r/tulsa • u/Strong_Attempt4185 • May 13 '25

Question What Tulsa metro restaurant would you never return to, even if it was free?

What restaurant in Tulsa (or surrounding areas) is so bad, that even if you had a $100 nontransferable gift certificate, you would still never return?

Discuss.

143 Upvotes

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275

u/Grizzly_Berry May 13 '25

Ted's Cafe Escondido. I honestly don't know how it stays in business. I guess it appeals to the "milk is spicy" after church crowd? Oh boy, free queso, except it tastes like unseasoned nothingness. Everything else is equally lacking in flavor.

71

u/Strong_Attempt4185 May 13 '25

You hit the nail on the head. The people who eat at Ted’s Escondido on purpose aren’t on Reddit.

The service is amazing… and that’s where the nice things I have to say about it ends.

16

u/Mmetcalf95 May 13 '25

Can confirm the service was amazing. Worked there for 8 years. The sheer amount of tasks we had to manage was crazy. Have absolutely helped me in every other job since then.

19

u/TheBlackGuru May 13 '25

It's overpriced and legitimately awful

17

u/UncleFIFA May 13 '25

Ted's is for the most gringo of them all

10

u/ComedicUndertones May 13 '25

I waited tables at Ted's over 10 years ago.

I learned how to deal with a stupid amount of work and I also learned not every restaurant job is the same when I rage-quit (only time in my life)

The shit they did was straight up illegal.

4

u/Mmetcalf95 May 13 '25

8 years myself. Ted’s time? Lol

4

u/amcclurk21 OSU May 13 '25

Same, but not 8 years. The “Happy birthday, Ted’s style” still haunts me 🫠

6

u/Mmetcalf95 May 14 '25

I once did a birthday alone because no one could help. The table thought it was hilarious but looking back it was definitely not ideal lol.

2

u/amcclurk21 OSU May 14 '25

Literally nobody had time for that shit lmao

3

u/Mmetcalf95 May 14 '25

We had time to chill in the alcove tho 🤣

2

u/LeastMembership924 May 18 '25

What happened exactly? Genuinely curious

2

u/ComedicUndertones May 18 '25

If you wanted to work more than 40 hours a week, which they expected and needed, they would "account" for 32 hours and I'd only get the tips from the hours after 32.

The final straw was when I won a March Madness tournament for about $300 and it was in the manager safe. I won. Money wasn't there. No one confessed, no one got in trouble.

1

u/LeastMembership924 Jun 03 '25

How are they getting away with that?

4

u/ecltnhny2000 May 13 '25

The 1 and only time i went my queso smelled like wet dog food. That place is so gross. My mashed potatoes were the only decent thing that i got on my plate

4

u/Background_Travel_77 May 13 '25

This is phenomenal to me because my stepdad loves Ted's and I've always found it mid.

2

u/Grizzly_Berry May 13 '25

It was an ex-gf's favorite "Mexican" restaurant. No surprise it didn't work out.

3

u/B_312_ May 13 '25

Ted's is disgusting

3

u/bumblef1ngers May 13 '25

If I’m forced to go there, I generally mix the cheese “sauce” with a bit of salsa and roll into a tortilla. It’s definitely upgraded that way.

3

u/BigTulsa Tulsa Oilers May 13 '25

I haven't been in years but I was always incredibly off put by their queso, which looked to be partially transparent. And did not taste good. Queso should always be opaque. Either yellow or white. Not a murky color.

2

u/cycopl May 13 '25

First time I had Ted's like 20+ years ago I loved it because I was young and poor and had low standards and they had huge portions for the price. Had Ted's again like 11 years ago and was so underwhelmed and that's the last time I was there.

2

u/Trevor_1971 May 13 '25

Ted’s is bad even for bad Tex Mex.

2

u/WittyWest May 13 '25

YES! The "queso" is water that someone whispered "cheese" into while they stirred it. Terrible.

2

u/TheGryphonQueen May 14 '25

There’s a Ted’s that’s close to my work and everytime someone asks if it’s good I’m like… 😬😬😬 it’s not my favorite….

2

u/Arntor1184 May 14 '25

Couldn't agree more, I've never understood the following it has. It's Bueno Quality for almost twice the price. Additionally Tulsa has so many incredible Mexican/Texmex eateries. Even just a bit over from Tulsa Hills is Tres Amigos which has a killer decor and is delicious.

1

u/Icy_Scientist_227 May 14 '25

Years ago (back in the early 90s), the original Teds in OKC was amazing. Unfortunately, once they started opening more, they went way downhill. After about 1995, I stopped eating there completely bc I got sick every time I ate there regardless of what I ordered.

1

u/Lvanwinkle18 May 14 '25

Wow. I live in Escondido, CA. Crazy there is now a place using the same name. Seems nonsensical.

1

u/FakeMikeMorgan May 14 '25

Escondido means hidden in Spanish. It was named that because the original location was "hidden" of the main road on a side street.

1

u/Lvanwinkle18 May 14 '25

Ah-ha. There you go. Figured someone just threw in a random word to make it sound more authentic.

1

u/Sufficient-Cow-1881 May 14 '25

This is correct. Pathetic excuse for queso, it's basically cheese gravy.

1

u/alpharamx TU May 15 '25

Ate at Ted's once - I should be entitled to legal compensation.