The Tulsa, Okla., dining scene looked a lot different when Elliot Nelson opened McNellie’s Pub in 2004. The Irish bar was inspired by his time studying abroad in Dublin, where he became fascinated by the role that neighborhood pubs play in everyday life.
At the time, Tulsa’s urban core had fewer than a dozen restaurants and bars, and many closed by 5 pm. Nelson wanted to bring some of that communal Irish spirit to his hometown, and his efforts eventually helped to reshape downtown’s dining culture. Now, the area is filled with more than 100 dining and drinking venues across a diverse mix of concepts and formats.
Nelson — who received a 2025 James Beard Award Semifinalist nod for Outstanding Restaurateur — expanded McNellie’s Pub into Oklahoma City’s Midtown neighborhood in 2008, where the story was much the same. Now, Midtown is a vibrant dining and entertainment destination.
The group’s portfolio includes Irish pubs, Italian restaurants, and Mr. Kim’s, an Asian steakhouse pictured here. | Mr. Kims
Today, McNellie’s Group operates 18 unique concepts and 25-plus locations covering a variety of cuisines, with more on the way. And for first time in more than a decade, the group is once again expanding in Oklahoma City. Tulsa’s coastal Italian-inspired restaurant Malfi Enoteca is slated to open in OKC in August, and the airy, greenhouse-like Bar Serra is scheduled to follow in November.
“The restaurant scenes in both Tulsa and Oklahoma City are vibrant, more so than many people expect,” said Jim O’Connor, the executive vice president of McNellie’s Group. “There’s often an outdated perception that dining in Oklahoma means chains and strip malls, but visitors are consistently surprised to find restaurants that are trendy, design-forward, and culinarily relevant. These cities are producing experiences that wouldn’t feel out of place in L.A., Chicago, or New York.”
O’Connor credits this shift, in large part, to how connected the world is today.
“Twenty years ago, trends were slower to reach smaller markets, but now inspiration moves instantly,” he said. “People in Oklahoma crave the same quality, creativity, and excitement in their dining experiences as people in any major city, and the local restaurant scene is responding.”
Elliot Nelson opened his first concept, McNellie’s Pub, in 2004, when he was just 25 years old. | Stephen Pingry
Population growth in Oklahoma City and Tulsa is helping to drive consumer appetite and subsequent openings. And enterprising restaurateurs benefit from lower costs.
“What makes these markets especially exciting is that operators can build something exceptional with far less overhead than in larger cities,” O’Connor said. “The cost of doing business is more manageable, yet the audience is engaged, supportive, and eager for new experiences. It’s a win-win for both restaurateurs and customers.”
Though it primarily operates in Oklahoma, McNellie’s Group expanded two existing concepts — Dust Bowl, a retro bowling alley, and Fassler Hall, a German beer hall — into Little Rock, Ark., in 2017 and 2018, respectively. And Tulsa’s Yokozuna, a restaurant specializing in noodles and sushi, is slated to open in Bentonville, Ark., later this year,
The group’s ambitions extend beyond Oklahoma and Arkansas, and they’re keeping their eyes downfield for other opportunities.
“Nothing is concrete just yet, but Dallas is on our radar in a big way,” O’Connor said. “With the scale of the DFW metroplex, it’s hard to ignore. It’s one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic markets in the country, and given its proximity to our home base, it feels like a natural next step if the right opportunity comes along.”
