Oklahoma City Restaurants

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.