Hello, I am new here, but I have some OKC food memories.
Included:
Crystal’s Pizza (Always enjoyed watching Laurel & Hardy, etc. in the movie section).
Shakey’s Pizza (Great Canadian Bacon)
Lefty’s Pizza in Del City (Awesome combo pizzas)
Pizza Planet (We always went there after the races on Friday nights).
Mr. Gattis Pizza
Casa Bonita (Flag was always up)
Taco Tico
There was a Mexican restaurant off of SW 59th and Western that was like a buffet line, but I can’t remember the name. Anyone know?
Big Ed’s (I remember THE Big Ed working behind the counter at the NW 23 & MacArthur location).
Westoaks (Another good place for burgers).
Bonanza (Same as above).
Tasty Freeze (Another good place for burgers III).
Fudruckers (Another good place for burgers IV).
Longneckers (Another good place for burgers V).
Garfield’s or El Chico in Shepherd Mall
UR Cooks
Harry’s Oyster Bar (I think my buddies and I put them out of business on $.10 oyster nights).
Colonel Drakes (located off of I-35, now I believe it’s a strip club). They had the best blue cheese dressing I have ever had.
Neptunes Submarine Sandwiches (People act like Subway is the greatest thing in the world, but I would put these up against them any day).
Hotsy Hot Dogs (Great Bacon Cheeseburgers, no. 16 I believe).
Girlies Pancake House
Hillbilly Barbeque Sandwiches (They used to sell these at Rudy’s on SW 59th and May)
Also, there used to be a BBQ place on SW 59th between Penn and Western that sat on the north side of the street, but I can’t remember the name of it. Anyone remember that?
The Round Up Café on SW 29th & Agnew (a great greasy-spoon).
Sirloin Stockade
Alamo Plaza on S. Robinson

Welcome BMX'er!

You might want to check out the "OKC Memories" pinned to the top of the board because several restaurants are discussed.

Also, I uploaded a bunch of old ads (Pizza Planet, Neptunes, Candlewood, etc.) to my gallery:

http://www.okctalk.com/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/515

wasnt it Fudpuckers?--I am not sure?

no it was Fuddruckers and they are coming back again here in the next few months with 2 locations

Has anyone mentioned the restaurant that used to be in the basement of the Hightower Building ... wasn't it called The Cellar? Pretty darned nice, as I recall.

The Cellar has moved to the Robinson Renaissance.

(FYI)

I miss Tony's Italian Specialties on about NW 26th and Penn...it's now Rococo. Mmmmm, Tony used to sit the back booth and as soon as they saw my husband and I walk in, they'd bring us a carafe of red wine...they knew the way to my heart!

Crystals Pizza. Man I can't believe they tore down that building for a boxy Chili's

Dan's Indian Tacos in Del City. YUM.

Crystals Pizza. Man I can't believe they tore down that building for a boxy Chili's

Yeah. That really made me mad.

I miss Tony's Italian Specialties on about NW 26th and Penn

No kidding! I used to love that little place.

Crystals Pizza. Man I can't believe they tore down that building for a boxy Chili's


i know you can still go to at least one in dallas, if it hasnt been shut down.

Anyone remember Nicholosi's on 23rd ( I think)?
Great Italian food. Wasn't the same after they sold it.

I miss Tony's Italian Specialties on about NW 26th and Penn...it's now Rococo. Mmmmm, Tony used to sit the back booth and as soon as they saw my husband and I walk in, they'd bring us a carafe of red wine...they knew the way to my heart!

Rather a short wine list as I recall. You could have wine or not have wine. Nothing fancy at Tony's, just good Italian food. Their red sauce was as good as it gets and they didn't over cook the pasta either. The juke box was full of old Frank and Dean 45's. I can't remember Mama's name, but she was about 4'6" tall and usually met you at the door with open arms.

A few Bar-B-Q joints I recall that were a little off the beaten path:
Hanns on NE 23rd west of Eastern. Best potato salad on the planet.
Pulliams which was in a garage behind the the guy's house. You ate off of newspaper on a 1 X 12 wooden shelf attached around the wall or took it home in a paper bag.
The Hickory Pit on 10th east of May Avenue (it's still there, just not open)

Some other old favorites:
The Cadet Club. Downtown cafateria similar to Johnny's Lunch Box. Their custard pies were made with one dozen eggs each. Great corned beef and cabage.
The Split T. Johnny of Johnny's ran the kitchen.
The Patio. Vern Eckles was the owner. Home of the Schnitzel.
Denko's in Norman. Home of the Darlin'.
The Rustic Inn. NW 39th and Portland. Open 24 hours. Great 2AM hangout
The Bit Of Italy. In a strip center behind an apartment building off NW 39th between May and Penn. Open 10PM until ??AM. After the clubs closed all the musicians, hookers, pimps, gangsta' types etc. showed up at The Bit. Owned by Putnam City grad, Eddie Peak who did a stretch as a musician in Vegas.
Micky's. A hotdog place in Stockyards. Best chili ever. Micky and his wife Francis had the place for years and their hobby was ball room dancing.
Juniors. In the Oil Center Building basement on NW Expwy. Red flocked wallpaper and the best Cesar salad ever made. During the boom, all the oilys had tabs there and you got a bill once a month. Ate there a couple of years ago. Hasn't changed except that Junior has passed away.
Chez Vernon.John Vernon's little french cafe in the old strip center south of 30th on the west side of Classen. John was a total omlet whiz and did private parties around town as well.
Nickolsi'sWay out on NW 10th. Formerly owned by Sam and Les Nickolsi. Now the Round UP. It was in a log building that once was located just West of May Avenue on NW 10th. When the fairgrounds moved from 10th and Eastern to its present location. They moved the whole resturant and reopened in a couple of days. Spagetti & meat balls, really good pizza and Po' Boys. Had their own tangy/sweet salad dressing.
Cattleman's and Cattleman's Drive InMuch changed today and the drive in resturant closed up twenty years ago. Originally it was just the lunch counter and booths on the north side. The south dining room addition was done in the late 50's I believe. Percy and Gene Wade were the owners and along with Hank Frey and a few others comprised what was know as the Stock Yards Mafia. Cattleman's was open around the clock and was where kids that had newspaper routes congregated after they threw their papers on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Cattleman's received their beef as hanging full sides and cut it up in the kitchen. Today's owner, Dick Stubbs saved it from going completely under but hasn't returned it to its former glory.
Nicks ImportingThe building just north of 23rd on the east side of Western is still there, but not Nicks. Great Muffaleta sandwichs.
House of ChanDowntown, about Park Ave. & Broadway. Met my first pair of chop sticks there.
Knox's Orange Inn A small hole in the wall hotdog spot next door to the Criterion Theater.
Katz Drug, S. H. Kress, and ??? Greens Drug. All drug store lunch counters on Main Street between Robinson and Harvey. Site of Oklahoma City's 60's integration sit-ins led by Clara Lupper.
Shotgun Sam's Pizza and Across The Street A couple of the first "franchise resturants" started in OKC. Both had ok food and the interiors were done by Tom Hoch. Lots and lots of framed pictures and old beat up stuff on the walls, shelves and where ever.
Herman's Seafood NW 16th and Classen. A real fresh seafood resturant. Memorable coleslaw. It's now a texmex joint and had lots of names after Herman's closed up shop. Most notably, Triples. One of the first projects done by Rand Elliott.

Rather a short wine list as I recall. You could have wine or not have wine. Nothing fancy at Tony's, just good Italian food. Their red sauce was as good as it gets and they didn't over cook the pasta either. The juke box was full of old Frank and Dean 45's. I can't remember Mama's name, but she was about 4'6" tall and usually met you at the door with open arms.

Yup...you could have red or white. Totally wanted to get that juke box when they closed as well as the stained glass that said "Tony's" in between rooms. After they started demolition, I actually asked about the glass...no one knew where it had gone. There was some other guy who operated about ten minutes under Tony's name and I guess he pulled it out. :(

. . . Alamo Plaza on S. Robinson.

Was that the place that was the restaurant of a small motel and part of the dining room was round? If that's where you're talking about, they did do good mexican food.

Also, around 1990-91, there was a place on SE 29th called Fine Foods. They occupied a building that had been a gas station/convenience store. Unbelievable mexican food. A family owned it and mama was in the kitchen. The son and his daughters ran the front. The most amazing, melt in your mouth, corn tortillas I have ever eaten. They made them there and sometimes you got them absolutely freshly made. Hand made tamales with mole' . . . extraordinary food. The place never developed a following and closed after about a year and a half. Sob, sob.

Speaking of all these resturants my boss told me he once ate at a place called Cattle Rustlers??? when he was down there on buisness one time. Is it still around? because I saw Cattlemans when I was there and that did not look like a place I wanted to eat. He told me Cattle Rustlers was on Meridian, any of this sound right?

Speaking of all these resturants my boss told me he once ate at a place called Cattle Rustlers??? when he was down there on buisness one time. Is it still around? because I saw Cattlemans when I was there and that did not look like a place I wanted to eat. He told me Cattle Rustlers was on Meridian, any of this sound right?

Cattlemans is trading on their name as a "famous restaurant" these days and the quality just isn't there anymore. I think you are right about the location of Cattle Rustlers, but it was just another franchise concept featuring mediocre quality food that came and went.

For steaks, most individually owned restaurants are a good bet. La Baguette has a good filet and Cheevers usually has a steak special to offer. I think Nomad II out on North May Avenue has some of the best steaks in town and at reasonable prices.

I have to say that when I was in town last month I had one of the best steaks ever at Tobys bar and grill (not to mention the very cute young lady that served me my meal :) and had another outstanding steak at Daddy Hinkles.

I have to say that when I was in town last month I had one of the best steaks ever at Tobys bar and grill (not to mention the very cute young lady that served me my meal :) and had another outstanding steak at Daddy Hinkles.

I'm not as much of a red meat eater as I once was and still haven't gotten around to checking out Toby's or Daddy Hinkles yet. I tend toward smaller, owner in the kitchen or at the front door, places. But I should try something at Toby's for sure. I might catch a game and a burger in there. Thanks for the review on Tobys and Hinkles.

Speaking of burgers. Irma's on 63rd just east of Western features the No Name Burger which is made from naturally raised beef from Oklahoma's No Name Ranch. Best burger I have ever eaten in my 63 years on earth. Nice cozy bar and good bar tenders there too.

My best bet for a burger---Iron Starr....(in the old Leslie's Painted Desert)...it's AMAZING~!!! It has jalapeno chow chow on it and the BEST flavor.

For steaks, we like to go to Eddie's on Meridian...He's not in the kitchen, but will greet you at the door and you get yummy Lebanese appetizers. it's similar to Jamil's, but in my opinion, far superior.

I really loved Papas Lil' Italy out near Frontier City. Bad location but great italian food.

And I loved Custino's while it was open on N May.

Hey Old Downtown Guy, yes there is still alot to be said about the old owner in the kitchen food joints, still a good place to go get a meal. We dont have many of those anymore around here. But yes I do highly recommend Toby's and Hinkles.

I really loved Papas Lil' Italy out near Frontier City. Bad location but great italian food. . .

I ate there from time to time my self and until the last couple of trips always enjoyed the food. They had a fairly good list of inexpensive and mid-range wines as well. You're right about the location; just a truck stop.

Papa Dio's on May just south of Briton has a similar menu and share some family background I believe. I haven't been up there for several months. I like their food, but always ask for fresh mushrooms in the salad and in any entre calling for mushrooms and hold down on the extra oil. The do a great diabolo sauce for shrimp and I have had them do it on beef as well.

To me a restaurant is all about the food and more importantly, the owners attitude about the food served. No passion for food . . . bad restaurant, or at least not a good one. Too many places start from a different place and want to serve big portions or have interesting decor or just look at it as another business . . . hence all this corp-speak crapola about it being a "store" or a "location" and their food/ambience/service as their "product". I like to eat where the special is really special and didn't just come out of a box delivered by a William E. Davis truck.

We have talked a lot about burgers, pizza and steaks on this thread but a couple of really excellent restaurants that should be mentioned are The Metro and The Coach House. They both have menus that change with the seasons and the chefs really know what they are doing. They look for good quality ingredients and the offerings are always well prepared, presented and served.

Also, I would like to hear some reviews of Cafe Nova. I ate there pretty late in the evening a couple of months ago and considering the time of day and the length of time the place had been open, the food was good for the most part and the service was professional. Like I said, it was pretty late in the evening and it got awfully loud in there. I think I would like to check it out for lunch and get a better idea of what they offer and how they go about it. Right now, I'm calling it an interesting place.

Another favorite haunt of mine, and lots of other people, that just came to mind is VZD's. Good basic menu and consistently consistent. I can't think of the woman's name that runs their kitchen, but she is as good as they come. I also like the kitchen being right out there in plain sight. Good cold beer too.

A few of the restaurants I miss.

Helga's German food at Mayfair, later at 59th? and May> Helga cooked it herself. Her daughter and son worked there cooking, and waiting tables.

Glenn's on NW 10th just East of May. Great place to get a good steak.
It burned down 10-15 years ago.

Country Plaza on NW 39th between Meridian and Ann Arbor. Good home style food. Closed about 30 years ago.

J&R Chicken Ranch On 10th street by Nicolosi's Home style fried chicken dinner, yum.


Old burger places I remember.

Split-T on N Western. Hard to believe it's gone. Set the standard for burgers in OKC for years.
Potter's On SW 44th?
The Ranchers Daughter on 23rd between May and Villa
The Delta, now it'sCoit's
Across the Street The after the game date place in high school.
The Jolly RogerNW 23rd about Ann Arbor. Used to get the clam sandwich.
Hollie's Everyone alive at the time in OKC knew about Hollies
Spanky's Yep, Spanky Mc Farland of the Our Gang group had a burger place just North of 39th on the East side of May ave. He used to do the tv commercials himself It wasn't here that long, but I remember eating there. The menu items were named after the Our Gang characters. It was probably part of a small chain.
Quick's On Classsen I don't remember ever eating there, but must have cruised through it a thousand times. You had to wait in line to get in the parking lot and you couldn't get a park when you got there. Oddly enough you saw very few people inside. It was just neat to cruise through.

Had lunch at Nova Wednesday...sesame crusted salmon w/ orange sauce...it was excellent. Wish it was a little less done, but it seems everyone around here overcooks fish a bit (better safe than sorry). The entire filet was crusted with black and white sesame seeds...imaginative, tasty and different.

For italian food, don't forget about Caffe Pranzo in the Colonades. The atmosphere isn't wonderful, but I've never (and I mean NEVER) been unhappy. They have professional wait staff who have made this their life's work and the chef/owner never fails to visit your table and chat, just to make sure everything is up to par. It's probably my very favorite place to eat in OKC and I'm sure you can tell I eat out a lot. The also fly their cheesecake in from Carnegie Deli-Yum!

. . . Caffe Pranzo in the Colonades. The atmosphere isn't wonderful, but I've never (and I mean NEVER) been unhappy. They have professional wait staff who have made this their life's work and the chef/owner never fails to visit your table and chat, just to make sure everything is up to par. It's probably my very favorite place to eat in OKC and I'm sure you can tell I eat out a lot. The also fly their cheesecake in from Carnegie Deli-Yum!

Just sticking your nose in the door of The Carnegie Deli is worth the cost of a last minute first class plane ticket. An unbelievable place and only one of at least three dozen incredible delis in NYC. Salads of every kind imaginable, soups and all kinds of take out entrées. . . It's like the cases at Kamps + Bill Kamps + Crescent Market X 50. Whole Foods is the closest thing that we are likely to see in OKC that would even come close to comparing to the take out from a NYC deli.

I have eaten at Caffe Pranzo a few times, but not lately. You're right about the decor . . . definitely not memorable, but I don't usually eat the decor. It's just hard to get in the ol' buggy and drive that far north on May Avenue, but thanks for the reminder.

Who remembers LA Pizza in Heritage Park Mall?!?!?

I miss Tony's Italian Specialties on about NW 26th and Penn...it's now Rococo. Mmmmm, Tony used to sit the back booth and as soon as they saw my husband and I walk in, they'd bring us a carafe of red wine...they knew the way to my heart!
Me too! Tony and his wife, Chris, were wonderful people. They have moved to Chicago.

I remember so many of these places mentioned.

Alamo Plaza on S. Robinson had great fried chicken.

Kip's Big Boy on North May and a few other locations (great to color in their comic books).

Howard Johnson's Best fried clams on the planet.

Holloway's Charcoal Burgers on NW 23rd and Grand (now I-44)

MY PIE Pizza at 63rd and NW Expressway

Polsano's Spaghetti/Italian Deli on North May nest to Simon's Mens & Boys Wear across from Taft Jr. High - Still some of the best spaghetti I've ever had.

Delores's (sp?) on 23rd street near the capitol - great desserts.

Beef 'n' Bun on NW 23rd. Good burgers.

Quicks on Classen - with McDonald's-sized burgers except with hickory sauce.

Bonapartes - Didn't they have the Fried Pickles?

O'Mealey's Cafeteria - One on May and another on 23rd. Great after-church places.

Glen's Steakhouse, of course, but remember Glen's Donuts on 10th? Big elephant sign.

Good memories of good eats in OKC!

MY PIE Pizza at 63rd and NW Expressway
It was My PI pizza. I worked there in high school for a couple of years. Best Chicago-style pizza ever and really good marinated steak sandwiches too. Dal was the guy who managed the place for the owner (can't remember his name). Great guy to work for. Damn, we had a lot of fun there.

It was My PI pizza. I worked there in high school for a couple of years. Best Chicago-style pizza ever and really good marinated steak sandwiches too. Dal was the guy who managed the place for the owner (can't remember his name). Great guy to work for. Damn, we had a lot of fun there.
That's right! My PI. I knew I wasn't spelling it the way they did. Goooood pizza!

der dutchman!!!!!!!! lol

der dutchman !!!!! . . .

Thanks for jogging the ol' brain cells autoMATTic. Definitely g good seafood spot. formerly at NW Expressway and I-240 if memory serves. some kind of windmill tower thing as an entrance to the building. I think it was owned by the Adair family. Good selection of fish preapared any way you liked & tasty hush puppies. They had a house trio plus a female singer that played in the club four or five nights a week. I used to enjoy sitting in on bass from time to time. A good place for lunch and fun night spot.

How about Roy Rogers.
Another pizza chain that was here back in the mid 80's, remeber Goocheez?

I believe the doughnut store on 10th was called Dennis Doughnut There were probably 8 or 10 of them around town in the 60's. They used an elephant as their logo.


I remember looking out of a window there and I was able to see the bottom of the "mysterious" Acme brick pit.

Leach's[/B[B]]Bakery was on May, a few doors down from Polsano's Deli.
They made great cream horns for 7 cents apiece. You could buy a whole home made cherry pie for 35 cents. Mr. Leach did most of the baking and he used to always leave one unpitted cherry in the pie. Kind of a trademark I guess.

There was also a barber shop, a furniture store, and sewing maching store? Also, Veasey's Drug store was right on the corner of 23rd and May.

There was also a barber shop, a furniture store, and sewing maching store? Also, Veasey's Drug store was right on the corner of 23rd and May.

Thanks for the memory abb. I don't recall either Leach's or Polsan's. Could you put a time frame around those places. I attended Taft in 1955/56 and Vezeys was the hangout. Vanilla Coke was my beverage of choice.

I lived on 24th Street about 2 blocks East of May from '60 to '67. I went to Cleveland Elem. '60-'65 , Taft '65-'67.

Polsano's went out in the mid seventies. The drug store maybe late sixties? It was replaced by Simon's Mens and Boys Wear.

I remember the Veasey's being a slot car track for a brief time around 1965 when slot cars were popular.

Papa Dio's on May just south of Briton has a similar menu and share some family background I believe.

I really like that place. I wonderd if there was a connection and I would be very happy to find out that they only moved to a new location instead of closing down.



To me a restaurant is all about the food and more importantly, the owners attitude about the food served. No passion for food . . . bad restaurant, or at least not a good one. Too many places start from a different place and want to serve big portions or have interesting decor or just look at it as another business . . . hence all this corp-speak crapola about it being a "store" or a "location" and their food/ambience/service as their "product". I like to eat where the special is really special and didn't just come out of a box delivered by a William E. Davis truck.

I could not agree with you more. I am so sick corporate food that is barely prepared at the restaraunt.



Also, I would like to hear some reviews of Cafe Nova.


Not familiar with this place...Where is it?



Another favorite haunt of mine, and lots of other people, that just came to mind is VZD's. Good basic menu and consistently consistent. I can't think of the woman's name that runs their kitchen, but she is as good as they come. I also like the kitchen being right out there in plain sight. Good cold beer too.

VZDs is great. Classic place!

I remember when Catfish Cabin was really good and didn't have the lame buffet thing going on. We used to go there so often.

I really miss Casa Bonita as well. That was my favorite place to go eat as a kid. Not as cool as in Denver, but still a treat. I always looked forward to my trip to the little childrens store they had in the middle of the restaurant. I still crave their cheese sometimes... have to go to Taco Beuno to get the closest thing left.

Cafe Nova is just down the street from VZD's. About 40th or 41st and Western.

Oops, wrong direction. More like 43rd and Western

excellent, thanks.