Tulsa Restaurants

Even if sushi isn't at the top of your favorite foods list, In The Raw is worth visiting due to its location alone. If you are a sushi lover, you will be doubly delighted since the quality of the food rivals the locale.

Set atop "Shadow Mountain" - one of Tulsa's highest hills - In The Raw provides diners with a commanding view of the city from its picture windows and large deck. Looking to the northwest, you are rewarded with a panorama of the city's lush green neighborhoods, the distant downtown skyline and memorable sunsets.

The seafood is flown in daily and is the freshest available. The menu is extensive, offering numerous varieties of nigiri-zushi, makizushi, sashimi, vegetarian rolls, spicy rolls, and imaginative combinations. Tempura dishes, rice and noodle bowls, and salads are also available. There are a few even less exotic items for the cautious members of your dining party. In The Raw has a well stocked bar, with a large selection of hot and cold sakis, beer, wine and other drinks.

The decor is light and pleasant, and the atmosphere is casual and festive. In The Raw is very popular and a wait can be expected. Reservations are only made for parties of 8 or more.

Whether you're looking for a place for a casual family gathering or a more romantic rendezvous, Ti Amo is an excellent choice. Ti Amo serves authentic Italian favorites in a setting of relaxed refinement.

The menu includes all the expected pasta creations such as spaghetti, fetuccine, rigatoni, lasagna, cannelloni, manicotti, ravioli and tortellini, prepared with a variety of sauces and fillings. Pork loin, veal, and chicken dishes are also offered, along with several soups and salads. Careful attention is given to the freshness of the ingredients and the presentation is skillful and inviting. A complete wine list and full bar is offered.

There are two locations: the orignal South location near 61st & Sheridan, and a newer Downtown location just one block east of the BOK Center. The atmoshere of the restaurant at either can best be described as casually elegant and inviting. Tables are topped with linen clothes, banquettes line the wall, and a small fountain flows quietly in the middle of the main dining area. The wait staff is professional and generally friendly without being intrusive. A bar and lounge area often features relaxing live music.

Given the quality of the fare and the pleasant surroundings, and combined with suprisingly low prices, Ti Amo presents a dining option that you've just got to love!

This diner is in the shadows of Tulsa University.

It served us excellent food and the staff were courteous - even though 55 people had just descended upon them from our bus.

The food came up quickly, even though the place was already busy when we arrived.

The girls, I was told, sometimes wear poodle skirts although, that day the staff were wearing Route 66 or Metro Diner t-shirts.

A great stop - popular with locals and tourists.

Latest update to the Casa Bonita saga is that as of March 2010 it has closed again. Closed in 2004 (see my "Tourist Traps" page for a 2004 review; and yes, this was a sister resturant to the one made famous by "South Park"), the giant Casa Bonita restaurant was restored and resurrected in 2006 by its original developer to the Mexican village meets Disney glory that had been (mostly) enjoyed by thousands of Tulsans and their visitors for 30+ years. But it appears the clean-up wasn't enough to lure back a sufficient number of diners to keep the doors open. Too bad. As I wrote in my last review in 2007, Casa Bonita represented a unique Tulsa dining experience.

Favorite Dish: The food was frankly nothing to write home about. It was no doubt made in huge quantities and although I never saw the kitchen, I have little doubt microwaves were in liberal use back there. It was perhaps best discribed as a slight step up from the "Fiesta Grande Dinner" available in your nearest grocer's freezer. This may may go a long way to explain why the Casa didn't survive its latest reincarnation. There are a lot more and better quality choices for Mexican food in Tulsa in 2010 than there were in 1975.

Pizza the way it should be - made from scratch by people who care! Savastano's Pizzeria is a family-owned piece of Chicago transplanted to Tulsa's far south suburbs. Everything is fresh and delicious, with flavorful home-made sauces, hand-made Itailian sausage (available by the pound for enjoying at home), and pizza crust that satisfies like manna from heaven.

Savastano's is an excellent choice for dining before a concert or game at the adjacent SpiritBank Event Center, but when ordering the original Chicago-style pizzas, be prepared for a wait of up to 45 minutes. The perfection of these deep-dish monsters can't be hurried! Also be forewarned that each slice is practically a meal in itself. A large-size pizza might actually feed all the residents of a small Sicilian village. The menu also includes appetizers, pasta dishes, sandwiches and chicago-style hotdogs.

The large welcoming retaurant, with its brick walls and high ceiling, is staffed by the friendly Savastano family and fresh-faced servers, and decorated with dozens of pictures of Chicago landmarks. This sets a cheerful atmosphere and serves to remind you of the origins for such culinary goodness. A cozy full bar is located downstairs below the restaurant.

Favorite Dish: "The Museum of Science & Industry" - Chicago deep-dish pizza made with Canadian bacon and five blended cheeses.

Fresh, flavorful, and innovative food presented in as stylish a setting as you will find in any U.S. city pretty well sums up Te Keis (pronounced "T.K.'s," as in the intials of owner Todd Kramer). The sophisticated architecture and decor alone are absolute winners. I love the colors, the textures, the lighting, the asian art and artifacts - everything about the look of Te Kei's. Of special note is the side dining room that features a gorgeous carved teakwood exterior wall from the front entrance of a palace in Semerang, Central Java.

Luckily, the quality of the food lives up to the setting. Numerous rice bowls (try the Crispy Honey Shrimp), noodle bowls (like Pad Thai and Szechuan Blackened Chili Noodles) and sushi selections share the menu with beautiful entrees like Wok-Seared Salmon, Asian Breast of Duck, and Beef Tataki. A large selection of asian teas, coffees, beers and saki is also offered, along with a lengthy wine list and a full bar. Perhaps best of all, the prices are extremely reasonable, particularly when considering the knock-out surroundings.

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With an interior actually built in Ireland, Kilkenny's presents a wonderful old-world atmosphere in which to enjoy traditional Irish foods and new twists on old dishes. The menu is quite extensive for lunch or dinner. Some favorites include the Kilkenny Bake (a mix of lobster, shrimp and crabmeat in a creamy white wine sauce, topped with mashed potatoes and grated Parmesan cheese, then baked golden brown) and seven different Boxty. A few dishes on the menu are more expensive than usual for Tulsa, but there's plenty to please budget conscious diners as well. As you would expect, there is also a good variety of beers and ales and Irish whiskeys. Kilkennys regularly features live Irish music, offers a nice bruch on Saturday and Sunday starting at 10:00am, and since it is open until 2:00am every day, also makes a great late night stop.

The decor reminded me of a college pizza joint. The service was decent. I've tasted better food and the quality of meals varied. The amount of food was incredible - they give you a lot.

Favorite Dish: I liked the ribs that came as an appetizer.