Lip Smackers

[TheTravellers]

When I went on Friday and placed a to-go order, Jabbar insisted I help myself to some lemonade while I waited.

And of course, it was delicious. The pink variety and not overly sweet or tart -- just right.

I had the Onion Dip Burger and okra but it's all just too much food....

Exactly what I had and I didn't finish all the okra, wife helped with some, but it is definitely too much food - we ate there at 2 PM and didn't even feel hungry until 10 PM! Problem is that it's so good, you want to finish it and not leave any, but I'm gonna have to just stop at about 2/3 done next time, my digestive system will thank me.

He said he's got a 5 year lease, and "Lip Smackers ain't going anywhere, just like McDonald's, I'm here to stay".

[Paseofreak]

Never finished what i bought there either.

[Mr. Blue Sky]

My wife and I went by for the first time on Wednesday night. There were three tables full of people who seemed to be enjoying the food and conversation. Jabbar was an excellent host and is very friendly and engaging. Excellent (as in first-rate) burgers, the chips made in the kitchen were delicious, the cheesecake was to die for. The behind the counter menu layout and misspellings worried us, after the first bite I didn't care how he spelled it, the food was nothing short of wonderful and the hospitality incredibly welcoming. We don't live too far and will definitely be going back for return visits. What a great surprise Lip Smackers turned out to be.

[Ginkasa]

Brought the family for lunch today. I've been before, but the wife and kids hadn't. Didn't see Jabbar my first visit, but he came and talked to us a couple of times this time. We just ordered waters to drink for everyone, but he offered fountain drinks on the house (we chose water to be healthy, but I couldn't turn down his offer).

So, my son is a very picky eater and just wanted fries. Jabbar offered some chicken strips on the house for him. I didn't see chicken strips on the menu. I declined since my son just wanted fries, but I'm curious if I just didn't see the chicken on the menu or where he was going to get it.

Of course, the food was delicious. Have to find an excuse to try the cheesecake sometime.

[RadicalModerate]

Based mostly on the favorable comments in here (and in the Gazette and the Oklahoman) I made the short drive through Nichols Hills in order to test the accuracy of other peoples' opinions of Good Eats. As soon as I walked through the door I could feel the love (the Joy of Cooking). I went early to beat the lunch rush. If the burger I ordered (mushroom and swiss) wasn't the best burger I've ever had, it was in the top two. The owner/operator is even more hospitable than I might have imagined. In fact, he refused to allow me to leave without a sample of their cheesecake to share with my wife. If you want to get a taste of goodness, in every way, I would suggest that you not miss an opportunity to visit this Oasis of Excellence. (dang, even the fries were perfectly cooked =~).

[Pete]

^

So happy to hear all of that.

Such a feel-good story about this place and such great food.

[RadicalModerate]

^

So happy to hear all of that.

Such a feel-good story about this place and such great food.

It's a lesson I learned in childhood, after reading Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn: "When in Doubt Tell The Truth." (c/o Sam Clements aka Mark Twain) p.s.: Don't Say It If You Don't Mean It. Don't Say It Mean If You Do." Best Burger Ever.

[jedicurt]

having been there now multiple times (FYI... the sandwiches are really good too). my only complaint is that the Okra now, is not the Okra from the just of July... i know he says he didn't make a change... but something changed. it's still good... but that first time it was fresh and green and amazing... now it's just good. and if that's the only complaint i can find... that's pretty darn good

[TheTravellers]

having been there now multiple times (FYI... the sandwiches are really good too). my only complaint is that the Okra now, is not the Okra from the just of July... i know he says he didn't make a change... but something changed. it's still good... but that first time it was fresh and green and amazing... now it's just good. and if that's the only complaint i can find... that's pretty darn good

Interesting that you say that about the okra, because when we were there on 8/4, it looked like the original fresher/hand-cut & breaded okra, rather than the standard-sized browner okra. Is he switching back and forth between them, apparently randomly, maybe depending on what he has available? If so, that's not good - consistency should be very, very, very high up on a restaurant's must-have list.

[jedicurt]

Interesting that you say that about the okra, because when we were there on 8/4, it looked like the original fresher/hand-cut & breaded okra, rather than the standard-sized browner okra. Is he switching back and forth between them, apparently randomly, maybe depending on what he has available? If so, that's not good - consistency should be very, very, very high up on a restaurant's must-have list.

well i haven't made it in the last two weeks. it was July 26th the last time i was there. maybe he wasn't able to get the fresh okra for a few weeks and now has it back? but means i might go for lunch today and see! lol

[Thomas Vu]

I"ll hold off. The okra was my favorite thing there.

[TheTravellers]

I"ll hold off. The okra was my favorite thing there.

He was last there on 7/26, during which he apparently had okra similar to your right photo, I was there on 8/4, during which I apparently had the okra similar to your left photo. Timeline appears to be this - homemade-type okra (left pic), sysco-type okra (right pic), back to homemade-type okra (left pic). Who knows what it's like now, but as I said, consistency is one of the very most important things in the restaurant business, so hopefully he has the okra thing sorted out by now...

[Rover]

I just got a new Rolls Royce for a bargain... but darn, I think one of the hubcaps is chrome plated, not real chrome, so I'm not going to drive it anymore. LOL.

I can't believe the focus on okra. Who knew it was so important to so many. With all the GREAT things he makes, will people REALLY boycot the place until it is proven the okra is 100% fresh? That's harsh.

[Ward]

Well I think it's possible that his supplier might be the culprit. He may order the same thing every week but the wholesaler supplier may be the culprit, or actually whoever the wholesaler buys it from, i.e. the manufacturer/food originator.

[Thomas Vu]

Deleted

[soonerguru]

I finally had my maiden voyage at Lip Smackers *this could be a tawdry name for a seedy strip club. I took my daughter for a rather late lunch and luckily avoided the crowds. The owner was there and he was as friendly as advertised. Despite the reputation, I'm just not drawn to the onion dip burger; it just doesn't sound appetizing to me. So we went with the classics plus their tasty crinkly fries. The service was top notch and you can tell the ingredients they use are well above average. The meat itself tasted splendid. My daughter wolfed down the half-pound burger, which if you saw how dainty she is you would understand how much she liked it. Next time I might try one of the theme burgers but I would be happy to stick with the classic.

[jennydahl]

Tried for a second visit today... got there at 11:15 AM. Lights off, doors locked, no signs of life inside.

[Rover]

They are open

[Pete]

Yesterday I tried the Mediterranean turkey sub with a side of their homemade chips.

It was pretty fantastic. The turkey was grilled and to that was added nicely grilled onions, tomatoes, and green olives and topped with melted cheese. There was also some sort of tangy sauce on the soft roll. Really a nice balance of flavors.

I liked it every bit as much as their burgers, which is saying something. And I've grown to love those chips.

[d-usa]

Are we gonna get a scenic drone shot of the gas-station at some point?

[Pete]

Are we gonna get a scenic drone shot of the gas-station at some point?

I don't think people could bear the stunning beauty of it all.

[Thomas Vu]

Stopped by today. He mentioned he hasn't seen me in two months, although I thought it was a month. Saw some new things on the menu. Ordered the brunch burger and the okra. I saw there was a special and tried to order that, but he mentioned that he was out of an ingredient (balsamic vinegar) and how things take time to prepare and that the aim is for quality. SOmething about the special involved 30 minutes for prep work. Sadly I got the same okra I got the past two times. Burger was good though. Had a few pieces of okra and then went off somewhere else to fill out the void of okra I didn't finish.

[billokc]

Went for lunch today (Saturday). Tried the Mediterranean Turkey Sub on Pete's suggestion. WOW!! What a taste treat! Had the fries with it.

Okay everyone, this is one sandwich you MUST try!

After I finished it, I went up to tell Jabbar how great it was. He was grateful to hear it. Such a nice guy as well. Hope the business picks up for him.

[TheTravellers]

Stopped by today. He mentioned he hasn't seen me in two months, although I thought it was a month. Saw some new things on the menu. Ordered the brunch burger and the okra. I saw there was a special and tried to order that, but he mentioned that he was out of an ingredient (balsamic vinegar) and how things take time to prepare and that the aim is for quality. SOmething about the special involved 30 minutes for prep work. Sadly I got the same okra I got the past two times. Burger was good though. Had a few pieces of okra and then went off somewhere else to fill out the void of okra I didn't finish.

Two things about this bother me. First off, if you're out of balsamic vinegar, send someone out to buy it until you get your regular shipment - Super Cao Nguyen, Homeland, Whole Foods, and Winco are all close enough to fill the need, and I'm sure there are other grocery stores I'm missing that are in the area. Or if you really can't, for whatever reason, get some balsamic vinegar, take the special off the board, cover it up, do something so people won't think it's available. Second, inconsistency is very uncool for a restaurant - if I go there expecting the "good" okra, I'm going to be pissed if I get the frozen crap, and will likely not go back. This is just basic restaurant management skill that he's lacking...

For some restaurants, not having ingredients is forgivable - such as Ludivine, or the others that depend on fresh, local, unique ingredients daily for their menu and some of those ingredients are just not replaceable or substitutable (yeah, I know, not a real word), so they cook up (ha) a new dish that replaces the old dish, and is usually equivalent (but not always - sometimes we decide on something from Ludivine's online menu, get there and they can't make it and have another dish as a substitute, but it's not always what we're in the mood for, so we find something else on the menu to order). There are restaurants where that's part of the deal, but to me, a burger joint should have all its ingredients available for all its items, or they should take them off the menu. Yeah, seems like a double standard, but it's not really - just different expectations being set. As far as the okra being house-made or frozen, I just can't forgive that, since neither their fries nor their chips are that great, but the house-made okra is, so neither is an acceptable substitute for the okra for me, and anyway, if you don't know if you'll get the good okra or the frozen okra until you get it, that's a deal-breaker for me - consistency is very important for a restaurant, very, very important.

[ctchandler]

TheTravellers,
Substitutable is a word. See link below from Merriam Webster.
C. T.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dict.../substitutable