This place is conjoined with the janky gas/convenience store on Penn just north of I-44.

It has been several things over the years and certainly nothing that looked worth trying. And even now, from the outside you get the same impression.

I tried it on a Twitter tip from Jacob Threadgill at the Gazette and the fact I live very near. And Yelp had a couple rave reviews about the burgers and food in general, so tonight I gave it a shot.

Simply put, it was one of my favorite bugers. Ever. Like borderline Nic's good.

As a point of reference, I like Patty Wagon fine but just realized I had never bothered to go back and I also live close to that spot. Here, I will be back and soon.

For a very comprehensive review read Greg Elwell: http://www.iateokc.com/post/lip-smackers-restaurant

On top of just an outstanding 1/2 pound burger with fresh (!) fried okra pretty much perfectly prepared, the owner Jabbar is just the nicest, friendliest person you'll ever meet in a restaurant. My meal was $9.99 with tax and could have easily fed 2.

And despite the outside appearance (complete with horrible heavily tinted windows that always makes the place look closed) the inside is quite homey and clean.


Please give them a try. It's exactly the type of owner-at-the-stove place that warms your heart and the food is just outstanding.

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Mmmmm! Thanks Pete. I love, love trying new places after a good recommendation. I'll give em a try this week. Looks mighty tasty!

Mmmmm! Thanks Pete. I love, love trying new places after a good recommendation. I'll give em a try this week. Looks mighty tasty!

Really hope they succeed as I don't think they have any social media presence as is too often the case with these little, unsophisticated places.

I was self employed for 20 years and know the challenges of business. I try to encourage and support local business as much as possible. I hope they do well for an extended time.

They've only been open a month and I could tell the owner was worried about their business.

I believe the Gazette will have a story on them in the next issue and that should help.

i'll have to give this a try sometime... haven't eaten at this location since it was lion's choice.

Hey, I'm always looking for good burger places. I never get to this area so thanks for the tip, I'll give it a try.

i'll have to give this a try sometime... haven't eaten at this location since it was lion's choice.

Neither have I. I wanted to try the international place that was there but never came to mind when thinking about lunch. It had a good write up also and was suppose to be good.

Ugh. This location has been at least 5 different places within the past 4 years. The longest running was Funny Lambs for about a year. If this place is that good, I hope it stays. That entire corner has been devoid of a good burger since Coits closed (LOOKING AT YOU CRAPPY BRAUMS).

As per the name, maybe Wayne Coyne could do a cheesy local commercial for these guys.
"Do you realize...how good this fried okra is!?"

They've only been open a month and I could tell the owner was worried about their business.

I believe the Gazette will have a story on them in the next issue and that should help.

Yes, there's a story in the issue that came out yesterday, much better reading than Elwell (can't stand his writing, reminds me of Jean Teasdale, so glad Jacob Threadgill replaced him at the Gazette).

Just got back from there after reading this thread earlier. WOW. It just zoomed to the head of my burger joint list. As PG13 says, it checked every box. We ordered a bleu cheese burger and a mushroom Swiss. Both were great. Each was about $6 and well worth it. I don’t eat much okra but my wife does and she gave two thumbs up. We finished with a slice of cheesecake with a special strawberry cream sauce that was heavenly.

Jabbar was super nice.

I hope all on here who like burgers start at least putting this place in their rotation. I will be back often and recommend generously. To me, it wizzed past S&B, Garage and Tucker’s, all of whom are also in my neighborhood. With Hopdoddys opening soon and Ermas just down the street, I must live in burger heaven.

I kind of look forward to giving it a go. I think I'm in the minority for nic's.

i'll give em a try... but I hate the name.

i'll give em a try... but I hate the name.

At least it's not Lip Smackerz

At least it's not Lip Smackerz

touché...

i'll give em a try... but I hate the name.

Try the burger and you’ll forgive them the name.

Tried this for lunch today. Every burger is 1/2 lb and I got fries. It was fantastic. The owner, Jabbar, was going around to everyone there, asking how the food was and was just a generally great guy. Spoke to me for several minute, but he actually did this to everyone there. I can't recommend this place more!

I'm glad people are going, giving them business and having a good experience.

Sometimes you worry about over-selling.

Oh yeah, now I remember why I was thinking we probably wouldn't go there after reading the Gazette article - 1/2 lb. burgers, we don't usually do burgers that big... Might have to try it at least once, though, after all the rave reviews.

Oh yeah, now I remember why I was thinking we probably wouldn't go there after reading the Gazette article - 1/2 lb. burgers, we don't usually do burgers that big... Might have to try it at least once, though, after all the rave reviews.

Split it!

Or just don't finish it all. It's not crazy expensive.

Oh yeah, now I remember why I was thinking we probably wouldn't go there after reading the Gazette article - 1/2 lb. burgers, we don't usually do burgers that big... Might have to try it at least once, though, after all the rave reviews.

My wife took half of the burger and okra home. I would much rather pay $5 and worry about taking leftovers or leaving some than paying $8 and leaving hungry.

You all might appreciate this...
Yesterday when we went, he had already cleaned up and locked the door. He saw us walk up and insisted on serving us. So, he stayed about 45 min or so later than he planned. He was super friendly about doing it though. However, as we were leaving and he was too, a man came to the door. Jabbar reluctantly told him he had to remain closed. The man indicated his disappointment as he really wanted a hamburger. Jabbar reminded him that there was a Braums just a few hundred feet away. The man thanked him, said no thanks to the idea and said he would just wait and come back the next day. Lol

Split it!

Or just don't finish it all. It's not crazy expensive.

Wife and I have very different tastes when it comes to what we want on burgers, so splitting isn't an option, but yeah, they are cheap enough to leave some, forgot about their low prices (which surprised me since most places that have burgers like he does use less meat and charge at least a couple of bucks more than him).

Anything less than 1/3 always seem dry to me as they usually aren’t very thick. I like a little crusty surface, a moist but not too greasy hot middle with a hint of pink. At 1/2 pound this is easier to do and my burger here was perfect....to my liking, that is.

i'll have to give this a try sometime... haven't eaten at this location since it was lion's choice.

Sorry for going off topic here, but oh man, I miss Lion's Choice. Their roast beef is fantastic! It's a required stop for me when traveling through St Louis. I hope they eventually try to expand down this way again.

Oh, and I meant to mention, I got the cheeseburger with caramelized onions with fries and a drink. It was exactly $8. That's almost the same price for any 1/3 lb fast foot burger and fries and drink. Pretty damn cheap for what you get.

I too went yesterday and had a nice chat with Jabbar. The burger was genuinely fantastic and I am very happy to go back soon.

I went back tonight and poor Jabbar was worn to a frazzle!

Said he had been pretty much overrun the last few days. I took his email address and will send him all the great reviews, including this thread.

Had another burger -- this time the onion dip -- and it was fantastic as usual.


I think his challenge will now be to keep up with the demand while maintaining his high standards. He said he is going to hire someone to help but doesn't want the quality to slip.

He was also fretting about not serving people fast enough but quickly added that everyone has been wonderfully nice to him.

Tried this for lunch today. Every burger is 1/2 lb and I got fries. It was fantastic. The owner, Jabbar, was going around to everyone there, asking how the food was and was just a generally great guy. Spoke to me for several minute, but he actually did this to everyone there. I can't recommend this place more!

Man I love me some crinkle-cut fries.

oops

I went back tonight and poor Jabbar was worn to a frazzle!

Said he had been pretty much overrun the last few days. I took his email address and will send him all the great reviews, including this thread.

Had another burger -- this time the onion dip -- and it was fantastic as usual.


I think his challenge will now be to keep up with the demand while maintaining his high standards. He said he is going to hire someone to help but doesn't want the quality to slip.

He was also fretting about not serving people fast enough but quickly added that everyone has been wonderfully nice to him.

Pete, I was there Friday evening. Were you there at the same time I was?

Went there Friday evening. Owner was running the place solo, said he would have help the next day. Poor guy was covering cooking, taking/serving orders, and running himself ragged. Also apologized for the wait. I was very courteous and expressed my understanding.

Okay, the food. YES! I will be back. Had the Avacado and Swiss burger and it was GOOD. Half pound of meat, slice of Swiss cheese, red onion and lettuce on a bun that is very tasty, not the usual white bread hamburger bun, served with mayo. Also had the crinkle cut fries of which were hot upon receiving. Inside, it's very casual and clean. Big windows all the way around allow for lots of light. Location is part of the building of the VP Racing fuel gas station on the east side of Penn at the bottom of the west bound off ramp of I-44. Coming down Penn, I missed it (didn't know what to look for), had to turn around and go back under the highway. Seem to overhear a couple of customers say they saw the Gazette article or saw it on Facebook.

I will be returning to try the other burgers. I hope this place succeeds as we can never have too many burger joints.

Pete, I was there Friday evening. Were you there at the same time I was?

Perhaps. I was there around 8PM.

I went yesterday and had the cheeseburger and fries. Pretty much ditto everything above. Outstanding.

Here is the Gazette story:

https://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/fresh-passion/Content?oid=3860132

Truly excellent burger. I tried the olive burger and do not regret one bit of it. For some reason I thought it might have olives ground into the patty, this part was incorrect but it was VERY tasty. Crinkle cut fries were great, as were the homemade potato chips, can't go wrong with either one.

Burger patty itself was flavorful, cooked well, not paper thin like so many places these days. Juicy without being overly so, the bottom bun stayed completely intact. To be fair, the lettuce leaf may have helped contribute to this, but still. It's a burger you can eat like a burger. I'll also echo the friendliness of the owner. Went in a stranger, left feeling like a friend. He is AWESOME.

I haven’t eaten red meat in almost a month (down nearly 25 lbs over that time frame) but I’m due for a burger. Will have to check it out.

The red meat thing isn’t intentional, it’s just a byproduct of it carrying too many WW points...

what are the hours of operation?

what are the hours of operation?

11-9 Monday thru Saturday. Closed Sunday. website www.lipsmackersokc.com

Place is definitely legit. Took a group of 5 people there for lunch today. 4 had the 1/2 pound burger and one had a full pound. I had the olive burger with grilled onions and a side of okra.

Gotta say, we all really liked our burgers.

I was a little visitant to order the olive burger, but I'd definitely order it again. Meat was incredibly fresh tasting and the grilled olives were not overpowering at all.

The okra was some of the best I've ever had. It wasn't that uniform cut pre-frozen stuff. This okra appeared to be fresh cut and lightly fried. Crinkle cut fries were really good too.

Then to finish it off was an excellent piece of cheese cake with strawberry topping.

The owner was exceptionally nice and accommodating.

Hope he makes it, he commented that he is on the verge of having to close down.

He told me after his first month he was really worried but now he's been overrun with business.

However, being a good cook and a good businessman are two very different things so you never know how these places are going to fare in the mid and longer term.

I’m surprised he said he was on the verge of closing. I had a long visit with him and he sounded pretty upbeat. He hasn’t been there that long.

well I'm going with a group of 9 next Monday... hopefully they stay busy and he makes it, cause I would hate to love it and then it close down shortly after

I honestly believe he meant to convey that he HAD been close to closing until recently when word got out.

As I mentioned, last Friday he had run out of several things due to overwhelming demand.

When I spoke to him, to quote him directly, he said "The first month I very nearly closed, but now...now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel."

I think he is going to be alright. And thanks Pete for pointing this place out!

We asked how long he's been open and he said "about 7 weeks." Asked how business was doing and he said "It's rough, but thank you for coming. I've been on the verge of closing down since I opened, I put everything I have into this. Please tell your friends how you like it. I want to offer the best 1/2 pound burger in the country."

We got there around 12:15 and there were only 2 other tables with people. Probably two more came in while we were there. So, it's not exactly drawing a lunch crowd, so I could understand his anxiety.

Honestly, it is an awful location with no real visibility. We all know how important that is. If he was anywhere downtown or in many other areas he would already be killing it.

Honestly, it is an awful location with no real visibility. We all know how important that is. If he was anywhere downtown or in many other areas he would already be killing it.

Totally agree. It would never be a place I would just go in wondering if I would find food. When looking at it there is no way to tell what kind of food it serves or even that it's a restaurant. The property itself is not inviting -- the building is super janky and the grass is always a mile high. I do wish him the best.

I plan on giving this a go tomorrow. I'm in the minority when it comes to Nic's, and hope I have the same feeling everybody else here does.

I plan on giving this a go tomorrow. I'm in the minority when it comes to Nic's, and hope I have the same feeling everybody else here does.

You keep posting you don’t care for Nic’s. What’s your issue with them or their food?

The ingredients are fresh, and I found it surprisingly bland. Meat wasn't seasoned, the grease makes the bottom bun soggy and the whole sandwich unmanageable.

The ingredients are fresh, and I found it surprisingly bland. Meat wasn't seasoned, the grease makes the bottom bun soggy and the whole sandwich unmanageable.

Is this a critique of Lip Smackers or in answer to Rover's questions about your opinion of Nic's?

We went for lunch today right at noon. There was a pretty good crowd at that time. Jabbar was extremely pleasant. It made him happy when we told him we'd heard so many good things about his food. He was very upbeat, and said business was doing well. There were two people working in the back, so maybe he'll be able to not be so frenzied when it's super-busy.

Our food arrived in about 10 minutes. Everything was fresh and hot off the grill. My husband got the olive burger and I got the mushroom swiss. Both were excellent. The meat was cooked so that the outside had a slight crisp to it, and the inside was juicy. The seasoning of the beef was perfect for what we like. I'm generally dubious about crinkle fries, but these were hot and crunchy, and also seasoned well.

Total cost for two burgers, one order of fries (enough for two people), water to drink and 25% tip: $20. We'll definitely be back.

We went for lunch today right at noon. There was a pretty good crowd at that time. Jabbar was extremely pleasant. It made him happy when we told him we'd heard so many good things about his food. He was very upbeat, and said business was doing well. There were two people working in the back, so maybe he'll be able to not be so frenzied when it's super-busy.

Our food arrived in about 10 minutes. Everything was fresh and hot off the grill. My husband got the olive burger and I got the mushroom swiss. Both were excellent. The meat was cooked so that the outside had a slight crisp to it, and the inside was juicy. The seasoning of the beef was perfect for what we like. I'm generally dubious about crinkle fries, but these were hot and crunchy, and also seasoned well.

Total cost for two burgers, one order of fries (enough for two people), water to drink and 25% tip: $20. We'll definitely be back.

You must have been there when I went. Jabbar is very friendly. Definitely has a passion for good food and it shows. I don't eat burgers very often, but I will split my time between Lip Smackers and a place closer to my house. Also, the okra was excellent.

Dropped in again today. At one point there was a line of about 7 or 8 people waiting to order. Word is spreading.

Is this a critique of Lip Smackers or in answer to Rover's questions about your opinion of Nic's?

Based on the grease making the bottom bun useless, I'm going to guess Nic's. It's something I've heard in almost every review of Nic's, even the positive ones, and it most certainly didn't happen when I was at Lip Smackers. I think a combination of the (well-seasoned) patty not being greasy and a layer of lettuce between it and the bottom bun helped keep it intact.

If this was indeed a review of Lip Smackers...I dunno. Burgers just don't seem to like you, Thomas.

^

He was referring to the question about what he didn't like about Nic's, hence the grease and bun comment.

And this is why people need to "Reply With Quote" instead of just "Reply". :)

Sorry guys, I goofed =(.

I am very excited to try this, if for nothing else to talk to this friendly guy. Tried the avocado bacon burger at whataburger. It was a bust.