I wish you could smell these pictures! If you could, I’m sure you’d drop everything and head to Wanda J’s in the Greenwood District of Tulsa. They’re serving up the best fried chicken I’ve ever had, and a massive selection of made-from-scratch side dishes that do not disappoint.
While they opened in 2016, the recipes date back much further than that! The owners are the grandchildren of Wanda J herself, who has been serving up southern soul food in Tulsa since the 70s. Since they learned from the best, they named their restaurant after her, calling it Wanda J’s Next Generation, because they are the next generation.
Seriously, everything we tried was amazing! We were shocked that they let you pick exactly the chicken pieces we wanted, which is great if you have picky eaters in your group. We enjoyed their mac and cheese, mashed potatoes with gravy, fried corn, greens, yams, cornbread, and rolls… which were all perfect side dishes to our fried chicken and meatloaf.
They had a steady stream of customers coming and going the entire time we were there. Some chose to dine in like we did, enjoying the cozy neighborhood vibes of this super-casual cafe, while many chose to take their food to go, which has inspired us for some other meals at our Airbnb.
There is a small ramp at the front door, which I needed a little help getting up. But beyond that, the space was accessible for our visit, and the service was amazing. We realized later that we didn’t check the restrooms because our Airbnb was so close, so we’ll have to report on that when we make a return trip.
When you leave, make sure to check out the metal plaques on the sidewalk. They indicate which businesses were in Greenwood before the Tulsa Massacre, and help you understand the history you’re a part of.