A Family Affair Restaurant
1742 NE 23rd St.
afamilyaffairrestaurant.com
427-1919
A
Family Affair makes anyone coming in off the street feel like a
cherished member of the household with plate after plate of every
classic bit of soul food known to man.
The
buffet ($10.30) is packed with catfish, collard greens, fried chicken,
smothered pork chops, red beans and rice and okra. The Sunday buffet
lineup has gone on to become a real fave with the after-church crowd.
Big Smokey Bar-B-Q
1433 NE 23rd St.
427-2313
When it comes to smoked meats, this is the real deal through and through.
Offering
only the most bare bones of selections — the menu on the wall basically
says, “Ribs or beef” — actually works in Big Smokey’s favor, allowing
the restaurant to focus on what it does best.
The
rib dinner ($9.95) is about as old-school as it comes: juicy pit-smoked
ribs, tangy beans, zesty potato salad and a slice of bread.
This Iz It
2831 NE 23rd St.
601-8686
Many places in the metro offer the concept of chicken and waffles as a kind of kitschy afterthought.
At
This Iz It, it’s an art form that makes it the go-to destination for
the classic combo. The wings are flavorful, the waffles are sweet and
the price is downright amazing: $5.00 all day, every day.
They offer other options, but it’s the wings and waffles that keep ’em coming back.
Beef & Buns, Mr. Catfish
2741 NE 23rd St.
427-2333
The
name of this eatery might sound like the title of the greatest
children’s book ever written, but there is nothing childish about the
menu.
It offers top-notch brisket, ribs, shoulder pork and the titular catfish.
Start with a fried catfish basket ($8.25) featuring four earthy fillets, hot fries and a slice of bread.
Here’s a tip: skip the tartar sauce and go to the hot sauce. You’ll most definitely live happily ever after.
Florence’s Restaurant
1437 NE 23rd St.
florencesrestaurant.com
427-3663
Florence’s has been an Oklahoma City institution for more than 60 years.
The
daily specials, featuring honey meatloaf ($8.00) on Wednesdays and
chicken and dumplings ($8.00) on Fridays are the absolute bomb, but if
there’s a dish that’ll make even a nonbeliever into a convert, it’s the
yam-fired chicken ($8.50) — that’s fried chicken flavored with the
sweetly unique taste of yams — served with three vegetables of your
choice.
Woody’s Sports Bar and Grill
2501 NE 23rd St.
415-4061
Woody’s prides itself on being a tavern where everybody knows your name.
It
is the neighborhood hangout that also provides a great selection of
classic pub foods, including blitz nachos ($7.99); shrimp po’ boy
sandwiches ($6.99); or its ever-popular Big Woody ($8.99), a classic
American burger topped with pepperonis, jalapeños, grilled onions and
pepperjack cheese served with a hearty score of fries.
Ricky’s Cafe
107 NE 23rd St.
525-6000
Ricky’s is a happening lunch spot for those wanting a fast and flavorful southof-the-border lunch.
The menu is filled with old favorites like wet burritos, chile rellenos and even barbacoa. Ricky’s offers man-sized meals like the Bistek jumbo ($12.59) for lunch. A large, juicy skirt steak with potatoes, borracho beans and an avocado salad on the side — that’s a meal fit for the king (or queen) of the office.
This article appears in Feb 26 – Mar 4, 2014.