Patty Wagon, Oklahoma City OK

100% grass-fed burgers, hand-cut fries, food cooked to order. The building doesn’t look like much, but the food at Patty Wagon more than makes up for it.

The start of football season is always the most challenging time of the year for me. Yes, I know months in advance when the first home game is. But unexpected things always pop up, and many things can’t happen until the last 2 weeks before the game. I get it done because I have no choice, but it’s always a race to the finish line. We began this season with 3 home games in a row, so I took full advantage of the free weekend the following week. I took off work Thursday and Friday, and on Friday morning I headed to Edmond and OKC to run some errands. Everything was great until I got rear-ended while sitting at a red light in Edmond. I was not hurt, and I could still drive the car, but it definitely put a damper on my day.

I pushed through with errands for a couple more hours, and then was starving and annoyed with the entire day. My original plan was to eat something healthy. I am on my feet most of the day, nearly every day in August. And on home game weekends I walk about 8 miles on Friday, and 13 on gameday. But they’re not “real” workouts, and my less-than-stellar diet during that time kind of counteracts the good. However, I then convinced myself that a burger and fries would be better, and of course the only logical solution considering the accident. Yes, I am that person who can justify anything.

The only nearby burger places were ones I had visited many times. I briefly considered Five Guys because I really like it, I hadn’t done a review, and it was across the street. But I decided I wanted something new and different. I searched online, and came across Patty Wagon. Thanks to Facebook, I saw that a couple of my friends like it, and it received great reviews. As I headed in that direction I realized it was farther away than I originally thought. But by then I was on a mission.

Patty Wagon is in NW OKC. It’s off the highway, in a little bit older area that is home to lots and lots of strip malls and small shops. I never would have found it on my own.

The building used to be a Whataburger, and I don’t think they did anything to it since Patty Wagon took over. But you know what? That’s part of the charm. And besides, it’s the food that counts.

Patty Wagon is a fast-casual restaurant; you order at the counter, give your name, and they deliver the food to your table. The space seats about 50, and is a combination of tables and booths. Patty Wagon is part of Keep it Local, a program that offers discounts at Oklahoma-owned businesses. The card costs $15 annually, and I always make my money back well before the end of the year. More importantly, I’m supporting local businesses. The discount at Patty Wagon is 10% off your bill, consistent with many of the businesses in the program.

I arrived at Patty Wagon well after the lunch rush. There were only a couple of other guests there, but throughout my visit customers came in quite steadily. Kind of surprising, for late on Friday afternoon. But that’s the sign of a good product. I also really like that they have the menu both on the boards above the cash register and at the register itself

The cashier guessed correctly that it was my first visit. She was very friendly and helpful, and took the time to explain the entire menu. The Patty Wagon menu is pretty simple, featuring burgers, sandwiches, sides, and old fashioned shakes. The burgers are made with 100% local grass-fed beef. There are 6 gourmet burgers, 2 combo burgers, or you can create your own burger. The standard Patty Wagon burgers are 4.5 ounces, and you can go single or double. If you want to eat a little lighter, Patty Wagon offers a Patty Burger that is 2.5 ounces, a naked burger, and even a turkey sandwich.

I wasn’t planning to get a milkshake until I saw that they are hand-dipped, real ice cream. I definitely could not pass up on that. There are a few flavors, but I decided to start simple, with vanilla.

The shake is delicious. It is also super rich and thick, and took some serious work getting it through the straw. I savored it slowly, and still had some remaining to take with me when I left.

I considered one of the combos, but neither of the burgers really jumped out at me. So after some back and forth, I went with the Jailhouse Blues burger, and of course fries.

Patty Wagon cooks everything to order, so it does take longer than your standard fast-food restaurant. But I’ll always take fresh-cooked over food that’s been sitting around. When I first sat down, I heard the cashier talking to one of the cooks in the back, and a few minutes later they brought out another batch of fresh french fries to a customer. That’s a customer after my own heart, and I appreciate the staff making their order right.

The burger was amazing. Grass-fed beef has so much more flavor than regular beef; it justs bursts in your mouth. The blue cheese is nice and rich, but not overpowering. The bun is lightly buttered and toasted on the grill, and there is never anything wrong with that. I am a huge french fry snob, and these fries were so delicious. These are a perfect thick-cut, crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. I had briefly considered getting a double patty…I’m not sure what got into me, because that’s the last thing I needed. And besides, with both the burgers and fries it was more than enough food.

When I first sat down and was taking pictures, a woman at the table across from me asked if I would be putting the pictures on Facebook. I briefly told her about my blog, and that the post would also go on Facebook. She’s the owner, and was very appreciative, and said they needed more customers. She was eating her lunch when I sat down; as soon as she finished, she was checking on the other guests, cleaning, and delivering food to tables. That’s the mark of a great leader.

Will I go back to Patty Wagon? There is no question about that.

For reviews of more restaurants in Oklahoma City, click on the photos below!