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| Spotted Top (only $5!) | Yellow Chino Pants | Similar Mule Slide Shoes |
Hello fellow Oklahomies (and anyone else out there reading this)! I'm getting ready to skip town for a few weeks so this post is going up earlier than normal. I shared my favorite spots in Midtown and the Plaza in months past but this month we're talking about Uptown 23rd! Uptown 23rd District is one of Oklahoma City’s premier business and entertainment areas that continues to grow. It's located along historic Route 66 (on NW 23rd Street) between Broadway and Pennsylvania Avenue. There are many iconic landmarks such as the Tower Theater, Gold Dome and the historic Milk Bottle, lots of tasty restaurants and plenty of things to see and do!
I'm rounding up my favorite local spots in the Uptown 23rd area to help you create a day filled with tasty eats and lots of fun. TONIGHT is actually Uptown Uncorked - Uptown 23rd's annual fundaiser with tastings from Uptown’s best restaurants along with local breweries and wineries, live music, a photo booth, and exciting raffle items. If there are still tickets available, it would be a great time to experience the area!
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| The Morning Glory at Syrup |
Breakfast & Brunch
The Drake - one of my favorite brunch places in town! C and I love to go here for special occasion brunches. Their fried oyster benedict is out of this world and their biscuits are better than your grandma's. I love the cucumber mimosa, it's so refreshing!
Cheever's - locals love to rave about Cheever's for brunch, lunch and dinner! They have an upscale feel and a great (rotating) brunch punch. Everyone loves their giant cinnamon roll, too. I do suggest making reservations as they are always packed.
Cuppies & Joe - a great spot for coffee and pastries! It's in a cozy old bungalow and it feels like you're at a friend's house.
Honey Bunny Biscuit Co - I haven't personally eaten here, but it's on my must try list! I've heard so many good things. It looks delicious, SO CUTE and super instagrammable!
Hurts Donuts - if you're on the hunt for a crazy donut topped with candy, cereal, or something delicious, look no further than Hurts! They are open 24 hours and will satisfy the sweetest of sweet tooths!
Syrup - I once had their Morning Glory - a waffle topped with scrambled eggs, bacon and cheese - and have been trying to recreate it at home ever since. It is a great spot for a classic breakfast!
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| Brunch at The Drake |
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| Hurts Donuts |
Lunch & Dinner
Cheever's - here we are at Cheever's again! It's a favorite among locals and a great spot for work lunches or date nights. People drool over their chicken fried steak and shrimp and grits, but I personally love the cowboy rubbed salmon salad! Be sure to make a reservation in advance as they are very busy.
The Drake - another double mention and for good reason! The Drake is one of the only spots in town with fresh (I mean really fresh, flown in daily) seafood and their oysters are amazing. I highly recommend the lobster roll if your stomach can handle a fat bomb (it's worth the pain) and the ahi tuna poke bowl doesn't disappoint, either!
Guyute's - this little dive has some of the best bar food around and their rooftop patio is a great place to sit on a spring day! They call their cuisine "elevated street food" and I think that's the perfect description. It is perfect for a hangover lunch or brunch. I LOVE the tequila sunfryz - waffle fries with queso, pulled pork, a sunny side egg, jalapeño and cilantro cream! DROOL. Everything else on their menu always has an interesting twist.
Backdoor BBQ - one of my go-to BBQ spots in town! They have an amazing espresso sauce and a great mustard sauce, as well. Their sausages are my favorite, but I get the smoked turkey when I'm being healthy. I think the PBJ sandwich is amazing, as well, made with pulled pork, brisket and jalapeño cheddar sausage. Sign me up! Bonus: if you have room left at the end of the meal, they have the cutest little desserts in mason jars!
Scottie's Deli - if you're in the mood for a tasty sandwich with a cookie for dessert, this is your spot! It has a fantastic retro vibe to it with subway tiles and bright colors everywhere. C loves their cuban and the pastrami is absolutely fantastic, as well.
Pizzeria Gusto - upscale pizza always holds a special place in my heart! Pizzeria Gusto also has fantastic sandwiches and a killer hidden patio garden out back. It's not on the menu, but they once had a special pizza with balsamic vinaigrette and I will never forget how delicious it was. Forever hoping they bring it back for good one of these days.
Big Truck Tacos - a classic! Big Truck has been in OKC longer than I have! They were one of the first "unique" restaurants to open in the area. They're located in an old drive in restaurant. If you're into eating tongue, I hear the Flaming Lips is amazing but personally I prefer the Fried Shrimp Taco :) their breakfast tacos are pretty bomb, too, FYI!
Mutt's Hotdogs - another oldie but goodie! Before OKC's restaurant scene took off like crazy, you would find me at Mutt's on a regular basis. Now a days there are too many places and not enough cheat meals, but Mutt's will always hold a special place in my heart! They are owned by the same folks as Big Truck and their menu is full of unique dogs with fun toppings. It's a great weekend lunch spot! I love that there are a variety of flavor options for their french fries, too....I always go with the truffle oil and parm, mmmm! Be sure to check out their homemade lemonade, sometimes it is flavored (like strawberry mint or something) and it's always mouthwateringly delicious and refreshing.
Okie Pokie - my top meal of all of 2018 was a poke bowl at Lemonade in LA. I have yet to find another poke bowl quite as delicious, but Okie Pokie certainly helps fill the void! Poke bowls are kind of like deconstructed sushi and I LOVE them! Okie Pokie has house bowls as well as a make your own bowl option with tons of different toppings to choose from.
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| Dress is c/o Lulu's |
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| Tequila Sunfryz & Fire on the Pineapple at Guyutes |
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| Okie Pokie Bowl |
Desserts
Cuppies & Joe - as I mentioned above, Cuppies & Joe is a great coffee and pastry place, but their cupcakes are really where it's at! They have a rotating menu on certain days, but my favorite is the Neverland - it's like a peanut butter cookie in cupcake form. The Boom Boom Pow is also fantastic, it's vanilla bean with chocolate frosting and salted caramel filling, yum! Take note that they often sell out of popular flavors, so if you show up late in the evening there may be limited supply. Don't worry, though, they always have special menu offerings like cookies, breads, scones, cinnamon rolls and more to fulfill your dessert cravings! Be sure to follow their Facebook page if you like to see drool worthy food photos.
Tucker's Onion Burgers - did you know that the onion burger is an Oklahoma thing? I didn't until I moved here! Tucker's burgers are good, but their shakes are GREAT. They are my favorite place to go for a classic diner milkshake. I always crave them after watching Riverdale, lol!
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| The Neverland Cupcake at Cuppie's & Joe |
Guyute's - Guyutes has an amazing rooftop patio for day drinking in the sun! Their beverage menu has something for everyone and their cocktails are out of this world. I wish I could sample every single one! My go-to is the Fire on the Pineapple (pictured above under the lunch & dinner category). It is made with tequila, pineapple and and agave and is such a unique tastebud sensation. I also love the China Cat for a more refreshing, classic cocktail with gin, st. germain and cucumber!
Ponyboy - some of the fanciest cocktails in town can be found here but they also have classics and a great beer + shot menu. I usually order Rosemary's Baby made it vodka, lemon juice and rosemary - it's really bright and refreshing!
Bunker Club - Bunker Club is a major throwback! It is decorated like, you guessed it, a bunker in WW2! It is pretty dark inside - at first glance you'd expect it to be a gross smoking bar, honestly - but it's clean and fun. They have games on the tables and pain killer drinks on tap! Yup, you read that right. Delicious pineapple drinks on tap. Their cocktail and beer list is pretty great, too.
The Pump Bar - everyone loves The Pump! It's an old gas station turned into a giant patio bar. It's one of my favorite spots to bring my dogs and sit in the sunshine. Or sit under the bistro lights, either way. There's yard games, people watching, and lots of bar snacks. They have a great beer menu and really good cocktails, too. They do have a hangover brunch and food all day, but I usually just go for drinks and snacks. The Black Betty is my cocktail of choice, it's made with gin, blackberry, and mint. I'm also a fan of the Milk Money for a dessert drink because it comes with a mini chocolate donut! It's made with rum, rumchata, coke and chocolate bitters. Yum!
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| Kylo loves patio days at The Pump Bar |
Services & Activities
Tower Theatre - you can see movies or live music at the old tower theatre! It has been completely restored. It is one of Oklahoma City's last original movie houses that is still intact. In 2015, the marquee was restored and brought back to life.
Escape Games - I've never done this personally, but thought I'd include it because it sounds really different! Visitors are put into a live escape room (each one has a different theme) and you have an hour to find clues, secrets and surprises and get yourself out of the locked room.
Shopping
Fashion blogger fail. I have never been into any shops or boutiques around Uptown 23rd! Help a sista out, where are your favorite stores??
Locals, are there any places I missed that you think should have been included? If so, let me know in the comments so I can give them a try!
Thanks so much for reading.....let me know what district you'd like to see next!
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