Oklahoma City Restaurants

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. Nonetheless, there is shadiness and tastiness to be found here.

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. But this month’s winner is 50′s Cafe.

A Family Affair holds its own amongst OKC’s soul food restaurants with great food, tremendous value and, of course, brilliant shadiness. If you’re looking for all-you-can-eat soul food goodness, this might just be the place for you.

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.

Just the name of Big Johnson’s Highway Grill and their world famous trucker burger was like music to my shady-loving ears. I was anticipating my lunch all morning. Unfortunately, the burger and the rest of the lunch fare left a lot to be desired at this wonderfully shady location.

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

I know, March came and went without a Shady Restaurant winner, but I’m making up for it with a strong April recommendation brought to me by a loyal Shady reader. There may be shadier places in town, but Choice Cafe definitely combines great taste with plenty of shady surroundings and snatches up this month’s award.

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.

In the world of shady dining, most often you are simply celebrating the small things like not getting hepatitis or learning a new gang sign. But Florence’s gave me a reason to celebrate the glories of skillet fried chicken and real gravy all served up in a wonderfully shady atmosphere.

Inside the bright orange, East-side shack with hand-painted, large, graffiti-esque, exterior signage heralding “Fish” and “Donuts,” you’ll find Geronimo’s. It’s a wonderfully shady place with a very simple, tasty and inexpensive menu.

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.

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).

Have you ever wondered what “soul food” is? Visit Mama E’s and they will be glad to educate you. 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.

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

If you can manage to score a place to sit (which requires arriving early), you are in for a treat at Nic’s. As I left my first Nic’s burger experience, I was wiping tears from my eyes, realizing that my life had just been changed.

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!

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.

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.

Though choosing the Shady Restaurant of the Month can often be a difficult task, the decision came fast and clear this time. The moment I heard myself actually say out loud, “wow, I’m eating goat meat in a gas station and it’s delicious!” — that was the moment I knew I had a winner.

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.