CJ'S Kitchen — Restaurant in Choctaw

My wife and I went here this past Friday for our usual Friday night date night. We had dinner reservations for 7:30PM. We got there, and there were 4 other couples already waiting. There were at least 7 open tables, but despite that, we all ended up waiting 20 minutes to be seated. Once we (and the other customers) were seated, we were seated at the open tables that had sat there empty that entire time. Granted, there was a large party there (14'ish people consisting of about 6 adults and the rest juveniles), but there was plenty of staff on hand so that it shouldn't have overwhelmed them. So, I'm not sure why there was a 20 minute wait? If nothing else, they could have seated us and just said, "Sorry, it's going to be a minute". That would beat standing just inside the front door in a cramped little space with the other waiting customers and their children.

I ordered the ribeye, and my wife ordered the rotisserie chicken. The steak was tender, but I did have to send it back because it was more medium rare than medium well as I'd ordered. The chicken was tender and juicy as well. The bad thing is, they both had some kind of seasoning on them I couldn't hardly stand. Less than halfway through my steak I had to quit eating. I just couldn't stand the seasoning. Likewise, whatever they basted the steak with, it caused a really gross film on my teeth. It was really bothering me, so I ended up wiping my teeth off with my napkin. Not exactly something I like to do, but I didn't have a toothbrush handy and I wasn't about to use my shirt sleeve! But I definitely had to get that film off...

The part that I found most surprising, and a bit disturbing, is that something that was either on the chicken or on the steak caused my wife to have an allergic reaction (she ate a little bit of my steak, and I ate a little bit of her chicken...). It wasn't horrible, no epi needed or anything, but when we left she was complaining about her mouth and throat itching pretty bad. The only time that happens is when she has an allergic reaction to something she's eaten. She's not allergic to steak, chicken, salad or sweet potatoes, so I can only assume it was the seasoning on the meats since for whatever reason the seasoning was really bothering me. So, we stopped by a store afterwards and got her some Benadryl. I'd sure like to know what it was that caused the reaction... My wife said she was going to call them the next day to ask what was in the seasoning, but as of this time, I do not believe she has. But anyway, if you have food allergies, especially if they are bad, just be aware...

As for the staff, once they got past the 'horror' of the 14 or so person party they had, they did quite well. Numerous staff members came by and checked on us in addition to our normal server. We appreciate that kind of service. Likewise, they were all friendly and courteous. Moreover, the establishment was clean and the overall feeling of the place was good.

They had mixed drinks, and we love to have a single drink with our meal. But their drink prices are a little high for my taste, at an average of about $12 to $13 per drink. We enjoy a good Long Island Iced Tea, which given the prices we saw, we were afraid it would be about $16. That's totally unreasonable and I just won't pay that. So, she just had water and I had a soda. Not what we wanted, but $30+ for 2 drinks is ridiculous.

Unfortunately, we're stuck deciding between giving the place a 2 or a 3-star rating. 3 seems a little generous, all things considered. Whereas 2 seems a little low. But considering the final price of everything, the fact that my wife ended up with an allergic reaction to something they served us, the fact that we ended up throwing away our leftovers rather than eating them, along with the other things here that I've mentioned, we've got to go with the 2.

Sadly, this will be a one and done for us. We were hoping the Choctaw area had finally came up with a more formal dining experience that we'd really enjoy. Sadly, that's...

My husband and I have gone here many times and have always for the most part had a good experience. Although, this last trip was quite disappointing to say the least. We met a couple of friends there and were also bringing home Togo food for my husbands grandparents. Everything started out great until we got our food. Myself, and the other lady that was with us, ordered chicken quesadillas. Well there was no chicken in them. So I told the waitress. She then requested our plates back. I told her I still wanted to eat my rice and beans. So reluctantly she left the plate. As if she were worried I’d eat my all cheese quesadilla? About 45 mins later we FINALLY got our quesadillas. Of course by this time my husband and the other gentleman had already been beyond well done with their food. The plates were extremely hot, however, the quesadillas were not. To be fair, the cheese wasn’t even melted and there were small bits of chicken just topped on it. I asked for a side of sour cream, and the waitress informed me it would cost additional. Baffled, I said it came with my original plate so I should have it for the food that was halfway right, right?? Extremely disappointing and nonetheless annoying. Our waitress apologized many times and even said we would get a discount for the quesadillas for the inconvenience. I made a joke after her walking off and said I wonder if a discount is a percentage off or if they would take off the whole thing. Surely they would comp the quesadillas right??? WRONG. 50% off the quesadillas. The experience was extremely disheartening. Yes I am pregnant, yes I have outrageous hormones. However, as someone that is in customer service, I do not feel things were handled the way most companies, would expect them to be. We took the Togo food to his grandparents. Sat there while they ate and they both said “there’s hardly any meat in here” it looked to be about two tablespoons in a chicken and beef Mexican salad. We were there at the restaurant about a total of two hours because of poor service. Was it worth our time? I’d say no. Was it worth the money? Absolutely not. We were all unpleasead with the experience to...

A Hidden Gem in Choctaw That Blew Us Away!

We’ve lived in the Choctaw area for over seven years, and I genuinely can’t believe we waited this long to discover CJ’s Kitchen. What we thought was just another southern-style home cooking spot in the Queso's building, turned out to be a phenomenal dining experience that rivaled and in many ways, surpassed five-star restaurants and all-inclusive resorts we've visited.

From the moment we walked through the door, we were greeted like VIPs. Our hostess and waitress (only 16!) were absolutely on point, professional, warm, attentive, and confident. Our waitress delivered service that outshined seasoned servers at far more "prestigious" places. It was honestly jaw-dropping.

Then came the food… Wow. I ordered the ribeye and was met with a cut so tender, so perfectly seasoned, it practically melted. Every bite was packed with flavor and cooked to absolute perfection. And let’s talk about the salad.... my goodness. I’m a salad junkie, and this was easily the freshest, crispest, most balanced salad I’ve ever had. The raspberry balsamic dressing was the cherry on top... tangy, sweet, and absolutely delicious.

This place is NOT what it looks like from the outside. Don’t judge this “book” by its cover

CJ’s Kitchen is an elevated, culinary surprise, delivering quality, presentation, and service that could compete in any major metro food scene, but with local Choctaw prices.

The portion sizes were just right, the pricing is spot on, and the overall vibe is refreshingly unpretentious with top-tier execution.

This is a true hidden gem, and I sincerely hope CJ’s stays around for many years to come. Please, please, don’t change a thing. The kitchen staff, the front-of-house team, the menu, the hospitality... all of it is dialed in.

We’ll absolutely be back and next time, we’re bringing friends.

CJ’s Kitchen, you’ve earned a loyal customer. Keep doing exactly what you’re doing. You’re setting a new standard for local dining in...