Oklahoma's 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives': The Guy Fieri-approved eats foodies should try

In the span of 16 years and more than 30 seasons, Food Network star Guy Fieri and his crew visited 15 Oklahoma restaurants, showcasing bits of Sooner cuisine to the world on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives."

Unfortunately, since visiting, two of those locations have closed their doors for good: Ingrid's Kitchen and Stone Sisters Pizza Bar.

The 14 restaurants, though, remain open for business.

Including barbecue, pizza and fried chicken, here are the Oklahoma restaurants that have made a meal out of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives."

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Guyutes

730 NW 23rd St, Oklahoma City

405-702-6960, guyutes.com

Season 32, episode 12: "From Authentic to Inventive"

Guyutes was started by high school buddies Jarrod Friedel and Wayne Perotka, two Phish fans who named the restaurant after one of the band’s songs. Their unique take on food can be seen in menu items like The Guyute, the restaurant’s namesake dish comprised of creamy mashed potatoes, juicy pork belly, crispy wonton and basil whipped cream.

Chick N Beer

715 NW 23rd St, Oklahoma City

405-604-6995, chicknbeerokc.com

Season 32, Episode 11: "From Vikings to Wings"

Locally owned by husband and wife duo, Chynne and Truong Le, Chick N Beer focuses on unique wings that emphasize all things local. The traditional wings are gluten-free and double-fried. All the beers on tap hail from Oklahoma's finest breweries.

Travel by Taste Deli and Market

4818 N MacArthur Blvd, Warr Acres

405-787-2969, travelbytasteok.com

Season 31, episode 13: "Flavortown International"

Owner Parviz Rezaian opened Travel By Taste Deli and Market over 10 years ago, with a vision of creating Oklahoma City’s finest Mediterranean dining experience. The restaurant offers Mediterranean specialties like samosas, chicken kebab, hummus, and Persian stews.

On the deli and market side, Travel by Taste offers ingredients inclufing a full spice rack, feta cheeses, specialty bread like tandoori-style pita, Martedella bologna, and Halal-quality meats.

The Saucee Sicilian

1807 N Classen Blvd, Oklahoma City

405-493-9023, thesauceesicilian.com

Season 32, episode 12, "Sicilian and Seafood"

Gannon Mendez started the business as a pizza truck with a wood-fired oven but now also has a brick-and-mortar location. He uses homemade dough and his grandmother’s old-school recipes to create dishes like Neapolitan-style pies and Nonna’s Meatballs

Florence's Restaurant

1437 NE 23rd St, Oklahoma City

405-427-3663, florences.restaurant

Season 31, Episode 9, "Down-Home Flavor"

Florence Jones Kemp, founder and owner, started Florence's Restaurant in 1952 and has been serving up award-winning Southern comfort food ever since.

In 2022, Florence's was among six recipients of the James Beard Foundation's America's Classics Award, which is given to locally-owned restaurants with "timeless appeal and are beloved regionally for quality food that reflects the character of its community."

You won't find better fried chicken, meatloaf, chicken and dumplings or oxtail in town, and no one offers a better selection of sides from collard greens to candied yams with "a nice little salad" in between. Entrees come with three plus corn bread and yeast rolls.

Clanton's Cafe

319 E. Illinois Ave., Vinita

918-256-9053, clantonscafe.com

Season 2, Episode 4, "Local Flavor" and Season 0, Episode 37, "Amazing Appetizers"

Clanton's Cafe features an 80-year-old recipe for their famous chicken-fried steak. The "mac daddy" steak has been called one of the best on Route 66, and, for a trip off the road, they're dishing out calf fries, or Rocky Mountain Oysters, as well.

Eischen's Bar

109 N 2nd Street, Okarche

 405-263-9939, eischensbar.com

Season 7, Episode 6, "You Picked 'Em"

The spot holds the title as Oklahoma's oldest bar, as it was built by Peter Eischen as a watering hole in Okache in 1896 - a decade before Oklahoma's statehood.

A few hundred regulars wrote in to get Triple D to stop at this fried chicken haven that's serving theirs the same way they did in the '60s. They go through 24,000 pieces of fried chicken a week.

The Rock Cafe

114 Main Street, Stroud

918-968-3990, rockcafert66.com

Season 2, Episode 2, "Route 66"

The Rock Cafe was literally built from rocks used for Route 66. And although the restaurant opened in 1939, the menu reflects a modern take on roadside eats. Guy Fieri tried the Buffalo Burger, the famous Alligator Burger and German Spaetzle.

Rock Café proprietor Dawn Welch, a long-time promoter of U.S. Route 66 in Oklahoma, is the basis for animated character Sally Carrera in the Pixar film "Cars". The café features items left by the crew and gifts received from her time working with Pixar and Disney.

The Diner

213 E Main Street, Norman

405-329-6642, thedinerofnorman.com

Season 7, Episode 12, "Diners Times Three"

The Diner is the latest in a long tradition of chili parlors and diners that have been operating continuously in their Main Street building for over 100 years. Owner Bonnie Amspacher is the fourth generation of a Norman family famous for its chili and great down-home Tex-Mex cooking. Try a classic bowl of chili, the chili dog dinner or the chili burrito with ranchero sauce.

Nic's Grill

1201 N Pennsylvania Ave, Oklahoma City

405-524-0999, facebook.com/Nics-Grill

Season 7, Episode 3, "Name That Cook," Season 0, Episode 44, "Knockout Burger Joints," Season 1, Episode 10, "Triple D Nation: Breakfast, Lunch and Brunch"

The 15-seat joint became a legend for its mouthwatering half-pound burgers served with an overflowing basket of french fries and a fork.

Mama E's Soul Food

4500 S Sunnylane Road, Oklahoma City

405-424-0800, facebook.com/mamaesoulfoodokc

Season 6, Episode 13, "Mama's Cookin'"

Mama E's started in 2003 with just their signature wings and waffles - topped with powdered sugar and hot sauce - but has since expanded the menu to include other soul food favorites. Diners have become devotees of this "real soul food" that features pig's feet.

Mama E’s holds a special distinction: it is the only restaurant visited by both Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives and Robert Irvine on Restaurant: Impossible.

Leo's BBQ

Inside Homeland, 625 NE 36th St, Oklahoma City

Season 0, Episode 52, "Dynamite Desserts," Season 1, Episode 6, "Local Legends," Season 1, Episode 9, "Triple D Nation: BBQ, Burgers and Beyond"

Since 1974, Leo’s BBQ has been a staple for great food in Oklahoma City. When Fieri visited the barbecue joint in 2007, they were located at 336th and Kelley, but in 2021, they entered a partnership with Homeland to relocate their barbecue joint to the grocery store at Northeast 36th Street and Lincoln Boulevard.

Now the ribs, the sides, and famous strawberry-banana cake are all fresh and available at the new Homeland store.

Cattlemen's Steakhouse

1309 S Agnew Ave, Oklahoma City

405-236-0416, cattlemensrestaurant.com

Season 0, Episode 58, "Meaty Masterpieces," Season 7, Episode 9, "Blast From the Past,"

Originally named Cattlemen's Café, the restaurant has operated continuously since 1910 in the heart of Stockyards City, making it the "oldest continuously operating restaurant in Oklahoma City,”

The steakhouse has been honored by the newly established National Steakhouse Hall of Fame, as part of the organization's inaugural class.

Get the "Presidential Choice" t-bone steak, named after President George Bush Sr., who ordered it while visiting the steakhouse, or try the popular pepper steak with peppercorn sauce.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: List of Guy Fieri Oklahoma food spots