In 2016, I started a journey back in time. I’d always heard about iconic places like Pennington’s Drive-In, the Italian Inn, and My Pi Pizza but I never got the chance to experience them. Thanks to many hours of research and interviews, I have an understanding of the eating places that defined Tulsa for the last few generations.
In 2018, that journey concludes. In the autumn of 2018, Lost Restaurants of Tulsa will be available on bookshelves! You can follow along on Facebook below, where I am posting occasional photos and updates regarding publication schedule:
Rhys Martin is an author and photographer from Tulsa, Oklahoma. His love of travel was awakened in 2009 when he sold all of his possessions and left the country. For ten months, he lived out of a backpack and explored southeast Asia and Europe. When he returned home, it was with fresh eyes for his home state.
As he drove the back roads of Oklahoma, Rhys discovered the significance of historic Route 66 to the greater American story. He has traveled all 2,448 miles of the Mother Road and continues to seek out the quiet Main Streets of the Midwest.
Rhys's travel writing and photography has been featured in numerous publications, including Tulsa People Magazine, This Land Press, ROUTE Magazine, Nimrod Journal, The Oklahoman and Tulsa World. He wrote the book Lost Restaurants of Tulsa, which features the stories of nearly 50 iconic eating establishments from the city's past. He has also been a contributing author to multiple Route 66-based travel and history books.
Rhys is the President of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association and serves on multiple boards and commissions related to the Mother Road and its upcoming Centennial in 2026. He loves to connect with people and share his experiences.
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91 thoughts on “Lost Restaurants of Tulsa”
Saratoga on 11th street across from the police station! They had the biggest and best biscuits.
Creech’s was a nice family restaurant on east 11th St, we often went there for a nice family dinner. There were two such restaurants in that area. Therewas a nice restaurant in the place called Western Village (SE corner of Admiral & Garnett – a fascinating old west style town with shops, a motel, golf course and landing strip ). I don’t remember the name of the restaurant, we didn’t go often. (Or, I didn’t! ) I remember it being dimly lit, candles on the tables and fancy napkins. Maybe someone else will recall, but you should do a wholesection on Western Village.
My favorite restaurant, though, was the Golden Drumstick. I loved the blue glass windows.
For a good hamburger, we liked Boots Drive-in near 26th & Sheridan, and Norman Angel’s at Admiral & Memorial – it was like the one in Happy Days. But my favorite place for a hamburger was a little place out east on 11th St, near the road to Harvey Young Airport (known as Hoover Street then). It was named The Friendly Cafe, but my mom called it the Greasy Spoon. I didn’t get it, but I sure liked their big burgers – and just 25c with fries.
Joe’s Grill, 49th Place & Peoria (taken down to build the Camelot Inn).
Borden’s Cafeteria, 51st and Peoria in Brook Plaza Shopping Center.
The Louisiane, 118 E. 18th St.
Pennington’s Drive-In, Admiral and Harvard.
Shadow Mountain Inn, 61st and Sheridan.
That’s great! I’ll definitely be writing about The Louisiane.
I worked at the Louisiane from ‘86-‘92. Most favorite job I’ve ever had. Bob Allred owned it at that tim, and Debby Campbell sang there on a regular basis. Wonderful food.
Did you happen to know about the restaurant named “Black Gold Buffet”?
It was just South of 21st Memorial on the Wes side of the Memorial? I remember it there in the 60s but I can’t find any info about it.
Ray’s, at 15th and Peoria, behind where the McDonald’s was built, across 15th from Crosstown Grill, was a classic small diner. It had 8 seats, if I recall correctly. Our parents took us there on payday nights in the 1960s. We walked up from our house at 14th and Owasso. We stood and waited for another diner to finish so we could sit at a stool. The beef stew was wonderful, as were their dinner rolls they baked every morning at 5. Many men still wore hats and hung them on the coat rack.
I am still researching for this project – please spread the word! I’m interested in stories, photos, and other details from any-and-all Tulsa restaurants that were beloved but are no longer around.
I remember Steven’s Hamburgers. It was on S. Yale right before where the BA expressway crosses. A small burger joint very much like a few other classic places that are still around such as Claud’s with one exception. Really good homemade pie. My mom used to take me there sometimes after school when I’d tell her the school lunch wasn’t so good. Great hamburgers and great pie.
Another place I liked a lot was called Lum’s. I remember they had hot dogs steamed in beer…..
Martin’s BBQ, used to be on Sheridan just south of Pine. It had a neon donkey on the front and his back legs kicked. Pretty cool for way back when. The building is still there last time I was by.
I loved that place. My grandfather helped build the inside area. It was an old Quonset Hut. When we moved to MN, my grandmother would go to pick up quarts of the sauce and Martin would ask, “Going up to Minnesota to see the kids again?”.
I know there was a place called Eastside chicken diner. At least that was the place that my grandpa called it. They used to get chicken fried steak and liver and onions there. Their onion rings were famous. I also remember going to the knotty pine quite a bit. I hear they changed into the naughty pig or something like that and that their barbecue is still the same, but is under a different name.
Thanks for this! I understand that the Freeway Cafe in Tulsa has the Onion Ring recipe from the old Eastside Cafe. They’re pretty good, I know that much.
Thank you. I’ll have to go try out the Freeway cafe and reminisce.
I used to work at Casa Bonita as a bus boy back in the early nineties. I remember the waiters and waitresses “acquiring” tacos and cheese enchiladas for us to snack on during downtime. I remember going and hanging out in the massive walk in cooler to cool down during the hot summers. It smelled of hot sauce. I remember the massive vats of refried beans big enough to be a hot tub. A hot tub of beanie goodness. I remember playing tag with the other bus boys after hours in the caves. I had many birthday dinners there, especially in the waterfall room and after eating we would go to the puppet show to watch Mr. E and the hand. Good times.
Those are wonderful details! Thank you very much for this. I spoke to someone else that spent a little time as Bananas the Monkey. It must’ve been quite the experience.
ITALIAN INN: The original Italian Inn was on Main St. about 17th (I think) in a white house. That would have been in the 1950’s. Before the original owner returned to Sicily, he sold the restaurant to Don Funston, Sr.
HUMPHREY’S DINNER HOUSE: Humphrey’s was on 11th St. just west of Yale on the south side of the street. It was owned by Herb and Pearl Clogston. That was in the 1950’s.
PHILTOWER GRILL: On the ground floor of the Philtower Building at 5th and Boston. It was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Dubin. My father was chef and manager. That was in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
NORMAN ANGEL’S AUTO CAFE: on the corner of Admiral and Memorial. That was also in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
Norman Angel’s is one I’ll be featuring, though I don’t have a TON of information about it. This is the first I’ve heard of Philtower Grill, but I’d love to include it too! If you have any pictures or more info, email me at: losttulsarestaurants@cloudlesslens.com — I’ll see what I can find.
Powers restaurant 27th and Harvard, 1950’s and 60’s, got pictures for Rhys, Camelot restaurant menu’s I bought at liquidation, Casa Bonita menu’s and the pull flags for refills, post cards, Sambo’s matches, many other items
Ryan’s Grill , 31st & Sheridan. Best Coleslaw in Tulsa. Ate there weekly in mid 70s. Also Kay’s Restaurant around 31st & Harvard. Great Chicken Fried Steaks and Pies.
Kays was located on 31st Street where the Broken Arrow Expressway eastbound exit ramp for 31st/Yale intersects 31st Street (essentially due south of the signal at that intersection). There was a Kays Too Restaurant in the Spectrum shopping center at 69th and Lewis (southwest corner of the shopping center by where Crazy’s (arcade) was located).
Worked at both Admiral and S Peoria. Peoria in ‘55, “setting up trays”. Admiral as a carhop in ‘56. Great experiences and great stories! LOVED Archie-intimidated by Lola! (I was 15 first year-16 the second.) My two older sisters worked for Archie too-one as carhop (Peoria); other sister “ran the register” at both locations. All except basket meals were served on Stoneware. SS utensils, cloth napkins, glass s&p shakers, and iced glasses of water was put on each tray for each customer. THE BLACK-BOTTOM PIE WAS AWESOME.
I have been trying to find out what happened to all the portraits of all the Miss Downtowner’s that were on the wall at The Louisiane restaurant back in the early 50’s. I was Miss Downtowner for July, 1955. I am 83 now and would like to find my portrait to give to my kids and grand-kids. If it is still around some where. Thank you,
Thank you, I really appreciate you taking the time to do this. Norma Haney
Norma, I so sorry it has taken so long but I just sent you an e-mail. Let me know if you got it!
We went west across the river on i44. There was ‘the Girly Pankcake House’
The sign said. The best because their stacked !
And the ‘chuck wagon’ on 11th st. it was made like a covered wagon and the fries were a brick of greasy goodness.
Asking a question, does anyone remember a diner in downtown Tulsa called something like Minkamiller’s? My grandmother use to work in a diner in one of the old downtown buildings, I remember it had a coin shop across the lobby and one of the old elevators that she also ran during the day. I believe it was an office building on the upper floors. Use to play in lobby as a kid. This would have been in the 50’s and 60’s.
Went to TU and would go there on a weekend in the late 70’s. They wouldn’t have a typical round pizza. The dough would be shaped by hand, so the pizza would be somewhere between round, square and oblong.
Yes, I love Hemi’s! They were on 11th west of Delaware where Palmyra restaurant is now and 41st and Peoria. The absolute best sausage calzone anywhere!
There was a restaurant on the northwest corner of 31st and Sheridan when I went to Nathan Hale in the 70’s. I think it was something like Food King. They were noted for tuna melts and cheese melts. Do you know of it?
YES! It was driving me crazy! Thank you very much! BTW, in your book you featured Al Gibbs Rendevous. My family ate there at least once a week. My ex-wife and I designed the menu that you show in the book. It was great to read about all of the restaurants that were. Thank you for the hard work!
Kim Jones
Oh that is so wonderful! Thank you! I love that menu – it has so much character. I’m very happy that the Combs family shared that with me when we talked.
We really enjoyed Genes BBQ in a little strip mall out on Peoria south towards the college. Later I think maybe up in a center off Lewis or Yale. Great BBQ and a fond memory of visiting Tulsa from Cushing some 40 plus years ago. Anyone has more history on Genes would be fun to hear?
There is no way you can beat Ray’s Diner on 15th!!! The ladies that worked there were the best! Like all of them were the best version of your Mom!!! The food was delightful — the bran muffins (I think they were on Thursdays) were superb!!! My husband at the time ate their food like there was no tomorrow and the waitresses loved him!!!! He was their favorite and they loved to dote on him and feed him anything and everything!!! Yeah, Ray’s gets my vote!!!
Country Fare Restaurant was located at 37th & Harvard. They served egg noodles and turnip greens as an appetizer. Best egg noodles I have ever had. I sure miss them. The closed in the early’70’s if memory serves me. A fire destroyed the building soon after.
I remember going there a time or two in the mid-to-late 60s. We rarely went out to eat somewhere nice, so it was memorable. If it’s the same place I’m thinking of, they had a delicious corn chowder.
My PII Pizza around 71st & Lewis. Best Pizza, Cheese Bread and Corn.
The Wagon Wheel for burgers and string onion rings on 11th street West of Yale I believe.
Diamond Jacks – Near Southroads Mall then moved to 51st & Harvard
Willies Drive-In on Charles Page near 65th W. Ave. Great Burgers
Argentina Steak House
Der Wienerschnitzel
Good Day, My folks ran Van’s Hamburgers, later called Claude’s from 1953-1966. My dad was the last of the Vandergriff family restaurant operators. At one time there were several locations of Van’s Cafes in Tulsa, most of the buildings now gone, but Ryan’s, late of 15th and Harvard later 31st and Joplin was also a member of his family of cafes at one time. My sister and I grew up in the back of the place watching our old Montclair tv and talking to our dishwasher Roy. There was an old wood and chicken wire building out back for sacks of onions and they kept 2 gallon cans of Cain’s pickles stacked by the back door which had a Rainbow Bread screen door, as the place didn’t have air conditioning. There was a large water cooler on the roof behind the Van’s Hamburgers neon sign that cooled the front of the restaurant, but did nothing for the back. But it was wonderful. I got to meet Archie Pennington, John Zink, Chick Chicelletto, Charlie Ninde S.J. Whitman, Lee Woodward, John Chick, Cy Tuma, Don Woods, and Big Bill of Big Bill and Omegah fame, and many other notables of yesterday. At one time our dishwasher was also Mike Rampey, later the owner of Air Assurance AC company. I still have as a cherished memory an old dated snapshot of the place taken when my folks first started out there. I’m very sorry for the length of this reply, but once I get going it takes me a while to stop nowadays. Best Wishes on your book!
Rick Gragg
Afton OK
What was the restaurant called before it was the Village Inn, located now on Harvard between 21st and 31st? I think they (the original restaurant) closed some time in the early 1980’s. Sue Ann
Thank you so much! We love going there for breakfast and they sold the best pie(s) in town!
Do you by any chance have any photographs of the restaurant? (Referring to Helmets).
Sue Ann
The restaurant at 28th and Harvard originally opened as a Kip’s Big Boy. When all the Kip’s were closing down in the mid 70s the space then reopened as Helmuts Alpine Kitchen. Since it was open 24×7 it was a magnet for the just out of the the closed bars crowd, as I recall. After Helmut’s closed the space was then converted to the Village Inn it is to this day. Just east of the restaurant used to sit the Harvard Club, whose pool, building and parking lot outlasted them, but it was something they say in it’s day.
Hello back in the corner of 30th and Harvard was a great hamburger joint. There was the eney mini mighty and then Moe was the dessert. Can’t remember their name. I didn’t know if the names of the burgers was its name. Never mind just clicked think it was called Conners Corner is that correct.
Happy Joe’s and Crazy’s S. Lewis. Razor Clam S Memorial. Montana Mining Company S Sheridan. Palermo’s 41st Mingo. Anyone remember Italian place on N.W. corner 31st Harvard had great bar area Tommy Crooks used to play late 80s early 90s?
Rhys' Pieces 
Saratoga on 11th street across from the police station! They had the biggest and best biscuits.
Elmo’s Grill 15th/Yale
Arthur Treacher’s Fish and Chips
Little Lanny’s Submsrine Ssndwiches
Pizza Inn
Zeider Zee 27th/Memorial
Was there an Arthur Treacher’s at 51st and Memorial at one time?
I think maybe that was a Dickie’s Fish and Chips. I remember eating there a lot in the 70s. Northeast of the intersection.
villa venice was tops
Villa Venice was wonderful! My wife and I had our wedding rehearsal dinner there as well as several date nights before.
Ken Dose
Creech’s was a nice family restaurant on east 11th St, we often went there for a nice family dinner. There were two such restaurants in that area. Therewas a nice restaurant in the place called Western Village (SE corner of Admiral & Garnett – a fascinating old west style town with shops, a motel, golf course and landing strip ). I don’t remember the name of the restaurant, we didn’t go often. (Or, I didn’t! ) I remember it being dimly lit, candles on the tables and fancy napkins. Maybe someone else will recall, but you should do a wholesection on Western Village.
My favorite restaurant, though, was the Golden Drumstick. I loved the blue glass windows.
For a good hamburger, we liked Boots Drive-in near 26th & Sheridan, and Norman Angel’s at Admiral & Memorial – it was like the one in Happy Days. But my favorite place for a hamburger was a little place out east on 11th St, near the road to Harvey Young Airport (known as Hoover Street then). It was named The Friendly Cafe, but my mom called it the Greasy Spoon. I didn’t get it, but I sure liked their big burgers – and just 25c with fries.
Kodiak at Woodland Hills Mall. First place I ever went to that had alligator as an appetizer.
Joe’s Grill, 49th Place & Peoria (taken down to build the Camelot Inn).
Borden’s Cafeteria, 51st and Peoria in Brook Plaza Shopping Center.
The Louisiane, 118 E. 18th St.
Pennington’s Drive-In, Admiral and Harvard.
Shadow Mountain Inn, 61st and Sheridan.
My parents worked at the Louisiane when we first moved here from New Orleans about 31 years ago!
That’s great! I’ll definitely be writing about The Louisiane.
I worked at the Louisiane from ‘86-‘92. Most favorite job I’ve ever had. Bob Allred owned it at that tim, and Debby Campbell sang there on a regular basis. Wonderful food.
Did you happen to know about the restaurant named “Black Gold Buffet”?
It was just South of 21st Memorial on the Wes side of the Memorial? I remember it there in the 60s but I can’t find any info about it.
Yes indeed! It’s a chapter in the book. Here’s a photo I posted to our FB page: https://www.facebook.com/losttulsarestaurants/posts/pfbid02e7vQH46N9Mc4btTFD85odPk5tgm71ao1T4kTCgDr5puzszMd3EZGmvQQRTBSpvPFl
Ray’s, at 15th and Peoria, behind where the McDonald’s was built, across 15th from Crosstown Grill, was a classic small diner. It had 8 seats, if I recall correctly. Our parents took us there on payday nights in the 1960s. We walked up from our house at 14th and Owasso. We stood and waited for another diner to finish so we could sit at a stool. The beef stew was wonderful, as were their dinner rolls they baked every morning at 5. Many men still wore hats and hung them on the coat rack.
Bells, on 3rd street downtown.
Savoy downtown
Reblogged this on Rhys' Pieces and commented:
I am still researching for this project – please spread the word! I’m interested in stories, photos, and other details from any-and-all Tulsa restaurants that were beloved but are no longer around.
I remember Steven’s Hamburgers. It was on S. Yale right before where the BA expressway crosses. A small burger joint very much like a few other classic places that are still around such as Claud’s with one exception. Really good homemade pie. My mom used to take me there sometimes after school when I’d tell her the school lunch wasn’t so good. Great hamburgers and great pie.
Another place I liked a lot was called Lum’s. I remember they had hot dogs steamed in beer…..
Martin’s BBQ, used to be on Sheridan just south of Pine. It had a neon donkey on the front and his back legs kicked. Pretty cool for way back when. The building is still there last time I was by.
I loved that place. My grandfather helped build the inside area. It was an old Quonset Hut. When we moved to MN, my grandmother would go to pick up quarts of the sauce and Martin would ask, “Going up to Minnesota to see the kids again?”.
I know there was a place called Eastside chicken diner. At least that was the place that my grandpa called it. They used to get chicken fried steak and liver and onions there. Their onion rings were famous. I also remember going to the knotty pine quite a bit. I hear they changed into the naughty pig or something like that and that their barbecue is still the same, but is under a different name.
Thanks for this! I understand that the Freeway Cafe in Tulsa has the Onion Ring recipe from the old Eastside Cafe. They’re pretty good, I know that much.
Thank you. I’ll have to go try out the Freeway cafe and reminisce.
I used to work at Casa Bonita as a bus boy back in the early nineties. I remember the waiters and waitresses “acquiring” tacos and cheese enchiladas for us to snack on during downtime. I remember going and hanging out in the massive walk in cooler to cool down during the hot summers. It smelled of hot sauce. I remember the massive vats of refried beans big enough to be a hot tub. A hot tub of beanie goodness. I remember playing tag with the other bus boys after hours in the caves. I had many birthday dinners there, especially in the waterfall room and after eating we would go to the puppet show to watch Mr. E and the hand. Good times.
Those are wonderful details! Thank you very much for this. I spoke to someone else that spent a little time as Bananas the Monkey. It must’ve been quite the experience.
The Ranch House off of 3rd and Utica
I was thinking at one point that was the Wagon Wheel Café. I lived around 8th & Quaker
years ago and I seem to remember going there a few times for breakfast
The Pancake House at 11th and South Utica…Across the street from Rainbow Bread and Hillcrest Hospital
I found evidence of a location over by Southroads, too. Any specific memories of this place?
This was actually the Pancake Place. Pancake House was in the parking lot at Southroads Mall.
pancake cottage
My Pi Pizza on S Lewis
Took my wife there on 1st date 1977
ITALIAN INN: The original Italian Inn was on Main St. about 17th (I think) in a white house. That would have been in the 1950’s. Before the original owner returned to Sicily, he sold the restaurant to Don Funston, Sr.
HUMPHREY’S DINNER HOUSE: Humphrey’s was on 11th St. just west of Yale on the south side of the street. It was owned by Herb and Pearl Clogston. That was in the 1950’s.
PHILTOWER GRILL: On the ground floor of the Philtower Building at 5th and Boston. It was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Dubin. My father was chef and manager. That was in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
NORMAN ANGEL’S AUTO CAFE: on the corner of Admiral and Memorial. That was also in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
Norman Angel’s is one I’ll be featuring, though I don’t have a TON of information about it. This is the first I’ve heard of Philtower Grill, but I’d love to include it too! If you have any pictures or more info, email me at: losttulsarestaurants@cloudlesslens.com — I’ll see what I can find.
Shadow Mountain Inn at 61st and Sheridan.
I have a picture of my parents celebrating their 28th Wedding Anniversary at Shadow Mountain Inn 1969.
Powers restaurant 27th and Harvard, 1950’s and 60’s, got pictures for Rhys, Camelot restaurant menu’s I bought at liquidation, Casa Bonita menu’s and the pull flags for refills, post cards, Sambo’s matches, many other items
This is great! Just sent you an email sir.
Casa Laredo, Old Village Center, 41st and Peoria.
Sleepy Hollow, 6605 South Lewis
I remember in the 70s, Sleepy Hollow was literally my favorite place to eat in Tulsa.
Ryan’s Grill , 31st & Sheridan. Best Coleslaw in Tulsa. Ate there weekly in mid 70s. Also Kay’s Restaurant around 31st & Harvard. Great Chicken Fried Steaks and Pies.
Kays was located on 31st Street where the Broken Arrow Expressway eastbound exit ramp for 31st/Yale intersects 31st Street (essentially due south of the signal at that intersection). There was a Kays Too Restaurant in the Spectrum shopping center at 69th and Lewis (southwest corner of the shopping center by where Crazy’s (arcade) was located).
Original Knotty Pine BBQ, 6161 S 33rd W Ave, lives in your memory forever.
Casa Monterrey, northeast corner of 41st Street and Peoria Avenue.
Peking Garden, 66th Street and Lewis Avenue – just south of the old Sleepy Hollow.
The Recovery Room – located on the first floor of the old Utica Square Medical Center. They served breakfast and lunch.
Charlie Mitchell’s Restaurant and Pub, three locations.
Miichelle’s, followed by Michael’s. Located at 81st Street and Harvard Avenue – Walnut Creek Shopping Center.
Darrell’s Food Shoppe, located in the Mayo Building, 5th and Main streets.
Was there ever a Burger Joint called Happy Burger In tulsa?
There’s a Happy Burger in Sapulpa that’s alive and well! I don’t know of a Tulsa location.
Coop’s “Whizz Burger” 5th & Lewis
Worked at both Admiral and S Peoria. Peoria in ‘55, “setting up trays”. Admiral as a carhop in ‘56. Great experiences and great stories! LOVED Archie-intimidated by Lola! (I was 15 first year-16 the second.) My two older sisters worked for Archie too-one as carhop (Peoria); other sister “ran the register” at both locations. All except basket meals were served on Stoneware. SS utensils, cloth napkins, glass s&p shakers, and iced glasses of water was put on each tray for each customer. THE BLACK-BOTTOM PIE WAS AWESOME.
What great memories! Thank you for sharing.
I have been trying to find out what happened to all the portraits of all the Miss Downtowner’s that were on the wall at The Louisiane restaurant back in the early 50’s. I was Miss Downtowner for July, 1955. I am 83 now and would like to find my portrait to give to my kids and grand-kids. If it is still around some where. Thank you,
That is a great question, Norma! I still have occasional contact with the Kallmeyer family and I’ll ask if they know.
Thank you, I really appreciate you taking the time to do this. Norma Haney
Norma, I so sorry it has taken so long but I just sent you an e-mail. Let me know if you got it!
We went west across the river on i44. There was ‘the Girly Pankcake House’
The sign said. The best because their stacked !
And the ‘chuck wagon’ on 11th st. it was made like a covered wagon and the fries were a brick of greasy goodness.
Was there a pizza place called Applegate’s in the 70’s ? It was near Memorial Baptist Church.
Applegate’s Landing was at 3233 S Yale (most recently an Arvest Bank). It was actually a concept from Pizza Hut and originated in Wichita! https://roadsideks.wordpress.com/2013/06/16/pa-applegate-has-left-the-building/
Asking a question, does anyone remember a diner in downtown Tulsa called something like Minkamiller’s? My grandmother use to work in a diner in one of the old downtown buildings, I remember it had a coin shop across the lobby and one of the old elevators that she also ran during the day. I believe it was an office building on the upper floors. Use to play in lobby as a kid. This would have been in the 50’s and 60’s.
We are trying to remember a killer pizza place on 11th street—was it Hemi’s??
I can check my archives and see if I can find out! Do you know where about on 11th and/or what year(s) it was around?
yes,,,,,near TU…Hemis Pizza…..remember that place
Went to TU and would go there on a weekend in the late 70’s. They wouldn’t have a typical round pizza. The dough would be shaped by hand, so the pizza would be somewhere between round, square and oblong.
Yes, I love Hemi’s! They were on 11th west of Delaware where Palmyra restaurant is now and 41st and Peoria. The absolute best sausage calzone anywhere!
Was this the place that served Cheese Chooch and Jawapi(sp?)? Soooooo good! I went there around ‘76-‘78.
There was a restaurant on the northwest corner of 31st and Sheridan when I went to Nathan Hale in the 70’s. I think it was something like Food King. They were noted for tuna melts and cheese melts. Do you know of it?
Are you thinking of King’s Food Host? Their melts were very popular!
YES! It was driving me crazy! Thank you very much! BTW, in your book you featured Al Gibbs Rendevous. My family ate there at least once a week. My ex-wife and I designed the menu that you show in the book. It was great to read about all of the restaurants that were. Thank you for the hard work!
Kim Jones
Oh that is so wonderful! Thank you! I love that menu – it has so much character. I’m very happy that the Combs family shared that with me when we talked.
We really enjoyed Genes BBQ in a little strip mall out on Peoria south towards the college. Later I think maybe up in a center off Lewis or Yale. Great BBQ and a fond memory of visiting Tulsa from Cushing some 40 plus years ago. Anyone has more history on Genes would be fun to hear?
There is no way you can beat Ray’s Diner on 15th!!! The ladies that worked there were the best! Like all of them were the best version of your Mom!!! The food was delightful — the bran muffins (I think they were on Thursdays) were superb!!! My husband at the time ate their food like there was no tomorrow and the waitresses loved him!!!! He was their favorite and they loved to dote on him and feed him anything and everything!!! Yeah, Ray’s gets my vote!!!
Country Fare Restaurant was located at 37th & Harvard. They served egg noodles and turnip greens as an appetizer. Best egg noodles I have ever had. I sure miss them. The closed in the early’70’s if memory serves me. A fire destroyed the building soon after.
I remember going there a time or two in the mid-to-late 60s. We rarely went out to eat somewhere nice, so it was memorable. If it’s the same place I’m thinking of, they had a delicious corn chowder.
My PII Pizza around 71st & Lewis. Best Pizza, Cheese Bread and Corn.
The Wagon Wheel for burgers and string onion rings on 11th street West of Yale I believe.
Diamond Jacks – Near Southroads Mall then moved to 51st & Harvard
Willies Drive-In on Charles Page near 65th W. Ave. Great Burgers
Argentina Steak House
Der Wienerschnitzel
Good Day, My folks ran Van’s Hamburgers, later called Claude’s from 1953-1966. My dad was the last of the Vandergriff family restaurant operators. At one time there were several locations of Van’s Cafes in Tulsa, most of the buildings now gone, but Ryan’s, late of 15th and Harvard later 31st and Joplin was also a member of his family of cafes at one time. My sister and I grew up in the back of the place watching our old Montclair tv and talking to our dishwasher Roy. There was an old wood and chicken wire building out back for sacks of onions and they kept 2 gallon cans of Cain’s pickles stacked by the back door which had a Rainbow Bread screen door, as the place didn’t have air conditioning. There was a large water cooler on the roof behind the Van’s Hamburgers neon sign that cooled the front of the restaurant, but did nothing for the back. But it was wonderful. I got to meet Archie Pennington, John Zink, Chick Chicelletto, Charlie Ninde S.J. Whitman, Lee Woodward, John Chick, Cy Tuma, Don Woods, and Big Bill of Big Bill and Omegah fame, and many other notables of yesterday. At one time our dishwasher was also Mike Rampey, later the owner of Air Assurance AC company. I still have as a cherished memory an old dated snapshot of the place taken when my folks first started out there. I’m very sorry for the length of this reply, but once I get going it takes me a while to stop nowadays. Best Wishes on your book!
Rick Gragg
Afton OK
What was the name of the restaurant on Charles Page just east of knotty pine? Nice family dining.
Elliot’s Brookside BBQ on 36fh place and Peoria was great. The baby-back ribs and “the Blimp” sandwich were phenomenal.
What was the restaurant called before it was the Village Inn, located now on Harvard between 21st and 31st? I think they (the original restaurant) closed some time in the early 1980’s. Sue Ann
It was Power’s Restaurant for many years (big brick grill in the middle of the dining room) and also Helmut’s Alpine Kitchen for a time.
Thank you so much! We love going there for breakfast and they sold the best pie(s) in town!
Do you by any chance have any photographs of the restaurant? (Referring to Helmets).
Sue Ann
The restaurant at 28th and Harvard originally opened as a Kip’s Big Boy. When all the Kip’s were closing down in the mid 70s the space then reopened as Helmuts Alpine Kitchen. Since it was open 24×7 it was a magnet for the just out of the the closed bars crowd, as I recall. After Helmut’s closed the space was then converted to the Village Inn it is to this day. Just east of the restaurant used to sit the Harvard Club, whose pool, building and parking lot outlasted them, but it was something they say in it’s day.
Hello back in the corner of 30th and Harvard was a great hamburger joint. There was the eney mini mighty and then Moe was the dessert. Can’t remember their name. I didn’t know if the names of the burgers was its name. Never mind just clicked think it was called Conners Corner is that correct.
That’s right! Those burgers were even listed on the menu that way. Here’s an image: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/Q4ZzuEZGsi6iohgh/
Happy Joe’s and Crazy’s S. Lewis. Razor Clam S Memorial. Montana Mining Company S Sheridan. Palermo’s 41st Mingo. Anyone remember Italian place on N.W. corner 31st Harvard had great bar area Tommy Crooks used to play late 80s early 90s?
The Black Eyed Pea for the best Chicken Fried Steak, okra and Black eyed peas.
Ann’s Bakery for their Ambrosia Cake. my great grandmother’s favorite.
There was a Coney Island small restaurant on Sheridan, I believe.