Brookside By Day

Brookside by Day, affectionately called BBD, is a long time Tulsa favorite. BBD is a diner which serves heavy breakfast and lunch classics. The food is definitely home style — don’t expect anything new or fancy here. The interior looks like a typical Mom & Pop shop — diner chairs, tile top tables, 1970s style dishes. They are always packed out on the weekends but are amazingly able to seat everyone pretty quickly. The only issue is that there is not a ton of space for those who are waiting but we usually just wait outside. They have had to continually buy out the shops next door so that they now comprise about 4 store fronts for their restaurant. There are a good number of tables out front on a pretty spacious patio area. When they are busy be prepared for a loud roar of the crowd, crashing dishes, and a rushing wait staff.
They have great omelets, biscuits & gravy, chicken fried steak, burgers, waffles, pancakes, cinnamon rolls, etc. Most breakfast meals come with their home fries in lieu of the typical hash browns. I usually go for the basic eggs & bacon or pancake stack. My husband always gets the chicken fried steak. The portions are very generous! This is a great place to come when you are craving some comfort breakfast food and aren’t looking for anything too fancy.

The place was busy and the waitress was wonderful BUT they didn’t have soy or almond milk for those people who are trying to cut down on dairy for health reasons. We had to go to another breakfast place because of that no soy or almond milk options. Would love to have stayed and have breakfast but… oh well! Cant say we will be back. Sorry BBD!

Great homemade chicken noodle soup in the winter. Local favorite for breakfast and lunch. Come as you are.

Super friendly, family-​like atmosphere. Yummy food!

BBD, as the Tulsans call it, it good, not great. Growing up here, my high school friends and I came here once a week for breakfast before school – we were obsessed. The waitstaff are fun, remember you, and know everything that’s good.
However, after college I moved back to tulsa and took my now husband there who was way under impressed. There is a lot of hype about BBD and frankly it doesn’t deliver. It is typical breakfast food. Nothing too special. Now this is never on our breakfast list – you most likely will have to wait for mediocre food and that’s just never worth it.

BBD seems to have questionable health standards. We went there about a month ago and noticed that one of the employees by the kitchen window was touching and rearranging the food on customers’ plates before the plates were sent out to the dining area, so we left before ordering. We returned today thinking that perhaps we were too hasty… but once again noticed an employee placing a biscuit on a plate without any gloves or tongs.
Out of curiosity, I went up to a man behind the counter who appeared to be the manager or owner (others here in Unilocal have described him as rude with some of the customers). I asked him politely why the employees touch the food, and here’s what he said: «Why, do you have a phobia?»
I said that I was concerned if the workers touched the food after also touching money, dirty dishes, the counter, without washing their hands, etc. His next response once again deflected my question: «Do you always wash your hands when cooking at home?» I said that I do. He then asked if I was a health inspector. I replied that I was just a customer. At that point he said that they tell their employees to wash their hands, but that there’s no way to ensure that happens all the time… and that even though I may not see what goes on at other restaurants, in reality employees touch food everywhere and this simply can’t be avoided.
I was definitely left with the impression that this guy didn’t think it was a big deal, that it can’t be stopped, and that even raising the question was a potential sign of phobia. Talk about being defensive! Using tongs or gloves would be a simple way to not touch the food… so considering that BBD is a bit dirty, and that there isn’t much regulation of touching food with bare hands, we won’t be going back.

My wife comes here a lot and she loves it. She introduced me today. It was extremely busy when we showed up. And we got sat in a corner. So if you come in a Saturday, come early or be prepared to wait. They have seating outside that Is great if they have room.
The food itself was fantastic. I got the Murrito and it was delicious. We also ordered a flask of mimosa for the two of us and it was plenty for 2 people.

Always Always Always super packed! Good food and fun atmosphere! Food is nicely priced and can get something good for under $ 10!
Be sure you have time to wait if you are going on the weekend its fills up and there is a waiting list. Moves fast but still!

Today was my second time here. I really like it. Fast and friendly service and good food. They even have an awesome group on deal right now, pay $ 10 and get $ 20 worth of food. I ordered the eggs Benedict with a side of sausage links. Definitely satisfied my breakfast craving! :)

It’s nice to go to a spot who serves breakfast day & night outside of Denny’s & IHOP. I’ve been here before & had one of their chalkboard specials, which was good. French Toast with cinnamon streusel topping & it went well with the bacon & eggs.
This time around, I got their French Toast (Texas style) with hash browns. It was good but wasn’t better than the kind I had last time. Their hash browns were real good. You can have options to add nuts &/​or fruit for a little extra as well.
The prices are very reasonable & the servers were nice. It seems to be more packed in the morning compared to night time. They close rather early as well (compared to other restaurants) so catch them while you can.

Had a decent Saturday morning breakfast here. It was really crowded and there was a bit of a wait. The lingering people waiting and servers and others rushing in and out made me feel like I needed to hurry up and eat. In fact, I am pretty sure I overheard a manager talking loudly (on purpose so others could hear) about how if people would hurry up and eat, they could seat all the people waiting.
Our server was nice enough, and the food was good. Biscuits tasted fresh and homemade. I am not really interested in going back due to the atmosphere. I much prefer The Savoy if I’m going ot wait that long for breakfast, and the food is better anyway.

Great breakfast, busy waiters all around, fun atmosphere on a weekend morning. I’m sure they have more popular dishes, but I had the simple 2 egg breakfast with bacon and home fries. My meal was excellent.
The location is awesome, right in the middle of Brookside.

great breakfast food (never been here for lunch or dinner), good coffee, and an amiable and attentive staff make BBD one of my top 3 favorite breakfast places in Tulsa. I usually get their omelette with biscuits and gravy, chocolate milk, and coffee. SO good.
Usually quite crowded on weekend mornings and the seating is jam packed, so if you’re looking for a quiet breakfast spot, this isn’t the place.
Very comfortable atmosphere right in the heart of brookside, Tulsa’s hoppin restaurant/​bar area. What I’m saying is. you should go.

We love to come to Brookside by Day for breakfast on the weekends! Word to the wise, it is usually packed, so expect a line. However, it is well worth the wait!
The only meal I have ever had at BBD is breakfast, but it is always great! I love the cinnamon french toast, with home fries and bacon. My boyfriend likes the omelets, breakfast burritos, and biscuts & gravy. The orange juice is very fresh and they always keep your coffee cup full. The portions are large and you will not need to eat lunch that day! Very yummy! The wait staff is a very colorful group, who are always willing to help. Definitely give BBD a try for your next weekend breakfast!

Have come here twice with a groupon. It’s a really good deal, but a fairly average breakfast. The giant cinnamon roll is pretty delicious as well as the 3 meat omlette. My favorite part of coming here is sitting outside on the patio drinking a cup of coffee and soaking up the energy and ambiance of Brookside. I’d highly recommend trying this place for breakfast or brunch. Coffee is good which is always a must.

Brookside By Day is probably the most neighborly spot on Brookside. Every time I’m there I see comradery among the people there. It’s that feeling that everyone has been there before and they come here often. Probably because it’s a nice little place to hang out.
I always stop in for the breakfast. I know they serve other things but to me, this is a breakfast spot. It’s fairly priced and the food is fairly good. It’s not a «knock your socks off» type of restaurant but it’s a dang good place to get pancakes.
The other notable thing about this place is the service. Everyone that works here is a champion server. You will be hard pressed to run out of coffee or water when you eat here.
The place is not much to look at but if you need a basic good breakfast on Brookside try it out. It has become a go-​to spot for me.

Such a great experience! Like many others who have reviewed, I’ve heard great things about Brookside By Day, but unlike some of those others, I realize that this is a small, family diner. It’s popular, and the food is tasty and cooked home style, not from a box or shipped in a box to meet a corporate standard.
The food was tasty, made with love, and just as I ordered it. The service was quick, efficient and friendly.
I will go again next time I am in Tulsa!
Hooray for restaurants and diners with personality and panache!

I’ve always heard good things about Brookside by Day, but never have had a chance to eat there until this weekend. I went with a group of 4 other people. They were very busy when we first got there. We stood for a few minutes before the manager walked by and asked if we’d put our name down and pointed us over to a notebook discreetly laying on a table. We signed in with our name and number in our party (5). There were a lot of people, so we expected a wait, but after waiting for quite a while, it was obvious they were passing over us and seating parties similar to our size (4, 6, etc.). Right as we were about to say something, they finally called our name.
Upon being seated, we sat a few minutes before the waitress came over. There was still a tip from the previous person on the table and I tried to hand it to the manager passing by and he jokingly said «just keep it», but didn’t stop to get it. The waitress finally picked it up when she arrived. My seat was next to a window and stayed pretty drafty throughout the whole meal. The waitress was efficient. She took our order, checked on us as needed, and kept my coffee cup filled, which is always a bonus in my eyes. I ordered the egg, bacon, jalapeño, cheddar scramble with a side of homefries and a biscuit with gravy. The food was decent, but nothing too special. The biscuit and gravy seemed very generic with not much flavor. The home fries were just potatoes fried, with no seasoning. The egg scramble was average. The one good thing is that they put a lot of bacon and jalapenos in it.
Overall, I wasn’t impressed.

Me and four of my family members arrived to «the BBD» late on a Saturday morning, finding a packed house. We had our names added to the list. One of our party had been there a couple of times — once for breakfast and once for lunch, both during slower times. For four of us it was the first time, but it may have been the last for all of us.
Like I said, it was packed. Normally I don’t mind this. I’m patient. I take it as a good sign the wait will be worth it. I understand that I’m not any more entitled to a high level of service than anyone else. What I don’t understand is why my group was repeatedly passed over for seating in favor of other parties that came in after us. Not having ever worked in the food service industry, maybe there are issues with the organization of tables and people I’m missing out on. From a customer standpoint, though, it was rude. And as another reviewer mentioned, while waiting I was privy to many negative interactions between the man who appeared to be the manager and other customers (him being the instigator/​antagonizer) and among staff ABOUT customers (our very existence seemed to annoy some of them).
Once we were seated it took quite a while for a server to come over and take our drink orders. This gave me time to check out my surroundings. What I saw was diner décor. Cheap, tacky-​looking furniture and common accessories that all seemed to have a fine layer of dust/​grease on them. I’ve seen better, but I’ve also seen worse.
Our waitress upon arrival and throughout the meal was prompt, quiet, and efficient — things that, not being a morning person, I personally appreciate. (With servers it’s a.m. just the food ma’am, p.m. hey let’s be friends.) It wasn’t enough to make up for my first impression, though.
I know. Get to the food already. I had a 3-​meat omelet (bacon, ham, and sausage) with added tomatoes and jalapeños and topped with cheddar cheese. Home fries and a biscuit with gravy came on the side. The biscuit did not seem to be fresh. The gravy was bland. The home fries were just okay. The only thing that made my tastebuds take notice was the omelet, which had good flavor and the right balance of its many ingredients. Which was good because it changed my mind about the place from ‘total waste of time’ to ‘would do in a pinch’.
Oh, and it is overpriced. I’d rather have IHOP or, since I’d prefer to eat locally, First Watch.

I love this restaurant!!! It is very quaint and the staff is super friendly. It is located in the heart of Brookside and has a lovely outside patio.
They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Truth be told, they are all delicious! For breakfast, I love their Belgian waffle platter. It is just perfectly cooked and has a thick syrup with it. For dinner, I like the burgers and also the chicken fingers.
We ate dinner tonight. Kenny had a burger with waffle fries and I had the chicken fingers with fries and cottage cheese I also ordered a house salad with honey mustard dressing. It was all very good and the service was prompt.
I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone. The prices are great and the food is delicious.