15 Best Restaurants And Bars In Tulsa
Oklahoma has come a long way on the culinary front. Not only is its largest city home to a remarkable restaurant scene, but the underrated state defies expectations in surprising ways. It's a state that's home to more lesbian bars than just about anywhere else in the country, it's reinventing chicken-fried stereotypes with contemporary dishes, and its restaurants are a far, modern cry from outdated state-signature meals overloaded with meat. Along with Oklahoma City, the state's second-largest city, Tulsa, holds its own. The restaurant and bar scene is well worth an extended layover.
Tulsa, located in northeastern Oklahoma, is a city deeply rooted in Art Deco architecture and oil history — at one point, this was the oil capital of the world, no less. Being less than an hour and a half from Oklahoma City, it feels worlds apart, with a landscape decidedly different from its younger and more contemporary counterpart. The same is true of its dining scene, where farm-to-table tasting menus share an area code with historic Lebanese steakhouses, Route 66-themed food halls, meaty speakeasies, and adorable diners.
FarmBar
Not only is FarmBar one of the foremost LGBTQ+-owned restaurants in the country, but it's one of the best — and most lauded — tasting menu destinations in Oklahoma. Owned by partners Lisa Becklund and Linda Ford, the cozy fine dining restaurant has earned acclaim from the James Beard Foundation and diners from throughout the region, who flock to FarmBar for dynamic degustations utilizing the freshest in-season ingredients available — including plenty plucked right from a farm in suburban Depew.
The menu is described as a culinary adventure across the agricultural cuisine of Oklahoma, almost single-handedly debunking stereotypes by spotlighting regional ingredients that showcase the state as one of abundance and endless ingenuity. A la carte offerings are available on select nights, but the star here is the tasting menu, and while particular items are constantly changing, it's safe to expect reliably stunning plates like cantaloupe salad with Thai basil and pickled pink peppercorn, grilled green beans with kimchi, and whole-wheat fettuccine with pepperoncini and bacon sausage.
Queenie's
Nestled in charming Utica Square, you need only follow the inevitable line — and the aroma of freshly baked cake — to find Queenie's, a cute cafe and bakery open for breakfast, lunch, and any sugary cravings. Wildly popular and routinely commanding a well-deserved queue no matter the day of the week, this bustling and sunny nook puts a novel stamp on brunch and baked goods.
For morning fare, look for hearty plates like oatmeal pancakes, custard-soaked pain perdu, and breakfast grilled cheese with a fried egg and potatoes. Come lunch, the menu expands with nostalgic items: tuna salad sandwiches, egg salad, pastrami Reubens, and BLTs. No matter the time of day you visit, though, be sure and prioritize dessert. Queenie's is well-known for its pastries and confections, which constantly rotate and feature the likes of carrot cake whoopie pies, banana caramel cake, sour cream lime tarts, snickerdoodle cookies, lemon squares, and much more.
The Vault
In a city renowned for its classic Art Deco architecture, Tulsa definitely has its fair share of restaurants located in uniquely historic buildings. Case in point: The Vault is a singular American restaurant and bar located in a former bank with huge panes of glass and a funky zig-zag roof. Nowadays, the bank has made way for a restaurant rooted in playful comfort food, including ample vegetarian and vegan offerings, which are available for lunch and dinner.
In addition to an outdoor shaded patio, the restaurant's soaring main dining room provides an aptly stunning backdrop in which to savor irreverent plates like plump and zinging buffalo-sauced cauliflower "wings," spinach and hearts of palm dip, potato-crusted salmon, and pulled pork sopes with grilled pineapple and carrot-cauliflower slaw. To drink, the bar slings local beers, mocktails, and cocktails. The Banker's Ex-Wife with vodka, orgeat, lemon juice, and seltzer is particularly relevant.
Antoinette Baking Co.
What started as a simple, macaron-sized dream has blossomed into one of the most inventive and enticing bakeries in America. Antoinette Baking Co., which began as a simple passion project for two friends who enjoyed baking macarons, is now a thriving bakery and cafe in the Arts District, heralded for its pastries, desserts, and breakfast sandwiches. Not only are macarons still available in a kaleidoscope of flavors, but they've paved the way for a slew of other treats and novel ideas.
Antoinette is particularly known for its crafty pies and cakes, which rotate constantly and seasonally and often include fun themes, like a Barbie-inspired pie menu that featured the likes of Malibu Barbie Pineapple Rum Chiffon and Ken's Classic Vanilla Cream. Other options run the gamut from lemon poppyseed Danishes and strawberry-strewn olive oil cake to chocolate-almond caramel bars and vegan coffee cake. As overwhelming as the options may be, rest assured — whatever you select will be decadent and amazing.
Mother Road Market
Route 66, aka the Mother Road that links Chicago and Los Angeles, is a source of great pride in Oklahoma, especially in cities it passes through, like Tulsa. In addition to numerous roadside attractions and kitsch along the road, the Tulsa area leans into its Route 66 origins with inspired places like Mother Road Market, an aptly dubbed food hall loaded with soulful eats, themed merchandise, and all manner of family-friendly entertainment.
In addition to local retail merchants, the bread and butter at Mother Road Market are the food vendors whose cuisine spans a wide spectrum of cuisines and dining styles. Taking a something-for-everyone approach, fast-casual options include barbecue, tacos, sushi, ramen, ice cream, rice bowls, Nashville hot chicken, Brazilian food, and more — all of which can be enjoyed within its lofty walls or outside. The market also puts on periodic events, like live music and sober happy hours.
Bull in the Alley
Speakeasies are mostly known as discreet bars specializing in cocktails and other potables, but the anatomy of the hidden watering hole is changing. In addition to other atypical speakeasies, like a dry bar in New York City, Tulsa is home to a speakeasy-style steakhouse, Bull in the Alley, hidden in a secret passage in the Arts District.
Once inside (look for the regal green door with a small bull marked above it), you'll be swept into a dark and alluring parlor outfitted with a piano, a huge central bar, and swanky booths. The whole space is posh and romantic, which accounts for the numerous dates typically found throughout the room; it's a unique destination for a special occasion. While upscale cocktails and a curated wine list are available, Bull in the Alley is the rare speakeasy that's mostly about meat. Its menu includes hand-cut bacon by the slice, seafood towers, USDA Prime porterhouse, and steakhouse-style sides like crispy Brussels sprouts and creamed spinach.
American Solera
A far cry from stereotypically sprawling, rustic breweries, American Solera is one that feels decidedly more modern, vibrant, and downright twee. Founded in 2016 and transformed into a 14,000-square foot taproom in 2018, this stunner of a brewery has the same lofty and spacious vibes as many others, but the color palate and ambiance is a lustrous one that aligns with its self-described "cosmic flavor voyage."
The beer at American Solera is just as impressive as the decor. Across 16 taps, the brewery rotates an always-exciting roster of seasonal ales, along with wines, cider, and alcohol-free options. Puckery sours, saisons, and farmhouse ales are its calling card, as evidenced by beers like Brux and Dunn, a funky fermented farmhouse ale, and the Solera + Chill hoppy sour. Things also get interesting with the IPAs, like the Boysenberry Blessings with boysenberry, milk sugar, and vanilla. Beer drinkers can pair it all with a burger from resident food vendor Bub's Burgers.
The Saturn Room
Bamboo, rum, and thatched roofing aren't necessarily the first things that come to mind when envisioning bar-hopping in Tulsa, but they're all front and center at The Saturn Room, a wildly unique and fun tiki bar in the Arts District, blending tropical Caribbean decor with some space-themed accents and a full-blown drink list that deserves top billing as one of the best tiki bars in the country.
Served up in quirky mugs with equally unconventional and colorful garnishes, even the themed tropical options have range. Chairman Mao's Revival (peppered gin, rum, coffee liqueur, ginger liqueur, falernum, a trio of citrus juice, absinthe) exists alongside the Golden Driller (mezcal and Aperol with mango-kiwi shrub, lemon, and cardamom). The Saturn Room also offers new and rotating options like the Pony Up with rhum agricole, strawberry-basil shrub, honey, and lime. Pick your poison inside one of the numerous booths lined with tiki totems or from the massive beachy patio overlooking the skyline.
il seme
The same owners from acclaimed tasting menu restaurant FarmBar strike again, this time with a romantic candlelit Italian gem in the heart of downtown Tulsa. Whereas the former skews seasonal Oklahoman, il Seme is a cozy date night-worthy spot specializing in rustic and regional Italian dishes, so you can do your best "Lady and the Tramp" impression over a plate of housemade pasta.
The menu changes frequently, but options are always impeccable, authentic, and ripe for sharing. Small plates include saffron-kissed arancini and melon and prosciutto plates drizzled with balsamic, while a few pizzas come dressed with the likes of Italian sausage, feta, squash blossoms, and goat cheese. The pasta is il Seme's calling card, available in fragrant portions of pappardelle bolognese, anchovy-swirled linguini, gnocchi al funghi, and spaghetti carbonara, oozing with farm-fresh eggs. Pair it all with a bottle of Italian wine off the expertly curated list and call this a date night to remember.
The Penthouse Rooftop Bar
For a drink with a view, you need to head to the top of one of the most historic hotels in town. The Mayo Hotel, an Art Deco masterpiece flanked with Doric columns and terra cotta, has hosted distinguished guests like John F. Kennedy and Elvis and nowadays lays claim to one of Tulsa's essential rooftop bars. Nestled atop the 19-story property, the aptly dubbed Penthouse Rooftop Bar is a stunning locale for a sunset sip.
The menu upstairs is fairly straightforward and modest, offering a selection of craft beer, boutique wines, and cocktails, but they needn't dazzle too much when 360-degree views of downtown Tulsa are this striking. With ample space indoors and out, the bar has plenty of room to serve guests and tinker with seasonal drinks and well-mixed libations. Said libations often draw inspiration from famed guests and/or infamous Oklahomans, such as The Elvis with black currant berry liqueur and Brut Champagne and the Tiger King Margarita splashed with orange juice.
Jamil's Steakhouse
Across the U.S., steakhouses are as widespread and Americana as burger joints and pizza parlors, but few boast the lore of some of Tulsa's most timeworn restaurants. Lebanese steakhouses are a longstanding tradition around here, established in the late 1800s and 1900s by Lebanese immigrants — and other Middle Easterners — who flocked here to open their own businesses and start anew (via Oklahoma Historical Society). One such tradition was the onset of the Lebanese steakhouse, starting with the oldest one in the state, Jamil's Steakhouse.
Open since 1945, the family-run establishment has gone through a few locations over the years, all while maintaining its traditional meals paired with Lebanese hors d'oeuvres. A standout starter is the sampler basket of smoked ribs and bologna, while heartier portions include T-bones, filet mignons, and rib-eyes, all served with sides like cabbage rolls, hummus, and tabouli. The vaunted restaurant also serves an affordable wine list and surprisingly tropical cocktails, like Mai Tais and Long Island Iced teas.
Bar Serra
A newer addition to the Tulsa dining scene, Bar Serra wasted no time in establishing itself as an essential destination for wholesome eats amidst a glam backdrop, thanks to its stunning facade with a greenhouse-inspired decor central in Utica Square. A chic venture from local powerhouse McNellie's Group, the restaurant and bar peddle elevated renditions of seasonally inspired plates and drinks, along with wine, beer, and non-alcoholic options.
The shareable menu starts with distinct dishes like crispy artichokes with remoulade, chicken tikka meatballs, and smoked trout dip with Saltines, followed by lustrous salads and entrees such as beer-battered mahi mahi tacos, cedar plank salmon with blackened butter, and sumac-scented Mediterranean bowls brimming with quinoa, cabbage, feta, hummus, cucumber mint yogurt, and cauliflower. Cocktails are just as bright. The François Kir with creme de cassis and white wine and the Summer Babe with vodka, St-Germain elderflower liqueur, Aperol, and lime serve as refreshing examples.
Lowood
A restaurant that typifies the notion of "rustic-chic," Lowood is a lively, wood-fired hot spot on the eastern edge of downtown that specializes in flame-kissed seasonal fare, scratch-made pasta, and robust wine pairings — all in a space lined with exposed brick, polished wood, and a huge open kitchen adjoined by a bar. Along with cocktails, the beverage program is also anchored by a deep wine list hand-selected by sommeliers.
The chef's counter is the only space in the restaurant where guests can partake in tasting menus, an ever-changing spree of seasonal dishes inspired by the on-site kitchen garden. Elsewhere, a la carte options are equally invigorating, featuring the likes of lamb and Wagyu kofta, char-grilled okra with caper-raisin vinaigrette, and crispy pork belly with green papaya salad and nuoc cham dressing. Things get even heartier for the entrees, where sea scallop panzanella, spicy sausage orecchiette, and New York strip steak with gochujang-miso butter are some shining examples.
French Hen
For more than 40 years, French Hen has reigned as one of Tulsa's premiere fine dining establishments, and its enduring appeal speaks to a commitment to quality ingredients, cozy environs, and dedication to scratch-made, authentic cookery. Located in the Arts District, this real-deal French bistro feels old-fashioned in all the best ways: a place where a buttery menu and romantic motif pair as perfectly as a glass of Beaujolais and beef shank.
Comfy indoors and out (a courtyard adjoins the charming main dining room), the menu skews Parisian with plates. Dinners can choose from dishes of escargot in garlic butter, sweetbreads Champignon, seared foie gras with poached fruits, and duck liver pâté. Follow these up with entrees like osso bucco bucatini, filet de boeuf rossini with truffle sauce and veal demi-glace, and bouillabaisse brimming with fish, mussels, scallops, and shrimp. The French-heavy wine list runs deep for a restaurant that is also open for lunch and Sunday brunch.
Dilly Diner
From all-day breakfast menus to chicken-fried steak, Americana diner cravings don't come any better than Dilly Diner, a cutesy eatery that serves up comfort food nostalgia with a modern motif. While the space itself, an industrial-chic abode that feels like a brick-lined urban loft, feels downright contemporary, the kitchen does a handy job of preserving old-timey flavors and traditions while using high-quality ingredients and crafty techniques.
The result is a decadent breakfast menu that offers chorizo-stuffed breakfast burritos, frittatas, and chicken-fried steak and eggs, while sweeter options include buttery brioche French toast, Belgian waffles with Nutella buttercream, and something called The Jed, a super-sized cinnamon roll smeared with whipped cream cheese frosting. Later in the day, things skew towards sandwiches with grilled cheese, burgers, vegetable wraps, BLTs, French dips, and egg salad. For dinner, seasonal specials share menu space with holdovers like chicken-fried steak and pulled pork nachos.