Oklahoma City Restaurant Tips by rexvaughan Top 5 Page for this destination

P F Chang's: Good Chinese Other Review

This is a national chain of restaurants but in my opinion some of the best Chinese food around. They call themselves a “China bistro” which sounds a little odd but the food is pretty much traditional Chinese dishes done deliciously. Our last visit was with my brother and his wife and we ordered Mongolian beef, crispy honey chicken, a fried rice bowl and sweet and sour pork. We then proceeded to do my favorite thing with Chinese food: we passed it around the table and everyone had some of each. It was all delicious. They also have a separate take-out window. For take-out, call ahead, for busy nights, call for reservations.

Address: 13700 N Pennsylvania Ave

Comparison: about average

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: Chinese/Dim Sum

Beverly's Pancake Corner: Ever had a Pancake Sandwich?

This is the last of Beverly's Restaurants in OKC. The first restaurant was opened in 1921 and when I was in college there in the 50's there were at least 4 others and their specialty was "Chicken in the Rough" (see the golfing rooster on top of the sign). They always focused on fried chicken, huge delicious hamburgers (Bevburgers) and pancakes.

Favorite Dish: I usually visit OKC 2 or 3 times a year (I was born and raised in Oklahoma and went to Oklahoma City University), and on most trips I join my favorite cousin for breakfast at this place. I love their pancake sandwiches: two pancakes surrounding eggs scrambled with sausage (you can opt for bacon). I am sure part of my enjoyment is nostalgia, but the pancake sandwiches are wonderful.

Address: Northwest Expressway and Independence Ave

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: Across NW Expressway from Baptist Hospital complex. If you are familiar with the location near Penn Square, they have moved about a mile up the road to the location shown here. A little bigger and nicer place.

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Breakfast

Victor's Mexican Cuisine: Good tamales, cold beer

This is a fairly new place in Oklahoma City but our friend’s daughter, who lives nearby, already knows the waiters by name which means she has already adopted Victor’s a favorite. The place is pretty pedestrian looking from the outside but the interior has some very nice and colorful décor. The chips and salsa they served as soon as we sat down were several cuts above average. The most important thing though, is that they make a really good tamale which, in my experience is hard to find. Not only that but they have some Mexican beers on tap. Imagine my delight when my Tecate was served in a mug which was not only frosted, but salted as well. I will go back when I am back in OKC

Address: 10904 N May Ave Ste F

Comparison: about average

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: Mexican

Othello's: Great food, wonderful ambience

Othello’s offers a rare combination of really good food and enough charm and offbeat decor to be really appealing to me. The building itself is in the center of the old town of Edmond, now a large and bustling suburb of Oklahoma City. In former lives it was a movie theater and a hospital. We had a table upstairs with a view over the main room which adds a little bit of an elegant touch. The decor is hard to describe but very appealing and to me it was crowned by photos of Marilyn Monroe which I encountered covering the walls of the men’s room.

Favorite Dish: I had the stuffed manicotti with proscuitto and a nice cream sauce which was very nice and we finished by sharing a very good tiramisu. We went with my nephew and his family who live nearby and are regulars at Othello’s. We will go back again.

Address: 1 South Broadway, Edmond, Oklahoma

Comparison: about average

Phone: 405 330-9045

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: Italian

Cafe do Brasil: Great muffins and more

This little place is unimposing but a very good stop for breakfast or lunch. We had lunch here and found the food and service excellent. Their sandwiches and salads are fresh and flavorful and they bake a wide variety of cakes and muffins for dessert. I want to go back and try their very interesting looking breakfast menu and some other lunch items like Brasilian Pie and Brasilian Muffaleta. They are only open for breakfast and lunch (7:00-15:00) Mon-Sat.

Address: 440 NW 11th St # 100

Comparison: least expensive

Phone: 405 525-9779

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Other

Cafe 501, Edmond: Fresh and delicious

Cafe 501’s cuisine has been called Californian. I don’t know if that is accurate but it is delicious. We went for lunch with some family members and were all very impressed with the ambience, the service and of course the food. I would love to go back for a ‘pastry break’ as they have a case loaded with wonderful looking cakes, cookies and pastries of all kinds. Their bread is made on premises and is wonderful.

Favorite Dish: I had a pear salad with fresh spinach and sugared pecans which was fresh, crispy and delicious. My wife had chicken salad which she loved. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to sample the desserts - next time!

Address: 501 South Boulevard, Edmond, OK 73034

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Edmond is the first suburb north of Oklahoma City

Phone: 405 359-1501

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: American

Pappy's: A great BBQ sandwich BBQ Joints Review

This little place is nothing fancy but has wonderful ‘pulled pork’ barbeque. If you are not familiar with ‘pulled pork’ it is very tender chopped pork, sometimes just pulled apart as it is so tender. Pappy’s is a funky little place with a simple menu and colorful ambience. Our sandwiches were served on a paper mat on a cafeteria tray but all very neat, clean and delicious.

Favorite Dish: We had the pork sandwich which was very good. It is served with no sauce so that you can choose your own - mild, hot or sweet, with very good coleslaw and potato chips. As good a BBQ sandwich as you are likely to find. They also do take out.

Address: 201 S May Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73108

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: At the corner of May Ave and Reno

Phone: (405) 290-7394

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Barbecue

Queen of Sheba: Ethiopian Cuisine in Oklahoma?

Who would have ever thought you would find a really good Ethiopian restaurant in Oklahoma City! Well there is one. The Queen of Sheba is in a nondescript little shopping center on Macarthur Blvd just off NW 23rd street. It doesn’t impress from the outside but is a warm and attractive place inside with wonderful food , a cordial staff and an unusual selection of beverages. Our waitress offered us samples of their red wine and a honey wine. My wife opted for the honey which was a little sweet but smooth and nice.

Favorite Dish: My wife and friends had different selections but I opted for a combination plate which included a salad, a very spicy rice, potatoes and carrots, mild lamb and beef dishes and a chicken dish called doro wot which was extremely spicy. It was served with a red sauce and included a boiled egg. While it was a bit hot for my taste, the chicken was very tender and succulent. The meal also included a small green salad, some nicely cooked greens and split chickpeas which were mild but very tasty. As is their tradition the meal is served without utensils but on a huge round of bread, Injera, which is made from the tiny Ethiopian grain, Teff and is said to be very nutritious and dates back to about 4000 BC. The menu listed a black beer which we decided to try and found it was an Ethiopian stout, less dark and strong than Guiness but very tasty and smooth.

Address: 2308 N. Macarthur Blvd, Okla City, OK 73127

Comparison: about average

Directions: In shopping center on Macarthur and on south side of NW 23rd street.

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 5

Theme: Other

Applewoods: Free Apple Fritters!

The food and service here are both excellent and each entree comes with a salad (waldorf or green - both are delicious), all the apple fritters you want and nice light dinner rolls. It offers a comfortable ambience and reasonable prices.

Favorite Dish: The apple fritters are wonderful. I like both the waldorf and the green salad. Also the chicken fried steak and fried catfish are well prepared and very tasty.

Address: 2747 W. Memorial Rd, Okla City 73134

Comparison: about average

Phone: 405 752-4484

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: American

Website: http://www.applewoodfarmhouserestaurant.com

Java Dave's: Coffee and more

This a very nice coffee house with excellent coffee. We did not eat there, but they have a pretty extensive breakfast and lunch menu and a very tempting pastry display. An added benefit is that they have free wireless internet access (30 minutes). The decor features coffee apparatuses of all sorts - it is a very pleasant place for a coffee break.

Address: 7 NE 10th Street

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: Just northeast of downtown OKC

Phone: 405 236-0272

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Coffeehouse

Website: http://www.javadavescoffeeokc.com