Oklahoma City has waged a long campaign to be considered a big-league city. That effort got a visible boost when the Thunder took home its first NBA title in 2025. The culinary scene has quietly made a name for itself as well, winning national recognition for its diverse tapestry of flavors drawn from the international cultures of its neighborhoods: An Asian District renowned for its Vietnamese cuisine north of downtown; a range of Mexican, Central American, and South American flavors to the south and west; and a community of Black-owned restaurants growing on the city’s east side. Craft cocktail bars and an independent brigade of talented chefs scattered in various entertainment districts have collected a spate of James Beard Award nods recently, though the local collective palate still has a solid foundation of burgers, barbecue, and biscuits.
The 19 Best Restaurants in Oklahoma City
The best food in OKC, from a classic James Beard-winning soul food spot to an upscale Korean steakhouse
New to the map in 2026: This update brings Lao food from celebrated chef Jeff Chanchaleune, Uptown stalwart Pizzeria Gusto, an upscale steakhouse with Korean soul called Maht, and spectacular sushi from Akai. For now, we’ve removed Birdie’s by chef Kevin Lee, Ma Der Lao Kitchen, Empire Slice House and the dearly departed Eastside Pizza House.
The 19 Best Restaurants in Oklahoma City
The best food in OKC, from a classic James Beard-winning soul food spot to an upscale Korean steakhouse
Oklahoma City has waged a long campaign to be considered a big-league city. That effort got a visible boost when the Thunder took home its first NBA title in 2025. The culinary scene has quietly made a name for itself as well, winning national recognition for its diverse tapestry of flavors drawn from the international cultures of its neighborhoods: An Asian District renowned for its Vietnamese cuisine north of downtown; a range of Mexican, Central American, and South American flavors to the south and west; and a community of Black-owned restaurants growing on the city’s east side. Craft cocktail bars and an independent brigade of talented chefs scattered in various entertainment districts have collected a spate of James Beard Award nods recently, though the local collective palate still has a solid foundation of burgers, barbecue, and biscuits.
New to the map in 2026: This update brings Lao food from celebrated chef Jeff Chanchaleune, Uptown stalwart Pizzeria Gusto, an upscale steakhouse with Korean soul called Maht, and spectacular sushi from Akai. For now, we’ve removed Birdie’s by chef Kevin Lee, Ma Der Lao Kitchen, Empire Slice House and the dearly departed Eastside Pizza House.
Riserva
Open for: Lunch and dinner; brunch on Sundays
Price range: $$$
A big draw for the Chisholm Creek development in north Oklahoma City, Riserva serves variations on Mediterranean dishes from the imagination of Arizona-based chef James Fox. The former Beard nominee has consulted on several projects with locally owned Provisions Concepts, but Riserva is his best work to date. Though mostly inspired by Greece, Morocco, and the Levant, Fox also reaches into the Basque Country and South America for ingredients. The house-made pita comes with familiar mezes like hummus, baba ghanoush, and muhammara. Order extra pita for a succession of shareable entrees like braised lamb shank, skirt steak shawarma, and tajine-braised short ribs.
Know before you go: The indoor-outdoor bar beckons for small parties, and the covered patio is ideal for spring and fall.
The Hamilton Lounge and Superette
Open for: Happy Hour and dinner
Price range: $$$
Taking over a menswear store, the Hamilton breathed new life into an aging mall on the city’s north side with its eclectic menu blending classics with modern whimsy. Chef Stephanie Miller serves chicken-fried quail among the starters and a classic wedge salad with flat iron steak and a tomahawk pork chop with red onion marmalade among the entrees. Whether you load up on crafty cocktails or classic entrees, save room for a towering slice of 11-layer strawberry cake.
Best for: Meeting up with friends for a leisurely night of eating, drinking, and merriment.
The Hutch on Avondale
When the Coach House closed in 2016, its three decades setting culinary standards became the rich backstory for this modern American pub. Dover sole and duck confit swam away in favor of white cheddar chive biscuits, BLTs, and smoked beef ribs. With an expanded cocktail program and a kitchen full of state-of-the-art equipment, the Hutch offers some of the best pub fare in the city.
VII Asian Bistro
Open for: Lunch and dinner
Price range: $$
Oklahoma City’s Asian District is packed with top-notch restaurants, especially Vietnamese cuisine. Kim Nguyen first introduced pho to the market in the early 1990s at Pho Lien Hoa, which still operates in three locations under new owners. In 2013, he partnered with his son, David, who had a local food truck. Their four decades of combined experience is why locals crowd into Bistro VII for every variety of pho, alongside classic Chinese and Vietnamese dishes.
Must-try dish: Vietnamese eggrolls.
Frida Southwest
The Paseo Arts District got a boost five years ago with the addition of the chic, modern Frida Southwest, where chef Quinn Carroll spins interpretations of Southwest cuisine like queso fundido, short rib empanadas, and a pepita-crusted chile relleno. The expansive patio might be the loveliest spot for brunch or dinner in the city, and the only place to find sugarcane-skewered scallops and “Santa Fe-spiced” bone-in pork chops.
Pizzeria Gusto
Open for: Lunch and dinner, brunch on weekends
Price range: $$-$$$
Pizzeria Gusto isn’t all about the pizza, but it starts there. At chef Kathryn Mathis and pastry chef Marina Rabinovich’s restaurant — a foundational piece in the rebirth of Uptown — Neapolitan-style pies fly from the wood-fired oven with a variety of premium toppings and sauces. But don’t sleep on the plates large and small for spicy wings, inventive salads, and night-capping desserts. Brunch is a strength, and if weather permits, insist on a patio seat.
Must-try dish: Margherita the Queen features Buffalo mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, and extra-virgin olive oil.
Maht
Open for: Happy Hour and dinner
Price range: $$$$
Chef Kevin Lee has become a regular on Food Network competitions, which helped him turn a Korean fried chicken concept, Birdie’s, into a high-end steakhouse in 2018. Fast forward to 2025, when Lee found a dazzling space in Uptown to install the restaurant of his dreams, calling it Maht, the Korean word for flavor. Lee builds on the steakhouse menu he established at Birdie’s with premium seafood and a new craft cocktail menu. His spin on the classic Korean scallion pancake is a showstopper, and his array of Korean sauces and sides deliver a one-of-a-kind experience.
Must-try dish: The seafood tower, featuring lobster tail and crab legs.
Florence’s Restaurant
Florence’s has been an institution since 1952, when it opened serving hot dogs — on a “hot dog and a prayer,” founder Florence Jones Kemp once said — in the front room of a two-room apartment. In 2022, the James Beard Foundation gave the restaurant an America’s Classics award. Now in her 90s, Kemp partners with her daughter Victoria to push their legacy forward on a steady diet of fried chicken, candied yams, and braised oxtail. Be sure to save room for fresh-baked rolls and cornbread before supper, and pie for dessert.
Bar Sen
Open for: Happy Hour and dinner Tuesdays through Thursdays; lunch and dinner Fridays and Saturdays.
Price range: $$$
In 2021, chef Jeff Chanchaleune acquired a space in the Plaza District to install an homage to the cuisine of Laos, which he grew up eating at home. First came Ma Der, which has earned Chanchaleune three James Beard nominations. In 2025, he expanded with Bar Sen next door, where bowls are the signature, including khao piek sen (Lao chicken noodle soup) and the OG Lao Khao Soi, both featuring house-made noodles. There’s also Hokkaido scallop crudo, which took Chanchaleune a year to develop, and coconut milk-marinated fried calamari topped with yellow curry salt and charred tomato jaew. Cocktails include a Basil Pisco Punch, Green Curry Margarita, and a Thai Tea Old Fashioned.
Vibe check: The low-lit dining room and bar make it the ideal spot for an intimate rendezvous; but don’t be afraid to gather with the gang on the patio.
Sedalia’s Oyster & Seafood
Open for: Dinner Thursdays through Sundays
Price range: $$$
Zack Walters came home to his native Oklahoma after spending 15 years cooking in California kitchens, including a place of his own, Salt’s Cure, which became a favorite of Jonathan Gold. Upon his return, Walters and his wife and business partner Silvana opened Sedalia’s, specializing in oysters, conservas, and seasonal seafood from around the world. It operates on the same property as the Walters’ family playground equipment business — though that didn’t stop it from making Bon Appetit’s Best New Restaurants list in 2023 or Walters from becoming a James Beard Award Best Chef: Southwest finalist in 2025 and semifinalist in 2026. The weekly menu always includes a play on anticuchos, a favorite in Silvana’s native Bolivia.
If you drive: Sedalia’s has limited parking; consider ride-sharing or get there early.
Nonesuch
Open for: Dinner Wednesdays through Saturdays
Price range: $$$$
In 2024, chefs Erika and Kelly Whitaker — owners of the Id Est hospitality group and winners of the 2024 James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur — took over Nonesuch. They retained chef Garrett Hare, who now oversees two concepts. Bar None is a chic lounge hidden within, boasting cocktails from around the country and bites from the zero-waste kitchen. Meanwhile, Nonesuch serves a tasting menu based around diners’ choice of protein and the best available local produce.
Best for: Culinary adventurers.
Edge Craft Barbecue
Open for: Lunch until sellout Thursdays through Saturdays
Price range: $$$
Oklahoma barbecue is storied on the competition circuit. Seven Oklahoma pitmasters have taken home the top prize from the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational — though none of them can boast a better place for barbecue than Zach Edge’s joint just west of downtown. Edge Craft is dyed in wool spun by Texas Hill Country pitmasters. Brisket is the bell cow for a menu featuring all the expected favorites, plus daily specials like jerk pork belly burnt ends. Sides include the expected coleslaw and potato salad, alongside mac and cheese, collard greens, red beans and rice, and smoked elote.
Must-try dish: The smoked pastrami, served on Fridays.
Grey Sweater
Open for: Dinner Wednesday through Saturday
Price range: $$$$
Chef Andrew Black took home Best Chef: Southwest at the 2023 James Beard Awards. While he also owns Perle Mesta in the Skirvin Hilton Hotel, it’s the swank environs of Grey Sweater and its globally inspired tasting menu that brought home the gold. The menu changes with the seasons and whims of chef Black, but the cocktail menu always includes signatures like the No Allegiance 2.0 (oxtail fat-washed rye, sherry, house-made fermented apple pie bitters) and the Oaxacan Smoke Show (mezcal, smoked black tea cordial, Fernet Vallet, and burnt orange).
Vibe check: Grey Sweater offers a tasting menu in a gorgeous setting, but it’s not uncommon to see diners wearing jeans.
Stock and Bond
Open for: Dinner
Price range: $$$$
Veteran local chef Jonas Favela runs the kitchen at this gilded steakhouse inside the classic First National Building downtown. Since shouldering into a neighborhood that already included Mahogany, Mickey Mantle’s, Red Primesteak, and Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, Stock & Bond has made a name for itself with a menu of USDA Prime and wagyu steaks, a deep whiskey roster, surprising seafood options, and a gorgeous downtown setting. All that, and there’s the 16-layer Millionaire Cake for dessert.
Vibe check: If you own mink and a pair of cowboy boots, this is where they go together.
Bar Arbolada
Open for: Happy Hour and dinner
Price range: $$
What started as a craft cocktail bar from Los Angeles restaurateur and Oklahoma-native Dustin Lancaster became the most popular burger joint in the city after Food Network star Alton Brown popped in before a performance in 2022 and proclaimed Bar Arbolada’s double cheeseburger the best of its kind in the country on social media. The smash burger remains popular with the late-night bar crowd, but it’s no less divine for lunch on the front porch with fries and a cold beer, classic daiquiri, or signature Sandra Día (tequila, watermelon, balsamic vinegar, lime, and sugar).Must-try dish: If you drive: Plan on parking on the street, which can fill up on weekends.
Sun Cattle Co.
Open for: Lunch and dinner
Price range: $$
Years fighting the good fight for farm-to-fork dining introduced chef Russ Johnson to the local ranchers behind Sun Cattle Company. When Johnson and his partner Chip Fudge were ready to open an Oklahoma burger emporium, they partnered with the ranchers to create a menu that spans across all of Oklahoma’s burger traditions, from onion burgers to thetas (hickory sauce, mayo, grated American cheese, and absolutely no onions). The distinctive El Reno coney (frank, chili, sweet mustard slaw) is also available.
Must-try dish: The fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Palo Santo
Open for: Happy hour and dinner
Price range: $$
Few places with pool tables on the premises boast bar food and cocktails as good as Palo Santo’s. Owners Bailey and Brian Butler came to Oklahoma City in 2020 by way of Los Angeles, where Brian worked for chef Roy Choi. That influence is clear in the katsu chicken sandwich, tacos, and wings here. Among the cocktails, standouts include two varieties of Old Fashioneds, a mango caipirinha, and the warm Oaxacchiato (mezcal, sherry, Oaxacan hot chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, and foamed milk). For drinks only, consider the Butlers’ Later Bye cocktail bar, which became a semifinalist for the Best New Bar award from the James Beard Foundation in 2026.
Best for: Starting an evening out with cocktails and bites.
Akai Sushi-Ya & Izakaya
Open for: Happy Hour and dinner daily
Price range: $$$$
Though premium seafood is nothing new to the 405, Akai, the crown jewel of the Wheeler District, raised the standards of local sushi when it opened in 2024. The space is equally appropriate for celebratory meals and intimate evenings for two. Inventive signature sushi rolls share space on the menu with the classics and a beef program rooted in wagyu. In between are a variety of noodle bowls and fried rice dishes, with spirits and cocktail pairings for virtually everything.
Must-try dish: Scallop Aji Amarillo with truffle paste and crispy onions.
Naylamp Peruvian Restaurant
Open for: Lunch and dinner
Price range: $$
Oklahoma City’s south side is home to dozens of taquerías specializing in Mexican street foods, but hiding in plain sight amongst them is this haven for Peruvian cuisine. Any worthwhile visit starts with ceviche, which Naylamp serves in several varieties. The pollo rostizado (rotisserie chicken) and lomo saltado (beef stir fry over french fries and rice) are just as popular, and you won’t regret reaching for the papas rellenas (fried potato stuffed with sausage) or papas a la Huancaína (potatoes in aji amarillo sauce). Pair any order with a purple corn-based chicha morada or Inca Kola straight from the gold can.
Know Before You Go: This is low-down neighborhood dining at its absolute finest – no frills, just lots of flavor.