Jarod W.
Yelp
Having visited this restaurant 5 times, I believe that it deserves a review. After opening in the summer of 2023, initially there were many compliments and encouraging words surrounding Fixins. Since then, the streets have been divided on whether to praise Fixins or disgrace it.
The hype for Fixins began during construction. The anticipation began when they put the name on the building months before opening. When they finally did, the line was wrapped around the building for days. It felt impossible to get a seat or make a reservation. Now, there's only a crowd on the weekends. Tulsa has a good selection of Soul Food restaurants (My Momma's House, Wanda J's, Sweet Lisa's, etc.), this felt modern and fun, people were excited. Generally, Tulsa's Soul Food is inexpensive but unfortunately Fixins' menu items are pricier than many restaurants in the area, let alone other soul food establishments.
I've visited June 10th, June 30th, October 30th (2023), January 26th, and January 28th (2024). The first year of opening the service was spotty. Sometimes there wasn't a host present, there were often more guests than servers and the service was inconsistent. In my more recent visits, the service has gotten better: there's often a host present to greet you and the server is more attentive. But, the biggest topic of controversy is the food itself. I've heard many complaints but I'll only speak on what I've witnessed firsthand. Of the five times I've visited, I ordered; 1) Mac & Cheese with a Mojito, 2) Oxtails with okra & rice, 3) Smothered Chicken with Yams and Black-Eyed Peas, 4) Chicken Sandwich with Black Eyed Peas, 5) Peach Cobbler. The Mac & Cheese was a little dry but it wasn't terrible. The bartender made a great mojito and the Mac & Cheese has gotten better since then. The oxtails come bone-in & sauced which makes consuming them difficult and messy. The flavor & presentation was great but I didn't think it was worth the price. The okra is seasoned but it out comes whole, not sliced, and was tough to chew. The rice was rice. I remember the gravy on the smothered chicken being better than the chicken itself and the black-eyed peas being salty. The yams were yummy! Exactly how you'd expect at Thanksgiving. The chicken sandwich was pretty good but for $14 I would sacrifice the experience for a cheaper meal (and it's the cheapest menu entrée). The second time I ordered the black-eyed peas they were just as salty. So far, my favorite visit was when I simply ordered the Peach Cobbler. It comes out in a mini-skillet, warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It's simple but it's decadent and warms your soul.
During these five visits, I've often gone with a friend or a group and I've been privy to their experiences. I was told that the Kool-Aid Flavas were too sweet (so be sure to ask for ice), the chicken was too greasy, someone's chicken wasn't cooked through, the salad is too expensive, and the buttermilk biscuits were dry.
Moving on, Fixins has many great things to lean on. The space itself is very appealing, they have a fully comprehensive bar and it has a built-in DJ booth. There's plenty of diverse seating throughout the restaurant. The large glass windows allow for wonderful lighting and there's a private room available for large parties/events.
Now, after all of that I could understand if you'd prefer to dine elsewhere or avoid the establishment altogether. It's rather expensive, parking may be an issue and you may or may not end up liking your food. After my experiences, I think that the mixed reviews are justified but you still won't know until you try. For me, they seem to be getting better with their service and more consistent with their food so I say give it a swing.
