Restaurants in Bixby

"Well, it started as solely a wine bar," Chris explains, the sound of plates chattering together in the background. "Customers were just begging for food. I guess we were forced into the restaurant business in the best kind of way." The menu, which owners Zach and Chris Collins have taken to calling Americana-fusion, is the brainchild of chef Nate Creekmore, who gallantly fuses the dishes of his rural upbringing with hints of French, Italian, and German cuisine. As pork chops and fish sputter warmly against a grill, he stirs delicate sauces crafted from lemons, capers, and butter or vanilla beans and saffron. "We have customers come in from across the pond, say this is the best fish and chips they've had anywhere, ever," says Chris of the Guinness-battered Alaskan cod that emerge from the fryer.

The eatery’s roots as a wine bar shine through in a selection of more than 120 bottled elixirs. To house 50 wines available by the glass and keep the spry sommelier from ever aging, Cork employs a behemoth Enomatic wine–storage system imported from Florence, Italy. "It's the big guy,” says Chris. “It presses the wine with food-grade nitrogen, giving it enough pressure to pour it into your glass, keeping the wine prime for up to three weeks." Murals painted by a local artist match the rustic décor––stacked-stone walls, granite counter tops, and bartenders carved from driftwood by friendly sheriffs. It's bucolic touches such as these that helped earn Cork a glowing review in the Tulsa World newspaper.

The sandwich savants at Bill & Ruth’s Sub Shop layer freshly cut deli meats and veggies atop breads baked daily in the eatery’s ovens. Subs come equipped with a wide range of thinly sliced meats, such as corned beef and turkey salami, and an unlimited supply of veggies and toppings that include jalapeños, onions, pickles, and dijon. The eatery also dresses up baked potatoes and salads with chili, steak, chicken or miniature cummerbunds.

The very first International House of Pancakes opened its doors in Toluca Lake, California in 1958. Now, more than 1,000 locations populate the country's states and territories. They stuff bellies with hot lunch, bacon, eggs, and signature pancakes with toppings such as warm fruit compote or cream-cheese icing. The Tulsa location leaves its doors open 24 hours a day, satisfying midnight cravings and welcoming the morning with omelets wide open.

The vision behind Speedy Gonzalez Mexican Grill is simple: fresh Mexican fare served fast and free of pretension. Chefs plate dishes ranging from taco salad with a crispy shell to deep-fried, gooey burritos, plus specialty items including the signature deep-fried boneless chicken paired with honey bread. The dining room's simple taqueria style invites diners to enjoy their meals perched atop red, blue, green, and yellow chairs scooted under a long row of tables.

It’s been a long time since Jack Kerouac or Ken Kesey’s band of merry pranksters made their way down Route 66, but at small, cozy points along the way, driver’s can get a glimpse into the past. Fat Charlie’s Grill is one of those spots. Old-fashioned diner fare and friendly service welcome visitors each morning as line cooks scramble up three-egg omelets and assemble their signature crashes—hash browns topped with eggs, veggies, meats, and AAA cards. Their artful arranging of toppings continues into the lunch and dinner hours, with a host of quarter- and third-pound burgers hoisting traditional bacon, mushrooms, and homemade chili or unconventional fried eggs, peanut butter, and country gravy. For the young at heart, or the sweet at tooth, they blend handmade ice-cream shakes with any ingredient you choose.

At Wanda J's Restaurant, chefs load tables with heaping portions of sumptuous southern comfort fare lauded by Tulsa World. Seasoned batter seals in succulent morsels of chicken, and rivulets of creamy brown gravy drip down stacks of pork and catfish. Meats share the limelight with up to 10 sides such as candied yams and mac 'n' cheese. A kid's menu treats tiny bellies to smaller portions, obviating the need to tote along a shrink ray or wait at the table until kids age into adults.