Brief tour of diners in NE OK: Locust Grove

Like many small towns in Oklahoma, Locust Grove, 40 miles east of Tulsa on 412, has seen its ups and downs. But three diners old and new make the town a great place to stop for a burger and maybe hear a story or tell one.
 

DJ's Diner

Back in the 70’s Young’s Dry Goods used to occupy the space that DJ’s Diner now does. DJ’s has some old-time flair with its 50’s look of old records and photos on the walls and checked tablecloths. The cheeseburgers are the best in town, and you’ve got to get onion rings to go with them. 918-479-5877 is the number to call to get your order going.

A favorite lunchtime hangout for local folks, DJ’s also serves dinner and is often the only place open in the evening in downtown Locust Grove. After the Cherokee turnpike rerouted 412 traffic and Charlie’s In and Out went out of business, the business at the traffic light trickled away from the center of town.

Cook's Cafe

A few blocks from the center of town is the old standby Cook’s Café, which has been around at least 50 years and retains its classic diner look on the inside. The door opens to a counter with barstools and the dining room features booths and tables, with the round corner table being the most popular for groups. The delicious bacon and egg breakfast is your way to go if you stop by in the morning.

Though it has changed hands a few times, Cook’s still has good country cooking and a place to sit for a spell and listen to the stories or spin a few of your own. The talk at the big round table near the bar used to always be about horse-racing or high school football, but nowadays politics and . . . high school football are the usual topics. Call 918-79-9294 to check on when Cook’s is open—it usually closes at 2:00 p.m.

Shorty's Grill

The newest diner in town opened on Founder’s Day weekend in May. Shorty’s Grill is located on highway 82 in a spot that used to be a horse pasture, but more recently it was a Taco Tico. Local student Matt Foreman transformed the inside of the diner by painting fun pictures of hamburgers and sodas and other diner faire on the walls.

This family business, run by Connie and Shorty Cooper, is open seven days a week, and was very busy at 2:30 in the afternoon on the Sunday I went in. My cherry limeade came with a cherry, a large slice of lime, and a scoop of lime sherbet floating on top. Now that’s the way to do limeade! Shorty’s has several flavors of ice cream in tubs and has a drive-thru window. Place your order at 918-479-7000.

There are plenty of reasons to drive through Locust Grove on scenic highway 412 (old 33 if you’re getting up there in years), and having a classic diner lunch in any of these three places is one of them.