The OKC A-List: A Guide to the City’s Best Restaurants
Oklahoma City, a metropolis long defined by its rich Western heritage, is in the midst of a profound culinary renaissance. The city’s food scene has evolved from a landscape of comforting tradition into a dynamic ecosystem of ambitious, nationally recognized culinary talent, making the search for the best restaurants in OKC more exciting than ever. This isn’t a rejection of its history, but a vibrant conversation with it, where century-old icons coexist with James Beard Award-winning chefs.
This is the definitive list of the top 10 places to eat in OKC. From the city’s oldest steakhouse to a modern Laotian kitchen that has captivated the nation, this is your ultimate guide. Whether you’re looking for one of the coolest restaurants in OKC for a groundbreaking fine dining experience or the city’s most beloved onion burger, this is your roadmap to the very best restaurants in Oklahoma City, OK.
| Restaurant | Neighborhood | Cuisine | Price Guide | Vibe / Perfect For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cattlemen’s Steakhouse | Stockyards City | American Steakhouse | $$-$$$ | A Historic Taste of the Old West |
| Florence’s Restaurant | Northeast OKC | Southern / Soul Food | $$ | A James Beard-Winning American Classic |
| Cheever’s Cafe | Uptown | Upscale Southwestern/Southern | $$-$$$ | An Elegant & Timeless OKC Institution |
| Ma Der Lao Kitchen | Plaza District | Laotian | $$ | One of the Coolest, Hottest New Restaurants |
| Nonesuch | Midtown | Modern American / Tasting Menu | $$$$ | An Intimate, Hyper-Local Fine Dining Gem |
| Sedalia’s Oyster & Seafood | Paseo Arts District | Seafood / Raw Bar | $$$ | A Creative, James Beard-Nominated Spot |
| The Jones Assembly | Film Row (Downtown) | Refined Regional American | $$-$$$ | A Vibrant Food & Music Destination |
| FRIDA Southwest | Paseo Arts District | New American / Southwestern | $$$ | Artistic Cuisine in a Beautiful Setting |
| Cafe Kacao | Paseo Arts District | Guatemalan / Latin American | $$ | The Undisputed King of OKC Brunch |
| Tucker’s Onion Burgers | Multiple Locations | American / Burgers | $ | The Quintessential Oklahoma Onion Burger |
1. Cattlemen's Steakhouse
- 🍴Cuisine:American Steakhouse
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Stockyards City
- 💰Price:$$-$$$
- ✨Vibe:A Historic Taste of the Old West
- 📍Location:1309 S Agnew Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73108
In a city of rapid change, Cattlemen’s Steakhouse endures as a touchstone of Oklahoma identity. Founded in 1910, it is OKC’s oldest continuously operating restaurant and a living museum of the cattle-trading past that built the city. The menu is a masterclass in the American steakhouse tradition, centered on prime, house-aged beef, with the T-Bone steak and Chicken Fried Steak being benchmarks of the form.
Foodie Quote: “For the more adventurous, the menu offers a taste of true Western culinary heritage with unique appetizers like Lamb Fries, a dish that speaks to its authentic stockyards roots.”Why is it our top choice?
Its cultural capital provides a form of culinary immortality. It is the city’s most enduring icon, a place where its product is not merely steak, but an immersive taste of Oklahoma heritage.
2. Florence's Restaurant
📹 Video Source: Discover Oklahoma
- 🍴
Cuisine:Southern / Soul Food
- 🏙️
Neighborhood:Northeast OKC
- 💰
Price:$$
- ✨
Vibe:A James Beard-Winning American Classic
- 📍
Location:1437 NE 23rd St, Oklahoma City, OK 73111
Foodie Quote: “The signature ‘Yammed Fried Chicken,’ a dish of remarkable ingenuity where fried chicken is flavored with candied yams, is a house specialty that has drawn national attention.”Why is it our top choice? The James Beard “America’s Classics” Award instantly elevated the perception of OKC’s entire food scene, proving that world-class, culturally significant food was a long-standing tradition here. Florence’s is a historic treasure.
3. Cheever's Cafe
📹 Video Source: KENS 5
- 🍴Cuisine:Upscale Southwestern/Southern
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Uptown
- 💰Price:$$-$$$
- ✨Vibe:An Elegant & Timeless OKC Institution
- 📍Location:2409 N Hudson Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73103
Cheever’s Cafe is the perfect bridge between OKC’s old guard and its new vanguard. Reborn in 2000 from a family-run floral business, it has become one of the city’s most beloved upscale bistros and a premier casual restaurant in OKC. At the heart of its menu is the definitive version of a state classic: the Chicken Fried Steak with jalapeño cream gravy. It’s consistently lauded as the city’s best, making Cheever’s one of the top 10 best restaurants in OKC.
Foodie Quote: “The Chicken Fried Steak with jalapeño cream gravy…takes a traditional, deeply Oklahoman dish and elevates it with a signature, creative twist.”Why is it our top choice?
By perfecting the blend of nostalgic comfort and contemporary elegance, Cheever’s has defined the quintessential “OKC upscale casual” experience, a category crucial to the city’s dining identity.
4. Ma Der Lao Kitchen
📹 Video Source: DiscoverOklahoma
- 🍴Cuisine:Laotian
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Plaza District
- 💰Price:$$
- ✨Vibe:One of the Coolest, Hottest New Restaurants
- 📍Location:1634 N Blackwelder Ave, Suite 102, Oklahoma City, OK 73106
The meteoric rise of Ma Der Lao Kitchen signifies a pivotal moment in OKC’s culinary maturation. In 2022, it earned coveted spots on both The New York Times’ and Bon Appétit’s lists of the 50 Best Restaurants in America. This deeply personal project from Chef Jeff Chanchaleune introduced many local diners to the “bold, bright, spicy, & funky” flavors of Laotian cuisine, making it one of the coolest restaurants in OKC.
Foodie Quote: “The Crispy Rice Salad (Nam Khao), a textural marvel of crunchy rice, herbs, and cured pork, has become a city-wide obsession.”Why is it our top choice?
Its multiple James Beard Award finalist nominations and national acclaim announced that OKC was enthusiastically championing complex and authentic non-Western cuisines at the highest possible level.
5. Nonesuch
📹 Video Source: Jared Gleaton
- 🍴Cuisine:Modern American / Tasting Menu
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Midtown
- 💰Price:$$$$
- ✨Vibe:An Intimate, Hyper-Local Fine Dining Gem
- 📍Location:803 N Hudson Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73102
Before Ma Der, it was Nonesuch that first shattered preconceived notions about OKC’s culinary limits. In 2018, Bon Appétit named the tiny, 20-seat establishment “America’s Best New Restaurant”. This audacious award permanently altered the trajectory of fine dining in Oklahoma City. The experience is intimate, with diners at a U-shaped counter watching chefs prepare a multi-course tasting menu rooted in Oklahoma’s terroir, making it one of the most unique restaurants in Oklahoma City.
Foodie Quote: “A meal at Nonesuch is a journey of discovery, featuring inventive and beautifully plated dishes that have included a soul-warming smoked borscht and a surprising huitlacoche (corn truffle) ice cream.”Why is it our top choice?
By achieving the highest levels of national success, Nonesuch acted as a catalyst, fundamentally altering the calculus for fine dining in the city and paving the way for the renaissance that followed.
6. Sedalia's Oyster & Seafood
📹 Video Source: Live in Oklahoma
- 🍴Cuisine:Seafood / Raw Bar
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Paseo Arts District
- 💰Price:$$$
- ✨Vibe:A Creative, James Beard-Nominated Spot
- 📍Location:2727 N Walker Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73103
Sedalia’s operates on an audacious premise: to serve some of the freshest and most creative seafood in the country from a landlocked state. That it succeeds so spectacularly is a testament to the singular vision of chef Zack Walters. The menu is tight, focused, and changes almost daily, with a rotating selection of immaculate oysters always the star, making it one of the best seafood restaurants in OKC.
Foodie Quote: “Showstoppers include delicate crudos, skate schnitzel, and the universally praised fluffy focaccia served with a deeply savory salt cod butter.”Why is it our top choice?
Chef Zack Walters has earned multiple James Beard Award nominations as a finalist for Best Chef: Southwest, placing him in the top tier of culinary talents in the entire region and validating the restaurant’s world-class execution.
7. The Jones Assembly
📹 Video Source: The Jones Assembly
- 🍴Cuisine:Refined Regional American
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Film Row (Downtown)
- 💰Price:$$-$$$
- ✨Vibe:A Vibrant Food & Music Destination
- 📍Location:901 W Sheridan Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73106
The Jones Assembly is a cultural destination that successfully pioneered the “destination dining” model, becoming one of the coolest restaurants in OKC. Housed in a historic building, it features a cavernous dining room, multiple high-end cocktail bars, a spacious patio, and a full-scale concert stage. It excels at both food and entertainment, offering expertly executed takes on American and Italian favorites.
Foodie Quote: “Standout dishes like the Nashville Hot Chicken, the perfectly cooked Steak Frites, and a variety of wood-fired pizzas have earned the kitchen a loyal following.”Why is it our top choice?
It has set a new standard for ambitious, large-scale projects, with an award-winning beverage program and a vibrant atmosphere that captures the contemporary spirit of the city.
8. FRIDA Southwest
📹 Video Source: FRIDA
- 🍴Cuisine:New American / Southwestern
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Paseo Arts District
- 💰Price:$$$
- ✨Vibe:Artistic Cuisine in a Beautiful Setting
- 📍Location:500 Paseo, Oklahoma City, OK 73103
Nestled in the historic Paseo Arts District, FRIDA Southwest is a restaurant where food is treated as a genuine art form. Its ethos, “Food in bloom. Drinks in spirit,” reflects its artistic surroundings and inspiration, Frida Kahlo. The cuisine is a unique and sophisticated fusion of Oklahoma, Santa Fe, and northern Mexico traditions, with beautifully composed plates making it one of the most unique restaurants in Oklahoma City.
Foodie Quote: “Dishes like the pepita-crusted chile relleno, served on a bed of quinoa and heirloom black beans, showcase a command of both flavor and visual artistry.”Why is it our top choice?
FRIDA Southwest has set a new benchmark for sophistication in the city’s restaurant landscape, proving there is a strong market for dining that is as intellectually and visually stimulating as it is delicious.
9. Cafe Kacao
📹 Video Source: Best Life OKC
- 🍴Cuisine:Guatemalan / Latin American
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Paseo Arts District
- 💰Price:$$
- ✨Vibe:The Undisputed King of OKC Brunch
- 📍Location:3325 N Classen Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK 73118
To understand the phenomenon of Cafe Kacao, one must first understand the line. On any given weekend morning, a crowd of expectant diners snakes out the door. This family-owned establishment has single-handedly defined what “destination brunch” means in OKC, serving vibrant, generous, and utterly delicious Guatemalan and Latin American cuisine. It’s truly one of the best restaurants in OKC.
Foodie Quote: “The menu is filled with dishes that inspire devotion, such as the legendary Motuleño—a massive plate of eggs, black beans, and plantains—and various preparations of Chilaquiles.”Why is it our top choice?
The evidence of its best brunch status is overwhelming. Recognized by Yelp as one of the top brunch spots in the country and a perennial local award winner, its popularity is caused by a truly superior product that simply cannot be replicated.
10. Tucker's Onion Burgers
📹 Video Source: THE ROBB ZIPP SHOW!
- 🍴Cuisine:American / Burgers
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Multiple Locations
- 💰Price:$
- ✨Vibe:The Quintessential Oklahoma Onion Burger
- 📍Location:324 NW 23rd St, Oklahoma City, OK 73103 (Uptown 23rd)
The Oklahoma Fried Onion Burger is a piece of culinary history, and Tucker’s Onion Burgers has become the modern standard-bearer for this iconic dish. The restaurant combines an “old-time Route 66 vibe” with a commitment to high-quality, locally sourced ingredients. The menu is brilliantly simple: the classic Fried Onion Burger, where thinly sliced onions are smashed into the beef patty, creating a caramelized masterpiece.
Foodie Quote: “The lack of distraction is key to its excellence; Tucker’s does one thing, and it does it perfectly.”Why is it our top choice?
This is the quintessential modern expression of a timeless Oklahoma classic. There is a broad consensus that Tucker’s serves the best onion burger, making it one of the best casual restaurants in OKC.
People Also Ask (FAQs)
Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, founded in 1910, holds the title of Oklahoma City’s oldest continuously operating restaurant. Located in the historic Stockyards City, it offers an authentic taste of the Old West and has served everyone from local cowboys to U.S. presidents.
Florence’s Restaurant, a cherished soul food institution since 1952, became the first-ever Oklahoma recipient of the James Beard “America’s Classics” Award in 2022. This prestigious honor recognizes timeless, locally-owned restaurants that are pillars of their communities.
Nonesuch is the city’s premier destination for a high-concept, hyper-local tasting menu. In 2018, it was named “America’s Best New Restaurant” by Bon Appétit for its intimate, 20-seat counter experience showcasing Oklahoma’s terroir, making it one of the most unique restaurants in Oklahoma City.
Ma Der Lao Kitchen is one of the hottest restaurants in the entire country. After opening, it was named to both The New York Times’ and Bon Appétit’s lists of the 50 Best Restaurants in America for its bold, funky, and unapologetically authentic Laotian cuisine, and is considered one of the coolest restaurants in OKC.
Cheever’s Cafe serves what is widely considered the definitive version of this state classic. Their Chicken Fried Steak with jalapeño cream gravy is an iconic dish that has won local awards and is a must-try for anyone looking for the best restaurants in Oklahoma City, OK.
The Oklahoma Fried Onion Burger is a regional specialty born during the Great Depression, where thinly sliced onions are smashed into a beef patty on the grill. Tucker’s Onion Burgers is the modern standard-bearer, critically acclaimed for serving the best and most authentic version in the city, making it one of the best casual restaurants OKC.
Cafe Kacao is the undisputed monarch of Oklahoma City brunch. This family-owned Guatemalan and Latin American restaurant is so popular that long lines are a weekend ritual, and it has been recognized by Yelp as one of the top brunch spots in the entire country.
The Jones Assembly in the Film Row district is a massive and vibrant cultural destination that combines a restaurant, multiple high-end cocktail bars, and a full-scale concert stage. It’s known for its refined regional American cuisine and energetic atmosphere, making it one of the coolest restaurants in OKC downtown.
Yes, despite being in a landlocked state, Sedalia’s Oyster & Seafood is a masterclass in ocean bounty. Chef Zack Walters has received multiple James Beard finalist nominations for his creative and pristine seafood, which is flown in fresh five nights a week, making it a contender for the best hidden restaurants in Oklahoma City for seafood lovers.
FRIDA Southwest in the Paseo Arts District is one of the most unique restaurants in Oklahoma City. Inspired by Frida Kahlo, it offers a sophisticated fusion of Oklahoma, Santa Fe, and northern Mexico culinary traditions with beautifully composed plates that are a feast for the eyes.
