Oklahoma City Restaurants

Buddha Tao does a lot of things very well, but prices itself at the level where they really need to do everything extremely well. So, while it brings a unique and quality offering to the Oklahoma City restaurant landscape, we’re a little unsure on whether that offering is worth the price tag.

They’ve got a great atmosphere and they deliver contemporary cuisine in a cool part of town. Still, I’m just not sold on Cafe Nova being one of the premier spots in Oklahoma City. When you’re a higher-end restaurant charging a premium for every plate, you’ve got to stand up to a much greater degree of scrutiny, and I think Cafe Nova falls a little short.

The very first time I dined at Cheever’s, I knew I had found something special. After stepping inside and getting my first taste, I was hooked. Cheever’s really delivers on everything I love about local dining.

Deep Fork is highly regarded by most everyone I know as one of Oklahoma City’s best restaurants. Yet, I had never been there until recently. Now that I’ve tried it, I can tell you that Deep Fork fires on all cylinders with great atmosphere, great food, great service, and even something unique — the chance to have a chef choose your meal for you.

It’s not that the food is bad, it’s just that everything they do makes me think they don’t really even care about the food. The focus seems to be on other things. Disagree? I’d love to hear your perspective.

I finally decided to try North Fork Bar and grill. It sits on what I call “chain restaurant row” on Memorial. North Fork filled the building that Applewoods used to occupy.

I have to admit, I have a bias against fancy-schmancy hotel restaurants. It just seems like all too often they are trying to be fancy for fancy’s sake. So, it was with low expectations that I gave the Park Avenue Grill a try. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised by the talent of their chef.

There are some things we really like about Picasso and those things by themselves are enough to warrant a trip out here to give them a try. Plus, there are sure to be lots of good things on the menu that we didn’t try. Still, the fact that about half of our choices fell short makes it less likely I’ll be making Picasso a regular stop.

The Red Pin Restaurant and Bowling Lounge opened recently in Bricktown, bringing an upscale spin on the traditional bowling alley. I was intrigued by the Red Pin’s claims to offer gourmet food alongside the bowling experience, so I had to check it out. When I did, I found a unique and interesting experience, but one that is more about concept than it is about cuisine.

Republic brings another beautiful, contemporary space to the Classen Curve area. Its amazing technology makes it great for sports-watching and its beer selection makes it great as a pub, but we’re checking out the food and, in that area, Republic can hold its own as well.

When Andrew and I visited Rococo, there was one thing that stood out above everything else — east coast style. If you are from the East coast, I’d imagine Rococo would feel a lot like home. If you’re not, Rococo is still worth your attention for its great strength — fresh seafood.

Saturn Grill was one of the first restaurants reviewed here on EatAroundOKC.com back in November of 2006. After trying their new location on Memorial Road, I thought it was time to revisit this local favorite. Take a look and leave your thoughts about Saturn Grill in the comments.

Anytime I am asked about finer dining options in Oklahoma City, I will report that Tom and Jerry’s Steak and Fish Grille is near the top of my list. It is fine dining but not too expensive or snooty. They have diverse menu options, and they can customize their service to adapt to your schedule.

PLEASE NOTE: we’re sad to say that the Turquoise American Bistro is now closed and as far as we can tell, it is not returning.