Restaurants that changed the OKC landscape…

[warreng88]

I was talking to my wife today and we were trying to come up with restaurants that changed the OKC food scene. Not sure how far you want to go back, but I moved here in 1999 and my list would be:

Cheevers (emergence of the Paul’s and their restaurant group)
Big truck tacos (I know, I know, random, but before them, there were Southside taco trucks and fast food)
The mule (first restaurant in the plaza district that established the district)

I could list about 25 off the top of my head, but thought this might be a good start and wanted to get other peoples opinions.

[chssooner]

Goro or Tamashii. And Chick n Beer.

[Teo9969]

The Coach House

The Metro

The OG 3 steakhouses (Mickey Mantle's, Boulevard, Ranch Steakhouse)

Nonesuch

Big Truck Tacos

Cheever's

Charleston's (really Outback because Hal.Smith brought Outback to OKC, then ripped it off with Charleston's and built an empire)

Ted's

Vast

La Baguette

Empire (first to keep food open late in the early teens).

Whatever the 1st Pho restaurant in OKC was (probably in the 70s or earlier)

[Martin]

i'll go with... jacques' internationale

Jacques Orenstein, TV chef, dies at 81 Restaurant owner had segment on WKY-TV (oklahoman.com)

[Brett]

Sirloin Stockade.

[TheTravellers]

Ludivine

[Pete]

Great topic.

The first that came to mind was Cheever's. They opened when things were pretty dire here and helped to raise standards. And still going very strong!

Before the Mule in the Plaza, it was Picasso Cafe in the Paseo. Still great.

The Coach House. Spawned a whole generation of great local chefs.

Any number of Vietnamese or Chinese places in the Asian District.

Jones Assembly for sure. The scale, ambition, quality investment, and versatility put in a class of one.

Flower Child. Brought Fox to OKC and they will likely do more. It's also nice to see someone trust this market with healthy food rather than huge portions of burgers and pizza.

Ramsay's Kitchen. I made the point previously that this place will produce a lot of skilled chefs, managers and even wait staff and many will move on to other local places or start a restaurant of their own. Plus, elevated cuisine instead of typical chain fare.

[Jersey Boss]

Spaghetti Warehouse

[Teo9969]

Ludivine

I want them to be on this list, and maybe they laid the groundwork for the success of Nonesuch in this market, but it was actually pretty close to the opening of Nonesuch's predecessor Nani so I feel like it's a solid restaurant, but I don't think it has had an outsized impact on the OKC dining scene.

[Ward]

Steak & Ale. Many 1st dates and Anniversary celebrations.

Molly Murphys House of Fine Repute. (while it lasted).

Applewoods. Place was always packed.

[TheTravellers]

I want them to be on this list, and maybe they laid the groundwork for the success of Nonesuch in this market, but it was actually pretty close to the opening of Nonesuch's predecessor Nani so I feel like it's a solid restaurant, but I don't think it has had an outsized impact on the OKC dining scene.

Trust me, a lot more people went to Ludivine than Nani, and Ludivine was open for a few years before Nani was, so I'd say Ludivine was more important than Nani (never had the chance to eat at Nani, have eaten at Nonesuch once, and Ludivine many many times).

[Shortsyeararound]

Tokyo Sushi- first sushi here then Sushi Neko for Western Ave importance

Chelino's/Spaghetti Warehouse- bricktown beginnings

[PhiAlpha]

Sirloin Stockade.

dark lol

[Bill Robertson]

Thinking back to the 60s and 70s.
Glen's Hickory Inn
Casa Bonita
Garfields
I know Garfields might seem an odd choice but as far as I know they were the first to have a whole wall of different tap beer in one bar.

[Mballard85]

Sirloin Stockade.

Ooof

[Rover]

Sirloin Stockade.

Restaurant didn’t change anything. Murders unfortunately didn’t incite any change either. This thread is about restaurants, not horrible people.

[Rover]

Juniors. Back in the day got national recognition.

[Bill Robertson]

I wouldn't say Sirloin Stockade didn't change anything. When I was working as an electrician many construction tradespeople went to SS for lunch. They were the only steak place that was cheap enough for that to happen. It made one lunch a week special.

[warreng88]

Can I just say how happy I am that we are 17 responses in and no one has mentioned Cattleman's?

[Teo9969]

Juniors. Back in the day got national recognition.

I kept wanting to say Michael's, but knew I was thinking of somewhere else. This was it, so thank you!

They were the precursor to the Prime Steakhouses

[Rover]

Can I just say how happy I am that we are 17 responses in and no one has mentioned Cattleman's?

No one can deny Cattleman's place in OKC restaurant history. It is an institution.

[foodiefan]

Coach House need to be at the top of the list. . . not only for the restaurant but for the apprentice ship program that graduated a lot of top OKC chefs.

[Teo9969]

Coach House need to be at the top of the list. . . not only for the restaurant but for the apprentice ship program that graduated a lot of top OKC chefs.

I added everything to my original post, but I agree this is unquestionably top of the list.

[OKCTalker]

The Cellar Restaurant introduced French cuisine to Oklahoma City in 1963. Owned by Frank Hightower and located in the Hightower Building, it was run by Chef John Bennett who trained under James Beard. It brought an incomparable level of taste, sophistication and cuisine to Oklahoma City. It was a personal passion of Frank Hightower, who closed it in 1984 during the oil bust.

[Teo9969]

The Cellar Restaurant introduced French cuisine to Oklahoma City in 1963. Owned by Frank Hightower and located in the Hightower Building, it was run by Chef John Bennett who trained under James Beard. It brought an incomparable level of taste, sophistication and cuisine to Oklahoma City. It was a personal passion of Frank Hightower, who closed it in 1984 during the oil bust.

Great Call! The Metro still pays homage to them with tone of their recipes and it is GOOD!