Nelson's Buffeteria
Best Meat-and-Three in Tulsa · OK
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.
Customers said it first.
A Centurion Award verifies the public record that’s already there. Read the reviews yourself on the platforms below.
Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.
Why this business cleared the bar.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. Founding cohort: evaluated in 2026 on public evidence available then, labeled 2025. Selection follows the published criteria; Nelson's Buffeteria met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓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 specific data behind this award, and the exact thresholds, stay internal so the standard can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. Own this business? Claim the listing to manage it, or ask us to remove it.
Award record
2025 Centurion Award
Best Meat-and-Three in Tulsa Tulsa, OK · Awarded under the 2025 evaluationVisit Nelson's Buffeteria
The details, verified.
Clean, checkable facts about Nelson's Buffeteria.
- 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 reviewing public evidence for Nelson's Buffeteria against the 2025 criteria for its market and category. The business did not have to apply for this page to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. The criteria are public. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. If an award stops holding up, we may revoke it. For anything current, like hours or bookings, go straight to the business itself.
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.
Run a business like this one?
If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.