In honor of the newly revamped (and much improved) www.visitokc.com, I thought it would be fun to compile top tens in many categories. Please add yours.


Top 10 Restaurants

1. RED PrimeSteak
2. Cafe NOVA
3. Cocina de Mino
4. Irma's Burger Shack
5. Falcone's Pizzeria & Deli
6. Iron Starr Urban BBQ
7. Hideaway Pizza
8. Deep Fork Grill
9. Grand House
10. The Metro Wine Bar & Bistro

Honorable mention: Rococco, Earl's Rib Palace, The Wedge, Boomerang


Top 10 Chain Restaurants (expanding beyond the metro)

1. Abuelo's Mexican Embassy
2. Chipotle
3. The Melting Pot
4. Zio's Italian Kitchen
5. Cheesecake Factory
6. Bravo! Cucina Italiana
7. Panera
8. Pei Wei
9. Jersey Mike's Subs
10. B.J.'s Brewhouse

Honorable Mention: Mazzio's, Quiznos, Chick-fil-a


Top 10 Buildings

1. The Oklahoma State Capitol
2. The Skirvin Hilton Hotel
3. First National Center
4. The Original OPUBCO Building
5. Taft Middle School
6. The Colcord Hotel
7. First Presbyterian Church
8. Civic Center Music Hall
9. The Oklahoma City Federal Building
10. Goldstar Memorial Library

Honorable mention: downtown post office, the Crystal Bridge, the 360 at Founder's Plaza, Stage Center


Top 10 Attractions

1. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
2. Oklahoma City Museum of Art
3. Bricktown District
4. The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
5. The Oklahoma State Capitol
6. The International Photography Hall of Fame
7. Myriad Botanical Gardens & Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory
8. The Oklahoma City Zoo
9. The Paseo Arts District
10. Science Museum Oklahoma

Honorable Mention: Gaylord-Pickens Oklahoma Heritage Center, Harn Homestead, Oklahoma History Center, The 45th Infantry Museum


Top 10 Events

1. Festival of the Arts
2. Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon
3. Dead Center Film Festival
4. Big XII/NCAA Basketball Tournaments
5. The Oklahoma State Fair
6. Red Earth
7. Head of the Oklahoma Regatta
8. Opening Night
9. Paseo Arts Festival
10. Big XII Baseball Tournament

Honorable Mention: Downtown in December, Women's College World Series, Redbud Classic

Oklahoma Heritage needs to be in the buildings list.

I would like to nominate Charleston's for an honorable mention to the restaurant list. Plus, I think Opening Night should be higher and the State Fair should be lower. Finally, I would like to name Stockyards City for Honorable Mention in the attractions list and bring up the Global Oklahoma Festival held annually at Rose State. Nice list.

__________________
...this shortest straw has been pulled for you

Thanks for the responses. I was hoping others would make their own lists. Everybody's different.

Top 10 Restaurants

1. Eddy’s Steak House
2. Papa Dios
3. Nick’s (Penn)
4. Irma's Burger Shack
5. Coney Island (Main St.)
6. Earls’s BBQ
7. Sportsmen’s Club Sunday buffet
8. Chellinos Bricktown
9. Lido
10. Kim Wah




Top 10 Chain Restaurants (expanding beyond the metro)

1. Sonic
2. Chick-Fil-A
3. Zio's Italian Kitchen
4. Abuelo's Mexican Embassy
5. Red Robin
6. Bravo! Cucina Italiana
7. Braum’s
8. Schlotsky’s
9. Arby’s
10. Jason’s Deli


Top 10 Buildings

1. The Colcord Hotel
2. Santa Fe Station
3. First National Center
4. Hopewell Church (Goff)
5. The Gold Dome
6. Overholser Mansion
7. First Christian Church (Downtown)
8. St Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral
9. Rock Island-Frisco Station
10. First Christian Church (36th & Walker)



Top 10 Attractions

1. Bricktown District
2. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
3. Oklahoma City Museum of Art
4. The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
5. Oklahoma History Center
6. 45th Infantry Museum
7. Myriad Botanical Gardens & Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory
8. The Oklahoma City Zoo
9. Harn Homestead
10. Remington Park Racino


Top 10 Events

1. Festival of the Arts
2. Opening Night
3. All College Tournament
4. Big XII/NCAA Basketball Tournaments
5. The Oklahoma State Fair
6. Red Earth
7. Head of the Oklahoma Regatta
8. Women's College World Series
9. Big XII Baseball Tournament
10. CFC Run for Freedom

Where is the Rock Island-Frisco station?

Its due South of the current main Post Office. Its been the center of controversy in the relocation of I40. The beauty of this building will be evident when Core to Shore begins.

Yes, it's the one known through the years as union station. In the railroad glory days, Oklahoma City had three train stations---the Rock Island-Frisco (or union) on SW 7th, the MK&T (demolished years ago) on East Reno just south of the present location of Bricktown ballpark, and the Santa Fe on what is now Gaylord Blvd.
And you are right, PapaJack, the Rock Island-Frisco is an impressive structure.

Okay. I've always heard it called Union Station. That's what's carved in the side of the building as well.

And this thing is slated to be demolished? That would be a serious mistake, there arent enough stone structures like this in this city.

No no no. The building won't be touched, just the rail yard behind it. They would never get away with tearing it down.

Sorry for the confusion. I’ve always called Union Station the Frisco Station because of one winter night in 1952. My Uncle Louis from St Louis came to visit us, and he took the Frisco “Meteor”. We met him at the station and drove to El Charitos in the Paseo for dinner. I was only six years old, but I remember the steam from the locomotive, men wearing fedoras and the smell of enchiladas, beans and rice.

I thought the station had met the wrecking ball when the Post Office built its “new” building, but one late April 15th I drove around the Post Office and there it was. It is indeed a fine example of stone work; a true reminder of the age when train stations defined cities, like arenas and ballparks do today. OKC is lucky to have two such reminders, the Frisco and the Santa Fe.

Anyone else?

I'm currently working on a OKC "Must List" for Trip Advisor.com, so I thought I'd revive this thread.

That place is a dump.

That place has an incredible history.

Hopewell - Goff

Architectural Record

It's also not going anywhere. It's protected by the U.S. Department of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark.

Sorry, J Brown, off topic with your thread but couldn't let that go by.

I don't know about rankings, but I'm kind of surprised these restaraunts wouldn't be mentioned:

Ted's Cafe Escondido. Well, it's kind of a toss up between them and Poblano Grill. Is there really any better Mexican food in the metro?

Taj. You know we are very lucky to have such great East Indian food available to us here in the OKC metro. You could probably get into a big debate over who has the best (Gopurram, Ajanta, Taj, Himalayas, etc.) but at least one of them should be mentioned.

Cafe 501. Probably one of the best meals I have had in the last 10 years is still a classic meat and potatoes dish I had at this restaurant once upon a time. Edmond.

Cafe de Taipei. This is that strange little boba tea room on Broadway (also in Edmond). They have some of the freshest squid I have had in the metro.

Nona's in Bricktown. Lots of great food here.

Van's Pig Stand. Norman. Still the best BBQ in town in my opinion.

Keller in the Kastle. (Their name changed, can't remember the new name). Fantastic place for great German food and drink.

Don't forget there's a whole slew of more 'private' dining experiences around town too, such as Twelve Oaks, The Haunted House, etc.

Ted's and Poblano's are both overrated.

I like Poblano's quite a bit more than Ted's, but yeah...Coming from a guy who lived in SoCal for quite a while...They're over rated.

And all you people that have rated Earl's Rib Palace as being great BBQ owe it to yourselves to try Spencer's BBQ. Sure, the location sucks, but the food is worth the trip.

I'd make lists like the rest of you, but I rarely get past 3 before my noggin' shuts down in overload. That, or I simply don't know enough about the subject (like top 10 buildings) to make a decent one.

Not to go off topic again but Bruce Alonzo Goff(who designed Hopewell), was mentored by Frank Lloyd Wright, and this structure has a very Wright feel to it, you should all go visit it.

BEST RESTAURANTS:
Trattoria Il Centro (inside the Montgomery) the BEST Italian in the city!
Leo's BBQ. So good food network came and did a story about it
Saturn Grill
Irma's Burger Shack
Michaels
Sofabelas
Lido
PHObulous

You're welcome.

I wasn't meaning to demean your list. Just friendly discussion. I've eaten at both places many times and the queso and tortillas are the only thing I really like. Ted's prices have skyrocketed as well.

How about a list of the top 10 things to do in OKC? Some of these may tie-in with the attractions and events, but these are just some things to do yourself or recommend to an out-of-towner.

Here's mine:

1. NBA (if the Hornets were any indication of how fun it will be)
2. Sailing at Lake Hefner
3. Kayaking the Oklahoma River
4. Climbing at Rocktown
5. Racing at Pole Position Raceway (for the kid in all of us)
6. Taking a date for an evening stroll through the Myriad Botanical Gardens/Crystal Bridge
7. Checking out the stuff at Science Museum Oklahoma (for the nerd in me)
8. Racing and a little gambling at Remington Park (for the sinner in me)
9. Checking out the art at Untitled (ArtSpace)
10. Strolling through Bricktown, or maybe even taking a watertaxi



These are just some of the things I like to do. Of course, everyone has different tastes. For instance, if I were younger, you'd find me:

- Earning scars at the Matt Hoffman Action Sports Park
- Sightseeing at White Water Bay
- Spilling my guts at Frontier City
- Taking up the backrow at a local theater
- Moshing to my favorite band at the Ford Center



Of course, if you're a little more sophisticated and are the type, you can:

- Enjoy many of the performing arts at the Civic Center Music Hall, Lyric Theatre, Black Liberated Arts Center, Carpenter Square Theatre, Jewel Box Theatre, Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra, Oklahoma Opry, Oklahoma City Theatre Company, Yellow Rose Theatre, Shakespeare at the Gardens, etc.
- See what the state has to offer at the OKC Zoo
- Learn about the early days of Oklahoma at the Harn Homestead Museum
- Develope a sense of what it means to be an Oklahoman at the Oklahoma History Museum
- Take in the western culture at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum or...
- visit Stockyards City
- Stroll the Route 66 Park
- Impress your friends with your knowledge of local art at the Paseo Arts District
- Tour the State Capitol
- Visit the ASA Softball Hall of Fame (even better during the World Series)

...and of course, anyone can remember at the OKC National Memorial and Museum



These are just some of the things I could think up, with of course the top 10 being my favorites. We have a lot to offer in OKC. What would you include in your top 10 things to do in OKC?

__________________
...this shortest straw has been pulled for you

Are you kidding me with this!?!?!

SAN MARCOS!!! Both locations.

Also... jbrown mentioned Cocina de Mino.... gimme a break!

The last Cocina de Mino I ate at was the one on S. Western. I was not impressed.