If you’re looking for a restaurant in Tulsa that feels special but never stuffy, 1925 at the Mayo Hotel, 115 W. Fifth St., is a fantastic pick. Tucked inside one of the city’s most historic buildings — the iconic Mayo Hotel, which opened in 1925 — this spot isn’t just about eating (although the food is pretty special), but rather enjoying a slice of Tulsa’s past while having a great night out.
Walking into the Mayo Hotel and its grand hall, you can’t help but feel a little fancy — the hotel gives Gatsby vibes. 1925 has all the art deco charm you’d expect from a restaurant in the Mayo with its high ceilings, cozy leather furniture and plenty of gold accents to keep things glamorous without going overboard.
Fried half chicken with zucchini pickles
Michelle Pollard
Tulsa’s Snyder family (who operate under Brickhugger LLC) purchased the hotel in 2001, restoring it completely and reopening it in 2009. There have been a few other restaurants in the space since reopening — such as Trula and The Boiler Room.
1925, which opened earlier this summer, may feel like a step back in time, but the modern menu offerings make this a true Tulsa gem. “I encourage my team to adopt the 65th Wedding Anniversary mindset,” Executive Chef and Culinary Director Cameron Werry says. “That means every dish we create should be prepared with the same care, reverence and intention as if it’s being served to a couple celebrating 65 years of love and commitment.”
Beef tenderloin with smoked potato puree and charred cipollini onions
Michelle Pollard
To start, Werry says not to skip the jumbo lump crab cake. “Growing up on the West Coast and studying in San Francisco, I’ve always had a deep love for seafood,” he says. It is made with lump crab meat, pan-seared and served with a white anchovy remoulade and apple-fennel slaw.
Other starters (which are great sharable options) include a cheese and charcuterie board, butter-poached beef carpaccio and Peroni beer-battered lobster. A trio of salad options are available with optional chicken, shrimp or seared tuna.
For mains, the fried half chicken takes the spotlight. “It has a real ‘wow’ factor when it’s presented tableside,” Werry says. The beef tenderloin with wild mushroom confit on a bed of creamy smoked potato hash was a winner on the night we visited, as was the braised pork belly, generous and meaty on a grits-like corn puree. There is a fish option (black cod when we visited) and a vegetarian wild mushroom Bolognese.
Cheesecake with fig and walnut jam atop a burnt orange sauce
Michelle Pollard
For dessert, the flourless chocolate torte is rich and fudgy, but not too sweet, served with Amaretto-laced crème anglaise. Other options include cheesecake with fig and walnut jam and burnt orange sauce, and a seasonal creme brulee.
The drinks menu is impressive, featuring classics like the Boulevardier and Brandy Alexander, as well as modern spins on these classics, such as the 1925 Old Fashioned and the Oklahoma Smoke Show, a raicilla mezcal-based cocktail named after a popular Zach Bryan song.
“The Snyder family fully embraced all of my ideas,” Werry says.
The bar opens daily at 4 p.m., dinner at 5 p.m at 1925 at the Mayo Hotel, closing at 10 p.m., Sunday-Wednesday, and midnight, Thursday-Saturday. Find more information at 1925atthemayo.com
Dining and Cooking