Chris L.
Yelp
I drive for Uber and Lyft part-time, and the most frequent question I'm asked by people visiting OKC is where to eat. You would be surprised how hard it is to answer when you're trying to navigate, merge and not talk so much that you miss your exit. So I decided to create a little brochure of the sights to see and places to eat. And then I became very ashamed that while I'd been to Nic's Place, I had never actually been to Nic's Grill.
Wanting nothing less than the full experience, I found myself standing in line outside in the rain. The smell of onions caramelizing was so enticing. Once they opened, everyone grabbed one of the few seats available. The first set of patties were already on the grill, so you just have to say what toppings, if you want fries and what you want to drink. Oh, and this is cash only. I had forgotten my 17-year-old needed money that morning, so I had to run back to my car to scrape up some quarters and steal the dollar I keep to tip Sonic carhops.
There is a reason Nic gets a head start on his burgers. It's really more of a hamburger steak on a bun. He starts with a half pound of beef and sears it on both sides, then lets it slow-cook to perfection. Most places just do a hard sear on the outside, leaving the middle raw. Nic's are cooked to a consistent, tender medium through and through.
Once done, it's served with everything except the bottom bun split mostly in half. I thought this a bit strange, but it gives you the choice of eating it whole or to easily halve it. My gosh, that first taste of meat and onions will take your breath away. There's no big smokey flavor - they are cooked on a grill - or unique ingredients. It's just done exactly as it should be. The homemade fries have a natural curl to them, and taste as fresh as they are.
So now that I've experienced Nic's Grill, you need to as well. Or you need to go back. Nic's Place is much larger, they take plastic, their hours are more convenient and the burgers are nearly as good (the handmade shakes are great), but the stories of poor service and long waits after you order continue. So go to the Grill, if you can.