Restaurant Reviews
Greg Elwell
Classen Grill
5124 N. Classen Boulevard
842-0428

What works: chicken-fried steak, orange juice, atmosphere
What needs work: Customers can occasionally get lost in a bustling weekend breakfast service.
Tips: Your entire party needs to be present to be seated.

Restaurant Reviews
Greg Elwell
Papa Angelo's
3921 N. College, Bethany
papaangelospizza.com
491-6767

What works: great crust, fun atmosphere
What needs work: Pasta dishes may require added seasoning.
Tips: It delivers, but if you’re out of its area, call ahead for your takeout or risk a lengthy wait.

Restaurant Reviews
Doug Hill
Los Vaqueros Mexican Restaurant
1316 N. Interstate Drive, Norman
310-3910

What worked: jovial staff serving generous meals
What needs work: Please refrain from spraying cleanser on the dining room tables during hours of operation.    
The Tip: Above-average Tex-Mex food, generally with some superior dishes.       

Restaurant Reviews
Marisa Mohi
Shawarma Vite
1129 Elm, Norman
shawarmavite.com
569-0879

What works: hot food served fast
What needs work: It can be a little hard to find if you aren’t familiar with the area.
Tips: Orders can be made to go.

Restaurant Reviews
Ryan Querbach
Basil Mediterranean Cafe
6620 E. Reno, Midwest City
basilmediterraneanrestaurant.com
736-0500

What Works: Basil has plenty of options to choose from, including quite a few vegetarian dishes.
What Needs Work: Although the menu offers plenty of options, most are typical Mediterranean dishes. The menu could benefit from some more unique items.
The Tip: Affordable and fresh food makes Basil a great spot for Mediterranean cuisine.

Restaurant Reviews
Greg Elwell
Kitchen No. 324
324 N. Robinson
kitchen324.com
763-5911

What works: open-faced toast, braised short rib, pretty much everything else
What needs work: It can be very busy at practically any time.
Tips: Bring quarters for parking. Try not to shove your butt in anybody’s face getting in and out of the booths.

Restaurant Reviews
Greg Elwell
Chalo’s Tacos
5029 N. Rockwell, Bethany
440-2984

What works: Burritos, tamales and goat birria. And so affordable!
What needs work: The beef and tongue are a bit dry.
Tips: Be sure to get the green salsa.

Restaurant Reviews
Louis Fowler
Pupuseria El Buen Gusto
2336 S.W. 29th
636-1399

What works: the pupusas, all for an unbelievable low price
What needs work: It’s cash only, so a card reader would be nice. Unless you speak Spanish, sometimes communication can be difficult.
Tips: three words — horchata, horchata, horchata

Restaurant Reviews
Doug Hill
Legend’s Restaurant
1313 W. Lindsey, Norman
legendsrestaurant.com
329-8888

What worked: Possibly the best upscale joint in Norman.
What needs work: The dining room is a bit cramped and cluttered with bric-a-brac.    
The Tip: Good food and fancy atmosphere that manages to avoid pretension.                               

Restaurant Reviews
Greg Elwell
The Mule
1630 N. Blackwelder
themuleokc.com
601-1400

What works: sandwiches with great flavors, excellent spot to hang out
What needs work: Parking can be a pain, but that’s what happens when a place is popular.
Tips: The Monte Cristo is a dessert worth the calories.

Restaurant Reviews
Louis Fowler
Tim’s Drive Inn
5037 N. MacArthur Blvd., Warr Acres
789-5410

What works: Indian tacos, of course
What needs work: cash only, no debit or credit cards
Tips: Order one of their “special” Dr. Peppers.

Restaurant Reviews
Greg Elwell
Humble Pie Authentic Chicago Style Pizza
1319 S. Broadway, Edmond
humblepieok.com
715-1818

What works: Try a shandy. The lemonade is housemade. It’s a great drink.
What needs work: It definitely needs a bigger dining room.
Tips: It’s closed on Monday and crazy busy on weekends.

Restaurant Reviews
Greg Elwell
Stella Modern Italian Cuisine
1201 N. Walker
stellaokc.com
235-2200

What works: fancy Italian cuisine, tasty pizza combinations
What needs work: Service can be spotty.
Tips: Reservations are not mandatory, but they are helpful.

Restaurant Reviews
Doug Hill
Penny Hill Deli & Subs
1424 W. Lindsey, Norman
phdeli.com
217-8339

What worked: In-house preparation of key ingredients makes for incredibly good food.
What needs work: Don’t keep cookies and other desserts a secret. The eatery hides them behind the counter for special customers or something.   
The Tip: so much better than national chain sub shops          

Restaurant Reviews
Greg Elwell
Green & Grilled
8547 N. Rockwell
greenandgrilled.com
563-2605

What works: pork and chicken entrees, spinach rice and bacon spinach salad.
What needs work: A little more salt would be nice, but you can add that yourself.
Tips: You can email your order in, but remember to call and confirm. Great for take-out.