil is probably not changed that often.

My wife gave the burger a pretty high review. It did look good, maybe a bit overcooked, but it was definitely a hand-made patty, and was paired with lightly hand-breaded onion rings. The kids had grilled cheese and pancakes. It all looked great. I think the way to go here is breakfast or burgers. Like I said earlier, I really wanted to like this place, and I think I still will, I’ll just stick with what works.

As you are all aware by now, I typically frequent the shady, unknown places that most people wouldn’t set foot in without seeing if I come out alive first. I went into Pappy’s thinking it would be the same thing. A shady little diner, greasy food, but hopefully, a quality breakfast. What I found was good, old fashioned, country cookin’ and a great atmosphere. I don’t like to call it “home cookin’,” but rather “country cookin’,” because what is home cookin’ anyway? At my house it’s usually pasta, a meat product, and a cream sauce, but I digress…

Pappy’s is located on the corner of Reno and May next to Pappy’s World-Famous BBQ. Some may say it’s shady, but it lacks some key shady qualities:

1. I would not feel unsafe alone.
2. Prostitutes are across the street at Ray’s and seem to stay over there.
3. There is actually some ambiance (pardon my French).

I have eaten at Pappy’s BBQ a few times. It’s OK, not sure about the world-famous bit, but you will never see a review by me on it. I made a promise to never review a BBQ restaurant. BBQ seems to stir up deep emotions in BBQ Nazis everywhere, and they often become violent and angry if you mention the wrong thing about wood, sauce, rubs, or smoke rings. Since I am not an expert in any of these areas, and have no interest in having the wrath of the BBQ Nazis aimed at me, I choose not to review BBQ. I will, however, review diners, greasy spoons, and shady eateries, and that is what brings me to review Pappy’s Diner.

Our first time into Pappy’s, we were a little concerned. Pappy’s does not serve breakfast past 11am. “Only one grill to cook on,” is what Doris said. This is the first time that has been explained to us. We always thought the reason was laziness. The last time we ate at a diner that didn’t serve breakfast it was a disaster (see Golden Touch Grill). Thankfully, for the sake of my digestive tract, this was not a disaster. The lunch menu included lots of diner favorites: pork chops, chicken fry, meatloaf, burgers, and more.

Pappy’s has an ambiance that is distinctly different than the shady joints I frequent. The place is clean and inviting, well lit, and friendly. It looks like a Coca-Cola museum. Coca-Cola ceiling fans, curtains, metal tins, and posters. Also, a lot of Dr. Pepper signs, which I have a great respect for.

Did I mention that the food is amazing? I haven’t had a really good fried pork chop in a long time. Sometimes you just need a good fried pork chop. Pappy’s Diner fulfills that need. It also fulfills your need for fried veal cutlets, chicken fried steak, meatloaf, goulash, catfish, and burgers. Mashed potatoes are real, not fake like what can be found at Oklahoma City’s over-hyped chicken fry houses. Other sides are equally good except for the green beans which were disappointing. The chicken fried chicken was moist, tender, and delicious. The desserts are different every day, and equally tasty. Meals are accompanied with freshly baked rolls. I find it interesting that a place that costs, on average, $6.50 a plate gives you free bread, and a place that costs, on average, $18 a plate makes you pay for it (see Royal Bavaria).

Pappy’s food is unlike any other diner I have visited in OKC. I hope to try it for breakfast soon, but that would require me to either skip out of work, or wake up early. Neither of these options are very likely to happen.

Another thing about Pappy’s is that they are accommodating. For instance, goulash was the special of the day, but my friends and I had our hearts set on fried food (no jokes about hearts and fried food, please). They asked if they could just have a small cup of goulash as a side item so they could try it. Our waitress said, “sure!” without hesitation. Now that’s great service. I like a place that lets you go off-menu every now and then.

One thing you should know before visiting Pappy’s — you can sign your name to the bottom of the ticket and they drop your name into a bowl. If they draw your name and write your name on the white board later that week, your meal is free. It has already happened to one of the members of my lunch crew. Today his name was on the white board. He described it as a feeling like no other when you walk into Pappy’s and your name is written in lights. What a great way to enjoy a lunch. Free!! The danger in this is that you find yourself wanting to go to Pappy’s every day in hopes that your name is on the white board.

Maybe we should start sending out scouts first so we can continue to try other places in town.

It’s time once again to bestow the honor of “Shady Restaurant of the Month” to another questionable establishment serving good food to Oklahoma City’s food adventurists. There were several nominees that had compelling arguments as to why they should be chosen. Rays Country Cafe, nestled between two strip clubs, was not only dangerous but paired a couple of shady staples with their gyro-meat omelet. Tacoville has excellent gringo “Mexican” food in a very shady part of town. And Mariscos Mi Lindo De Mazatlan has fantastic fish tacos and burritos if you aren’t scared by a few mistrusting stares from the locals grooving to Mexican polka at ear-bleeding levels. In the end, however, I decided to move away from these shady wonders in favor of 50′s cafe on SW 29th and May.

A couple of things put 50′s Cafe over the top and they have nothing to do with the food. Rather, the y are all about the experiences surrounding the food. For example, along the street outside 50′s Cafe I saw my first real life bumper car match between two angry drivers and also had a lady accuse me of stealing her car. There has to be an element of danger to win the “Shady Restaurant of the Month” award, and cars ramming each other on city streets pretty much takes the cake. Please refer back to my original disclaimer. Also, 50′s Cafe is out of place in its location. Next door you can send your Western Union money order to your Uncle in San Salvador, and two doors down you can buy fresh tortillas and other Hispanic groceries. 50′s Cafe refuses to move from a predominantly Hispanic area and boldly continues to cater to the working-class folk who like an affordable breakfast at all times of the day.

Once inside 50′s Cafe, the first thing that sticks out is all the Marilyn Monroe pictures. Aside from the pictures on the wall, I’m uncertain what makes it “50′s.” When I think “50′s Diner,” I imagine milkshakes, burgers, coney’s, and John Travolta dancing awkwardly. While there were burgers on the menu, I did not see milkshakes, and no John Travolta or even John Travolta look-alikes. There were a couple Elvis look-alikes, but I’m pretty sure those weren’t intentional. I’m also pretty sure Elvis washed his hair.

Of course, it isn’t living up to your restaurant’s name that wins you the award. It’s all about shadiness and flavor.

We all ordered breakfast. Fried pork chops, biscuits and gravy, bacon and eggs, sausage, chicken fried steak, and grits. I didn’t eat all of this, I ate what was dubbed “OKC’s favorite.” It was a biscuit topped with a scrambled egg, covered in country gravy, and served with sausage. This may be hard to believe but I have had a similar dish at Classen Grill, and this was not too far off in flavor for a third of the price. I really think their claim of homemade gravy could actually be true. One other thing, a place like this is more than happy to give you a little extra gravy if you desire. In contrast, I was in McDonald’s today and a poor guy asked for a little more gravy for his biscuit and was told quite harshly that the portion that comes with his meal is plenty, and any additional gravy would cost him 75 cents. What a travesty. I like to think we still live in a world where a guy can get a little extra gravy when he needs it.

Anyway, my shady companions enjoyed the other breakfast items and delivered rave reviews. The chicken fried steak was obviously a frozen patty. I would never order this, but my friend eating it didn’t seem to complain.

A couple warnings:

1. The menus are saturated in cigarette smoke. Not sure why. Kinda weird.
2. Don’t get the owner started about the cost of Coke and Pepsi products. Apparently his Pepsi rep is ripping him off and he wonders how a guy is supposed to make an honest living. He turns red when talking about this. Apparently, the cost of Pepsi goes up next week too for you investors out there looking for some inside info according to shady restaurant owner guy.
3. They will try to tempt you with a $5.50 sirloin steak offering. Don’t ever fall for this trick. It even tempted one of my companions. Luckily I intervened before something terrible happened.

So until next month, 50′s Cafe now holds the esteemed title of “Shady Restaurant of the Month.” I like seeing the competition heat up. If you find a restaurant shady enough to be considered for nomination, please comment. In the meantime, go have breakfast for lunch at 50′s Cafe. You’ll be glad you did.

Since I feel it is my duty as an American to notify the public when my lunch time adventures cause me to stumble across a tasty hidden treasure, then it would also be my duty to inform the growing legion of Shady Restaurant fans of those places they should avoid. This week, my fellow lunch pals and I decided to try a place we have passed many times, but wisely had never stopped at before. The Golden Touch Grill sits along Meridian on the way to the airport inviting recent travelers to enjoy “the best home cooking in town.” They lied.

When you first walk into the Golden Touch, you are reminded of other Oklahoma City shady favorites. The menu has a variety of burgers as well as hot lunch specials. The clientèle has that special quality about them that makes you wish you had your license to carry a concealed weapon, you know, just in case. There was the guy wearing the short sleeve button up, that forgot to button up. There was a 20 year old TV playing soap operas. The tables were a hodgepodge of mismatched furniture lined up in long rows so you could eat with all your shady friends prison style. There was a white board with a drawing of peach cobbler commanding patrons to try it. In other words, your typical shady restaurant. In fact, to get the full effect of this place I have included two pictures.

The atmosphere was perfect, the location was scary, the entrance was intimidating (see picture), so all that was left to be a contender for the prestigious “Shady Restaurant of the Month” award was for the food to be good. We immediately realized that breakfast was only served until 11. That was a little concerning, but then we looked over and the guy with the unbuttoned shirt was smiling and nodding, with a little gravy collected in his mustache, as if to say “don’t worry, you’ll love the roast beef and burgers.”

I asked the waitress what I should order and she recommended the Golden Touch Burger. “Why not?” I thought to myself. After all, it is its namesake. My two shady adventurers decided to try the roast beef and beef tips and gravy respectively. The meal was plated and in front of us in less than 2 minutes. I remember remarking that was a little TOO fast. The burger had swiss cheese and a slice of ham on top and was accompanied with onion rings. It looked and smelled pretty good. It wasn’t horrible, started off pretty good, but got progressively less and less tasty the longer I chewed on it. The onion rings mysteriously tasted like fried whitefish. Not really a bad flavor in itself, just not what you really want your onion rings tasting like. I glanced over at mustache man and he was still smiling and nodding. I felt like at this point he knew something I didn’t. Meanwhile my friends were working on their beef and gravy concoctions. They described them as bringing back memories of bad TV dinners, fake grill marks and all. Not one of us was able to finish. We passed on the peach cobbler.

It is a shame breakfast hadn’t been served. It’s hard to mess up eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns, and can make one of these places worth coming back to. The price is right at a place like this if the food quality is decent. Unfortunately, I can’t recommend this place for lunch. It’s a shame we were unable to try the breakfast options. We left, but not completely unsatisfied. Another shady spot can now be marked off the list and our adventures can continue elsewhere.

Please note: In 2008, Jaime’s changed ownership and became known as “Grill on the Hill.” This review is about the old Jaime’s and may not accurately reflect the new restaurant.

Deep in the heart of Capitol Hill lies a little known gem of a restaurant called Jaime’s Grill. Although the line spilling out into the street on a Friday around noon would argue that it’s hardly “little known.” Despite being located in the heart of the unofficial Hispanic Capital of Oklahoma City, Jaime’s is counterintuitively pronounced the English way. Jaime’s is a diner very reminiscent of the type of place you would find in a small town along the Mississippi River. Its no wonder, these guys are from Memphis!

Jaime’s is in a historic 100 year old building that attracts meetings of antique societies, car clubs, etc. Jaime’s walls are covered with pictures of what life was like before Capitol Hill was annexed by Oklahoma City. These pictures along with the antique planes, wagons, bikes, and other items scattered about with a disorganized genius remind the surprisingly diverse lunch crowd that it wasn’t that long ago that this part of the city was a bustling center of commerce.

While it may be fun to drive around Capitol Hill and practice your Spanish by reading all the local signs, peruse the pawn shops for bargains, or shop for that new dual vacuum advanced distributor for your Volkswagen Beetle at the salvage yard, the real reason to come to this part of town is to eat. Jaime’s gives you a compelling reason to do just that. Thick juicy burgers are probably the signature and can be ordered in various shapes and sizes. In fact, when the line is spilling out the door and the assistant to the cashier starts taking down orders to get a “head start” in the kitchen while you wait to pay, don’t be surprised if she takes a jab at you for only ordering a single when your friends order a double. Jaime’s has hand cut fries, homemade onion rings, and large slices of grandma’s pie, like any self respecting diner would have. You can also get the typical “meat and three”, as we Tennessee type people call a plate of a meat type product (catfish, shrimp, meatloaf, chicken fried steak) and a couple or three vegetable type products.

While all of these choices are tasty, there is one item on the menu that stands out above the rest, the “redneck club sandwich”. Imagine, if you will, your typical club sandwich with the toasted bread, crisp bacon, fresh tomato and lettuce, a little mayo…..ok now think about that thinly shaved deli style turkey. What could we do with that turkey that would really kick a club sandwich up a notch? That’s right! Replace it with thick slices of fried bologna!! Ridiculous! I haven’t seen another place in town that serves up fried bologna, but you can get it at Jaime’s in a couple different fashions. I respect that in a diner. For those looking for a healthier choice there is a variety of salad’s, baked potatoes, soup’s, etc.

Jaime’s has a lot of what you want in a lunch spot. Its relatively fast, the quality of the food is fantastic, and the price is lower than what you would pay at your local mega chain lunch spot for a bland slab of meat or overpriced sandwich. Are there any negatives you ask? I am always the type of guy to give you both sides of the story. First, Jaime’s is not a health food restaurant. You should probably eat an onion and a couple cloves of garlic at dinner to counteract any damage done by the fried bologna. I would like to think our readers are conscious enough of their health and well being to know to eat burgers and fries in moderation. Second, Jaime’s has a smell like that of your grandmother’s basement. Not exactly an appetizing aroma. Why it doesn’t smell of fries and onion rings when you walk in is a mystery to me. I kind of like the way it smells. Its a 100 year old building, it smells like one, but I have had others remark that they wish it smelled more like “food”. Third, the surrounding neighborhoods are not very aesthetic. I am particularly fond of the Mother Mary mural painted on a garage just down the road, but overall the neighborhoods are a little under-cared for. And finally, the Dr. Pepper fountain lacks CO2 despite numerous reminders to management that it is not working properly. They must not care. Normally this would bother me greatly, since Dr. Pepper is very important to me, but I have quit buying carbonated beverages at restaurants because they are overpriced.

So go try Jaime’s. Friendly staff, fantastic food, and historic culture. What else could you want in a lunch spot?

Starting today we will start highlighting the Shady Restaurant of the Month. This will be a monthly award given to that restaurant with poor lighting, bad curb appeal, questionable clientele, dangerous parking lots, but good food. Before we dive into the innaugural recepient of this soon to be prestigious honor please read the following disclaimer….

*Editors note and disclaimer*
If you choose to go to one of these establishments be aware that these are normally cash only, don’t always have proper air conditioning / ventilation, and should never under any circumstances be visited alone. Chances of being approached by a vagabond, prostitute, or teen runaway looking for a compassionate soul to provide them a meal is greater than 50%. I will in no way be held responsible if you finish your meal and return to your car only to find that it is on cinder blocks and the wheels are suddenly for sale across the street.

Now that the intro and disclaimer are afterthoughts in this article, on to the establishment with the distinguished honor of being known as the first Shady Restaurant of the Month. Today’s winner is Sydney’s Restaurant. Sydney’s is located on SW29th and Independence. The exterior of Sydney’s really will catch your eye with the paintings on the windows advertising $2.99 Pancake specials, $3.99 Burger deals, and $6.00 steaks. (never under any circumstances ever try a $6 steak, by the way. Its bad for your soul) It should also be noted that if you ever decide to go to Sydney’s and it is raining, don’t walk under the awning. For some reason that defies physics you get more water on you while under the awning than you would out in the elements unprotected. I may submit Sydney’s awning for consideration as a man made wonder of the world. Also, if you enjoy eating in establishments that regulate the air temperature around you, prepare for disappointment.

Lets move on to the food. Sydney’s serves a full menu, including breakfast, all day. Everything is cooked on a griddle and prepared fresh. Pancakes are light and fluffy, eggs are cooked perfectly, hashbrowns are fried up golden brown and delicious, bacon is crispy without being burned, and the sausage is flavorful. I know what you are thinking. Its breakfast food. Its impossible to screw this cooking up. Its not true gourmet cuisine. Why don’t you review the meatloaf, or the burger, or even the …pardon while I vomit in my mouth… the $6 steak. Well, faithful readers, I’m simply not that brave. Why give a charming little place like this the opportunity to disappoint? Eat the breakfast. Its cheap, servers are friendly, and if they accidentally spill coke into your gravy they are more than willing to bring you more gravy. Sydney’s is always willing to accommodate those crazy off menu substitutions that are often necessary such as double hash browns, no toast, or maybe you feel like the Eggs with Meat platter but want to really jazz it up by having a variety of meats rather than just a pile of sausage. I like to call this substitution the “pig potpourri”. Another bonus is Sydney’s accepts all major credit cards. Please be prepared to help unplug the large box fan and to plug in the MCR reader as the waitresses are too short to reach the plugs.

Sure Sydney’s Restaurant has plenty of characteristics that should cause every natural instinct within you to not stop, but to go find someplace “safer”, but then where would we be? I’ll tell you one thing, if it weren’t for the courage to stop in and try places like this we sure wouldn’t have a “Shady Restaurant of the Month” award to celebrate. You are also much more likely to get a grilled cheese with the mother Mary appearing in the grill marks at a place like this than you would at your little yuppie grill uptown. A couple good rules of thumb for finding your own little shady wonder:

1. Look for a full parking lot
2. If you can smell it from inside your car with the windows rolled up, they are busy cooking and not simply a front for drug trafficking
3. Look for an “established in 19….”(older number the better)
4. Never travel alone
5. Never go after dark
6. Share your finds with others.

The reward of finding a place like this, outside of the pure adrenaline rush of the potential for conflict, is sharing with others. Being selfish and hording a little shady wonder to yourself is a character flaw.