Last Updated on February 12, 2024, 3:17 PM | Published: February 12, 2024
If you are one of the many loving, thoughtful, romantic planners out there, you might have already booked your Valentine’s Day dinner well in advance (and even figured out how to pay for it). Then there’s the rest of us.
With that in mind, here are ten budget friendly spots in OKC that can still wow that special someone without maxing out the emergency credit card. All are open Wednesday evening and none require reservations. May the odds be ever in your favor getting a table!
OSO Paseo
Are tacos romantic? Well, if you consider how many people say, “Tacos?! I love tacos!” then there’s got to be a chance. The tasty fare at OSO in the Paseo Arts District—which includes dishes ranging from the very meaty carne asada steak dish to the extremely vegan cauliflower picadillo taco—will have stomachs swooning.
Even better? The drinks! OSO prides itself on cocktails and the picture-perfect Pretty in Pink (with tequila blanco, apricot habanero syrup, lime, orange curacao, and pomegranate) tastes as good as it looks.
603 Northwest 28th Street, Oklahoma City. (405) 309-8226. osopaseo.com
Riviere Modern Banh Mi
If your experience with banh mi begins and ends at grabbing $3 sandos at the old milk bottle, it’s time to update your records at Riviere Modern Banh Mi in Midtown. Vietnamese cuisine is at the base of the concept, but diners will be wowed by the variety of flavors available. There are eleven sandwiches to choose from, but that’s just the start.
Diners who aren’t feeling the handheld eats can get noodle bowls, fried rice, and even a big bowl of pho. For dessert, go wild with the Monkey Butter Cheesecake (no monkeys were harmed in the making of this cheesecake).
905 N Hudson Avenue, Oklahoma City. (405) 604-3446. riviereokc.com
Trapper’s Fishcamp & Grill
While the decor trends more to rustic backwoods, the ambiance at Trapper’s Fishcamp & Grill is quite a bit more sedate and romantic. There’s plenty of seafood and cajun cuisine to choose from, but for those who can’t celebrate without a steak, Trapper’s offers filets, strips, and the “specialty of the house,” a big slab of prime rib.
On a budget? The Kansas City Steak Soup is $8 for a delicious bowl that’s big enough to satisfy. If you like it spicy, however, you can’t go wrong with the excellent crawfish etouffee—that’s French, by the way. Tres romantique.
4300 West Reno, Oklahoma City. (405) 943-9111. pearlsokc.com/restaurants/trappers-fishcamp-grill
B Won
Korean food is about as American as Asian cuisine gets. Beef plays a big role and sweet-and-savory sauces abound. At B Won in south Oklahoma City, diners will find a menu worth exploring. The beef bulgogi—thinly sliced steak marinated in an intoxicatingly addictive sauce—is a big draw, but if you’re feeling adventurous, try the Table Cook menu, which features a grill built into the table. Grill your own sliced pork belly, beef tenderloin slices, brisket, chicken, and more.
Or for an everything-in-one dish, check out the dolsot bibimbap. It’s a rice bowl covered in vegetables, beef, sauce, and a fried egg, served in a hot clay pot that crisps up the rice at the bottom.
4517 South Sunnylane Road, Oklahoma City. (405) 670-1170
Anton’s Craft Kitchen
A hidden gem on the northside, Anton’s Craft Kitchen is a passion project for the owner and it shows on every plate. Start with the rich and gooey spinach and eggplant dip, served with Anton’s signature garlic flatbread. That bread is the restaurant’s secret weapon, because one taste will have you craving it again and again.
Old favorites, like chicken parmesan and fried catfish, snuggle up next to more adventurous fare like The Green Olives—chicken with green olives, onions, and a lemon-garlic sauce. And, yes, there are steaks. Go for the ribeye and you won’t be sorry.
2610 West Memorial Road, Oklahoma City. (405) 849-6853. antonscraftkitchen.com
Tokyo Moon Sushi & Kitchen
There are plenty of other fish in the sea. That’s what you tell someone after a bad break-up, right? But for those who are still in rock-solid love, why not eat some of those fish? Tokyo Moon Sushi & Kitchen covers a ridiculous number of bases with its massive menu. Ramen? Check. Fried rice? Check. Sashimi? Check. They even do plenty of cooked rolls, for those who can’t handle raw fish.
But if you both love sushi, the Lover’s Boat is $50 full of salmon, shrimp, tuna, and more in both nigiri and maki forms. There’s even a chicken-fried chicken option in the chicken katsu with tonkotsu sauce for anyone who is nervous about Asian cuisine.
7001 West Hefner Road, Oklahoma City. (405) 721-7253. tokyomoonhefner.com
Zambrano’s Peruvian Cuisine
Oklahoma City went through a Peruvian boom several years back and got many of us hooked on pollo a la brasa and big, banana-leaf steamed tamales. While many of those old favorites are gone, the recently opened Edmond restaurant Zambrano’s Peruvian Cuisine is bringing some of those flavors back to town. Looking for an aphrodisiac?
The Leche de Tigre (aka Tiger’s milk) is a spicy ceviche rumored to bring about feelings of passion. Lomo saltado (or the chicken version, pollo saltado) takes strips of marinated steak and stir-fries them with onion, tomatoes, Burgundy wine, and more, served with white rice to soak up all the sauce.
308 West Edmond Road, Edmond. (405) 906-3782
Nunu’s Mediterranean Cafe
Personally, I find a gyro very romantic. But if a shaved meatloaf sandwich isn’t your ideal date night, check out Nunu’s Mediterranean Cafe, where gyros are nowhere on the menu. Instead, diners will find a luscious brie and mushroom bisque, succulent cabbage rolls (both meaty and vegetarian versions), and the much-loved beef tenderloin kabob.
As owner Clay Farhood said, it’s the best steak deal in the metro, because they choose the best beef and each bite is grilled to perfection and served over hashwa—a Lebanese rice dish of seasoned beef and rice cooked in clarified butter and topped with slivered almonds. For dessert, keep it light with house-made baklava topped with orange blossom syrup.
3131 West Memorial Road, Oklahoma City. (405) 751-7000. nunuscafe.com
Thai Kum Koon Restaurant
What’s Valentine’s Day without an argument? But don’t argue with your loved one—argue with the server at Thai Kum Koon in Norman. Why? Because they will try to talk you out of anything they think is too spicy for you. But if you love the heat, politely assure them you can take it and then, you know, you have to take it. Even if it’s too spicy. Just deal.
That goes for the evil jungle curry, with your choice of protein, chili paste, onion, bell pepper, and coconut milk. And the pad ki mao, with a choice of chicken, beef, pork, tofu, or shrimp and spicy noodles tossed with basil and bean sprouts. If you’re not ready to fry your taste buds, there’s always the option to get level 1 spice on your pad thai.
1241 Alameda Street, Norman. (405) 329-9790. thaikumkoontogo.com
Fontana Italian Restaurant
Why is French the language of love, but Italian is the cuisine of love? No offense to escargot, but for dishes that make hearts go pitter-patter, look no farther than the boot.
At Fontana in Moore, diners can enjoy plenty of red sauce Italian dishes like shrimp scampi with linguini, chicken primavera over penne, lobster ravioli in a pink garlic sauce, and more. There are also pizzas, sub sandwiches, and mozzarella sticks, in case comfort eating overtakes your more romantic side at the last minute.
854 Northwest 12th Street, Moore. (405) 703-0911. fontanaitalianrestaurant.com
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.
