Oklahoma City Restaurants

Abel’s is both an authentic Mexican taqueria and a full-service Okla-Mex restaurant. They offer the standard Okla-Mex set-up with chips, salsa, sopapillas … etc., alongside some very authentic street tacos, Mexican seafood dishes, and aguas frescas. It’s unlike any other place you’ll find, especially in Warr Acres.

The prices at Alvarado’s tend to be a little higher than some competitors, and if the selection weren’t so great and the dishes so consistently delicious, I could see going someplace else. As it is, though, there aren’t many places in Edmond that can give your taste buds the same treatment as Alvarado’s.

Though there are some things I’m hoping they will change, Big Truck Tacos is definitely worth your attention. After all, taking something as awesome as a taqueria-style taco and sprucing it up with culinary creativity is very exciting and unique for Oklahoma City.

If you want a little something different in a colorful, but discreet, setting, try Cafe Antigua. It’s definitely worth the trip from any area of the city. They also serve their fabulous breakfast dishes at all times they are open, which is a huge plus in my book.

It’s got fantastic lunch specials. It’s got a lovely weekend brunch. It’s affordable, healthy, unique and located in midtown Oklahoma City. If you haven’t been to Cafe Do Brasil, I highly recommend you try it. If you’ve tried it already, leave a comment and let us know what you think.

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.

If Chalo’s Tacos were just a taco truck, I’d say go to Taqueria Sanchez. If it were on the south side, I’d say you have lots of other options to try. But as it is, I say if you’re located in northwest Oklahoma City and looking for a true taqueria where you can sit down and eat with friends, give Chalo’s Tacos a try.

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.

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.

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!

Guest contributor, Chef Ryan Parrott, takes us on a journey to a south OKC Peruvian restaurant. The exterior is bland and non-descript, but the flavors and presentations inside are worthy of your attention.

December’s “Shady Restaurant of the Month” award winner epitomizes everything that those who love shady spots look for in an eatery. I have chosen El Regio Loco and will implore anyone who reads this to work up the nerve to eat somewhere unconventional and try this place.

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.

Perhaps you remember the Iguana from its old location on Western Avenue. I remember eating there several times and noting its uniqueness. Now it’s back and continuing to provide an interesting alternative to Oklahoma City’s standard Mexican food places.

Los Comales is worth the trip to Stockyard City for those wanting a good taqueria experience. If you are tired of being insulted by other “Mexican” joints in town offering bland flavors and “cheese” jelly, this will be a breath of fresh air (assuming there isn’t a cattle auction going on down the road, in which case you shouldn’t breathe too deeply).

Attention Shady Restaurant lovers everywhere. From the makers of Max Pollo comes Oklahoma City’s newest burger and taco joint … Max Burger!

Authentic. Is there a word that is more mis-used among the general American public? I hear it every day at work, “Hey Andrew, we are going down to Tacoville for lunch. That place is crazy authentic, you will love it!”. After I hurt their feelings, unintentionally, by pointing out their ignorance in cuisine, I usually invite them to come join me in a truly authentic experience in Capitol Hill at Max Pollo.

PLEASE NOTE: Mexicasa is no longer in business. // If we’d had the same experience anyplace else, we’d have said, “Meh. It was fine, but nothing to write about.” The difference here, and the reason we’re writing, is that we hoped for so much more from Mexicasa. It has the pedigree to be better and we wish it were.

Mi Familia Restaurante gives you the opportunity to try something different in the Bethany area. Are there better restaurants out there? Sure. However, this place definitely provides a unique take on Central American food that is worth noting.

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.

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.

This review is about the best Mexican-style tamales in town. I say that with absolutely no reservations. No “I think,” no “possibly,” — absolutely no trepidation. I speak with confidence because I believe I have eaten at every authentic-ish Mexican restaurant on the south side of Oklahoma City and, unfortunately, at my fair share of Okla-Mex places as well.

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.

Sure, from the outside it stirs up fear and uneasiness with the best of them, but inside you feel pretty comfortable. Shady novices should stick with daylight hours, but for the more experienced shady adventurists, Taqueria Los Desvelados lets you adventure late into the night. After all, desvelados translates as “kept awake.”

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.

Tarahumara’s stands out to me as a cut above the standard Tex-Mex fare. They offer some unique dishes in addition to the standards and most everything they do is done very well. If you live close by, it’s definitely worth your attention. Even if you live farther away, you might find, like me, that it’s worth a special trip now and then.

Zarate’s offers another great opportunity for Edmond and Oklahoma City residents to explore beyond the Tex-Mex and Okla-Mex we all know so well. Step into Zarate’s for authentic South American and Central American cuisine on the north side.