Best
of
Tulsa

Presented by The Tulsa Voice

You Voted. We Tabulated.

Check out your 2017, 2016 and 2015 winners. For more from The Tulsa Voice, sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Food & Drink

Best
Seafood White River Fish Market

FINALISTS: Bodean Restaurant & Market, Yokozuna

Best
Chinese P.F. Chang’s

FINALISTS: Golden Gate, Pei Wei

Best
Italian Mondo’s Ristorante Italiano

FINALISTS: Dalesandro’s, Ti Amo

Kilkenny’s
Irish Pub

Kilkenny’s is midtown’s Emerald Isle, and the pub has one of the most extensive and consistent menus in town—plus rotating special monthly menus. The servers and bartenders are friendly and knowledgeable, and many of them have been there for years. Their drink menu features at least 12 Guinness concoctions, including the Bee Sting (Ketel orange vodka), the Blue Velvet (Angry Orchard cider, Fonseca ruby port), and the award-winning Guinness Bloody Mary, which pairs perfectly with a breakfast boxty or benedict. It’s also the place to go for a late-night snack—they have deals every night after 10 p.m. 1413 E. 15th St. | tulsairishpub.com

Best
Brunch

FINALISTS: Dilly Diner, SMOKE. on Cherry Street

Best
Service

FINALISTS: Bull in the Alley, The Tavern

Best
Bloody Mary

FINALISTS: McNellie’s Public House,
SMOKE. on Cherry Street

Best
Late-Night Dining

FINALISTS: Tacos Don Francisco, Phat Philly’s

Best
New Bar Roosevelt’s

FINALISTS: Cabin Boys Brewery, The Starlite

Best
Grocery Store Reasor’s Foods

FINALISTS: Sprouts Farmers Market, Trader Joe’s

Best
Bakery Antoinette Baking Co.

FINALISTS: Ann’s Bakery, Merritt’s Bakery

Best
Coffee Shop Coffee House on Cherry Street

FINALISTS: Shades of Brown, Topeca Coffee

Best
Liquor Store Parkhill’s Warehouse Liquors & Wines

FINALISTS: Deep Discount Wine & Liquor, Ranch Acres Wine & Spirits

Best Vegetarian/ Health Food Chimera Cafe

FINALISTS: Big Al’s Healthy Foods, Zoës Kitchen

Half of Chimera’s menu includes vegan/vegetarian-friendly options, and many of their items can be made gluten-free. Open from breakfast to late-night in the Tulsa Arts District, this health-conscious café and bar depends on partnerships with local farms like Dry Creek Refuge, 413 Farm, West O’ Main, Lomah Dairy, and Fisher’s Eggs. Chimera is also serious about coffee—they offer beans from local and established roasters, as well as six different brew methods, including Nitro, which is served cold and without ice. Their inventive cocktails flaunt house-made syrups and fresh juices, and their taps are always rotating beer options. And their sandwiches are as packed as their salads are stacked (the delicious kale-based Lily’s Special Salad is topped with smoky hummus, avocado, cashew cheese, and adzuki strips, which are a hearty and flavorful vegetarian alternative to bacon). 212 N. Main St. | chimeratulsa.com

Best Bartender Aaron Post – Valkyrie

FINALISTS: Gavin Hatcher – Saturn Room, Lynn Robertson – The Starlite

Though Valkyrie owner Aaron Post is busy getting a new Blue Dome District bar in order, he has been known to get behind the bar at Valkyrie now and again. “I built Valkyrie so we could have a place to have world-class cocktails in a fun-loving environment,” he said. “Our mantra is ‘playfully serving serious drinks.’” Post’s favorite cocktail depends on the day, though lately he calls a Boulevardier his go-to. But if he ordered a drink using Valkyrie’s three-word choose-your-own-adventure option? “Bitter, strong, innovative,” he said. Valkyrie expanded their spirit library in May 2017, adding shelves and a dreamy rolling ladder system. “We opened with 80 spirits and liqueurs in 2012, and we added shelves because I started collecting rare and harder-to-find spirits,” Post said. Now, Valkyrie has about 680 and counting. “It’s a fun project.” 13 E. M.B. Brady St. | valkyrietulsa.com

Best
Food Truck Lone Wolf BanH Mi

FINALISTS: Andolini’s Pizzeria, Mr. Nice Guys

Best
Chicken Fried Steak The Brothers Houligan

FINALISTS: Charleston’s, The Brook Restaurant & Bar

Best
Sandwich Phat Philly’s – Phat Philly’s Cheesesteak

FINALISTS: Lassalle’s New Orleans Deli – Po Boy,
Lone Wolf Banh Mi – Banh Mi

Best Burger Fat Guy’s Burger Bar

FINALISTS: Ron’s Hamburgers & Chili, The Tavern

In a city of great burgers, the Fat Guy’s burger customization is unmatched. Each of us has unique tastes and preferences, and Fat Guy’s embraces the personal touch, celebrating all that a burger can be. With nearly twenty toppings available at no extra charge, you’re free to create the burger of your dreams, whether that means playing it safe with the usual suspects or swinging for the fences with (for example) a jalapeño relish/green chiles/grilled pineapple pizza burger. In opening the door to such variety, Fat Guy’s burgers are seasoned with the spice of life. 140 N. Greenwood Ave., 7945 S. Memorial Dr., and 1009 N. Elm St., Broken Arrow | fatguysburgers.com

Best Middle Eastern/ Mediterranean Laffa Medi-Eastern
Restaurant & Bar

FINALISTS: Papa Ganouj, Zoës Kitchen

The chefs at Laffa know the food might be a little foreign to Oklahomans, so they suggest going on this culinary adventure with friends. Share an appetizer—tabouli or harissa carrot salad, a Greek dip or West African hummus—before moving on to choose an entrée, something like dhofar lamb for meat-lovers, or mujadarra for vegans. You might struggle to pronounce your orders the first time around, but don’t worry—the wait-staff and bartenders are more than happy to help with recommendations. 111 N. Main St. | laffatulsa.com

Best
Pizza Andolini’s Pizzeria

FINALISTS: East Village Bohemian Pizzeria, Hideaway Pizza

Best
Chef Ben Alexander – The Tavern, Bull in the Alley

FINALISTS: Roque Heidler – The Chalkboard,
Trevor Tack – McNellie’s Group

Best
Takeout Pizza Hideaway Pizza

FINALISTS: Andolini’s Pizzeria, Pie Hole Pizzeria

Best
Tacos Tacos Don Francisco

FINALISTS: Elote Cafe & Catering, Torchy’s Tacos

Best
Farmers Market Cherry Street Farmers Market

FINALISTS: Rose District Farmers Market, Bixby Farmers Market

Best
Barista Rachel Webb – The Gypsy Coffee House

FINALISTS: Andrew Jolly – DoubleShot Coffee Company,
Devin Parham – Topeca Coffee

Best Steak Bull in the Alley

FINALISTS: Mahogany Prime Steakhouse, SMOKE. on Cherry Street

Look for the green doors and the titular trinket in the titular alley to find our readers’ vote for best steak in Tulsa. The alley is behind The Tavern, with which the Bull shares a kitchen. The fixtures and dress of the place are beyond opulent, and wandering through the innocuous emerald doors for a first time is like stepping into the ballroom scene from “The Shining.” The food ain’t cheap, but they do serve Miller High Life. The alley | bullinthealley.com

Best Indian India Palace

FINALISTS: Desi Wok, Himalayas - Aroma of India

Tulsa doesn’t have a lot in the way of Indian food—an all-day buffet and a Pan-Asian restaurant form the bulk of our offerings—but everything we have is surprisingly great for a mid-sized Oklahoma city. India Palace offers a great lunch buffet, but the spot is certainly one to choose for a date. Beautiful tapestries and fixtures adorn the restaurant, and the dishes live up to the ambiance. Their menu is precisely what you would imagine from the best Indian restaurant in town, and they have what one New York television culinary chef told us is “the best rice pudding [he’d] ever had.” Their individual dishes are incredible, but the lunch buffet is always there for unadventurous eaters who need a wide selection to try—or overadventurous eaters who aren’t afraid to go four-plates. 6963 S. Lewis Ave. | theindiapalacetulsa.com

Best Diner Dilly Diner

FINALISTS: Brookside By Day, Tally’s Good Food Cafe

With décor of yore, food for modern tastes, and breakfast served all day, it’s clear why Dilly Diner takes this title. Their menu ranges from classics like griddle cakes and burgers to exciting entrées like Bananas Foster French toast (yes, please) and mac ‘n cheese carbonara. But even the simple items are diddied up: garlic and chipotle aiolis, homemade brioche, house-made pickles—plus a bakery case full of pies, cookies, cupcakes, what have you. Here’s brunch advice: Green eggs and ham and a coffee cocktail. 402 E. 2nd St. | dillydiner.com

Best Deli Trenchers Delicatessen

FINALISTS: Jason’s Deli, Lambrusco’z

Regulars of Trenchers Delicatessen give a common warning: If you’re going for lunch, get there early. The crowd that bustles into Trenchers throughout the day is a testament to the food’s exceptional taste. But one look at the sandwiches—from the Dutch Crunch (a micro-green-and-avocado-stuffed turkey sandwich) to the chicken swizzle (a garlic-marinated and cucumber pickle-topped grilled chicken flatbread)—makes even the most skeptical deli-goer a believer. 2602 S. Harvard Ave. | facebook.com/trenchersdeli

Best
Thai Lanna Thai

FINALISTS: KEO Asian Cuisine, My Thai Kitchen

Best
Vietnamese Lone Wolf Banh Mi

FINALISTS: Pho Nhi Vietnamese Noodle House, Ri Le’s

Best
View The Penthouse Bar at The Mayo Hotel

FINALISTS: Blue Rose Café, El Guapo’s Cantina

Best
Korean Lone Wolf Banh Mi

FINALISTS: Korean Garden, Gogi Gui

Best
Japanese/Sushi Yokozuna

FINALISTS: In the Raw, Osaka

Best
Mexican El Tequila

FINALISTS: El Guapo’s Cantina, El Rio Verde

Best Restaurant for Locally Sourced Ingredients Elote Cafe & Catering

FINALISTS: Bramble Breakfast & Bar, Chimera Cafe

Opened in 2008, Elote was the first Tulsa restaurant to recycle, compost, and use biodegradable takeaway containers. The restaurant has proven a dedication to sustainability and local foods, proudly partnering with such vendors as Greenwood Farm, Highland Dairy, Pancho Anaya Panaderia, Lucy’s Tortillas, J-M Farms, Cheatwood’s Honey, Thirst Wines, Marshall Brewing Company, Prairie Artisan Ales, Coop Ale Works, R&G Family Grocers, Eden Veggies, and others. Elote offers a mix of classic Mexican fare and newer takes, like quinoa or jackfruit tacos. 514 S. Boston Ave. | elotetulsa.com

Best Breakfast Brookside By Day

FINALISTS: Dilly Diner, Tally’s Good Food Cafe

Whether you’re off to an early start or nursing the self-inflicted wounds from a few hours earlier and a few blocks up the road, Brookside By Day has you covered. For those in the latter camp, an Angel Fire Burrito or Fred’s Country Benny—both served with T-Town’s most beloved home fries—might not only save your life, but also your soul. And since the addition of a bar a few years back, that salvation can come with the requisite dose of hair of the dog. 3313 S. Peoria Ave. | brooksidebyday.com

Best Dive Bar Soundpony

FINALISTS: Arnie’s Bar, Mercury Lounge

An argument could be made that Tulsa’s best dive is actually Club Sidewalk. There’s always a post-2 a.m. gathering outside Soundpony, where revelers linger in a last-ditch effort to keep the party rolling. It’s equally a place of hope and of lament. But Club Sidewalk doesn’t serve drinks. And Soundpony has hot dogs. 409 N. Main St. | thesoundpony.com

Best New Restaurant Torchy’s Tacos

FINALISTS: Amelia’s Wood Fired Kitchen, Roosevelt’s

Though new to Tulsa, your choice for Best New Restaurant has been around since 2006, when it began as a single trailer in Austin. Years of experimentation and recipe tweaks have resulted in staples like carnitas and beef barbacoa sharing menu space with less common—though no less delicious—taco fillings like blackened salmon and fried chicken. Now, Tulsa’s Torchy’s is one of nearly 60 locations across Texas, Colorado, and Oklahoma. Viva la revolución. 3330 S. Peoria Ave. | torchystacos.com

Best
Barbecue Burn Co Barbecue

FINALISTS: Albert G’s Bar-B-Q, Oklahoma Joe’s Bar-B-Cue

Best
Family Dining Hideaway Pizza

FINALISTS: The Brook Restaurant & Bar, Charleston’s

Best
Patio Blue Rose Cafe

FINALISTS: El Guapo’s Cantina, Roosevelt’s

Best
Wine List Vintage 1740

FINALISTS: Polo Grill, The Wine Loft

Best
Cocktails Valkyrie

FINALISTS: Cosmo Cafe, Hodges Bend

Best
Brewery Marshall Brewing Company

FINALISTS: Cabin Boys Brewery, Prairie Artisan Ales

Best
Bar for Smokers Arnie’s Bar

FINALISTS: Caz’s Pub, The Yeti

Best
LGBT Bar/Club Club Majestic

FINALISTS: Soundpony, Yellow Brick Road

Best
Place to Watch the Big Game Elgin Park

FINALISTS: Bricktown Brewery, Fassler Hall

McNellie’s
Public House

It’s commonly believed in Ireland that you can’t beat pub food, and McNellie’s makes that the truth in Tulsa, too. As well as traditional pub fare like fish and chips, cottage pie, and chicken curry, you’ll find menu items to please any picky eater. From chips and queso to sweet potato fries to damn good burgers, McNellie’s is the best place to pair a drink—from an extensive 300+ beer list—with a meal. Be advised: It’s just $4 for a burger and fries every Wednesday night. 409 E. 1st St. and 7031 S. Zurich Ave. | mcnellies.com

Best
Bar Food

FINALISTS: Elgin Park, Fassler Hall

Best
Spot for Day Drinking

FINALISTS: Fassler Hall, Hodges Bend

Best
Beer Selection

FINALISTS: Roosevelt’s, Prairie Brewpub

Arts & Entertainment

Best
Gallery Living Arts

FINALISTS: Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa Hardesty Arts Center, Tulsa Artists’ Coalition Gallery

Best
Museum Philbrook Museum of Art

FINALISTS: Gilcrease Museum, Woody Guthrie Center

Best
Record Store Starship Records & Tapes

FINALISTS: Josey Records, Spinster Records

Best
Open Mic The Gypsy Coffee House

FINALISTS: The Colony, The Fur Shop

Best
Trivia Night Trivia with Jack at Soundpony

FINALISTS: Fuel 66 Tulsa, Saturn Room

Best
Comedy Night The Loony Bin

FINALISTS: The Fur Shop, Soundpony Comedy Hour

Best Public Art First Friday Art Crawl

FINALISTS: Día de los Muertos Murals, Woody Guthrie Center Mural

One of the many draws in the Arts District is the First Friday Art Crawl. Participating cafés, shops, galleries, and bars feature a wide range of local art the first Friday of every month, and many complement their impromptu galleries with live music performances. The First Friday Annual Portrait Show (this year held on May 5), located in the alley behind The Tavern and Prairie Brewpub, features portraits of Tulsans by total strangers and is especially popular. Tulsa Arts District | thetulsaartsdistrict.org

Best Visual Artist Sarah Sullivan

FINALISTS: Tyler Thrasher, Chris Mantle

Sarah Sullivan wants to make your dreams come true. Specifically, your dreams of cuddling with confetti and making geometry “all shapes, no math.” Her art, branded under Sullystring, takes the forms of wall hangings, pillows, paintings, murals, and placemats. You might recognize her colorful, whimsical work from the outer walls of the Gateway building (home of Habit Mural Festival and First Street Flea), the entryway at The First Ward hair studio, Philbrook Museum of Art’s gift shop, Domino magazine’s December 2017 issue, and this Best of Tulsa cover. Sullystring is poppin’! sullystring.com

Best
Performing Arts Space Tulsa Performing Arts Center

FINALISTS: Guthrie Green, Living Arts

Best
Party of the Year Cry Baby Hill

FINALISTS: Linde Oktoberfest, St. Patrick’s Day Block Party in the Blue Dome District

Best
Small Music Venue The Vanguard

FINALISTS: The Colony, Soundpony

Best
Karaoke The Warehouse Bar & Grill

FINALISTS: Elote Cafe & Catering, The Starlite

Best
Movie Theater Warren Broken Arrow 18

FINALISTS: AMC Southroads 20, Circle Cinema

Best
Photographer Valerie Grant

FINALISTS: Western Doughty, Jeremy Charles

Best Performing Arts Company Tulsa Ballet

FINALISTS: Theatre Tulsa, Tulsa Symphony

Tulsa Ballet is a not-for-profit professional ballet company that has blended contemporary and classical dance for Oklahomans every year since 1956. Today the organization maintains its determination to bring world-class ballet to the Midwest heartland. Artistic Director Marcello Angelini has been widely recognized for his creative innovation and international influence—in February this year, Tulsa Ballet brought the U.S. premiere of “Strictly Gershwin,” the company’s largest production to date, requiring at least 38 dancers, four singers, and roughly 50 musicians. 1212 E. 45th Pl. | tulsaballet.org

Best Casino Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

FINALISTS: Osage Casino Tulsa, River Spirit Casino Resort

Quantifying “Best Casino” is a little tricky. Does it mean loosest slots, best free soft drink stations, or most confusing carpet patterns? In the case of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, it could mean all three … but they certainly get a leg up with their concerts and celebrity guests. The likes of ZZ Top and Elvira have stopped by in the past, and upcoming events include the Cherokee musical Nanyehi and Jay Leno and his big-ass chin. 777 W. Cherokee St., Catoosa | hardrockcasinotulsa.com

Best Podcast The Sound of Tulsa

FINALISTS: From a Basement in Tulsa, Opinions Like A-Holes

The Tulsa podcasting scene is reaching critical mass, with everybody and their mother, and their mother’s mother, seeming to spend weekly time behind the mic. We believe Mayor Bynum issued a decree that every standup comic must have at least three podcasts in development at all times. Our readers zeroed in on The Sound of Tulsa as their favorite podcast. The weekly ‘cast features in-depth interviews from Tulsa’s historically rich, currently booming music scene. soundcloud.com/thesoundoftulsa

Best Local Album Big Bad Luv  by John Moreland

FINALISTS: Red Dirt Improvisations  – Dean DeMerritt, Zunis  – Zunis

On his third album, Moreland explores new directions in both sound and songwriting. The cathartic melancholy he’s known for is still present, but it’s joined by the wisdom that comes with going through the ringer and coming out on the other side, an appreciation for perspective gained through tough times, and hope that the lessons learned can carry us through trials ahead. On the album’s penultimate track, Moreland sings, “Don’t let me turn to dust to turn a phrase/Could you help me wash these years off of my face?/‘Cause they don’t suit me, babe, like before.” John Moreland is looking forward.   johnmoreland.net

Best Free
Entertainment Guthrie Green

FINALISTS: First Friday Art Crawl in The Tulsa Arts District, Soundpony

Best
Night Club Soundpony

FINALISTS: Club Majestic, The Unicorn Club

Best Annual
Festival Linde Oktoberfest

FINALISTS: Blue Dome Arts Festival, Mayfest

Cain’s
Ballroom

Best
All-Ages Venue

FINALISTS: BOK Center, Guthrie Green

Best
Place for Live Local Music

FINALISTS: Guthrie Green, The Colony

Best
Large Music Venue

FINALISTS: BOK Center, Brady Theater

Best
Place to Dance

FINALISTS: Club Majestic, Soundpony

Around Town

Best
Place to Take Out-of-Towners Downtown Tulsa

FINALISTS: Philbrook Museum of Art, The Tulsa Arts District

Best
Vintage Clothing Store Cheap Thrills

FINALISTS: Goodwill, Vintage Vault

Best
Antique Store Retro Den

FINALISTS: River City Trading Post, Vintage Vault

Best
Nonprofit George Kaiser Family Foundation

FINALISTS: Domestic Violence Intervention Services, John 3:16 Mission

Best Local Gift Ida Red

FINALISTS: The Boxyard, Dwelling Spaces

For ten years, Ida Red has filled a niche in Tulsa’s gift-giving heart—or at least in owner Angelene Wright’s. After moving from manager to owner, Wright adopted an ambitious goal: making products she wanted but couldn’t find. Tulsa t-shirts, mugs, and even snow-globes can be found on the shelves, but souvenirs and city merch are just part of what’s for sale. Ida Red is designed to be family-friendly and holds a wide appeal in selection and price. “Fun stuff,” Wright said. “Toys, things that make people happy, that’s what I’m in the business of.” In execution, that means anything from Golden Driller plushies to bacon-scented soap. At the Tulsa Arts District location you’ll find more ephemeral joy in the forms of strawberry sundaes, chocolate milkshakes, root-beer floats, and old-fashioned candy. 3336 S. Peoria Ave. and 208 A N. Main St. | idaredgeneralstore.com

Best Clothing Store Goodwill

FINALISTS: Dillard’s, Urban Outfitters

Who needs a trip to the mall when you can stock up on vintage Michael Jordan tees, fanny packs, and tie-dye raincoats at the same place you get your used Left Behind hardbacks? Thrift stores have been the cornerstone of alt-fashion for years. Garage rockers, second-hand-hype-beasts, and all manner of weirdos shape our current fabric zeitgeist, and they do it largely from the racks of consignment stores. Goodwill is the Metallica of thrift. Even if you don’t need a Big Johnson shirt, you’ll find donation locations all over town for people to drop their no-longer-wanteds. It’s not just contrarian fashionistas searching the racks, after all, but also smart families on a shoestring budget who won’t pay full price for something that’ll hit these aisles in a year’s time. Various locations | goodwilltulsa.org

Best
Place to Shop Green Cherry Street Farmers Market

FINALISTS: Sprouts Farmers Market, Trader Joe’s

Best
Place to Learn Something New Tulsa City-County Library

FINALISTS: Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa Community College

Best
Picnic Spot Woodward Park

FINALISTS: Guthrie Green, River Parks

Best
Place for Cycling River Parks

FINALISTS: Cry Baby Hill, Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area

Best
Running/ Cycling/ Athletic Store Fleet Feet Sports

FINALISTS: Lululemon, Tom’s Bicycles

Best
Foot Race/Run Tulsa Run

FINALISTS: The Color Run, McNellie’s Pub Run

Best Tattoo Artist Kris “Squiggy” Snead – Black Gold Tattoos & Piercings

FINALISTS: Dustin Charles – Pen and Ink Tattoo, Kasey Wolfenkoehler – Mi Familia Tattoo

When he’s not playing drums in street punk band The Stiffies, Kris “Squiggy” Snead is permanently scarring Tulsan skin at Black Gold Tattoos & Piercings. Traditional style tattoos—your dice, lucky 13s, and nautical stars—routinely flow from his machine, but he’s made a solid name for himself with his incredibly detailed, photo-realistic portraits. Just like you should never trust a skinny chef, you should never trust a tattoo artist without ink on his hands. Squiggy’s knuckles, and his portfolio, should put you at ease. Black Gold Tattoo & Piercing, 3415 E. 11th St. | squiggytattoo.com

Best Hotel The Mayo Hotel

FINALISTS: Ambassador Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

This downtown hotel building is well near a century old, though its luxuries are pleasantly modern. After a $42 million-dollar renovation, The Mayo ensured its spot as a prime location for events and elegant stays. Extravagant spenders can enjoy king-size suites and luxury apartments, and they can host events for up to 500 guests. The rest of us can visit The Boiler Room restaurant and bar or the rooftop Penthouse Bar, voted the best view in Tulsa. 115 W. 5th St. | themayohotel.com

Best Bullshit Caller Blake Ewing

FINALISTS: Western Doughty, John Waldron

Blake Ewing is the only bullshit caller on the list of nominees to have his bullshit routinely called by other nominees. He’s also the only bullshit caller on the list of nominees to have his bullshit texts publicly printed by a Pulitzer Prize finalist who nearly received the award for her bullshit calling and suing of the state for execution records. Ewing is a Tulsa City Councilman, though he is not seeking reelection.

Best Place for People Watching Tulsa State Fair

FINALISTS: Guthrie Green, Walmart

Enthusiasm. You’ll see it on the faces of nearly every person at the Fair. Enthusiasm for adventure is in the eyes of Mega Ride Pass-sporting thrill-seekers and culinary explorers seeking new sinful-yet-wholly-irresistible fried morsels. Enthusiasm for the throwback jam is in every rusty dance move at the Oklahoma Stage. Enthusiasm for glory at the rodeo. The incomparable awe and delight on audience faces during the high-jump competition segment in a stunt dogs show is life-affirming. Go to the Fair for people-watching, and you might just become a people too. 4145 E. 21st St. | tulsastatefair.com

Best
Health/Fitness Center YMCA

FINALISTS: St. John’s Siegfried Health Club, Sky Fitness

Best
Place to Strike a (Yoga) Pose Guthrie Green

FINALISTS: Be Love Yoga Studio, SALT Yoga

Best
Public Park Woodward Park

FINALISTS: Guthrie Green, River Parks

Best
Place to Hike Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area

FINALISTS: Chandler Park, Redbud Valley Nature Preserve

Best
Place to Go With Your Dog Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area

FINALISTS: Biscuit Acres Dog Park, River Parks

Best
Salon Ihloff Salon and Day Spa

FINALISTS: The First Ward, Raw Elements

G.T. Bynum

At a time when social media etiquette is woefully absent from our country’s leaders, GT Bynum is keeping it classy. Follow his Facebook or Twitter for a consistent stream of updates on how he’s working to improve our city—or to see him celebrating others with the same goal. Also voted Tulsa’s best politician, Bynum reminds us in ways big and small that he won by demonstrating respect and positivity at a time when mainstream politics couldn’t be bothered with either. Facebook: @gtbynumfortulsamayor, Twitter: @gtbynum

Best Tulsan to Follow
on Social Media

FINALISTS: 918 Plate, Steve Cluck

Best
Politician

FINALISTS: John Waldron, None

Editor’s Picks

  • Best Potential NOLA’s Creole and Cocktails on Cherry Street. Seriously. We can’t wait. Runner-up: Kitchen 27 at Philbrook Museum of Art—recently revamped and now run by Chef James Shrader.
  • Best Caesar Salad Fried Brussels Sprout Caesar at Amelia’s. Holy shit.
  • Other Best Chinese Mandarin Taste. (With Golden Gate nabbing best classic American Chinese food and Sezchuan Express for drive-thru.)
  • Other Best Taco Pollo Asados al Carbon. Add the green sauce. And we’d like to give a special nod to El Burrito as TTV’s “official business” lunch spot.
  • Other Best Burger TTV staff cannot agree. Claud’s Hamburgers, Bill’s Jumbo Burgers, Ty’s Hamburgers, and Freddies Hamburgers are our leading favs.
  • Other Best New Bar The Starlite
  • Best new local restaurant Prairie Fire Pie. Half-price, half-size pies for happy hour. Woodfired pizza and fun fancy cocktails. (They do have $4 beer.)
  • Best dining experience The Tavern Chef’s Table
  • Best build-your-own sushi-in-a-bowl Poke Bowl Love
  • Best lakefood Crawpappy’s. We’re teasing. They have a great crawfish étouffée!
  • Best new donuts The Donut Hole on Brookside
  • Best soft serve ice cream that we didn’t know was missing from our lives Rotating flavors (á la whiskey cream, blue birthday cake, purple charcoal, dreamsicle, butterscotch, and tiramisu) at Lone Wolf’s downtown location
  • Best new Tiki cocktail The Lady Door at Oren—banana and rum and Cachaça, oh my.
  • Best condiment Baby D’s Bee Sting, providing five small-batch hot sauces with temps ranging from lip sweat to regret. Order at babydsbeesting.com and get stung.
  • Best place that makes us wish we lived farther south Levain Kitchen & Bakery
  • Best use of the former Maxxwells space Jane’s Delicatessen. Can you say “breakfast baby Reuben sandwich”?
  • Best activist group New Sanctuary Network of Tulsa, working to end the wholesale deportation of undocumented people from our community
  • Best art collective Holy Mother Collective
  • Best drag show Bamboo Lounge—especially if preceded by a comedy show. Get your dollar bills ready. Second best drag show Midnight drag races at Osage Casino’s Tulsa Raceway Park
  • Best future park Gathering Place. Get here already.
  • Best Tulsa-Italy connection Tulsa Artist Fellow Rachel Hayes’s collaboration with high-end Italian fashion powerhouse Missoni on their 2018 spring/summer collection. See more at rachelbhayes.com andmissoni.com. Go Rachel!
  • Best local Instagram account It’s impossible to pick just one. Here are some of our favs: @thisistulsa, @saisie, @spicydadrockmemes, @nategraceland, @pearljunior, and @no_jackson.
  • Best family night with an inflatable appliance race Tulsa Drillers game
  • Best performing arts company bringing “Hamilton” Celebrity Attractions
  • Best misspelled answer in the BOT nominations Be Okay Center
  • Best 10-year anniversary The BOK Center. Congrats!
  • Best Tulsa comedian not in Tulsa Marcia Belsky. Follow her on Facebook (her sworn enemy) right now.
  • Best Pool River Spirit Casino Resort pool, replete with a swim-up bar, poolside dining and beverage service, views of the oh-so-something Arkansas River, and no kids
  • Best place to rent an electric scooter and see an African penguin, Malayan tiger, Chinese alligator, and California sea lion The Tulsa Zoo
  • Best shop for obscure items you didn’t know you wanted Good Mischief
  • Best shop for wicker furniture, brass stuff, and crystals Jo & June
  • Best lunch break 30-minute seated massage at Sole Massage. Pro-tip: add an essential oil for a sensory upgrade.
  • Best button company The Umbrella Button
  • Best same-day cleaners Phoenix Cleaners
  • Best intersection for cars to slow the f*** down and stop running into a nearby restaurant 15th Street and Peoria Avenue (We love you, Palace Café.)
  • Best defunct landmark The giant Liquid Life bottle on I-44
  • Best construction zone All of Tulsa; progress as promised
  • Best trafficked story on thetulsavoice.com “Casa Bonita reborn” from Dec. 2016. We cannot figure out why.
  • Best one-star review of TTV on Facebook “I remember when Urban Tulsa was nothing but food/music reviews & advertisements for strip clubs. Now it’s just social justice smut.”
  • Best five-star review of TTV on Facebook “Excellent! All you haters don’t have to read it; you would shout down anyone with an opinion you don’t hold. It is free! What would please you, a refund?”
Photography by Greg Bollinger, Valerie Grant, Michelle Pollard, Joseph Rushmore.