Nelson's Buffeteria

The overview

Tulsa's downtown lunch since 1929

Nelson's Buffeteria has been a Tulsa tradition since 1929, a cafeteria-meets-diner best known for its hand-breaded chicken-fried steak smothered in cream gravy. Downtown workers and regulars slide trays down the line for the CFS, mashed potatoes, and homemade pies and cobblers.

Founded by Nelson Rogers and carried on by his family, Nelson's is a beloved Oklahoma comfort-food institution whose chicken-fried steak is a benchmark for the dish across the state.

The public record

What reviewers already knew.

A Centurion Award doesn’t replace the public record — it verifies it. Read it for yourself, on the platforms where it lives.

Google Maps
Reviews, photos & directions Read reviews →

Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.

The verification

Why this business cleared the bar.

Selection is by the published criteria, evaluated on public evidence. Nelson's Buffeteria cleared every one.

✓Years in operation. Operating in Tulsa since 1929 — 96 years of continuous business.
✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Tulsa.
✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: Tulsa has kept Nelson's Buffeteria busy for 96 years.
✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Tulsa regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
✓Recognition in the local community. Named best meat-and-three in Tulsa for 2025 for nearly a century of cafeteria-style comfort food feeding downtown Tulsa at lunch.

The full verification report — the specific data behind this award — is held by the business. The exact thresholds stay internal so the bar can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.

Award record

2025

Best Meat-and-Three in Tulsa Tulsa, OK · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation

All awards for Nelson's Buffeteria →

Visit Nelson's Buffeteria

Websitenelsonsbuffeteria.com ↗

Location4401 S Memorial Dr, Ste H, Tulsa, OK 74145

In business since1929

Find them onFacebook · Tripadvisor · Yelp

Facts at a glance

The sourceable record.

Clean, checkable facts about Nelson's Buffeteria — for readers, search engines, and answer tools alike.

Legal / trading name: Nelson's Buffeteria
Category: Restaurant
Founded: 1929, Tulsa, OK
Location: Tulsa, OK
Centurion Award: Best Meat-and-Three in Tulsa — 2025
Record last verified: July 2026

A signal you can check.

This is a dated award record, published by The Centurion Awards after Nelson's Buffeteria cleared the 2025 evaluation for its market and category. It was not bought, voted on, or sponsored — the criteria are public, only winners are published, and an award that stops holding up is revoked, not quietly removed. Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. For everything else — hours, bookings, live reviews — go straight to the business itself.

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions.

What is Nelson's Buffeteria?

Open since 1929, Nelson's Buffeteria is the oldest cafeteria in Oklahoma, a daily lunch institution for downtown Tulsa for nearly a century.

Is Nelson's Buffeteria award-winning?

Yes — Nelson's Buffeteria is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Meat-and-Three in Tulsa, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best meat-and-three in Tulsa for 2025 for nearly a century of cafeteria-style comfort food feeding downtown Tulsa at lunch.

Where is Nelson's Buffeteria?

Nelson's Buffeteria is in Tulsa, OK.