R Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Tulsa

R Bar is not the worst place I’ve ever been.
But its verging on the most forgettable. It's a gastro pub in the way every other place with craft beer and overpriced burgers is a gastro pub. There’s IPAs, something vaguely farm-to-table on the menu, and fries drenched in truffle oil, as if that’s still impressive in 2025. Spoiler: it’s not. Truffle oil is the Axe body spray of the culinary world. Loud, aggressive, and trying too hard to impress. Their Brunch? It’s plausible. Eggs that arrive lukewarm, paired with mimosas that taste like battery acid cut with Fanta. It’s the kind of meal that fuels a thousand Instagram stories and not a single fond memory. The Bloody Marys come loaded with so many garnishes that you wonder if they’re trying to distract you from the fact that it tastes like the salsa that is supposed to go with the- Wait... is that chips and salsa on the menu?

The burgers are big, I’ll give them that. Stacked like architectural renderings. Tall, dramatic, and hard to eat without unhinging your jaw like a snake. They're fine. Safe. Like someone did a book report on “pub food” and turned it in without reading the actual book.

The service, though, is where this place starts to unravel. It’s not hostile, exactly, just the kind of slow, inattentive, vaguely annoyed vibe that makes you question why you came here about three sips into your beer. Want a refill? Good luck. Might have to stage a search party. Want to sit comfortably while you wait for a table? Hope you like balancing on a barstool that wobbles like it’s been through three failed relationships. It's hard to imagine why there's a wait in the first place. Apparently if you have chairs on Brookside people will sit in them. But don't let the crowd and its size mislead you.

Oh, I almost forgot. "the crowd"—well, if you’ve been to one gastropub spot in a gentrified neighborhood, you’ve seen this movie before. Bros in Patagonia vests, couples on third dates trying not to admit they’re bored, and groups of brunch obsessed brutes loudly mispronouncing “hefeweizen” But hey, if you’re not expecting much, you might not be disappointed. R Bar isn’t trying to break new ground. It’s just here to serve up comfortable mediocrity with a side of soggy fries. And sometimes, maybe that’s enough.
But don't let them charge you...

5/21 3 star review. Finally a decent visit. Alec was great behind the bar, and I enjoyed the cactus flower. Deceptively strong for the size. A brand new guest to r bar recommended the queaadilla so I had that and it was one of the better meals.

1star review below: A lesson in mediocrity. After a few visits in just constantly disappointed in the low standard of food and service.

Original 2 star review below:

"great food lousy service" to quote my wife.

Overall, I would describe it as lack of direction. Each employee seemed like they were in the weeds, but none of them looked busy enough with tables or running things for them to be so inattentive. Our server was jack and despite his good spirits and personality left room for improvement. Bartenders drinks tasted rather weak in alcohol content and flavor. My wife's bloody Mary was supposed to come with a spicy rim, which isn't worth noting except that it was paid for and not delivered. Also a single shot of well vodka for $6 is unheard of. At least mentioning that we could have just gotten a second drink for $2 more would have been good service.

The only saving grace is that the food is wonderful. Lobster bisque was buttery and flavorful, chicken and waffles amazing, great fried chicken texture and jalapeño syrup. The French toast with its custard cream, but the eggs overcooked and plain and unseasoned.

Needs some care and attention in the service part, otherwise just...

I have been here at least 6 times, and in the past year something must have changed because the service is always just attractive/hip/young people that act like they've never been trained to serve. The menu is different than it used to be and it is a lot more boring and bland than it used to be (lunch and dinner, but especially lunch). The portions are small!! I saw some guide's review say they have large portions. This has not been my experience, in the past year or so. This is the only restaurant ever that I have left on numerous occasions feeling hungry! You can always buy sides a la carte, but the food already racks up the bill, as it is. The cocktails are really really inconsistent. Not bad. Just inconsistent. Cross your fingers you go on a night where the bartender actually knows the recipes. Also, don't forget to take your rain coat because the servers don't even know how to pour water, unless they are intentionally trying to make u feel like you're in the front row at Shamu stadium. Happens just about every other time. Never any apology for splashing me lol. You know what's funny about the service? I have consistently noticed that the people who clean the tables and clear my dishes are way more friendly, attentive, and polite than the servers. That's a...