OKC restaurant memories

[Vintage BMX'er]

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

[Pete]

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

[vitamin]

wasnt it Fudpuckers?--I am not sure?

[metro]

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

[Doug Loudenback]

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.

[Midtowner]

The Cellar has moved to the Robinson Renaissance.

(FYI)

[escan]

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!

[metro]

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

[sweetdaisy]

Dan's Indian Tacos in Del City. YUM.

[jbrown84]

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

Yeah. That really made me mad.

[Pete]

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

No kidding! I used to love that little place.

[fromdust]

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.

[MadMonk]

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

[The Old Downtown Guy]

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.

[escan]

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.

[The Old Downtown Guy]

. . . 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.

[Curt]

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?

[The Old Downtown Guy]

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.

[Curt]

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.

[The Old Downtown Guy]

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.

[escan]

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.

[Elmofromok]

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.

[Curt]

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.

[The Old Downtown Guy]

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.

[abb]

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.