Reba's Place — Restaurant in Atoka

Now I looked at the reviews about Reba's and to be honest I wasn't sure I'd love it. The price in comparison to the meals made me apprehensive. I wasn't sure it was going to be worth the drive. I tried to find other things to do in the area to make the drive worth it and to be honest there isn't much around. However, I'm a risk taker so I loaded up my mother and we started driving!

When we arrived to Reba's my initial thought was boy. The building is beautiful!! It is three stories tall and it has an area outside that is blocked off so you could take pictures or hang out outside while you're waiting for your table. We drove down main Street. Main Street is speckled with cute little boutiques. I highly recommend strolling through them!

We parked, checked in and we were given an hour wait time. We chose to take the stairs up to the third floor where we found the sitting area, library and the gift shop. It's beautiful!! The second floor is additional seating with an overview of the downstairs. After taking our time checking everything out we received our text saying our table was ready. We took the stairs back down to the first floor. I'd like to mention there is an elevator for those with mobility issues.

We were sat smack dab in the middle of the first floor dining area. The table was the perfect size. The table setting had fresh flowers in a small vase, a candle with an "R" engraved on the glass, the perfect water glass, salt/pepper grinders, then your typical fork, spoon, butter knife, cloth napkin and salad plate. Just the cutest!

Our waitress started us off topping off our water glasses. Then brought out complimentary fresh veggie sticks (carrots, radish, cucumber and celery). As well as a basket of banana bread, lemon poppyseed muffin, cowboy cornbread and rye bread. They came with a lemon spread and a cream cheese spread I believe. We ordered sweet tea and it was delicious!

My mom ordered the meatloaf with pinto beans and cornbread as an additional side. When I tell you don't skip the beans and cornbread served with a dollop of fresh butter, I mean it!! The flavors are outstanding!! The meatloaf was really good too. Definitely worth trying. She also enjoyed the pimento cheese, mac and cheese.

I ordered the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and green beans. With an additional side of pimento cheese, mac and cheese. The chicken fried steak was bigger than my head and absolutely worth the drive to eat it again!! The pimento cheese mac and cheese was outstanding! I preferred it all mixed together and cooled rather than when it was fresh and hot out of the kitchen. The potatoes and gravy were delicious as well.

We were stuffed, but it was the day before my mom's birthday so naturally we had to try the carrot cake. I really want to say we loved it but it was not what we were expecting. I'd try it again. I just think when it was made that day they went really heavy on the nutmeg so we both had two bites then put it in a to-go box so we wouldn't be questioned about why we didn't eat it. (Sorry guys) The meal was closed with complimentary cranberry chocolate chip cookies. They were delightful!!

Overall, highly recommend!! We both decided we would bring our husbands next time. Reba did it right with this restaurant. Her Niece is the restaurant manager. She's not only sweet as pie but she was doing just as much as the rest of the staff. I watched her remove dirty dishes, clean tables, clean the floor, greet guest, take photos and all of it while humblingly smiling. Her joy and pride was overflowing.

The rest of the staff was just as sweet and wholesome from the front of the house, to the gift shop, to the bar staff, wait staff and the singer. I felt like I was in a building wrapped in a warm hug. I genuinely can not recommend...

Food: Chicken Fried Steak actually lives up to its hype, it's very hard to find a CFS that isn't to greasy, has great breading and is not too chew. It was delicious but doesn't come with enough white gravy especially considering that the mashed potatoes are hidden under the CFS and the small amount of gravy has to be shared between the two. There is also green beans that come with the CFS and those were absolutely horrible and were like biting into a milkweed stem. The Steakhouse Salad has good flavor but is rather spicy and should come with a warning on the menu for those who don't like spicy food. Their baked potato was amazing and out of this world according to my wife. Their butter was extremely salty and not even edible. FYI the menu seems to change from what is shown online, we had previewed the menu before our visit but unfortunately couldn't find the menu items we were expecting. Table Setup: Now when it comes to the table set up and cleanliness of the utensils and plates, there's a lot of room for improvement. We appreciated and found it neat that they used various shape and style water carafe vessels at each table that were reminiscent of old liquor bottles. We also enjoyed the stoneware and vintage glassware that were used for drinking glasses. But immediately upon sitting down at our table the first thing we noticed was the food remnant's that were on my plate and my wife's silverware. My plate and my wife's fork had lettuce on them. Also the utensils were laid on a napkin but a dirty menu that has been handled by countless people were placed directly on top of the silverware hiding it from sight. I was unaware of the silverware being hid and subsequently knocked my fork onto the ground. At which time the table that was 2 feet from our table informed us they also had done the exact same thing.

Service: The service was poor since our waitress Sherry completely ignored our table but still frequently checked on her other tables that were just feet away from ours. I assume because she noticed my wife is disabled and on oxygen, so she probably thought we wouldn't be tipping well. The waitress took our order and the next time she came to the table was when we were finishing eating and she finally refilled my wife's tea which had been empty. The guy who brought the food to the table had a poor attitude and acted annoyed that he had to deliver the food. Following the tea refill the waitress avoided our table again so after a while of waiting for a check I finally went to the bar area and found a manager to accept our payment and it was at that moment that the waitress finally started showing up at our table. I will say we did encounter some nice staff and waitresses but unfortunately our waitress was horrible.

Reservations: The restaurant doesn't require reservations but it is best to make them in advance, especially during special events or holidays. We thankfully had reservations but when we arrived there were a lot of angry people who were turned away because there was not enough availability that day due to the eclipse happening that same day.

Elevator/Gift Shop: As of early April the elevator is out of service. So enable to access the Gift Shop which happens to be on the third floor you will have to climb up two flights of stairs. The gift shop is a typical gift shop but there are several couches present in a side room that can be used if there are long wait times to eat. Reba has several of her dresses on display on the 2nd and 3rd floor which are nice touches. My wife absolute loved the life sized recreation of The Voice chair since Reba is currently a judge on The Voice and my wife is a fan of the show. Kudos for the smart marketing and fun interactive experience located at...

What a stunning place! Truly a beautiful hidden gem nestled almost in the heart of Oklahoma. How noble of Miss Reba McEntire to invest in her hometown by revitalizing and beautifying the center of Atoka. I’ve been visiting Atoka for the past 15 years, and it holds a little piece of my heart. Mostly, I come down from Tulsa for work, and over time, I’ve come to know various people in the community who add so much value to it.

To see someone like Reba—who could’ve easily stayed detached—step in and make this already beautiful town even more appealing, well, that’s something special.

Now, I’ll break down my thoughts in the three categories Google Maps encourages us to review: Food, Service, and Atmosphere.

Food Presentation is a big deal for me, and this place nailed it. The plating was beautiful—carefully crafted, making the food feel exciting and inviting even before the first bite. I ordered the shrimp and grits. While the flavor wasn’t quite what I had hoped for, it was still enjoyable, and the visual presentation made up for the shortfall.

I did find the menu a bit confusing. It leans toward country-style dishes, which I expected, but not quite in the way I anticipated from a place like this. I was hoping to see a good steak on the menu, but only found ribs. That said, the pricing, though slightly on the higher side for the area, seems fair given the overall experience—it’s not just about the food, but the place itself.

Service This is where I feel the most improvement is needed. I don’t believe it’s intentional—more likely, the community just hasn't had a place like this before. The staff seemed unsure, overwhelmed, and perhaps undertrained in the type of hospitality expected from a high-profile venue. Small-town folks are usually warm and welcoming, but here the vibe was more nervous and scattered.

When I arrived, there were several empty two-person tables, but since I came alone, I was seated at the bar—something I didn’t appreciate, especially in work attire. It didn’t reflect well on my company, but I understood the reasoning and went along with it. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder why I wasn’t seated at one of the many small tables sitting unused.

Worse yet, I sat at the bar for over 10 minutes without being acknowledged or offered a drink. Eventually, a timid waitress came over and began the standard drink-offer routine. I politely declined alcohol, as I was clearly working. It just felt like the staff wasn’t prepared for the level of attention this place receives. The hospitality didn’t match the elegance of the venue.

Atmosphere Now here’s where they absolutely got it right. The remodel inside is stunning. The decor is tasteful, clean, and well thought-out. Even the exterior improvements enhanced the town’s overall charm without overshadowing nearby businesses. It feels like a true community landmark.

If I had to nitpick one thing, it’s the large lip at the bar counter. It’s just too wide to comfortably eat at, and the stools are a bit too low. It works fine for drinks, but for meals, it's awkward and uncomfortable. That definitely affected my experience while eating.

Final Thoughts Overall, this was a memorable experience. I loved the music, the cleanliness, and the care that went into designing this space. The bathrooms were spotless, and the ambiance was truly enjoyable. I look forward to returning and hope to see the service grow into the level of excellence that everything else already...