The 21 Best Restaurants And Bars In Oklahoma City
On-the-rise food scenes in cities like Columbus, Ohio, a clear indicator of top-tier culinary talent flourishing in markets outside of Chicago, New York City, and San Francisco. In the southwest, another city is rapidly ascending in more ways than one. As one of the fastest growing cities in the nation, Oklahoma City recently became the 20th most populous in the U.S., surpassing the likes of Nashville and Washington D.C. (via KOCO News 5). But, it's not just new residents adding to the city's stock; all over the metro area, Oklahoma City's restaurant and bar scene is booming.
A far cry from the chicken-fried stereotypes, Oklahoma City boasts a dynamic, eclectic food scene rich with culture and character. Sure, just like its meaty Texas neighbor, chicken-fried steak is indeed plentiful — so are chicken-fried carrots dusted with pistachios and parmesan. Saloons, steakhouses, and burger joints abound, as well, but they're legit. Beyond beef, though, OKC offers ample vegan and vegetarian options, as well as varied cuisines, plenty of Southern influence, and Indigenous cooking; the state of Oklahoma state is home to the third largest Native American population in the U.S. (via Stacker), which includes the omnipresence of fry bread and bison on menus. See for yourself at these 21 amazing restaurants and bars.
Bar Arbolada
When Bar Arbolada first debuted in 2018, Eater says the restaurant delivered Californian glam with it. That's thanks to the Los Angeles-based restaurateur — and native Oklahoman — Dustin Lancaster, who set up shop downtown with a swanky cocktail-centric bar and a smattering of elevated small plates. But, when the pandemic hit, the intimate bar shifted focus to something more streamlined. The intricate cocktails remained, but the menu pared way down to cheeseburgers.
Deceptively simple and perfectly Americana, the smash burgers were such a smash hit that Food Network's Alton Brown called them the best double cheeseburgers in the country. He isn't wrong.
While the menu has since expanded a smidge to include grilled cheese sandwiches, pimento cheese plates, and veggie burgers, the re-focused Bar Arbolada has really hit its stride as a cool, hipster-filled haunt with an authentic nod to the Californian vibe, while offering a casual format in which to savor some of Oklahoma City's finest.
Empire Slice House
The place that started it all for one of Oklahoma City's most prolific restaurant groups, 84 Hospitality: Empire Slice House is essentially a pizzeria that transcends all notions of the typical pizza parlor. Under the direction of founder and CEO Rachel Cope, Empire Slice House has established itself as a pioneer in the now-bustling Plaza District — quickly cementing its place in the city's dining pantheon not only for its killer slices and broad beer selection, but for its casual, cool ambiance.
Walking into Empire Slice House, guests are likely greeted by two things: a line to the host stand (don't worry, wait times go quick) and a lofty, garage-like space lined floor-to-ceiling with retro posters, and outfitted with a lengthy bar, booths, and tables. The curated menu offers snacks like garlic knots, mini meatballs, and spinach artichoke dip, but the star is the pizza, with rotating flavors available by the slice. Cheese and pepperoni are mainstays, along with unique options like the Foghorn Leghorn (marinara, roasted chicken, bacon, jalapeño, and Sriracha drizzle), the Rocksteady (bleu cheese, bacon, red onion, and balsamic), and the Ghostface Killah (ghost chili marinara, pepperoni, poblano, and barbecue chips).
The Jones Assembly
Part music venue, restaurant, and sprawling bar, The Jones Assembly is not only one of the most impressive dining spaces in Oklahoma City, but, perhaps, in the entire country. Anchoring the arts district near downtown, this warehouse-sized hot spot is bold with a lofty design and quality to back it up. Open for dinner and brunch, with special event menus for periodic concerts or the state fair and Oktoberfest, The Jones Assembly is beloved for its undeniable "wow" factor.
Look for modern Oklahoman-style riffs on this contemporary menu, such as chicken-fried carrots with hot honey aïoli and puffy, hot-from-the-oven pita bread with pimento cheese, alongside seasonal Moroccan steak salads, octopus ceviche, elote pizza, and fluffy gnocchi awash in summer vegetable ragù. Don't sleep on the drinks, either. Home to some of the best cocktails and wines in Oklahoma City, stunning originals by The Jones Assembly include the WFH, made with vodka, creme de cacao, banana liqueur, velvet falernum, lemon, and chocolate bitters, and the High Horse, a sophisticated sipper of double-rye whiskey, yellow chartreuse, lemon, peach, mango, and thyme.
Picasso Cafe/The Other Room
A legacy restaurant in the heart of the Paseo Arts District, Picasso Cafe has the convivial familiarity of a real-life "Cheers," but instead of Bostonian beer, it offers vegan-friendly eats and Oklahoma-inspired plates like chicken-fried portebello mushrooms, Indian tacos, and jalapeño hush puppies with honey butter. An enduring fixture in the gallery-filled neighborhood, it's the kind of reliable haven where locals frequent throughout the week for hospitality as comforting as the cuisine.
Right next door, in a narrow arm of the building, is The Other Room, a bar-focused expansion of Picasso that offers an abbreviated selection of snacks and sips off the same menu. What sets The Other Room apart, aside from its more intimate vibe and Sunday drag brunch, is its expansive back patio for al fresco evenings and perks for dog owners — both are not only dog-friendly, but offer dedicated dog menus with pup-approved items like ground beef stew, chicken risotto, and vanilla ice cream with blueberries and peanut butter.
The Study
Nestled on the ground floor of the historic Paramount building in the Film Row district in Oklahoma City, it doesn't get any cozier than The Study, a self-described wine "pub" that transcends any preconceived notions. The snug spot has single-handedly raised the bar on Oklahoma City's wine scene by offering a deep list of familiar favorites and exploratory gems. For example, this is one of the rare places in town where you can find the Italian sparkling wine called Lambrusco.
Bedecked like a lounge-y library outfitted with comfy nooks and bookshelves, The Study is as apt for a quiet laptop session as it is for an intimate date night. We find that the most romantic pocket in the place is the "introvert room," a tiny alcove lined with quirky art and a fishbowl. The Study bar menu also offers a few snacks, spirits, and beers, plus offerings like "Elaine's No Good Very Bad Day," a surefire platter that includes sparkling wine, a cupcake, and a lottery ticket. On select evenings, The Study also features jazz bands or chill DJ sets to amplify the comfy ambience.
Stitch Cafe
Breakfast tacos and breakfast tarts take top billing at Stitch Cafe, a sunny daytime spot that shares a space with an equally photogenic plant shop. Great for Wi-Fi warriors, weekend brunch, or grab-and-go morning fuel, this buzzy cafe in the OKC Arts District also happens to have an amazing bar program, including one of the best espresso martinis in the country.
The Stitch OKC menu is expansive with essentials like nitro cold-brew and matcha lattes, along with seasonal specials, horchata lattes, and cereal milk lattes on draft. There are also spiked coffee drinks, like a rum-splashed coffee float and a cinnamon-kissed Irish coffee. Breakfast tacos come filled with the likes of chorizo, espresso-glazed bacon, and smoked steak. The tarts, however, are the other main draw: Essentially gourmet, house-made Pop Tarts, the buttery beauties come sweet or savory, such as the Bam! Bam! made with strawberry jam filling, Fruity Pebbles dough, and cereal milk icing, or the Bacon, Egg, & Cheese, topped with gravy in an everything bagel dough.
Palo Santo
Located in the rapidly developing Farmers Market District of Oklahoma City, Palo Santo is a metropolitan cocktail bar that sets the standards of cool in the burgeoning neighborhood. Opened at the outset of the pandemic, the Latin-flavored bar has persevered with upscale bar bites, beats, and some of the most masterful cocktails in the city.
The bar feels like a slice of Tulum, Mexico, on the edges of downtown Oklahoma City, flanked by a garage-style door at the entrance, lush planters, a handsome pool table, cozy booths, and a DJ positioned above the liquor-packed bar. A bevy of rotating, seasonal cocktail menu have included the Saved by the Bell with tequila, black pepper gin, red bell pepper shrub, basil, and lemon, as well as the One Chance Fancy with pisco, pineapple rum, rhubarb, Curacao, orgeat, lime, and angostura bitters.
Snack-wise the Palo Santo menu offers complimentary elote-spiced popcorn, in addition to for-purchase togarashi fries, katsu chicken sandwiches, and okonomiyaki tots, which are a riff on Japanese vegetable pancakes strewn with bonito flakes and togarashi spice.
Elemental Coffee
Oklahoma City's first coffee roaster is still one of the best. Queer-owned and unabashedly inclusive — with welcoming murals and Pride flags as beacons — Elemental Coffee is as integral to the city's culture as the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum right around the corner, with a steady roster of caffeinated regulars to prove it.
The industrial-chic cafe is a Midtown mainstay. Elemental Coffee's menu is beloved for its freshly roasted java, seasonal cold-brew drinks, and an above-and-beyond selection of pastries and prepared foods. In addition to having one of the best chocolate chip cookies in town (a salty rendition that just so happens to be shockingly vegan) Elemental Coffee features rotating sweets like tahini banana bread, lemon bars, blackberry cardamom sweet rolls, and ginger cardamom cream pies. Don't overlook the savory menu either, which far exceeds the call-of-coffee-shop duty with quiche, vegan tempeh breakfast tacos, overnight oats, smoked salmon toast, and sandwiches stuffed with thyme-roasted cauliflower, gruyere, and sweet potatoes.
Bradford House and Quincy Bake Shop
Clad in tints of hot pink, animal prints, and tropical greens, Bradford House is an OKC boutique hotel nestled in a Victorian-style house on the edges of the Paseo Arts District and Crown Heights. The restaurant of the same name is not to be overlooked for brunch and dinner, plus an on-site bakery to satiate any sweet tooth. An ideal happy hour locale, Bradford House has become a go-to spot for locals to grab a seasonal drink and cozy up in one of the hotel's various photogenic nooks. Visitors can head to the wraparound covered porch where jazz bands take up residence once a week.
Bradford House's full-service dinner menu is one of the most underrated dining destinations in Oklahoma City, where house-made cornbread comes with jalapeño kosho and shio koji butter, corn bisque gets drizzled with white truffle oil, and falafel arrives with harissa-fried dates and date caramel. Anchoring the front of the main dining room, Quincy Bake Shop is a daytime operation for coffee and baked goods such as chocolate babka, cardamom buns, macarons, and croissant monkey bread.
Thirty Nine
Named after the 39 tribal nations native to Oklahoma, Thirty Nine Restaurant is an homage to a state with a rich tapestry of Native American heritage, located inside the newly minted First Americans Museum. While Indigenous ingredients and culinary techniques can be found throughout Oklahoma City — including at the state's first Native-owned brewery (via Journal Record) — nowhere is it more prominent and celebrated than at Thirty Nine, with a menu of modern Indigenous fare that is helmed by chef Loretta Barrett of the Potawatomi Nation.
The real-deal menu for lunch and brunch uses ingredients that have been hunted and gathered by native people in the region for generations. Vibrant dishes include skillet cornbread with green chili butter and red bell peppers, corn ribs with sumac brown butter, and hominy and white bean hummus with fry bread. You can also find popcorn crème brûlée with blueberry-lavender puree, candied pecans, and pepita granola.
Prairie Artisan Ales
It was only a few years ago that liquor, beer, and wine were still a rarity in the state of Oklahoma thanks in part to antiquated laws that made it difficult to purchase booze from a standard store. Nowadays, Oklahoma City's booming brewery scene includes the likes of bold originals like Prairie Artisan Ales. With its industrial-style taproom in Automobile Alley, one of Oklahoma City's premiere taprooms draws beer-lovers from across the country — rivaling some of the best craft breweries in the state — for its IPAs and sours, along with some seriously daring specialties.
Here, perennial craft beer favorites are adjoined by novelties, such as the Thai Delight, a mango sticky rice-inspired sour ale; the Basic Becky, a hefty imperial stout with honey-roasted pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and pumpkin spice coffee; and the PBQ, an audacious — and oddly delicious — sour beer made with a sweet 'n' smoky barbecue sauce.
Pool Bar and Bodega
The 21c Museum Hotel Oklahoma City has emerged as a real culinary powerhouse, drawing equal hordes of out-of-towners and locals for gilded, glam restaurants like Mary Eddy's. Now, two snazzy newcomers, Pool Bar and Bodega, have joined the fray, offering drinks and snacks in equally stylized confines on the ground floor.
The two-part operation includes Bodega on the front half of the dining space, an all-day eatery with coffee, breakfast foods, and boozy drinks served in comfy booths and banquettes. Come evening, the back half of the space opens to reveal Pool Bar, an indoor-outdoor hangout with a small patio pool and a huge interior peddling cocktails, wine, beer, including a Frozen Penguin Mule (so named for the hotel's penguin mascot) garnished with an adorable penguin gummy candy. There are also smoked chicken wings, shrimp ceviche, cauliflower tacos, pimento cheeseburgers, and barbecued maitake mushroom sandwiches. Don't forget about the house-made Choco Tacos for dessert.
McClintock Saloon
One of the more singular areas in Oklahoma City is Stockyards City, housing one of the largest cattle stockyards in the nation — with plenty of wild west lore to boot. This includes McClintock Saloon, a polished steakhouse and watering hole that feels simultaneously modern and utterly preserved in another era. This wood-filled saloon features taxidermy and cowboy boots lining the wall. The decor also boasts enough chandeliers, velvet curtains, and brick to give it a bygone brothel feel.
But, the food and drinks are top-tier — at shockingly affordable prices for the quality. Oft overlooked, McClintock Saloon is an insider secret with steaks that are just as good (if not better) than its more popular neighbor. The rest of the McClintock menu is just as strong, from the smoked salmon with sriracha honey to the pan-fried frog legs with mango-habanero sauce. The drinks include one of the best Manhattans in the city, which sell for pocket change during happy hour.
Lunar Lounge
The women behind one of Oklahoma City's ultimate cocktail bars, Barkeep, an eccentric cocktail bar nestled in the back of a Midtown mixology store, are responsible for the newly launched Lunar Lounge, a celestial-themed speakeasy hidden away inside the same nondescript office building.
The only giveaway of Lunar Lounge's entrance is a moon-shaped panel on the hallway wall, which guests press to open a clandestine door and disappear into a space-y lounge with a central bar, NASA content on the TV, and a retro vending machine stocked with Moon Pies. Signature cocktails are just as dazzling, like the Astromutt, a blue-tinted pisco drink with banana liqueur, blue Curacao, orgeat, lemon, and pineapple, or the Sailor Moon made with gin, yuzu liqueur, shochu, green tea syrup, fresh lemon, egg white, and black sesame. Can't decide? Opt for ROB, or the "randomly ordered beer" vending machine that distributes mystery brews behind the bar.
Nonesuch
One surefire sign that Oklahoma City's dining scene was among the most underrated — and up-and-coming — was when a nondescript Midtown restaurant called Nonesuch was named the best new restaurant in American by Bon Appetit in 2018. It was a defining moment on a national scale, amassing city-wide momentum ever since, and cementing the tasting menu sensation as a go-to, fine-dining destination.
Indeed, Nonesuch courses are as much a feast for the eyes as the mouth. The tiny, dimly lit space features a wraparound counter where diners convene in front of the open kitchen. Here, a team of cooks prove teamwork makes the dream work with various well-clad staffers dropping off elaborate, seasonal plates and wine pairings throughout the evening. On any given night, Bon Appetit says courses could include the likes of charred allium crème fraîche in a sable tart shell, yakitori-grilled bison rib-eye with collard greens and ruby beet puree, or rosemary-dill lavash with whipped herb ricotta dusted with morel mushroom salt.
Mexican Radio
Being in the southwest, Mexican food abounds in Oklahoma City, including the kinds of contemporary, playful Mexican restaurants where empanadas come stuffed with molten pimento cheese, while crispy buffalo cauliflower florets are enrobed in corn tortillas, and tres leches cake is studded with rainbow sprinkles. Enter: Mexican Radio, a kaleidoscopic haven of tacos, guac, and cocktails in the OKC Plaza District.
Mexican Radio is a playful Mexican restaurant that decorates its bar with globes and frozen cocktail machines emblazoned with the phrase, "Don't worry; Be happy." One of said machines is responsible for dispersing one of the best frozen cocktails in the country. Whether seated inside, at the bar, or on the covered patio next to the huge "love is love" mural, there's no bad seat in which to savor a spread of Dole Whip margaritas and tacos stuffed with the likes of smoked brisket, fried chicken, gilled jerk pork, and blackened salmon.
Elk Valley Brewing
Despite the fact that Elk Valley Brewing certainly gets whimsical (and wonky) with some of its seasonal beers, like a PB&J-infused blonde ale and a waffle stout brewed with peanuts, maple, and lactose, there's something endearingly chill about this underrated gem of a brewery in Midtown.
The small, modest space is presided over by friendly staffers who are more than happy to make recommendations and provide beer samples. Whatever you do, don't miss the wildly popular Magic Juice, which is a flagship brew that's among the best IPAs in Oklahoma City. Take your beer — or a flight — to one of the tables by the main bar. Or, head upstairs to the little-known rooftop patio, offering some of the best downtown views. Popcorn and frills-free hot dogs are offered as snacks, and slushy beers are on hand in the hotter months, aka a majority of the year around here.
Sincerely Coffee Roasters
Twee and pastel-toned like a Wes Anderson film, Sincerely Coffee Roasters takes the crown as the prettiest coffee shop in Oklahoma City. Situated directly next to Commonplace Books, the two locations share a convenient hallway leading right into the indie bookstore. The sunny and bright cafe is the dreamiest place to hole up with a book, a laptop, or a latte date in Midtown Oklahoma City.
The house-roasted coffee is cream of the crop, but the most photogenic fare here are the seasonal espresso-based specials and specialty lattes, typically adorned with all manner of quirky foams, spices, syrups, and froths. Currently, autumnal offerings run the gamut from a fragrant pumpkin cold foam topping cold brew, oat milk, and pumpkin spice syrup, as well as chocolate maple rosemary cappuccinos. Other variations have included the likes of house-made "butterbeer" and cereal-milk lattes strewn with colorful pieces of cereal.
Ludivine
Like a tale of two restaurants, Ludivine is a Midtown Oklahoma staple for fine dining and as a casual fixture for bar bites, burgers, and sterling cocktails. The restaurant is also one of the longest running high-end restaurants in town with a decade's worth of fanfare for its seasonal, locally sourced provisions. Situated in a nondescript building that looks more like a dental office, Ludivine is divvied into two sections: a dining room frequented primarily by special-occasion diners and a more casual bar area for snacks and sips. A covered patio is shared between them.
The more upscale menu changes often and comes as an optional tasting menu, with seasonal flavors such as rabbit Milanese with white beans and sage, dry-aged pork loin with roasted poblano cheddar grits, and creamed rainbow chard with smoked garlic. Meanwhile, the bar area is more known for its cocktails and weekly "Blue Plate Burger Mondays" specials, wherein different over-the-top Wagyu burgers rotate each Monday and come with toppings like pumpkin barbecue sauce, corn and green bean relish, and blue cheese remoulade.
Cafe Kacao
Typically, pancakes and eggs don't entail a four-hour wait, but Cafe Kacao is such a force on the local brunch scene that it commands a queue longer than most rides at Disney World. The ravenously popular brunch spot skews Latin American with emphasis on Guatemalan recipes and ingredients, making it unusual fare for Oklahoma City and might explain why weekend crowds are so intense. It's well worth the wait, though, for food that is hearty and singular.
The stylish Cafe Kacao menu boasts an almost dizzying array of options, from sweets and savories to espresso drinks like an orange mocha, Nutella latte, and crème brûlée latte adorned with a torched layer of Demerara sugar. Food options include family recipes like motuleño, which is a combo of corn tortillas filled with black beans and topped with eggs, ranchero sauce, dry cheese, queso fresco, and guacamole.
Then there's the desayuno chapin, a traditional Guatemalan breakfast with scrambled eggs, refried black beans, feta, fried plantains, sour cream, and flour tortillas. For something sweet, order decadent mango pancakes glazed with lechera sauce and blackberry-bourbon sauce to share with the table.
30th Street Market
The same folks behind veggie burger marvel Red Rooster and Holey Rollers Donuts have branched out in the Paseo Arts District with perhaps their most ambitious — and crowd-pleasing — endeavor to date: an all-in-one cafe, market, bottle shop, and bicycle shop called 30th Street Market. Huge and lofty, the casual garage-like space truly has something for everyone, quickly establishing itself as a neighborhood cornerstone when it opened in 2022.
Whether getting something from the grab-and-go cooler or lingering with a laptop, the market has all-day fare to match. This includes overnight oats, chia pudding, smoothies, pimento cheese sandwiches on house-baked milk bread, cheese boards, watermelon gazpacho, and much more. Wine and beer are available by the glass, along with other sundries and vittles that scream "picnic." If the weather is cool enough, sit outside on the huge front patio, where dogs are just as welcome as they are inside.
Sedalia's Oyster & Seafood
When most people envision Oklahoman cuisine, they might imagine various mashups of Mexican, Southwestern, and Southern foods. Oysters and conservas? Less so. This is what makes Sedalia's Oyster & Seafood such a gem. The seafood stunner, nestled in a somewhat unexpected part of town to the west of Midtown and the Plaza District, serves oysters, seafood, and natural wines so vibrant and fresh that you might forget you're in a land-locked state and not, say, on the coast of Spain.
Owned by an impassioned husband-and-wife team, Sedalia's is a jewel box of a restaurant peddling an ever-changing roster of fresh-from-the-sea plates, including a daily selection of raw oysters with house mignonette and smoked oysters with beurre blanc, as well as caviar with chicken liver mousse and yellowtail conserva with pumpernickel and romesco. Beef heart with peanut sauce is one of the sole meat items, while an olive oil trifle with cardamom cream and peach preserves finishes on a sweet note. To drink, spritzy cocktails are joined by an impressive lineup of natural Old World wines.