Local

Farm to table salmon from Oklahoma City? Come on ya’ll. Call it what it is: a small business with local owners — NOT local food.
Service is meh okay but the food leaves much to be desired.

Best restaurant in town. Unique yet familiar menu choices. Recommend to any and everyone.

Too bad I am writing this review weeks before Local shuts it down for good. Prior to having dinner at Local one Friday night, I had only came to the bar to have a few and watch the World Cup. It’s not a huge bar, but comfortable, with 3 large TVs and a good beer selection. The mixed drink selection is above average as well, particularly for Norman.
The first time I ate at Local I had dinner with some friends. We sat in the bar, and were served that evening by a very friendly bartender with a good sense of humor. To start, we had the truffle potato chips and prosciutto wrapped dates. The chips don’t have actual truffles in them, just truffle oil, which isn’t made from actual truffles. But, I didn’t get any truffle flavor, which I was fine with, because these were damn fine chips with just salt and pepper. Just the right thickness and heavily seasoned, they were fantastic. Easily some of the best potato chips I’ve eaten. They are served with sauces, but I didn’t much care for these. Like I said, the chips on their own were fantastic. The prosciutto wrapped dates were solid, but didn’t jump out at me as much as the potato chips. This is not a unique dish, it’s served in some form (for example, bacon wrapped) in restaurants all over the country. This was a solid version, and one I’d order again.
We all went with the Todfather (the meat and potato special that varies) that evening, which was a buffalo ribeye served with grilled asparagus, green chile cheese polenta, and blue cheese compound butter on time. The asparagus needed more time on the grill, they were too close to raw for my taste. I like some snap, but not this much. The polenta was out of this world. I could have eaten two more servings. It was cheesy, had a slight bit of heat, and was creamy. Very well executed. The ribeye was left on the grill too long in spots. The grill marks looked great, but it went from char to burnt in places, resulting in an unpleasant mouth feel and taste. The fact that buffalo is much leaner than beef didn’t help this. In the spots it wasn’t burned I enjoyed it.
The following week, I returned to Local for lunch, where I had the green chile chowder soup and risotto of the day: buffalo chicken. The soup was fantastic, I can see why it was a menu staple. The veggies were cooked perfectly, you got a lot of green chile flavor, and it was nice and creamy. I wish I could make soup like this. Likewise, the risotto was spot on, cooked perfectly, creamy, and I liked the buffalo chicken take. It was served with (not enough) blue cheese and some carrots and celery, along with 2 buffalo chicken strips on top. The bites with blue cheese were fantastic, and the crunch from the veggies added a nice texture. Also, and most importantly, they make a damn fine buffalo sauce at Local. Recommended.
We need more restaurants like Local, and I hope when it closes its doors, something just as dedicated takes it place. I’ll probably hit it up a couple of more times before it’s gone, and I suggest you do the same.

I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of Local. The drinks and selection were wonderful. One could never get bored with their drink menu. The food was wonderful. I highly recommend the prosciutto wrapped dates with goat cheese. We should have ordered two orders. The prices are reasonable for selection, quality and atmosphere. The fact that child care is an option would make me a regular if I lived in town. Do yourself a favor… try it out!

My husband and I went to Local tonight for an impromptu dinner date. I ordered the fish special of sea scallops, beet risotto and fried kale. My husband Eric ordered the salmon entre which came with crab risotto and an apple jam. My husband definitely out-​ordered me! The salmon was cooked perfectly with a nice crisp to the bottom of the fish and the berry and apple jam it was served with was a very nice companion. The crab risotto was very good. On the other hand, my scallops were twice the price of the salmon and were a disappointment. I think the pan wasn’t hot enough when the scallops were cooked so they ended up tasting a bit greasy and were in the pan so long that they burnt. :/​the beet risotto was just too sweet for my taste. The scallops were also served with a horse radish crème that I just didn’t understand. Scallops generally have delicate flavor and texture. To add a strong horse radish flavor was overpowering and it was served ice cold which didn’t do anything for the scallop either. I did enjoy the fried kale with sliced almonds. Good textures and flavors. All this to say that I would go back but I will never eat scallops here again. My husband’s salmon entre was very good and priced appropriately. They serve a good variety of oklahoma beers and have a nice glass décor and cute little shop. I do recommend the restaurant but don’t say you weren’t warned if you order the scallop entre!

Local opens with the promise of fresh gourmet choices based on a local flair of availability. The ambiance matches their theme perfectly and the staff are laid back but approachable and friendly. You could dress up and dress down for this place and still feel fine.
The food was a curiosity. The fish tacos had some crazy favors that while tasty, didn’t seem to quite match each other. The double taco layer wasn’t done as well as it could have and left you wishing for better. It approached the quality of big truck tacos in OKC but just had a few things to work on before it was perfect. The todfather put an interesting spin on the normal meat and potato dish, everything was cooked well and tasted great, but again your left feeling like the flavors are very different from what your used to expecting on a dish like this. Not to say this was bad, and it for sure intrigued me as I was eating it, but it definitely shows that local is willing to test your pallet.
On whole this was a pleasant experience and while the food had a few areas where it could have been better, the flavor combinations are new and refreshing to see when they work out. I would be willing to come back again any day.

We hadn’t been to Local for a few months (because we were too busy) but decided to go on a Friday night to celebrate a big event. The almost empty dining room (less than a third of the tables occupied) should have been a warning.
We were seated promptly, but it was almost 10 minutes before someone approached with water and menus. We studied the drink menu, which should have been a clue, but when the server appeared again after a long absence, we quickly ordered an appetizer to get some food into our two young boys’ stomachs. We ordered the fried portobello mushroom, and like a flash the server was gone, no drink order, no meal order.
After what seemed like an hour she reappear with a very small $ 8 fried mushroom, just enough for each of our group of four to have about a taste. It was good, but we were still starving. Only after bringing the mushroom did our server take our order. Once again she disappeared in a flash, no drink order taken, but this time that was our fault.
Eventually the kids meals and a soup was brought out, and my wife said the green chili soup was excellent. After what seemed like another hour, well after both boys had completely finished their meals and we’re ready to go, my sandwich came. I had just ordered a BLT. It was good, just the right size, but the soft white cheese (Brie?) dampened the flavor a little too much. If I were to ever go back, which is unlikely, I’d have them hold the cheese.
We’ll likely never go back because the service was so slow, indifferent, and almost rude. I think this is why the place was ²⁄₃ empty. I’ve eaten worse food at places with great service. The food here is not bad, it’s just not worth the inattentive service.

I really love Local! I have kids and they love to go to Local ville (kids area). My friends and I have mom’s nights here because we don’t have to find a sitter. For $ 5 our kids can eat a healthy meal and play in a supervised area for 2 hours.
The restaurant is very modern and the décor is awesome. I have been here 3 times and will keep coming back. My favorite thing to get is the lamb dip, it’s cooked to profection. Then I add whatever soup they have for the day. Local also has the best cocktails. my favorite drink is their jalapeño hibiscus margarita. It’s spicy– sweet and TO DIE FOR! Don’t forget dessert, get the bread pudding!

I am kicking myself for not knowing this place existed! I don’t typically go to Norman but now that my group of Normanite friends have expanded, I have been coming through this city as of late and I love this place!
We went there for brunch so everything was great comfort, breakfast food. From eggs, to caseless sausages, bacon to pancakes, it really hit the spot especially after a night of festivities. The mimosas were a great addition to our brunch too. Definitely a place to come back to for sure!

I haven’t eaten dinner at Local in quite a while, it just wasn’t consistent enough for me anymore. I do continue to eat brunch here on a regular basis. Consistency is still their biggest issue, things can be hit or miss. Last time I went, everything was cooked perfectly and I couldn’t get enough. Today however, it just wasn’t great. I love their brunch style so I will continue to give it a try.
They serve local coffee, which I love. The cocktails are always delicious.

We Love Local! Warning… brunch is a set menu, but the staff took great care of us when they found out that one of us doesn’t eat pork. That made our day!
Dinner is good here as well, plus they have child care that feeds the kids as well as doing crafts and such! This would make it our regular spot if we didn’t live in OKC…

Can we say… AMAZING?
No, seriously, if I lived in Norman, I would be at Local all the time. Their food, drinks, and service is so, so good. They are especially kind to us vegetarians who’d rather have grilled veggies over bacon. I’ve been to Local for both brunch and dinner, and the food has been fantastic each time. I love their cocktail menu — there is always something interesting to try. Service is great, too. The waitstaff is attentive and kind, and since I always seem to end up at Local for something Nerdy Girls related, I’m always impressed with how management will come say hello to us and support our group.
I love Local. You should too.

The good: decent décor and noise level. The food was ok, not great. But it was the Sunday brunch.
The bad: back to the Sunday brunch. It was a little fruit, some slices of brick cheese, scrambled eggs and potatoes, and a pancake.
The ugly: The price. The French Press coffee was $ 9. That’s insane! Brunch was $ 42 for my wife and I. $ 13.95 per person plus the coffee and a mimosa. With a $ 10 tip it came to $ 52. What was it worth? $ 4.95 per person and $ 1.50 for the coffee.
We won’t go back!

Another pleasant experience here at Local. As an out-​of-​towner, I love these types of places! So great to get into locally owned and locally sourced restaurants. My friends took me for brunch — all you can eat and it was delightful. A little pricey I suppose, but really very good.
The food is so fresh, and I enjoyed it.
One thing — expect a little less attentive service on busy Sunday mornings. I felt a little ignored, but I realize it can be busy.
Overall though, I loved it! And I hope I’ll get to come back again soon!

I’ve only been to Local for lunch so I dont know what it’s like at dinner but for lunch it’s great! It has a nice, clean feel that is just eclectic enough. They have fantastic booths… large and lend a feel of privacy. I am a lifetime booth devotee so that’s high praise!
The BLT is good, but the burger is better. The BLT comes with a fab red pepper relish tho… their pickles are weird. Not briny or salty enough to go with the sandwiches. The burger is awesome… delicious beef& toasted bun. Large portion too.
The green chili chowder was great! I’m looking forward to having it again when it gets colder… filling and tasty! The smoked salmon dip was good but I wish the pieces of salmon in the dip were bigger. It’s very minced. The homemade crackers with the dip are very good.
I had a few bites of their mac n cheese with turkey in it and that was great… loved the crunchy crumbles on top!
I will definitely go back to Local… they’ve done a lot with a space that used to be occupied by a Furr’s cafeteria!

Another stop on our cross country (LA to Maryland) road trip. Hello, Norman! My BFF’s mother works at O.U. and recommended this place.
AMBIANCE:
Modern décor. There was a trivia night going on, so it was pretty noisy with the PA system going. Otherwise comfortable and clean.
FOOD:
— Goat cheese fondue: Warm and gooey like it should be. Served with crunchy, thin slices of french bread. It was good, but trying it once was enough. It’s rich. 3.5 stars.
— I had the 4-​meat meat loaf (beef, buffalo, lamb, and pork), topped with two thick slices of crispy bacon, mushroom sauce, and served with scalloped potatoes. It was «stick-​to-​your-​ribs» food. I mean, it’s a snobby take on regular meatloaf, which is also good. I’d give it 3.5 stars.
— Almond crusted chicken salad was a summer treat. There are fresh berries, goat cheese crumbles, and pecans that really give a good mix of sweet, savory, and crunch. A solid 4 stars.
KID FRIENDLINESS:
This raises the restaurant from a 3 or 3.5 star establishment into the 4 star range. There’s a play area with all kinds of toys and activities (train table, bean bag chairs, dinosaurs, pretend kitchen, etc.) that your kid can chill in while you eat. For $ 6.50 they (there were two college-​age girls last night) watch your kid and feed them a meal off the kids’ menu while you get adult time. WIN!
SERVICE:
5 stars. Everyone from the hostess to our server to the childcare staff were great. Helpful, nice, and prompt.

Incredibly delish! Yes, I’m mostly a vegan girl, but today I was looking to beef it up with a healthy delicious burger and Norman was calling me. Specifically, Hastings was calling me (to study there — I must write review!) and lo, and behold, Local is in the same shopping center.
Why thank you, I will. And I did.
So this place is Classen Curve upscale. As I walked in with my grad school flair (also described sometimes as ‘homeless chic’), I was instantly enchanted. This is so a place for a fancy date or a lunch with those people who dress nice and laugh in a really cool way. But, standing in the lobby that signaled to me I was underdressed, I told the über pretty lavender-​haired hostess (lavender in the sexy way, not the Nanna way) girl it was «just me.» I needed iron. In the form of juicy cow.
So fancy lounge/​bar area for me. I was so rugged, yet the hot Lisa Loeb with Rapunzel red hair bartender was so nice even though I just got water. lovez.
The burger was so incredibly good. It was the best one I’ve ever had in my life. I wanted to only eat half. But I could not. It was like crack. If I really liked crack. So I ate it all. And everyone was super nice to me. And next time I’m going to come and look/​roam around so I can comment on the snazzy décor/​atmosphere as any excellent review requires.
Next time I’ll bring nice clothes (on my body) and peoples.

Wow! Yummy! What a gem!!! Hubby and I were in Norman and (shockingly), we didn’t feel like our usual Norman go-to’s, so took to Unilocal and found Local. It’s located in the corner of the strip mall where Hastings is and the exterior makes you think it’s gotta be tiny, but once you walk through the front door, you’ll see the place is more than spacious, with contemporary décor and even a separate section for Local goods (t-​shirts, bags, etc.).
Local’s concept is focused on local food/​ingredients, with a rotating daily specials menu, depending on what’s in season, along with a static menu.
Drinks: they have quite an extensive drinks menu, with specialty cocktails, wine and local beers — I settled on the smoky jalapeño-​hibiscus margarita, and unfortunately, it was one of the few slips at dinner. From reading the description, I did not anticipate the margarita being so overtly sweet (and pink)… :(I did not enjoy it, but the hubby sure did! :)
Appetizers: we tried the diiping-​trio, which includes a white-​bean hummus, bruschetta and a cream-​cheese pesto dip — Delicious! I’m not a huge fan of pesto, but that dip had just the right amount so as not to overwhelm. The other 2 dips tasted wonderfully fresh and the dipping toasts and pita chips were spot-​on baked (plus heavily seasoned with crushed black-​pepper, a total plus for me!). I also tried a cup of the green chili chowder soup (essentially a vegetarian corn and potato chowder) — Again, super yummy!
Main eats: lots o’ vegetarian selection — I settled on the 3-​cheese and spinach ravioli (lite portion (5 raviolis)), which I’m pleased to report were QUITE tasty. Hubby was torn between the fish tacos and the «todfather» daily special, which happened to be a steak with grilled asparagus and potatoes au gratin — The steak was the only other slip-​up of the night. He always orders his steak medium-​rare, so when it’s cooked correctly and the whole table is shaking as he cuts into it, you know the cut of meat is no bueno… He did want me to note that the steak tasted good though.
The ambiance is really pleasing — Contemporary feel without feeling pretentious, semi open-​air kitchen and the service was top-​notch. The fact that they offer lite portions, focus on fresh/​local ingredients, and are vegetarian friendly will definitely keep us coming back! Also, this would make a wonderful restaurant to bring out-​of-​towners to if you’re showing off Norman — Well done Local!

I highly suggest you make reservations! We stopped by at around 7:30 and were told that three other people were in front of us. We could be immediately seated on the patio, but the BF thought it might be too cold. It was rather odd that they didn’t have outdoor heaters. Oh well.
What we ordered: Caprese Salad, Chili Chowder, and Chicken Pita. The Caprese Salad had 3 pieces of their home made mozzarella a top three pieces of tomato with a side salad garnish. I was a little taken aback by the mozzarella because it was firm. ‘m accustomed to hand made mozzarella that’s soft so that was a little disappointing for me.
I ordered the pita sandwich sans feta cheese because I’m not really a fan. I asked for the Famer’s Market salad instead of truffle chips and have to say WOW! I really like the green goddess dressing and thought the salad could have used more. The pita was sub-​par because the grilled chicken was really dry so I was a little disappointed about that. Also the tomatoes and arugula that came with the pita kept coming out with each bite I took so I sort of felt that there should have been a mix of all ingredients inside the pita or maybe use a larger sized pita… I dunno. All in all, I’d probably go back again and try something else. It’s nice to find a farm to table restaurant in Norman :)

This place glows. The food, the space, the people, the drinks. It just makes you feel good from the inside out. This was my first of what I am certain will be many, many visits.
I can’t imagine how much work went into making this space as cute as it is. Localville, beautiful booths, open kitchen, sleek bar, sparkling restrooms, the entire thing is just so well done. I’ve been friends with one of the owners for many years, and after attending lovely events she’s hosted, it is no surprise to me that the space itself is so dear, just like everything she does.
We started with drinks at the bar. I like any bartender who can hear just a few snippets and know exactly what you want to drink! Local beers are the only ones on the menu, which works great for me, and a really good wine list and lots of options by the glass.
For a starter we ordered the goat cheese dip, which was surprisingly light. For dinner between us we shared a caprese salad, the Waygu beef with a potato gratin and grilled broccoli, as well as an order of the crab ravioli. The beef was absolutely delicious and perfectly prepared. Medium here really means medium, because the cuts are so good they needn’t hide behind charring the hell out of beef. The sides were so delicious, and the salad was also very yummy. The ravioli was good but very rich (as crab ravioli is wont to be). I would have eaten another pound of the grilled broccoli if it had been there.
The only thing that wasn’t perfect was the timing. Part of the reasoning behind an 8 pm reservation is that I don’t feel like they’re going to have to turn the table right away for the next reservation. But we felt a little pressure from our server to order right after being seated. We ordered the starter to buy a little time, but all of our food came out at the same time, causing a little pile up at our table. We had to ask the server to take our ravioli back and have it warmed up. Not a huge deal, but something that could be fine-​tuned for sure.
We ordered dessert, the flourless chocolate tort and the fruit tart. Both wonderful, down to the very last bite. But I still couldn’t help but feel like we were holding up our waiter. He grabbed the folios as soon as we finished signing the credit card receipts. We spent about $ 150 pre-​tip, and I’m sure someone else wouldn’t have minded taking care of us once he realized we were more into a leisurely meal.
But for the beautiful space and some of the best food I’ve had in recent memory, at reasonable prices for a fun night out, I am already looking forward to my next visit, and look forward to adding a fifth star with truly excellent service.