Boomarang Diner, Stillwater OK

Sometimes all you need is some solid diner fare. Boomarang Diner in Stillwater OK hits that spot. “It’s not fast food, it’s good food fast”

About a month ago, I had a completely free Saturday, so I went to Guthrie to hit the thrift/antique shops. Guthrie is about 25 minutes from Stillwater, and was the first capital of the state. Guthrie has a very cute downtown with shops and restaurants, but since I’ve lived in Oklahoma, numerous businesses have closed down, and it almost seems like the town is dying. I would hate to see that happen, because it is a great area with a lot of history and I have friends who call Guthrie home.

My original plan was to have lunch in Guthrie, but I wasn’t very hungry by the time I finished shopping. I went to downtown Stillwater to run a few errands and, of course, after one store I was starving. Downtown Stillwater has grown significantly since I moved here in ’07. One of the biggest areas of growth has been restaurants. I wanted something relatively quick, and remembered Boomarang Diner.

Boomarang Diner is a chain restaurant, with locations throughout Oklahoma and one in Arkansas. The Stillwater location opened a few years ago, and is in the heart of downtown. Boomarang Diner always crowded at lunchtime, and I’ve seen the line out the door during peak lunch periods. They definitely have their share of regular customers, because I heard the servers call several customers by name. It’s a diner in every sense of the word, with linoleum tile floors, metal and wood tables and booths, a vintage look, and old pictures and signs all over the walls. There is a look-through kitchen takes up almost the entire right side of the building, and there is a small area with counter seating near the front of the building

I arrived well after the lunch rush. There was still a good crowd, but fortunately no line. A server brings you the menu, takes your drink order, and then comes back a few minutes later to take your food order. The Boomarang Diner menu is simple, with burgers, sandwiches, dinners, baskets, and breakfast all day.

I don’t typically order appetizers, especially when I dine alone. However, when I saw that the onion rings are breaded, I knew I had no choice.

The onion rings are outstanding, screaming hot and freshly fried. It’s a very generous portion for a side order, and they are thick cut. As much as it pained me, I only ate a couple of them so I could eat the rest of my meal.

The burgers and sandwiches are a la carte, and you can add a side. The dinners and baskets come with salad or slaw, fries or mashed potatoes, and bread. I went with the burger basket with fries.

The fries are crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, just the way I like them. The burger has very good flavor, and the bacon is crisp and delicious. The burger patty was a little overcooked for my tastes, but when they smash the patty down so thin that can easily happen.

The food came out super fast, which to me usually means not fresh. However, I found that to be just the opposite. And then I remembered that the Boomarang Diner slogan is “not fast food, good food fast”. They have a system, it works, and it results in quite good food. The menu is also diner-priced, as my entire meal was less than $10.

One thing I learned very early on is that Oklahomans like their ranch dressing. I swear some people put it on absolutely everything. My server brought containers of ranch and ketchup to the table while I waited for my meal

I mean, I like ranch occasionally. But they must go through gallons of the stuff here to just automatically bring a huge container to the table. I had to laugh.

Will I go back to Boomarang Diner? I have to admit, it’s not on the list of restaurants that immediately come to mind when I want to eat out in town. However, I do want to try their breakfast, as diner breakfasts are usually really good. And of course get another order of the onion rings.