Oklahoma City Restaurants

You cannot find another restaurant in Oklahoma City currently that offers anything remotely close to what 105degrees is offering. It’s worth your attention if for nothing more than giving homage to the bold effort its ownership has made in bringing this concept to our city.

Once you get in the vicinity, it’s easy to spot Barry’s and its giant, green sign with a picture of a burger on it. Though the food may not be as remarkable as the sign, it’s still a good, quasi-shady burger place worthy of your attention if you’re in the area.

I’ve been searching for a great Italian restaurant in Oklahoma City, and I’m still searching. I’m not saying Bellini’s is bad, it’s actually quite good, but its not great.

Brown Suga Cafe wants to, as they put it, “put a little class in your soul.” Through their northwest Oklahoma City location and their slightly upscale presentation, they bring one of the world’s tastiest cuisines, soul food, within reach of those on the northwest side of town.

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 felt that the food here exhibited a bit of extra care and attention that I wouldn’t expect at a concept-driven place. So, I think they’ve got a shot at overcoming the polished, concept stigma and really providing something special.

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.

Ever since my date recommended we dine here before our senior prom (yeah, that was a few years back), I’ve been a regular at Caffe Pranzo and an evangelist of the place to others. Now I recommend it to you.

How do you know if you’re eating at an Okla-mex restaurant? Here’s my simple test. Do they include chips, salsa, cheese sauce, flour tortillas, corn tortillas, and sopappias as a part of every meal at no extra charge? If so, it’s Okla-mex.

Caesar’s Grill brings shady elements, and not so shady elements, to deliver a total Oklahoma City restaurant package that gets mixed reviews.

I don’t think I’ve ever been to a Mexican restaurant that offers fresh fruit as an alternative to rice and beans. I have to say, I like it. When I saw it on the menu, I knew that Chica’s was unique.

It’s finally here! Now, I know Chipotle is a chain and this site is about local Oklahoma City restaurants, but I make a very emphatic exception to my “no chain” rule when it comes to Chipotle. Read on to find out why. Plus, I offer you my guide for experiencing the best Chipotle has to offer.

For some, City Bites might be a little ordinary and mundane, but for me, growing up just blocks from the original location when it opened in 1986, City Bites represents a lot of what is great about quality, local restaurants.

A quick glance at the slightly run-down exterior of Classen Grill and you won’t be expecting much more than an average greasy-spoon. Try the food, however, and you’ll most likely be impressed.

An open-style kitchen and homemade cooking makes this family-run restaurant an inviting place for diners wanting a taste of authentic Guatemalan and Mexican cuisines. The daily stew specials are definitely worth a try, especially after you know the proper technique for eating them.

Coolgreens brings an innovative concept of fast, fresh, healthy food served up in an environment focused on being environmentally sustainable. My lunch party enjoyed our visit and our food. Check out our review and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

The CousCous Cafe is a pretty new place and just getting up and going. I finally got over to try it and I have to say, I haven’t been this excited about finding a new place in a while. I highly recommend you check it out.

Ever really craved a hot dog? You know, a real hot dog, like you would get at the carnival, or ballpark, or that hot dog you remember from your childhood? I do.

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.

I have seen El Pollo Chulo a hundred times sitting on the corner of Meridian and 23rd in Oklahoma City but have never stopped. If this is what Spanish food tastes like I want more!

Have you ever had the chance to visit El Salvador? My guess is no. With that more than likely being the case you have missed out on some very good and unique cuisine. Lucky for you good El Salvadorean food is here in town, very affordable, and very tasty.

Falcone’s may have expanded from just one tiny storefront to three locations, but the pizza is just as good as ever. Better yet, there’s probably tons of stuff you never took the time to try.

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.

Every time I go, the place is practically deserted, and it just makes no sense. While many Chinese restaurants are all about the buffet, Fortune prepares dishes just for me. They are hot. They are fresh. They are a good value. And, best of all, they are tasty.

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 including pies for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert.

So, just because I run a website about Oklahoma City restaurants, it doesn’t mean I’m thoroughly versed in every type of cuisine. There’s still much to be tasted. Indian food is one such frontier for me. So, I recently began my journey in earnest into Oklahoma City’s Indian food landscape. I started at Gopuram Taste of India and it made a good impression.

Irma’s is a fairly well-known restaurant around the Oklahoma City metro. On this trip, I visited their new OKC Midtown location to take on a special mission. I wanted to find out if their famed “no name” beef is really better than the rest.

Kang’s has such a broad reach — from Thai to Chinese to Japanese to American foods — that it can be a little schizophrenic. Yet the unique qualities of the atmosphere and the excellent flavors of some dishes make it worth a try.

I was invited several months back to an Oklahoma Indian food place that changed my perception and opened my taste buds to dynamic flavors. If you have never had Indian food before, or even if you have and haven’t liked it in the past, try Khazana.

La Baguette Bistro has pleased Oklahoma City’s distinguished palettes for quite some time. Now, with La Boucherie next door, this is Oklahoma City’s premier supplier of meats and specialty ingredients for your next fine meal.

I’m surprised, taken aback, shocked … you see, I had several people tell me how good Lotsa Noodles is and I was really looking forward to trying it. The sweet-looking decor and high-end marketing impressed me, but then my food came out and, man oh man, I was disappointed.

The thing I like most about it is that it’s different from most other Mediterranean or Greek places in Oklahoma City. Mediterranean Deli goes well beyond the standard “gyro and fries.” The menu is small, but it offers a chance to sample a great number of simple Mediterranean specialties.

I’ve been itching to post this review of Meiki’s Italian American for quite some time, but I have struggled with how to describe the place even though I’m in there about every other week or so. The best categorization I can come up with is “diner-style Italian.” Diner-style describes the atmosphere more than the food, and here’s what I mean by it.

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.

Is there any restaurant in Oklahoma City that you will drive completely out of your way just for the cookies? Ingrid’s Kitchen is that place for us. They specialize in great German food, but their deli sandwiches and desserts are also fabulous.

As I’ve said before, I much prefer local restaurants. But I’ve got to give credit when a chain restaurant really goes above and beyond. In the case of Panera Bread, I feel like I pretty much owe them some recognition considering that they’ve given me thousands of hours of great office space, virtually rent free.

Green Goodies is a specialty cupcake shop with organic, vegan-friendly, and other offerings for those with special dietary needs. Though their pricing is higher than the other shops we’ve reviewed, they bring a unique approach that is worth your attention.

A while back, Tim wrote about his Okla-mex pick, Casa Perico. I agree that his choice is a good one, but I think Poblano Grill has edged ahead of Casa Perico here lately.

When I asked people about Queen of Sheba, they often described it by comparison. “Oh, it’s like Indian food,” someone told me. But someone was wrong. It’s not like Indian food. It’s not like anything else I’ve ever had. It’s just Queen of Sheba and once you try it, you’ll have more than enough reason to come back again and again.

[PLEASE NOTE: We have learned that the Red Moon Cafe is closing or may already be closed]. The Red Moon Cafe and Bakery in Oklahoma City serves a creative variety of tasty food all day long. But the bank-lobby atmosphere and the inconsistent and even frustrating service could use some improvement.

PLEASE NOTE: Red Onion is no longer in business. // Sometimes you just want pie. Unfortunately, I haven’t found a place for great pie yet, but I have found the best place in Oklahoma City to satisfy your fajita craving.

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.

I have eaten at most sushi restaurants in the Oklahoma City area and have yet to really be impressed so I packed up the entire family, toddlers and all, and prepared for perhaps an above average tuna roll and some fried rice for the kids. What I found when we walked through the door was a trendy, hip, sophisticated place with a dynamic menu and upscale atmosphere.

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.

Sushi is one of my favorite types of food. I have eaten at most places in town, probably more than once, but there is one place I always seem to back to — Shiki. Sure, there are fancier sushi bars. There are more unique sushi bars. There are more eclectic, chic, nuevo, hip, and gourmet sushi spots in town. Shiki, however, is consistent, affordable, and convenient.

For this month’s Shady Restaurant selection, I wanted to stay away from the southwest side of town. As shady and edible as the southwest is, I feel that other areas of Oklahoma City are being neglected. This month, I am choosing a place on on a particularly shady stretch at the southern end of N. May Avenue. Today, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you one of my personal favorites, Shish Kabab!

I have found everything I like in a restaurant at Sophabella’s – comfortable atmosphere, consistent and classy service, robust, flavorful food and great Tony Bennett-esque music. It’s the kind of place you can go to on a dressy date, but feel just as comfortable popping in after a day at the mall in jeans and a sweatshirt.

Steve’s Rib is peculiar in that of its two restaurants, one is a sit-down place with a hostess and bar and the other requires you to stand in line and tell the worker what you want. Oddly, I’d rather avoid the fancy Steve’s Rib (located in Edmond) in favor of the comfortable and guile-less location in northwest Oklahoma City.

I know that Sushi Neko is one of those locations that you either love or hate. Many people talk about the quality of service, the pricing and other things that keep them away from this place. Personally, I am one who is quite fond of Sushi Neko, but I will remain as fair and balanced as I can possibly be.

I’ve been watching them build out Taqueria Los Carbones and I was excited to try it. The “taqueria” designation gave me visions of a menu full of interesting taco combinations, tasty salsas, and unique flavors. But alas, when I got to the place, I found nothing more than another Okla-mex restaurant, and a sub-standard, fairly bland one at that.

Oklahoma City, it’s time to celebrate the shadiness of ordering food while standing on a street corner. Taco stands are cheap, convenient, and they offer a level of taco, burrito, and gordita goodness that most restaurants in town only dream of.

You’ll likely need several showers and a car deodorizer to rid yourself of the onion smell after eating here, but … come to think of it … who wouldn’t want to smell like onions. Bunny’s Onion Burgers recently changed ownership but their tradition as a part of Oklahoma City’s onion burger landscape lives on.

Little Mike’s Hamburgers in Oklahoma City is second in our onion burger series. Try this one for a “neat-eating” onion burger with diced, rather than sliced, onions.

Be aware, The Shack doesn’t look like much from the outside. In fact, it looks a lot like, well … a shack. It is definitely off the beaten path, and people driving by likely wouldn’t think of the building as a prime restaurant space. But what the space lacks aesthetically, it makes up for in taste.

It’s not as fancy as nearby Sushi Neko, but Tokyo Japanese Restaurant offers all the flavor and a bigger selection in a more relaxed and much more affordable package.

On first glance, Snow Pea appears pretty sub-standard. Even in the realm of cheap, fast Chinese restaurants in OKC, Snow Pea comes off a little less interesting than most. Yet, I still recommend that you try Snow Pea for two very good reasons.

Vivo! is not a revelation of authentic cuisine, nor is it a bold step in a new direction. What they do best, however, is provide excellent service, tasty Italian staples and a few off-the-wall variations. I’ll be going back again, no doubt, with an eye toward trying some of their other dishes.

Zorba’s has recently made a big splash by opening a new location on North May. I tried out this new location and discovered that their recent move has resulted in a severe case of schizophrenia. Zorba’s can’t decide if it wants to retain the small, fast food, rough-around-the-edges feel of its roots, or morph into a modern, full service restaurant. The problem is that this indecision results in a sub-par experience all around.