The Tulsa Forum by TulsaNow

http://eatatthegarage.com/locations/smittys-garage-tulsa/

(my rating's are "family guy" based)

Location(s) Being Reviewed:  71st & Sheridan
Date/Time of Visit: 2017-05-27 17:00:00 (Saturday)
Quality of Food (1-5): 4.5
Menu/Food Options (1-5): 5 (considering it's a "burger's & beer" establishment)
Quality of Service (1-5): 5
Atmosphere (1-5): 5
Overall Rating (1-5): 5
Price ($-$$$$$):$$$
What makes this restaurant unique:

semi local (OKC based)..  gourmet burgers n beer concept that doesn't suck.
The also have tacos on the menu (which we didn't try)

Tell us about your experience:

So this is where Mexicali used to be on the Hill...
It had only been open a couple/few weeks and was very busy while we were there.
Seems to pull off a "family friendly sports bar" type place quite well.  Ton of TVs.  The menu alone consisted of 6 TVs.  A couple TVs were showing children's movies, the rest were showing sports.  A very colorful "Jay Leno Garage" / super-hero theme.

Staff was abundant, very attentive, and all seemed to wear all hats. 
You order at the counter, sit, then order adult beverages (like hop bunz was given a hard time for).  It seems to work here.
The gal that took our order..  also brought out order to our table.   I wouldn't have noticed, but my wife did a double-take.

I had the "Grilled Jalapeno Bacon Cheeser" and a draught Hefewiezen from a brewery I hadn't heard of an I've already forgotten.
My burger was up there with Fat Guys.  The Garlic Parm fries were tasty..  My wife got a lettuce wrapped (gluten alergy) bacon avacado rance..

Everyone in my family gave it Thumb's up..
My 5yr old liked all the super heros and storm troopers up in the duct work.

We'll return.

Destihl Weissenheimer Hefeweizen is what you had.

I've been there twice and haven't had a bad burger. Its nice because they are great burgers for about $5.50-$6.50. I would have expected $7.50-$8 for what you get.  You can also choose between beef, turkey, chicken or buffalo.  I'm assuming there is a veggie burger option as well.  The chicken I think is a .49 upcharge and buffalo is $2 ish I think. 

Thanks, that's it.

(https://cheapseatchirps.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/beersnob.jpg)

I am surprised anyone would give the atmosphere there 5 stars. I might rate it 5 stars if I walked into a typical hole in the wall cafe in the 80's and just now walked out over to Smitty's. Sure it is nice and new, but looks similar to just about any generic major chain with a few old neon signs and some Americana. Maybe 3/4 stars at best. If you rate this 5 star, how would you reward all the places that have truly top-notch original atmospheres? You're saying Smitty's is as good as atmosphere gets and that would be very sad if that were the case. I wouldn't place it in the top 50 in Tulsa in atmosphere. Laffa, Tavern, Rusty Crane, Chimera, Hodges, Phoenix, the Vault, Kilkennies, Juniper, Tovolo, Andollinis, Bricktown, Doc's and Roosevelts all have significantly better atmospheres and I'm not sure I'd rate all of them 5 stars. Even Jimmy Hula's has done better as a theme restaurant than Smitty's.

I "get" what Smitty's is trying to do and I think Soul City does a much much better job at that and I could make it look better and more authentic looking than what they've done at what was likely a ridiculously high cost. They went with what look like the plainest looking, out-dated cheapest tables and chairs. The bar would be impressive if this was actually their personal DIY garage bar.

Hop Bunz was given a hard time for being very pricy and mediocre service. I didn't hear anyone complain about ordering beers after sitting, just complaints that it is a mix of full-service and self-service where you have to tip twice and there's no savings for it. Lots of great places have you order food and beer separate (very common in Texas at places like Twisted Root, Rustic or Truck Yard). Also, it is that way at Fuel 66 which works great. The problem is when it costs $50 for 2 people to get a burger and a beer. Smitty's is a lot more reasonable.

(http://n.sinaimg.cn/tech/20151224/bezh-fxmxxsr3593535.gif)

Apples, meet Oranges.

Are you saying there can only be 50 "5" rated restaurants in town?  Or, Smitty's can't be a 5, because Mahogany steakhouse is a 5?

I say Smitty's is a 5 in its category.

No, the point was that if it is a 5 star, just about every new restaurant is 5 star and the rating system is meaningless. In it's category, I think it's a 3 or 4 star.

Funny guy we got here!   :D :D :D :D :D LOL HOT MEME!1!! TOP KEK


I am in no way a food critic, foodie, or snob, but I don't understand how someone could walk into Smitty's and think "this is a 5 star atmosphere" unless they've only been to China Express and Wendy's the last 20/30 years.

(https://i.imgflip.com/1qvhp3.jpg)

What exactly is your criteria for obtaining 5 stars at a family friendly burger establishment?

Huh... I guess I will have to go try it, since Smash and 5 Guys are usually kind of disappointing.  But there was that ONE time when a lady drove through the front window at 5 Guys....that was exciting...

I listed a bunch of places above that have excellent atmospheres. Memorable, interesting decor. More like the Tavern/Bricktown Brewpub, less like 5 guys/Fuddruckers. 5 stars for any rating system should be reserved for far above average, about as good as that kind of place can get.
3 stars for average, 4 stars for above average.

The interior there is average or maybe slightly above average for this sort of place (about in line with Red Robin, Smashburger etc). Saying it's 5 stars makes me doubt the veracity of the review.

Also, I feel like I've entered a meme time warp. Keep 'em coming!

As a category, “atmosphere” is pretty vague and even more subjective than quality of food or service.  What to rate somewhere very clean and newly remodeled, but with boring or clichéd décor?  Even a low rating for atmosphere does not mean it’s a bad place to eat or one I wouldn’t go to a lot.  I happen to love Claud’s and Bill’s Jumbo Burger, but would give them no better than 2 stars for atmosphere.  Both are cramped with little seating, the seating they have is uncomfortable, and there is a greasy film on everything.  However, they crank out great burgers that keep me coming back.

I heard the restaurant on the International Space Station has no atmosphere whatsoever.

So, I was in a place at noon about 3/4 mile from The Garage in Moore.  Went to see what it's all about.

Clean enough.  Most of the staff very enthusiastic and attentive.  Decor - boring AND cliche'.  Music way loud.  TV's all over the place.  Tall bar style tables except for one small area.  I am betting it is much like Tulsa Garage....

Burgers - overpriced, of course.  Fairly decent - just some little thing I can't put my finger on about the spices/seasonings that just didn't quite hit the spot, but it was mostly good.  Very impressed that they got the assembly order correct - cheese/burger on top of the lettuce, tomato, etc.  Burger was done but still juicy so got the full good effect of assembly order.  Bread - well, it's a hamburger bun....what can ya say about white bread??  It's just a handle to get it to your pie hole.

Fries ok, but Ron's are better.  Lot-A-Burger the burgers ain't, but doesn't hurt to eat them.

3 out of 5.

Reverse order -

Location(s) Being Reviewed:  Moore OK
Date/Time of Visit: 2017 06 14 13:00:00 (Wednesday)
Quality of Food (1-5): 3
Menu/Food Options (1-5): 4     I guess - it's a burger & beer place...how many items do ya need for that??  
Quality of Service (1-5): 5
Atmosphere (1-5): 3    Derivative and cliche'.  Mostly very clean, except the first drink glass they gave me had 'stuff' on it.
Overall Rating (1-5): 3
Price ($-$$$$$): $$$ or $$$$.    
What makes this restaurant unique:  It's new and fresh, just like all the other cliche' theme burger places... (Smash, 5 Guys, etc)


Louder music and more TV's (or large bags of raw potatoes) doesn't make atmosphere in and of themselves.   The staff did a good job of enhancing the atmosphere.  As comparison, I think most of Ron's have reasonable 'atmosphere' - certainly no worse than these type places.  And I like retro/anti-atmosphere places like Lot-A-Burger....they have so little that it is a "lot" (kitchy)...and the burgers are better and cost less.  

I will go there again - before returning to Smash and 5.


One thing I would like to see is a burger and a taco 'meal' choice - they have so much other stuff on the menu, this should be no-brainer.

I was thinking along this same line a day or so ago regarding atmosphere for a burger joint, and how there does need to be some differentiation between various levels of expectation depending upon the type of establishment and Bill's Jumbo Burger was top of mind.   See, I'd give Bill's five stars for atmosphere because it is EXACTLY what I want and expect from that type of place, greasy film and all.  Claud's is also great, but (to me) almost too clean for a true dive hamburger place.  All of those similar places (Bill's, Claud's, Linda Mar, Hank's, et al...) can't be compared to a Smashburger-type place, because the expectation is completely different.

 

My first expectation is a great burger.  The Smash 5's are ok - they are edible - but the actual burger itself at all of those others is better.  And costs less.  Yeah, I do like the greasy film, 'cause that shows lots of experience at doing it right, but a clean place can be good - Claud's...I am going with what you say there 'cause it has been decades since I was there.  And no, I don't know why - I remember liking it a lot.


Like Del Rancho in OKC area, not pretty places, but the chicken fried steak rivals Nelson's.

Agreed.

Bill’s, like the original Ron’s which used to be at 15th & Harvard is the quintessential burger joint.  A few stools and a counter in a filthy old building.  Ron would order x amount pounds of meat every day, when he ran out, it was time to close.  None of these chains have near the character of the little joints. 

It may be cooked the same but I’ll probably never believe that a Ron’s burger at any of the franchise locations is near as good as what you'd get at 15th & Harvard with Ron Baber cooking on the flat top.  He had an ancient battered aluminum lid from some unknown pot or kettle he placed over the patties while they cooked.  I don’t know that I’ve ever seen someone cook with the intensity and passion as Ron did.

Bill's Jumbo Burgers inspires poetry. They will sell hundreds and hundreds of burgers out of a place smaller than my kitchen at home. My office sometimes stops working and demands Bill's Big Red burgers or they walk.

Any list of burger joints that doesn't have Bill's in the top two is fake news.

I use the lid-over-burger method at home most of the time.  There is something about that "steaming" that definitely adds to the flavor.

It's burger discussions like this that make me want to go to LA to visit family and friends and look for good burgers. This is a place I have been to that was outstanding but unfortunately the property owner sold the building and it's soon to close.


https://goo.gl/maps/WT8V42Hw7dU2 (https://goo.gl/maps/WT8V42Hw7dU2)

Well, that just sucks a big green one... that burger looked great!!   I have family that travels there regularly, now I cant tell them about that place...

Send them here, they won't be disappointed.

http://www.hawkinsburgers.com/ (http://www.hawkinsburgers.com/)


https://la.eater.com/maps/best-los-angeles-burgers-essential (https://la.eater.com/maps/best-los-angeles-burgers-essential)


http://www.lamag.com/digestblog/50-best-burgers-la/ (http://www.lamag.com/digestblog/50-best-burgers-la/)

Or if get out to the suburbs of Anaheim - on east Chapman is Angelos 2.  Wow!  And a Winchell's donuts right next door!!
They don't even have a website - THAT is how good they are!!


https://www.mapquest.com/us/california/restaurants-garden-grove/angelos-2-11511813

It is subjective as all restaurant ratings are, but if a pretty run of the mill place is 5 star, then just about every new place is also so that category is almost worthless. Claud's and Bill's might be 2/3 star in atmosphere but the food is delicious and Bill's 5 star food makes it 5 stars overall for sure. If there wasn't great food, the atmosphere alone wouldn't bring in customers so 2-3 stars makes sense but I can see rebound's point that it could be higher.

If you give a place 5 stars, you're saying that's as good as it gets (in it's category).

Maybe some people take the "atmosphere" category too literally and look only at cleanliness and quality of facilities. I would consider overall decor, uniqueness and vibe of the place important also. So Bill's might be old and a bit greasy, but the feel of a small old hamburger shack makes it better to some than a brand new chain with no soul. There are quite a few "greasy spoon"/dive fans.