Flavor Of Oklahoma: The Avery Serves Up Route 66-Inspired Dishes In Downtown Tulsa

A downtown Tulsa restaurant and bar may be located in a hotel, but the owners say the restaurant is for everyone, not just travelers.

The Avery Restaurant and Bar is inspired by Route 66, and the menu reflects Tulsa staples and flavors from around the country.

The Avery is swanky and vintage-inspired, drawing inspiration from the iconic Route 66. It’s part of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in the heart of downtown Tulsa.

“We wanted a concept that drives true Tulsans to our hotel and brings out the culinary aspect of Tulsa,” said Food and Beverage Director Amal Irizarry.

This space used to be The Daily Grill, but Irizarry says it was time for a change. After a remodel, it is now The Avery, with a new menu and staff.

“We decided to call it The Avery, named after Cyrus Avery, the father of Route 66,” he said. “We’ll have a roadmap on a menu. You get to see great dishes from all over the route: Santa Fe, Amarillo, Chicago to Santa Monica.”

Executive chef Jason Crawford has been working to perfect the menu for months.

“Creating bright, vibrant dishes with strong flavor profiles is very, very nice,” he said.

One of those fan favorites has been the burnt ends, with meat that they smoke in-house.

“We use the whole brisket instead of the whole thing,” said Crawford. “We’re going to let that cook.”

The burnt ends get all nice and crispy.

“Going to get our nice peach BBQ this is made in-house as well.”

He spreads a sweet potato purée as the base and then adds the seared, sweet burnt ends. The finishing touch is crispy fried onions placed on top.

Once you begin to dig in, it’s no shock that these burnt ends sell out and have become a favorite on the menu.

Chef Crawford moves on to the Frenched chicken next, which is brined overnight, then seared before going in the oven.

He sears cremini mushrooms, then adds a flavorful sauce and some sliced asparagus.

Velvety mashed potatoes form the base of the dish, then he adds the tender chicken and drizzles the Marsala sauce before garnishing.

He recommends eating all the elements of this dish in one bite, to make sure you maximize the flavor. Everything together just works so beautifully.

There are several dessert options, but perhaps none are better than the bread pudding, which heats up in the oven.

“Got a nice warm bread pudding, made with brioche croissant, butterscotch, and vanilla crème,” said Crawford.

This recipe comes from their Chef de Cuisine Rico and is drizzled with vanilla crème and bourbon caramel—and of course, is served à la mode.

“There's the seasonal bread pudding.”

The pillowy bread pudding is balanced with the caramel, and the ice cream takes it over the edge.

The Avery Bar and Kitchen is meant to be a place to bring Tulsans and visitors together. The menu is expansive but customizable.

“There’s something to offer everybody,” Irizarry said.

Whether you’re here for breakfast, happy hour, or just a late-night dessert, The Avery is an all-day place to gather and take a culinary journey down the Mother Road.

“It takes a lot of love, pride and passion,” said Irizarry.

The Avery is located in the Hyatt Regency Tulsa Downtown at 100 E 2nd St S, Tulsa, OK 74103.

Email Kristen.Weaver@griffin.news for recommendations, or follow @kristeats on Instagram for behind-the-scenes.