The first place I lived in Oklahoma was Del City and, even though we left when I was four, I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for the town.
(Fun? Fact: The “Del” comes from a developer who founded the city and named it for his daughter, “Delaphene.”)
Del City is also home to DeAngelo Spotwood, one of the owners of Fat Jack’s Grill. The military took him all over the world, but when he came back to Del City, he saw a city flooded with fast food and largely bereft of local businesses.
“We looked at what was available to the community and what they could afford,” he said. “I just wanted to be able to offer some good food and be a kind of a service to the neighborhood that made a big difference to me.”
The menu at Fat Jack’s is dominated by burgers, but Spotwood said the difference is in the care and the quality. The restaurant serves fresh beef, specially ground for them and cooked to order on the flat top grill.
When I tried the Old Fashioned—the classic cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, and onion—I was beyond pleased to see a perfect cook on the beef. The outside had that gorgeous dark brown, but inside it was an ideal medium pink. That takes some care and attention to detail that you aren’t going to find at a fast food drive-thru. And it was also seasoned well, which is something a lot of amateur burger makers forget. Beef is great, but without salt and other seasonings, it’s not going to be as good as it could be.
The other burgers vary from some regular specialty varieties to some straight-up meme burgers. Spotwood said that’s something else he wanted to bring to the community. Instead of driving across town or even out of state to get a crazy, Instagram-worthy burger, they’re making them right there at Fat Jack’s.
I never thought I’d recommend a Donut Burger, but that was before I tried this one. The donut is cut in half and the interior becomes the top and bottom exterior bun. There’s no lettuce or onion or sauce, either. It’s beef, bacon, cheese, and a donut that spends a little time on the grill, caramelizing the sugar and melting together into a sweet-and-savory monster of a meal. Bite after bite, I marveled at the way the flavors married together, until it was suddenly gone. It was just that tasty.
Other options include a Sriracha-jalapeno burger, (feature photo) for those looking for a pop of heat that won’t burn out your taste buds, and a classic mushroom-swiss burger with grilled mushrooms to add to the beefy flavor. But for a burger that’ll have your mentions going off, check out the Fat Jack’s Hot Cheetos Burger with American cheese, nacho cheese, and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos inside a bun that is topped with more cheese sauce and hot Cheetos dust.
Also, a quick shoutout to the fries. They come out golden and crispy, covered in a dusting of Fat Jack’s own seasoning blend. Much like the Donut Burger, my hands just kept going back to the fries until they were all gone.
I was not as taken with the smashburger tacos, if I’m honest. It’s a fine idea that lends itself to a variety of flavors, but it didn’t captivate me the same way the other burgers did. It’s also a lot of beef to fit inside a tortilla, which is great until you’re trying to get it up to your mouth with the rest of the filling intact. I may give them another go sometime, but there’s so much on the menu I already love that I don’t know when that’ll be.
For instance, the catfish. I know it’s not everybody’s thing, but it’s 100 percent my thing. These filets are covered in that crunchy cornmeal crust that holds onto salt and pepper so well, but inside, the fish was tender and moist. Overcooking catfish is far too easy to do, so I was quite pleased with the three-piece meal I got.
One thing that left the menu while the restaurant was undergoing some repairs was the chili, which Spotwood said is made with steak and is so good people will even order it in the summer. Hey, good chili is hard to come by, so when this makes its way back to the lineup, I’ll be in line for a bowl or some Frito chili pie.
You want more? They got it. Hot wings, chicken strips, a grilled chicken sandwich, and baked potatoes. What I like about the Fat Jack’s menu is that it covers an awful lot of bases, but doesn’t get overly ambitious by going outside their comfort zone. And because it’s locally and family owned, there’s no skimping on quality.
So if you’re craving a burger in Del City, skip the drive-thru and visit Fat Jack’s Grill. It won’t be as fast, but who wants to rush with food this tasty?
- Fat Jack’s Grill
- 4426 Southeast 44th Street in Del City
- (405) 439-2796
- Mon-Sat 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Long-time food enjoyer Greg Elwell writes about food, restaurants, and trends. He has his own blog "I Ate Oklahoma" and has written for The Oklahoman, The Oklahoma Gazette, and others.
