Tulsa Restaurants

It's easy to drive past this unassuming little Mexican diner, but you'll do yourself a big favor by stopping in. The decor is simple, but the food is delicious! The menu features authentic Mexican favorites, like carnitas (roast pork that's crispy on top) and carne asada (tender marinated beef). Many of the dishes on the menu can also be found at chain Tex-Mex restaurants, but here they're fresher and more flavorful -- and cheaper! Most items on the menu are under $10. A plate of 3 soft tacos is only $7.

Favorite Dish: Carne Asada Tacos -- they're so juicy and flavorful!

The Blue Dome diner makes a great impression as you walk in. Sunlight pours in through huge windows. The room is alive with the buzz of conversation. People of all age groups lounge in cozy booths and crowded tables. A glance at the menu seemed to confirm my initial good impression. There were plenty of classic diner-style breakfasts and lunches, like biscuits and gravy and burgers and fries. However, customers here don't have to clog their arteries if they don't want to -- the restaurant also offers turkey burgers and a variety of vegetarian options. If anything on the menu costs more than $10, I didn't spot it.

Unfortunately, the food and service failed to deliver. The host seemed hassled by our presence; our waitress was rather absent minded. Our food took about 20 minutes to arrive. It's true that we hit the peak of the Sunday brunch rush, but I was starving! After such a long wait, I hoped to be rewarded with excellence, but my turkey burger was dry and the herbs made it a little too sweet. My boyfriend's biscuits and gravy were bland and we both agreed that the home fries were too mushy.

Bottom line: I understand why low prices and vegetarian options make this a popular choice for students and young people, but if you've got cash in your pocket, I'd give this place a miss.

Siegi's is a wonderful place to not only eat austrian cuisine, but to buy what you've eaten and cook it at home too. Great place to have lunch, wonderful smell and easy atmosphere. The only place I know of in the four state area that has not only german cuisine but german products. Thewir hours and days are:Tue-Fri (9am-6pm), Sat (9am-5pm), Closed Sun & Mon

Favorite Dish: My favorite dish is the kasewurst and german potato salad. The potato salad is excellent, slightly sour but warm and not too tangy. The kasewurst, it is a sausage like bratwurst filled with cheese, and it is sooo much better than plain ol cheese brats you buy at the store. Once you've had kasewurst you'll never eat a normal cheese brat again. All the food is good, but this is my favorite.

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Some artists work in oils, others in pastels. Elmer's owner creates his masterpieces with fresh meats, spices, hickory smoke and delicious sauce. Located in the Brookside area since 1983, Elmer's has become a Tulsa tradition for truly great, unpretentious BBQ. As expected, the simple menu contains a variety of smoked meats including ribs, chopped and sliced beef and pork, hot links and bologna, served as either dinners or sandwiches. Sides include baked beans, potato salad and cole slaw. Sandwiches are served with one side; Dinners with two and texas toast, pickles and onions. Unique to Elmers is the "Badwich" which includes a sampling of ribs, chopped beef, bolgna and hot links or sausages, served on a bun or Texas toast. You definitely won't leave hungry after one of those! Beer, soft drinks, tea and lemonade are available. The restaurant is decorated with various music related items, is clean and bright, and the wait staff is invariably pleasant. Before you leave, be sure to check out the photos near the cashier's station of the celebrities who've enjoyed Elmer's fare.

Favorite Dish: Chopped beef sandwich with potato salad and a coke. Pure, simple American goodness.

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With numerous sly winks to the “Three Amigos” and a roof-top bar and dining room, El Gaupo Cantina in the Blue Dome District (see my "Nightlife" page) creates a festive atmosphere in which to savor some terrific Mexican food.

Those familiar with the 1986 comedy will enjoy finding the “Amigo” references, from the obvious name to the “plethora of piñatas” and the “it’s a sweater!” margarita. Everyone will enjoy the consistently flavorful Tex-Mex and more traditional Mexican dishes - ceviche de camerons, carne asada, huge burritos, flavorful enchiladas – and the handsome décor of the 100 year old, 2-story building housing the restaurant. Perhaps the main draw to El Guapo however, and the thing that distinguishes it from all other Tulsa eateries, is the open air roof-top dining area. With space for about 90, the roof-top provides an outstanding, up-close look at Tulsa's fine skyline. It is particularly stunning at night. Each floor contains its own bar, and long semi-communal tables on the 1st and 3rd floors, create a nice european vibe of shared community (and make the best use of the restaurant's somewhat narrow but deep configuration).

In the immortal words of Lucky Day: “In a way, each of us has our own El Guapo to face...”

Thankfully, in Tulsa, facing El Guapo is a genuine treat!

January 2007 Update: Sadly, tragically, the Metro Diner - like the era it celebrated - is a thing of the past. It is a victim of the expansion and renovation of the south side of the University of Tulsa campus. If you missed it, you have our condolences. It was truly one of a kind and will be sorely missed. Metro Diner - R.I.P.

For nostalgia's sake, here is my original VT review:

Hey Daddy-O, slick your jelly roll, grab your Peggy Sue, lay a patch in your Deuce, and make the scene at the Metro!

If you understood all of that, you should feel right at home in this long-time favorite on old Route 66. From the chrome and formica tables, to the background music by Percy Faith or The Platters, the Metro Diner is a shrine to authentic 1950's dining. The menu offers classic American fare with choices like cheeseburgers with onion rings, meat-loaf or fried-chicken dinners, Dagwood sandwiches, and hand-dipped shakes. In true Diner fashion, the Metro offers a different "Blue Plate Special" every day of the week. Breakfast is also served all day. Prices are about $5-6 for burgers and $8-9 for dinners, but everything is good quality and well prepared, and the portions are generally generous.

The Metro Diner sits in the shadow of the University of Tulsa football stadium and most of the wait staff are friendly students who appreciate a generous tip. Its location makes it a popular choice before and after events on the campus, but be advised that it is not a large place and seating goes fast. The Metro will make reservations for larger parties.

Favorite Dish: For a classic regional meal, try the chicken fried steak covered in cream gravy, with sides of mashed potatoes and fried okra, and washed down with a tall glass of sweet iced tea. Now that's good eatin'!

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What started in 1957 as a hole-in-the wall joint next to the campus of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater has grown into a beloved Oklahoma institution - and the maker of some mighty fine pies! Specialty pizzas with names like "The Big Country," "Sooner Schooner," and "Tulsa Hurricane," shows off the Hideaway's pride in its roots, but it's the fresh ingredients arranged in imaginative and generous combinations that truly make the Hideaway something special. The Hideaway also offers great appetizers, pasta dishes, salads, sandwiches and dessert, and a children's menu. There is full bar service. The atmosphere in the restaurants is very welcoming, and the mostly college-student servers tend to be efficient and friendly. Before you leave, be sure to take note of the murals, hand-made by school and civic groups, that line the walls of each location. They are the result of an eight year project begun in 2000 to celebrate the Oklahoma Statehood Centennial in 2007. Each year a different theme was established to showcase a particular aspect of life in the Sooner State. There are four locations in Tulsa - Cherry Street (15th & Peoria), Fontana (51st & Memorial), South (81st & Harvard) and Bixby (101st & Memorial). The original Hideaway is about 70 miles west of Tulsa.

Favorite Dish: The "Maui Magic" - Hideaway red sauce, mozzarella, canadian bacon, pineapple and mandarin oranges. Also, try the famous fried mushrooms. It makes me hungry just typing it!

"Pickles."

Do a free-association exercise with someone from Tulsa. Say the word "Goldie's" and they are more than likely to respond with "Pickles." I suppose they could say "burgers," "charbroiled" or "delicious," but it will probably be "pickles."

This is because Goldie's claim to fame - besides serving delectable specially-seasoned flame-kissed hamburgers - is their all-you-can eat pickle bar. At each Goldie's location (and there are five in Tulsa) stands a simple salad bar filled with bread n' butter pickles, dill chips and dill spears. Grab some bowls from atop the cart and fill 'em to the brim with all the cuc's you can stand. It's really amazing how satisfying a few "fruit of the brine" can be!

But of course, the main reason you'll come to Goldie's are the juicy 1/3 lb. burgers that the Crow family has been serving up since 1962. Each one is cooked to order over a flaming charbroiler (the location 3 blocks west of Yale on 31st street provides a great opportunity to watch the frequent flare-ups!) and served with your choice of six sides. For children there are small burgers, chicken strips, grilled cheese sandwich or a corn dog with a free drink. Grilled chicken, steaks, salads and a few other items are also offered, but its really the burgers - and those pickles - that make things go here.

Favorite Dish: The Chili & Cheese Charburger - a 1/3 lb burger served open face with American cheese and covered with chili, with a side of fries. Oh, and a diet Coke (except for the diet part - if I'm going to eat this meal, the least of my worries are the calories in the Coke!)