Hank's Hamburgers - Tulsa, OK

Posted By Michael Stern on April 2, 2006 11:33 PM

Hank's has been doing what it does for nearly sixty years – frying hamburgers. It is one of countless restaurants in Tulsa and throughout Oklahoma where burgers are taken seriously by the cook and relished by customers. Not to say that they are gourmet fare. On the contrary. They are quintessential hash-house hamburgers, good and greasy and cooked through and through. Other than burgers, the menu includes Frito chili pie and corn dog on a stick as well as onion rings and French fries, malts and a special made-here chocolate-covered peanut butter bon bon.

You can get a single, a double, a triple, a "Big Okie" (four patties), or a Hank's Special, which is a single half-pound patty. Each normal patty is a quarter pound, and while I enjoyed the avoirdupois of a Hank's Special, I like the multiple-patty configurations better. The interleaved meat and cheese, especially on the one-pound Big Okie, provide a textural adventure that a large single patty cannot. Unless you say otherwise, each hamburger is dressed with mustard, pickle, grilled onion, raw onion, lettuce and tomatoes.

Hank's is a tiny place with just a few booths around the counter, which is high enough that no seat affords a good view of Mr. Felts, chef and owner, orchestrating events at the griddle. We recommend standing up, or going to the walk-up to-go window at the front because watching him create his burgers is a scene of beauty. As is the custom down in El Reno, onions are pressed hard onto the surface of each patty before it hits the hot surface so that as the burger cooks under a heavy iron, the onions caramelize and virtually become one with the hamburger itself. When the iron is lifted and the burger is flipped, Felts sprinkles on some of his secret seasoning, then cheese. If he is creating a double, triple, or quadruple, he applies the bun top on one patty, uses a spatula to lift it onto another, and so forth until the pile is ready to be placed onto the bottom half of the bun, which has been arrayed with all other condiments.

Even the largest creation is presented as a tidy package, but I found that by the time I was halfway through, onions and tomatoes were slithering out and patties had gone out of alignment, creating an extremely delicious mess.

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Posted By Ashley Halderman on June 13, 2009 10:49 AM

My friend, starving after a Saturday of house cleaning and cat-corralling, had a hankering for "the best greasy burger in town." I suggested Hank's, he agreed, and we made the 10-mile trek from South Tulsa to Admiral Circle. Boy, was it worth it.

He'd never had a Big Okie--so I giggled, and ordered one with everything for him; myself, I never stray too far from a Hank's Special, everything-add-jalapenos, with okra. I indulged in two pieces of the candy for us, too. The bill was extremely reasonable--for two people, it came to just under twenty dollars. You can't beat that with a stick.

Our food arrived hot and fresh within fifteen minutes of our order. The gigantic Big Okie, dripping with cheese and fried onions, towered over the crisp french fries in my friend's basket; while my large but decidedly easier to handle Hank's Special loomed next to my delicious, fresh-fried okra. The flavors of the hamburger, fried on the grill with onions pressed into the hamburger patties, bring back memories of home-cooked hamburgers at my grandmother's house. The side items--in this case, french fries and okra--were fresh and delicious, and not overcooked.

This is Oklahoma's soul food. Hank's has never failed to satisfy in the 25 years I've been alive. As a connoisseur of northeastern Oklahoma's burger offerings--Hank's gets, by far, the best rating in my book.

Overall Rating

Big Okie with Cheese

Hank's Special

Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy

Chili

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Posted By Shannon McRee on March 18, 2007 8:20 AM

My wife and I just got back from a wonderful lunch at Hanks. This is a place usually only us locals know about, but one we love to share.

This is the type of burger that was once common (in 1958) but not now. My wife swears it's the best burger she's had since childhood, and I have to agree. No matter what else you do be sure to get the peanut butter-chocolate candy. If you were to put one on top of your head, your tongue would beat a hole through your brain to get to it. Yes it is that good.

If you are a Waylon Jennings fan be prepared for a number of pictures of him and Jessie. This was a special place for them in Tulsa. Everything at Hanks is special, from the chili to the "regular" burgers to the chili burgers to the onion rings. Look at the pictures on this site. Yes! It is as good as it looks. Go - try it!

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