Best Onion Rings?

[Larry OKC]

I can relate. I have driven quite a ways "just to eat" (of course always end up expanding the trip so it isn't just that...LOL). Used to go up to Tulsa about every 6 weeks for Casa Bonita and the Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas. We used to drive to Chickasha/Jake's Rib for Mother's Day, birthdays and such.

The farthest I have traveled for food is Denver (Casa Bonita again), Little Rock (Black Angus) and Memphis (Corky's BBQ)

[Jettmiester]

I can relate. I have driven quite a ways "just to eat" (of course always end up expanding the trip so it isn't just that...LOL). Used to go up to Tulsa about every 6 weeks for Casa Bonita and the Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas. We used to drive to Chickasha/Jake's Rib for Mother's Day, birthdays and such.

The farthest I have traveled for food is Denver (Casa Bonita again), Little Rock (Black Angus) and Memphis (Corky's BBQ)

That's some traveling! Now I don't feel so bad fro driving all the way to Clinton for the awesome Eggrolls at Wongs!

[Edmond Earl]

Steve's Rib hands down

[teachingchef]

I'm originally from OKC, but have not lived there in 30 years. Moving back at the end of May and love onion rings. My question is about Johnny's. Is the place called 'Johnny's' or 'Johnny Rockets'. Here in Atlanta, Johnny Rocket's has excellent onion rings. Thanks...

[metro]

For rings I have to agree on Boomerangs, but for something a little different try the shoestring fried onions at the BBQ place on Britton just west of Johnnies. They are sliced super thin and battered and fried. I think the name is Dry Bones or something like that. They are worth the price of the meal.

Boneyard Grill, it's by the deep fork group

[Jim Kyle]

It's "Johnnie's" and is a purely local chain, not a franchise. It's vaguely related to the old Split-T and Dolores in that its founder was the original chef at Split-T and Split-T's founder was the son of the Dolores founder...

[Larry OKC]

Boneyard Grill, it's by the deep fork group

Drove by there last week, wasn't that where Kansas City Blues BBQ was located? At there one time and it was ok

[Wambo36]

Drove by there last week, wasn't that where Kansas City Blues BBQ was located? At there one time and it was ok

Yes Larry, it's the same location. Thanks metro for getting the right name, I don't make it to that part of town very often. The BBQ was good, but nothing special. The angle hair battered and fried onions were very good and the reason I have, and will, go back whenever I can. Not onion rings, better IMO and worth adding to the discussion.

[Jim Kyle]

Is this the place near Memorial and Santa Fe that was Super Onion Burger before it became Kansas City Blues? I liked SOB but KCB lost me after one visit...

[Lord Helmet]

The farthest I have traveled for food is Denver (Casa Bonita again),

You know, when we moved up here a year and a half ago one of the first places we went was Casa Bonita. That place is frozen in the year 1987. Its exactly as I remember it being as a kid...only the food is horrible. Still an interesting place to visit for nostalgic purposes.

[Wambo36]

Is this the place near Memorial and Santa Fe that was Super Onion Burger before it became Kansas City Blues? I liked SOB but KCB lost me after one visit...

On Britton just west of Johnnies

[Larry OKC]

You know, when we moved up here a year and a half ago one of the first places we went was Casa Bonita. That place is frozen in the year 1987. Its exactly as I remember it being as a kid...only the food is horrible. Still an interesting place to visit for nostalgic purposes.

Are you talking about Tulsa or Denver? Oklahoma City opened in 1968, Tulsa & Little Rock in 71(?) and Denver in 1974, each a time capsule of the period to be sure. The Oklahoma City one did have a remodel in the late 80s/early 90s which practically eliminated the "Legend of Casa Bonita" (they got rid of the "Mexican village at night" main Courtyard, making it a more generic any-Mexican restaurant). Various Bonita locations had the distinction of being the highest grossing (no jokes please) mexican restaurants in the entire country. Of course that was before being able to find a Tex-Mex place on nearly every corner.

But I understand what you are saying and Casa Bonita has definitely had its ups/downs over the decades. It was on the downside when the Tulsa one closed the first time. Promises were made by the new Casa Viva owner (the original founder of Bonita) that the food quality would return (but it didn't improve by much if any). He had done the same with the Little Rock location when Bonita closed. Then when Viva closed (after an ice storm), Bonita made the same improved food promises. Sadly, the last time I was up there (last July) the food tasted like it had been frozen, shipped in from Denver and not completely thawed out. On a Sunday afternoon when the place should have been packed with the after church crowd, it was practically deserted. The AC was broken (only functioning dining area one was in the Governor's Mansion Room. It was a sad day for me because I know how great it had been and could be again if they only had management that had a passion for the place.

One thing that never changed was the quality of the sopaipilla's...they were always excellent!

[Matt]

[Larry OKC]

I went and highjacked my own thread...LOL

Going to start an Casa Bonita thread for those interested...

if someone wants to get back to Onion Rings, please feel free)

[Larry OKC]

Just ate at Emerson Biggins on south Meridain and they had some of the best onion rings I have had in a long time. big, hot, fresh and seasoning in the batter. Cost $4 for an order but as far as bar food goes I guess that is about normal.

[Nowhere Man]

Johnnie's and Little Mike's both have great onion rings.

[Larry OKC]

I have tried both and while they looked great and portions were huge (especially Johnnie's) they were devoid of any flavor