Oklahoma City is known for its plethora of local eateries. I compiled a list of my local favorites for readers looking for restaurants within a specific price range. The following restaurants were ranked in categories of price, regarding the average meal at the restaurant not including a tip. Many of the great restaurants of OKC did not make it onto this list; I chose based on my personal experiences with these locations. Comment below if there was a restaurant you love that didn’t make it!
$ ($1-$10)
Beverly’s Pancake House
If you’ve been up past one AM and had the munchies, chances are you’ve been to Beverly’s (aka Bev’s). They’re open 24 hours and offer a standard spread of breakfast and American food. Some of my favorites include the “Barnburner” (stacked hash browns, eggs, meat and gravy), the bacon waffle, and the guacamole burger. The servers are friendly, and while the food isn’t the highest quality, the hours and price make this restaurant a standard OCU favorite.
Tucker’s Onion Burgers
For a fast food burger, Tucker’s famous onion burgers blow the competition out of the water. Their burger includes a healthy helping of gloriously greasy grilled onions on top of a traditional patty, and can come with fries and a drink. They also offer various flavors of milkshakes, featuring a new flavor monthly. Tucker’s caters to anyone with an appetite for some quality fast food.
Empire Slice House
This eatery is walking distance away from campus! Empire just opened a new location, still located in the Plaza District, on the SW corner of Kentucky and 16th. Every day, Empire offers a different variety of pizza by-the-slice, usually 5-6 different pizzas. My favorites include the “MCA”, the “Fungus Among Us” and the “Uncle Buck”. Slices are $3.50 a piece, and two slices is plenty for a regular-sized meal. Warning: this restaurant is usually very busy during prime dinner hours on Friday and Saturday.
Ted’s Cafe Escondido
Considering the average price of an entree at this eatery, I would normally put Ted’s in the second ($$) price category. However, the sheer amount of food that comes with a meal purchase makes me put this restaurant in the first category. Each meal comes with chips, salsa, “cheese dip” (in other words, queso with less spice), tortillas AND sopapillas at the end. Their entree portion sizes are not stingy by any means, so you will almost guaranteed have another meal to take home. A favorite dish of mine is the chimichanga with shredded chicken.
Cuppies and Joe
Located in the Uptown 23rd district, Cuppies has a wide selection of coffee beverages and sweet treats. While this location isn’t technically a restaurant, a cup of coffee and a slice of pie in the morning can qualify as breakfast, so I included the coffee shop in this list. Cuppies offers different flavors of cupcakes every day and will feature different pastries from day to day depending on the season. Some of their weekly specials include “Pie Day Friday”, homemade toast with cinnamon sugar, and biscuits and gravy on Tuesday mornings. Follow them on Instagram for updates on daily specials!
Big Truck Tacos
Located east of campus on 23rd St, this eatery offers many flavors of street-style tacos for every type of taste. They also offer a variety of homemade salsas, burritos, bowls, and breakfast options. Big Truck also has a drive-thru option for those who order online. My go-to meal here is a “Crispy ‘cado” taco (fried avocado with pico de gallo and other toppings) with a small side of chips and queso.
$$ ($10-$20)
The Mule
Nothing says “comfort food” like the classic combination of grilled cheese and tomato soup, and this eatery does it the best. Their sandwiches are crusty and robust, and they offer a variety of sides including soup, fries and salads. One hidden gem at this restaurant is the cheese curds appetizer. These hot, fried bits of cheese are served with ranch and marinara and will make you want to skip the entree all together. Warning: this restaurant is packed on weekend nights, so plan accordingly.
Hideway Pizza
This restaurant resembles a more traditional type of pizzeria as compared to Empire. There are several locations, but my favorite is on Broadway. They have a wide selection of appetizers and pizzas, including my favorite, fried mushrooms. One featured pizza is “The Hideaway Special”, which is a pizza where every slice has a different topping. This is a cozy spot, good for social gatherings and conversation!
Café Kacao
I will argue that Café Kacao is the best restaurant overall in Oklahoma City. The eatery, located on Classen and 33rd, offers a wide variety of breakfast and brunch dishes, ranging from traditional pancakes and French toast to chilaquiles. No matter what kind of cuisine you choose to enjoy, all of the food is made with quality and flavor in mind. Try the huevos rancheros with a horchata latte for a flavorful and enticing mid-morning meal.
Grand House Bistro
Within walking distance of campus, Grand House is a popular choice among students because they take Stars Cash! They offer a wide variety of Chinese dishes, dim sum, and sushi options. Their weekday sushi roll happy hour (Monday-Friday, 4-6pm), where they offer a selection of rolls for half price, makes this stop an affordable early dinner choice. If you’re not a fan of sushi, I recommend the crispy, melt-in-your-mouth sesame chicken with fried rice.
S&B’s Burger Joint
S&B takes burger cuisine to a higher level of delicacy. They offer a wide selection of burgers with unique toppings, including a Elvis Presley-inspired burger called “The King” which comes with peanut butter. They also offer different types of loaded fries, and gourmet milkshakes big enough to split. My favorite burger is “The Columbian”, which is a coffee and sea-salt encrusted patty accompanied by smoked Gouda and cilantro lime salsa.
$$$ ($20+)
Cheever’s Cafe
Cheever’s has all the authentic historical background and refinement for a fancy meal with your family or friends on a special occasion. Cheever’s prides itself on being an Oklahoma City standard, and is located conveniently close to campus, just down the street on 23rd. While the appetizers and entrees are killer, the show-stopper at Cheever’s is the roasted pecan ice cream ball, in which a sizeable scoop of ice cream is rolled in roasted pecans, brown sugar and red chile. This is definitely a dessert to split with 2-3 friends!
Kitchen No. 324
Located in the heart of downtown, this restaurant has a clean and urban feeling to it. Their selection of dishes includes some ingredients you might have never heard of and inventive twists on old classics. I recommend the “Farmer’s Market” with cauliflower and fondue, blue cheese biscuit pudding, and brussels sprouts.
Whiskey Cake
Ask any OCU upperclassmen about a nice restaurant in OKC, and chances are Whiskey Cake will come up. This restaurant feels more high class than its price tag indicates, and combines local ingredients with tasty classic dishes. The pride and joy of this eatery is the namesake, the whiskey cake. Served with a bowl of incredible whipped topping on the side or on top of the cake, the cake rounds out the meal in full completion, making this restaurant very memorable.
Do you have a favorite restaurant in OKC that you want to share? Comment below!
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