Nelson's Buffeteria

Just like in school, you walk up to the serving line and tell them what you want, they make your plate, you take it to your seat and enjoy a fantastic meal. The menu varies by day, but has a staple of select comfort food that is served daily. The food is well prepared, we had the chicken fried chicken and baked spaghetti. The CFC was hand breaded and seasoned well and the baked spaghetti was as good as any fancy restaurant. The staff was friendly. I would highly recommend it.

One shouldn't get so excited about hot food arriving at the table. I mean, aren't you at a restaurant ordering food, and it is being cooked for you? Sadly, though, it seems that hot food has become an outlier. At least lately. But, this is not the case at Nelson's; the food was too hot to dive into! And what food it was! Not that crepe-like folded-over omelet with whatever meat, cheese, or veggie is tossed in, no. This omelet was fluffy, and its innards (meats, veg, cheese!) were distributed throughout and well-cooked. (Another anomaly in the breakfast industry) The hash browns were not cooked to a crackly crunch, but browned and tasty. And the biscuit and gravy: has my gran been reincarnated and come to work in Nelson's kitchen? I'd return to Tulsa just for those biscuits and gravy. Okay, yes, it's good. The coffee, too. The staff is wonderful. The atmosphere is laid back. Go, enjoy!

Everyone where I work goes on about how great this place is. So we ordered lunch from there one day as a pick up order. I got the baked chicken with dressing and gravy, mac & cheese baked beans and a roll. I was not impressed and I probably will not return.

We showed up at the 1230 lunch rush, so it was extremely busy. We had to wait for the chicken fried steak to be cooked. They finally brought out the catfish, but there was no baked cod. The macaroni and cheese tasted plastic. The brown gravy was not edible. The chicken fried steak and the catfish batter would not stay on. The cabbage and green beans was good. The coleslaw was a little different, wasn’t bad but had lots of bell pepper in it. The pies were really good considering the meringue had flattened out. Would I go back? No, if someone was paying to go, yes.

A true diner/cafeteria style restaurant! Delicious food and super sweet people running this joint. Two of us had breakfast off the menu and the other two waited till 10:30 when cafeteria style lunch was served. Everything that we had was like it was from grandmas kitchen. Dad said he wants to eat there every day 😳

The baked spaghetti was one of the best ones I've ever had. This was my first time eating chicken fried steak and it was superb. The ribs were so tender and delicious. The mashed potatoes were perfect. The roll was absolutely delicious. The only problem I had was the Mac n cheese, there was an odd flavor to them, like the flavor left over from the cleaned dish got caught up in it. The cornbread was moderate, I liked that it had jalapenos in it. I still believe this place deserves 5 stars since it was amazing overall.

The epitome of southern comfort food. Friendly people, great service and the food is always delicious. I’ve been a customer since they were down town. Their new location is just as good.

Today, 5/7/25… It was my Husband’s Birthday & Our Daughter took Us to this Place for Lunch! We were amazed how Friendly & kind all the Staff were to Us, & the Variety of Food was so delicious! Including the delicious pies!! The service was fast & efficient, With all the staff having such great attitudes. Then We met Suzanne, the Mother, of the Family, that together own the restaurant. She was so pleasant & what a fabulous Lady, & how kind She was to give Us her valuable time! We highly recommend this place! Can’t wait to go back!

Took my wife for her first visit, Just like I remember 25 years ago!!! Food and service both outstanding. Local legend.

Excellent breakfast. Bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, biscuit and gravy. Need to come back and try their lunch buffet. It looks pretty good. Your basic diner atmosphere. Prompt service. Reasonable prices.a

Such a uniquely Tulsa experience. The food was good but the down home service and communal feel of the dinning room are what make it special.

Great food. Good service. And on certain days they have music. I will definitely eat there again.

Some of the best comfort food!! I also kinda like the cafeteria style service set up.

Amazing food! The chicken fried steak, "Hello Chicken Fry!!!", is amazing. The Nellie burger, chicken fried chicken, and the rare chicken and noodles are also delicious. Don't miss out on their yeast rolls or a biscuit if you're so inclined. The chocolate sheet cake is also delicious. Service is good for how busy they are during lunch. You can expect a refill, ask for chocolate cake, and they will write the check so you can quickly get on your way. It's a diner atmosphere with great smells! The live music on Fridays I could seriously do without.

This is the quintessential dirty and equally awesome diner you want for breakfast. I have only been in here once but I want to go back. It has this feel like a legit monster, the mail man, a steel mill operator and a state senator could all be eating scrambled eggs at the same time and at the same place 2 tables apart. It's rare in this day and age a spot draws all classes and delivers this filling and awesome breakfast to everyone. The day I came in I'm fairly certain my server was "medicated" but she still did very well. I'm not at all trying to be judgey but it's the vibe I got. Like I said she did a fine job but ya know, it fit the environment and I'm not even mad. My drink was never empty, my order came out as requested and I left full and a worthy tip was added to my bill, Any way, come in, eat, join a room full of others as they fuel up to tackle the day and enjoy being a part of dining with the folks that make it all happen every day.

Food so good I forgot to take a picture!!' Great food live music on Fridays. Great service! Love this place!!!!

Ordered up the Full Nelson breakfast at Nelson's Buffeteria this morning...man was it good! Crispy bacon, perfect over easy eggs, tasty hasbrowns, and the fluffiest pancakes I have had in a long time! Definitely the best breakfast I've had in Tulsa or OKC!

Yuck. Our food was absolutely gross. Oklahoma get better standards. Asked for burrito and got an omelette, waitress takes it back to cook and then beings me back a tortilla literally just laid on top. The eggs literally tasted like grease. The French toast was burnt. My cinnamon roll was old and then zapped in a microwave. I realize you can't trust reviews in this state. As a chef. Do NOT GO HERE. You're better off at McDonald's.

Our timing today was perfect. We opened the front door to Nelson's Buffeteria at 11:00 on the money. The lunch buffet was out and the friendly personnel were ready to fill plates. We were in our booth eating at 11:05. The classic Oklahoma's favorite meal for me; Chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, cream gravy and fried okra. My wife substituted mac and cheese for the okra. Both excellent meals. One of the top chicken fried steaks in Oklahoma. The restaurant is not fancy. It is functional and comfortable. The staff is friendly and hustles. Parking is a bitch. If you aren't is a spot by 11:30 "No Chicken Fried Steak for You!" Try again tomorrow. When we left it was tough to even get out. The lot was full, with cars circling bumper to bumper, competing for a spot.

Amazing food! And everyone there was so nice excellent service. Felt right at home. Would recommend to aanyone.

Stepping into Nelson's was like stepping into the past. That is except for the prices. It looked just like the diners I remember when I was a child. It was decorated with pictures of Nelson's in its early days. It's a very fun setting to dine in. It's called a buffeteria but the breakfast was just table service. We both got eggs, bacon, hash browns, and a huge biscuit and gravy. The food was delicious and plentiful. The service couldn't have better. Our server, Red, took excellent care of us. The other servers and manager also asked us if we needed anything. It's been years since I've been in a restaurant where servers not assigned to our table volunteered to do anything for us except tell our server. So often, I can't find my server and tell a server I need something. The response is always, "I will tell your server." At Nelson's I didn't have to even ask. The servers were asking all the tables if they needed anything. I left my glasses on the table. When I went back, I didn't even have to go in. As I stepped out of the car, Red ran out with my glasses. Can't wait to try their chicken fried steak for lunch.

Alright if you haven't tried this Buffeteria run, fly, magic carpet your way to this place! Hurry it's only open until 2pm! Friendly folks reminding America why it's great! Lordy the lunch specials! Friday fried catfish (smooth and sweet) or baked cod (but wait don't get caught up in fish!) Every day is a new blue plate special. Every day they're serving drippin beef, chicken fried steak, chicken fried chicken and Salisbury steak. Cream gravy like your mama stood in there making the roux. Mashed taters to die for! Coleslaw, grannys cabbage (I seen her with my own eyes!), sweet kernel corn, green beans with a hint of bacon, fried okra like it was just picked and thrown in the oil! I'm sure I'm missing a veggie, that's just what we ate or I remember seeing. Ask for a roll, hell ask for 5. You're welcome! Nothing was super salty! Sweet tea, right on point! My diabetus didn't bark at all. Seriously folks, EAT HERE! Make the long drive. You'll thank me later!! My daddy would have loved this place! Ooooo forgot about the 5 crammed musicians into a tiny space playing gospel and swing music! Throw a $5er in their bucket when you can!

Been wanting to try this place for a while. Finally made it there for lunch. We arrived around noon and it was busy but not packed. You order at the line so you have to be prepared. We struggled with that. The man behind the counter was helpful. Hubs and I shared a plate and Little Mama got a kids meal (we didn't know they had one and he pointed it out so that was helpful). We got chicken fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, fried okra and an extra side of cabbage. Everything was hot with great flavor. I wouldn't order the chicken again though because the breading separated immediately. Cabbage was excellent as were the rolls. Too full for dessert. Prices were reasonable. Everyone was very friendly but service was slow and spotty. I had to get up to get to-go containers and flag someone down to clear out plates. The waitress also wrote our bill down wrong and we had to have it corrected at the register. If you want the daily special, get there early. They were out of meatloaf by the time we left and there was a line out the door. I would go back.

My go to for the best chicken fried steak in Tulsa. It is always crowded but the service is quick so it moves pretty quick. The only downside is the hours, they are only open 7-2 M-F. On Fridays they have live music but it isn't overly loud.

My go to for some good home cooking pan fried steak with mash and creamy Mac and cheese, the fried cabbage is also very tasty. Home made big ol rolls with butter, gimmie the carbs hahaa, lunch is crazy packed go early or later but they close at 2pm. $12.99 plate I think, meat and two sides. Parking is tight squeeze be careful. Ladies are pretty good waitresses except Missy in the cap didn't ask or bring a refill or To-go drink nor checked back on us... hmm not like her. She sitting on her phone... but that's reflected in her tip. Cafeteria line style lunch, always a daily blue plate special for those on a budget! Try it out you will not be disappointed! Save some room for them homemade pies!!! Chocolate is my FAVORITE

Good home-cooked food from smiling faces the guys that work there are so sweet. The girls are very helpful. I will do anything for you. They can. I know it's a fast in and out business, but it's the way they can make money and us to enjoy their food and we're so grateful Nelson is still around, their pies are delicious chocolate cake is from grandma. Let's have one today.

Non Greasy hash brown and omelettes were superb! This was the first time I've ever been here. And it won't be my last. The service was attentive and it would be nice if they played music instead of listening to everyone's stories. I would've taken pictures, but I ate it all gone before I thought about it . Excellent Food.

Good coffee, good food. Fresh, crispy and delicious. Wife said it's some of the best French toast in town and the biscuits melt in your mouth. Typical small diner but they have a breakfast buffet. TV a little too loud, tables slightly sticky. Would come again if in the area.

This place is perfection. My husband had chicken fried chicken, mashed potatoes, Mac & cheese. I had Chicken Fried Steak, mashed potatoes, and okra. Friendly service, simple but well kept interior dining room. What can I say? This place is an institution and they deserve all accolades. The ambiance is lively, friendly, and approachable. The consistency on the mashed is incredible, the cream gravy is what dreams are made of and everything is cooked perfectly. Lots of wonderful places to have comfort food, but I'll always love Nelson's and it was a treat to take my husband there for the first time.

Stopped by this week for a trip down memory lane. I haven't had a meal from Nelson's since they left downtown in the early 2000's. But my memories of their chicken fried steak was still fresh in my mind. I was not disappointed with my lunch. Not only did the chicken fried steak taste the same, but the mashed potatoes and gravy were also excellent. Come hungry and leave happy.

I've heard this place is classic Tulsa, so I had to try it! It certainly has that diner/ cafeteria style feeling. I really enjoyed their hash browns and gravy for biscuits, but I had higher hopes for their biscuits! However, you can't beat their prices, and the coffee isn't bad. The waitresses are all very kind, too. Pie was my real motivation for coming, so I'll have to plan a trip back just to grab a piece of their famous pies!

I'm a regular here the food is top tier and for a busy place they take care of me every time you might even get to hear some live music while you eat never know. Nelson's is one of these places that you take someone new to Tulsa so they can feel at home.

Food was excellent. Service was great. Don't shy away because of location or atmosphere. A pleasant surprise.

I haven't eaten there in a while because they are always running out of the food I wanted. Well last week was no different. I got there and their chicken was gone and it was only noon. I won't be back for another 5 to 6 months.

I have heard about it for years. I finally ater there for the first timt today. The food was ok, but not great. I am a senior citizen. They offered no discount. I had chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy and fried okra and a corn bread muffin. I had water to drink and no dessert. The total without a tip, but including tax was $15.85. That is far more than I can afford for lunch. The food might have been a little better, but no selection compared to Golden Cor, but to meral. There, including tax, it is $12.14, but there is a better selection and all i care to eat. I am sure there are people that love it and hate Golden Corral, but to me, it was way over priced.

Stopped in for breakfast and sure glad we did. This little place is now going to be our go to breakfast place in Tulsa. When we arrived, a little before 11am about half the tables were taken. We sat down and the server took our order and brought our drinks. Right about 11am the place filled up fast with a long line for the buffet, but they are obviously well prepared as they kept that line moving at a good pace. As for our food both my wife and I went with the Chicken Fried Steak with Hash browns, Biscuits and Gravy and two Eggs. Everything was cooked perfectly, the over medium eggs were spot on, with all the whites set but the yolks still runny, the hash browns a beautiful golden brown, the chicken fried steak was perfectly seasoned, the breading was crispy golden and the meat was juicy and flavorful. The biscuit and gravy were both good as well although I will say the gravy was just regular gravy not sausage gravy. The server did a great job. Even though she was busy she took the time to briefly chat with us and the people at other tables and watching her interact with the customers you could tell she had worked there for quite some time and the regulars liked her. I would say if you are looking for a good filling diner breakfast or blue plate special lunch and you are in the are then this is the place for you.

I love the fried chicken served on Wednesdays as well as the mashed potatoes/gravy and green beans. Extremely good.

Great homemade food!!! It was hard to decide because everything looked amazing!! We need more places like this!! We'll definitely be back.

I got on Google and Yelp and looked for chicken fried steak in Tulsa and the list led me to Nelson's Buffeteria. I've heard of the place before but have never eaten there before. So, the wife, youngest son and I set out to eat chicken fried steak at Nelson's since we had to make a trip to Tulsa around lunchtime. We were not disappointed. As soon as you walk in there is a line to que-up and make your selections. So, there is basically no waiting for your food if it is there on the line. The chicken fried steak was amazing, hands down the best chicken fried steak in Tulsa, even beats Talley's in my opinion. The brown beans, with chunks of ham, was delightful, even the fried okra was to perfection. I cannot wait to go back and try other items on their menu. Definitely the style of home cooked food that sticks to your ribs and satisfies.

Amazing little family-friendly joint. Attended here on a late-Friday morning not knowing what to expect. Sat in the back and about halfway through the meal someone kicked some music on. When we went to the register to pay realized it was a band playing and their music was awesome. Met each one and their attitude was so reflective of the atmosphere in the restaurant, personable and friendly. The food was SUPER and such a unique serving style. This place was a BLAST! Best hole-in-the-wall I've been to in a long time. Top 5 personal best in my book!

Yumm! Need to get back there! The pandemic put a stop to buffets but they are back open!

The food was very delicious and is always served hot. I typically go during lunch time, which is when it's the busiest. You most likely won't be able to hold your head up when you return to work because your so stuffed, but it's worth it!

Old school cafeteria vibes - great home cooking food. Can't go wrong with Nelson's!!!

My palate is not the best when it comes to breakfast items. It doesn't help that I'm easily pleased and I love anything fried. So it's not a surprise that I had the chicken fried steak that comes with egg and 2 sides items. I chose scrambled egg, hash brown, and biscuit and gravy. As you can see, they give you A LOT of food. Not entirely sure if I was hungry on this particular day or not but I pretty much ate everything. Everything was good to me. The service is excellent. My waitress was very attentive. She came by 3 times to check on me and I was by myself. Overall, I had a good experience and would definitely come back.

I love this place. It's a nice little hole in the wall place with great food. I've been eating at Nelson's for about ten years. The food has always stayed the same and I'm dang grateful for it. If you ever want good country comfort food, this is the place to go. The prices have gone up quite a bit from what I remember. It costed $28 for me and my coworker. So just be prepared for that. I do love the food though. While I don't eat pie, I've been told their pie is amazing! I don't think you will be disappointed if you go to Nelson's.

OMG! We lived in Tulsa for 11 years before moving away out of state! How we could have lived within 3 miles of this jewel is beyond me, however, we found it today! This is the place for cook from scratch home style heaven! There is chicken fried chicken or chicken fried steak or chicken & noodles or mashed potatoes or fried okra or..... Fresh made yeast rolls and homemade pies. It is HEAVEN for foodies like me! We will be regulars when we are in town!

Anything & everything offered at Nelsons are just off the hook!! Best place in Tulsa to dine without a dought!!!

The food is home cooking at its best. The staff are tried and true. The food is so consistent too, always perfectly prepared and served very quickly!

Hole. In. The. Wall. A blip in an old strip center amidst a kind of industrial, car dealership area. Buffeteria? WT? A step back in time - a very limited selection of entrees - they very obviously do fantastically - a few are ready for pick up as you step up and point and grunt your selection. Freshly cooked coming out of the kitchen as needed. Chose 2 sides and choice of bread and grab a seat! We had beef and noodles - oh my!! Brown gravy oozing in noodle goodness with lots of big chunks of tender beef. The green beans were bursting with bacon and had a few onions too - fabulous!! Mac and cheese was homemade with real cheese and crusty - mmmmm! (Note for next time - regulars were getting their beef noodles served over mashed potatoes!) Didn't try it this time... but the chicken fried steak and chicken fried chicken looked amazing! Meatloaf looked moist and juicy. Portions were quite substantial! And another highlight was the waitstaff!! WoW!! These folks were busting and getting their jobs done, fast and furious and so pleasant and friendly!! Great job!! Made guests feel welcome and did a great job of introducing newbies to how their system worked! Can't wait till my next trip to Tulsa to go back! I'm thinking chicken fried chicken next time... Never would have found this place without yelp!! Thank you yelpers!!!

If you are interested in a 1950's food selection and greasy spoon atmosphere of the old time cafes with pork selections this might be your go to place. A vegan won't be happy at this location and a vegetarian will find the selections pretty much non-existent on the menu. This was our first trip to the restaurant , we were not ask if we wanted the buffet nor were we advised of the selections on the buffet or the price. The booth that we were in during our meal, the table was greasy and the booth seat was loose flipping forward on movement while seated. The wait staff was very attentive to our needs, the coffee was hot and refills kept my cup full. The scrambled eggs were cooked to perfection, not greasy and good. The pancakes and biscuits were high quality and very tasty as were the hash browns. For someone that doesn't eat pork it was disappointing that turkey bacon or turkey sausage options were not available in place of pork selections. The restrooms were very clean and the hot water faucet dispensed hot water quickly. The switch plates in both bathrooms were greasy. Extra toilet tissue was available and the tissue is of high quality not typical commercial thin. The soap dispenser had plenty of soap and the paper towels were dispensed by motion detection which is a plus. The signage on the restroom doors were low about adult waist level. The doorknobs on the restrooms were round and not disability friendly. Disability parking at the restaurant is difficult as there are not any spaces that meet the Oklahoma guidelines for space or makings. It is doubtful that we will return to this restaurant as there are many other choices that meet our requirements better.

Becky was amazing. Best bacon in town. I love this place. Tulsa classic. Tell Becky I sent you.

Best food ever and fast service. Like stepping into the past. You will have no leftover unless you also order a plate to take home for dinner

Good home cooked southern food. Bring a appetite. The chicken fried steak and chicken are always a cant miss, Pie for dessert and the local flavor of the clientele make this a unique experience.

Went to Nelson's for breakfast and it was great! Everything you want in diner-style food, and more! Service was speedy and friendly. Had the chopped steak and eggs and the flavoring they had on the meat was really good. My wife had the pancakes and they were perfectly fluffy and delicious. Gonna have to try lunch next!

Enjoyed a delicious breakfast; if we are ever back in Tulsa, we will return for lunch - the homemade parkerhouse rolls rising on the counter looked fantastic. Hash browns were perfectly crispy and accompany most breakfasts. Chicken fried steak was everything one could hope for is also available on the lunch menu. Cheddar omelet was a fine example of what should be expected from all other breakfast establishments. Service was prompt and helpful. Strongly recommend a visit.

They have the best food I've had in Tulsa. Everything was perfect! The staff were friendly I'll be back. Home cooking at its finest!

Absolutely the best! Excellent servers and great traditional American southern cooking.