I was talking to my wife today and we were trying to come up with restaurants that changed the OKC food scene. Not sure how far you want to go back, but I moved here in 1999 and my list would be:

Cheevers (emergence of the Paul’s and their restaurant group)
Big truck tacos (I know, I know, random, but before them, there were Southside taco trucks and fast food)
The mule (first restaurant in the plaza district that established the district)

I could list about 25 off the top of my head, but thought this might be a good start and wanted to get other peoples opinions.

Goro or Tamashii. And Chick n Beer.

The Coach House

The Metro

The OG 3 steakhouses (Mickey Mantle's, Boulevard, Ranch Steakhouse)

Nonesuch

Big Truck Tacos

Cheever's

Charleston's (really Outback because Hal.Smith brought Outback to OKC, then ripped it off with Charleston's and built an empire)

Ted's

Vast

La Baguette

Empire (first to keep food open late in the early teens).

Whatever the 1st Pho restaurant in OKC was (probably in the 70s or earlier)

i'll go with... jacques' internationale

Jacques Orenstein, TV chef, dies at 81 Restaurant owner had segment on WKY-TV (oklahoman.com) (https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2000/06/19/jacques-orenstein-tv-chef-dies-at-81-restaurant-owner-had-segment-on-wky-tv/62193387007/)

Sirloin Stockade.

Ludivine

Great topic.

The first that came to mind was Cheever's. They opened when things were pretty dire here and helped to raise standards. And still going very strong!

Before the Mule in the Plaza, it was Picasso Cafe in the Paseo. Still great.

The Coach House. Spawned a whole generation of great local chefs.

Any number of Vietnamese or Chinese places in the Asian District.

Jones Assembly for sure. The scale, ambition, quality investment, and versatility put in a class of one.

Flower Child. Brought Fox to OKC and they will likely do more. It's also nice to see someone trust this market with healthy food rather than huge portions of burgers and pizza.

Ramsay's Kitchen. I made the point previously that this place will produce a lot of skilled chefs, managers and even wait staff and many will move on to other local places or start a restaurant of their own. Plus, elevated cuisine instead of typical chain fare.

Spaghetti Warehouse

Ludivine

I want them to be on this list, and maybe they laid the groundwork for the success of Nonesuch in this market, but it was actually pretty close to the opening of Nonesuch's predecessor Nani so I feel like it's a solid restaurant, but I don't think it has had an outsized impact on the OKC dining scene.

Steak & Ale. Many 1st dates and Anniversary celebrations.

Molly Murphys House of Fine Repute. (while it lasted).

Applewoods. Place was always packed.

I want them to be on this list, and maybe they laid the groundwork for the success of Nonesuch in this market, but it was actually pretty close to the opening of Nonesuch's predecessor Nani so I feel like it's a solid restaurant, but I don't think it has had an outsized impact on the OKC dining scene.

Trust me, a lot more people went to Ludivine than Nani, and Ludivine was open for a few years before Nani was, so I'd say Ludivine was more important than Nani (never had the chance to eat at Nani, have eaten at Nonesuch once, and Ludivine many many times).

Tokyo Sushi- first sushi here then Sushi Neko for Western Ave importance

Chelino's/Spaghetti Warehouse- bricktown beginnings

Sirloin Stockade.

dark lol

Thinking back to the 60s and 70s.
Glen's Hickory Inn
Casa Bonita
Garfields
I know Garfields might seem an odd choice but as far as I know they were the first to have a whole wall of different tap beer in one bar.

Sirloin Stockade.

Ooof

Sirloin Stockade.

Restaurant didn’t change anything. Murders unfortunately didn’t incite any change either. This thread is about restaurants, not horrible people.

Juniors. Back in the day got national recognition.

I wouldn't say Sirloin Stockade didn't change anything. When I was working as an electrician many construction tradespeople went to SS for lunch. They were the only steak place that was cheap enough for that to happen. It made one lunch a week special.

Can I just say how happy I am that we are 17 responses in and no one has mentioned Cattleman's?

Juniors. Back in the day got national recognition.

I kept wanting to say Michael's, but knew I was thinking of somewhere else. This was it, so thank you!

They were the precursor to the Prime Steakhouses

Can I just say how happy I am that we are 17 responses in and no one has mentioned Cattleman's?

No one can deny Cattleman's place in OKC restaurant history. It is an institution.

Coach House need to be at the top of the list. . . not only for the restaurant but for the apprentice ship program that graduated a lot of top OKC chefs.

Coach House need to be at the top of the list. . . not only for the restaurant but for the apprentice ship program that graduated a lot of top OKC chefs.

I added everything to my original post, but I agree this is unquestionably top of the list.

The Cellar Restaurant introduced French cuisine to Oklahoma City in 1963. Owned by Frank Hightower and located in the Hightower Building, it was run by Chef John Bennett who trained under James Beard. It brought an incomparable level of taste, sophistication and cuisine to Oklahoma City. It was a personal passion of Frank Hightower, who closed it in 1984 during the oil bust.

The Cellar Restaurant introduced French cuisine to Oklahoma City in 1963. Owned by Frank Hightower and located in the Hightower Building, it was run by Chef John Bennett who trained under James Beard. It brought an incomparable level of taste, sophistication and cuisine to Oklahoma City. It was a personal passion of Frank Hightower, who closed it in 1984 during the oil bust.

Great Call! The Metro still pays homage to them with tone of their recipes and it is GOOD!

Nm

How about Chandelle on top of the Founders Tower and, though a casual place, Split-T which has influenced a number of other restaurants.

For sure, Split T. Glad someone mentioned the Cellar, too. It was before my time…I spent a ton of time in OKC prior to moving here in ‘86 thanks to grandmas, aunts, uncles, cousins living here, but I was never old enough to darken the door of the Cellar before it closed. But I’ve heard it referenced too often by those who know.

I’d say the O.G. Pearls is worth mentioning. I’d also say the Bricktown Brewery earns a mention if only because it was one of the first places to introduce okies to the idea of craft brews and something more complex and flavorful than Budweiser. Also truly kicked the door open to downtown restaurant development after the long oil bust slumber.

Restaurant didn’t change anything. Murders unfortunately didn’t incite any change either. This thread is about restaurants, not horrible people.

So you’re saying that no one would’ve killed for a steak there?

The Cellar Restaurant introduced French cuisine to Oklahoma City in 1963. Owned by Frank Hightower and located in the Hightower Building, it was run by Chef John Bennett who trained under James Beard. It brought an incomparable level of taste, sophistication and cuisine to Oklahoma City. It was a personal passion of Frank Hightower, who closed it in 1984 during the oil bust.

kinda crazy that that space is still empty.

Not specifically a restaurant, but my mind immediately thought back to the short lived Hudson and 8th block party/food truck garden whatever you call it. So many at the time restaurant concepts got enough hype and appeal to open up brick and mortar locations, Roxy's and Hall's Pizza to name a couple.

So you’re saying that no one would’ve killed for a steak there?

This is in such poor taste I don’t even know where to begin…

This is in such poor taste I don’t even know where to begin…

If only this site's ignore list extended to quoted comments I wouldn't have had to see such an insensitive comment. At least it affirmed my original decision to ignore. SMDH

double post

It was short-lived, unfortunately. But I feel Guernsey Park needs to be on this list.

The Cellar Restaurant introduced French cuisine to Oklahoma City in 1963. Owned by Frank Hightower and located in the Hightower Building, it was run by Chef John Bennett who trained under James Beard. It brought an incomparable level of taste, sophistication and cuisine to Oklahoma City. It was a personal passion of Frank Hightower, who closed it in 1984 during the oil bust.

Absolutely!! Probably ought to add Chef Chip Sears/Nonna's (South Western). . . John Bennet's nephew.

It was short-lived, unfortunately. But I feel Guernsey Park needs to be on this list.

when it first opened it was really spectacular ..

when it first opened it was really spectacular ..

Did things drop below par for them? I used to consider it one of my favorite restaurants back then. But we likely didn’t frequent it enough towards the end to know if quality had fallen.

If only this site's ignore list extended to quoted comments I wouldn't have had to see such an insensitive comment. At least it affirmed my original decision to ignore. SMDH

Awe I'm sorry I previously offended you so badly sweetheart! Hopefully your life has improved since blocking on the mean streets of OKCTalk.

In seriousness, my comment was out of line anyway but while i knew Sirloin Stockade incident happened before I was born, I thought it was in the 50s and not as recent as the late 70s. That being the case, I didn't realize that posters here may have been personally/deeply affected by it and apologize to anyone in that category who read my comment.

Dave Cathey has a great book on the history of restaurants in OKC...lots of the restaurants here and their histories mentioned.

Dave Cathey has a great book on the history of restaurants in OKC...lots of the restaurants here and their histories mentioned.

I have read this and second that it's great, much detail, tons of pictures, highly recommended, but it needs to be published in a new edition and copy-edited way better. Great info, just presented in an annoying way sometimes, but worth it.

Someone this thread needs to shout out is Chef Kurt Fleischfresser. A huge number of concepts outside of his Western Concepts group offerings owe their origins to The Coach House Apprenticeship program. OKC of course has some other spectacular home grown chefs of course. A lot of the coach house grads are responsible for a ton of restaurants mentioned in this thread so far. Kurt himself is connected in some way or another to a ton of restaurants in the metro and state. Kurt has been a pretty great influence on the Oklahoma restaurant scene over the last few decades.

Way back original the Roosevelt Grill needs to be on the list. And Chez Vernon and the Grand Boulevard.

Did things drop below par for them? I used to consider it one of my favorite restaurants back then. But we likely didn’t frequent it enough towards the end to know if quality had fallen.

they changed the menu some and raised prices a bunch (not all of this was their fault )

but really i think being off the beaten path and being as big as it was hurt a bunch

they changed the menu some and raised prices a bunch (not all of this was their fault )

but really i think being off the beaten path and being as big as it was hurt a bunch

Remember, they opened Covell Park in Edmond and that didn't last long.

For me Chef Black opening Flint and Vast was a pretty big deal for the Culinary scene in the Downtown area. It seemed to shift the area that people were going for upscale or finer dining. Now the business district has a lot of great places to eat. The Thunder and Devon building helped a lot with this, but Flint was the first place I really enjoyed eating at downtown.

If only this site's ignore list extended to quoted comments I wouldn't have had to see such an insensitive comment. At least it affirmed my original decision to ignore. SMDH

Lay off now. He understands.

Lay off now. He understands.

I don't know why you're chastising me. I haven't commented since his apology. How could I have known he " understood" before that?
BTW, I knew the sister of one of the girls that was murdered, but I would've thought the "joke" was in poor taste regardless.

Can't believe no one has mentioned El Charro, a/k/a/ El Charrito, the first Mexican restaurant in OKC and the progenitator of basically every non-chain tex mex restaurant in OKC, to include present day El Chico's, Milagros, Chelino's, Alvarado's (I think they recently closed) and many more.

Awe I'm sorry I previously offended you so badly sweetheart! Hopefully your life has improved since blocking on the mean streets of OKCTalk.

In seriousness, my comment was out of line anyway but while i knew Sirloin Stockade incident happened before I was born, I thought it was in the 50s and not as recent as the late 70s. That being the case, I didn't realize that posters here may have been personally/deeply affected by it and apologize to anyone in that category who read my comment.

Yeah man that was a formative memory for me. That and the Girl Scout murders in Locust Grove left a psychological imprint on a lot of people who weren't personally impacted.

For me Chef Black opening Flint and Vast was a pretty big deal for the Culinary scene in the Downtown area. It seemed to shift the area that people were going for upscale or finer dining. Now the business district has a lot of great places to eat. The Thunder and Devon building helped a lot with this, but Flint was the first place I really enjoyed eating at downtown.

He just about ran Flint and Vast to the ground and helped get the Williams and Associates contract terminated as a result of gross mismanagement. He has grown a lot as a chef and person, but you are lying to yourself if you think his stint at Flint and Vast was anything but an abject failure. The entire original management and culinary team ****ed that place up for years. It is honestly amazing that it is still open as that concept, and they did not rebrand it after that ****show.