Whether you are just passing through or live in the area, the Falls offers a large variety of restaurants to choose from. Along with almost all of the nationally recognized chain restaurants, there are also a host of smaller, more personalized restaurants. These are some of the best and most unique places to eat in Wichita Falls.
Half Pint Taproom and Restoration Hall
When you need a place with a trendy vibe with good local beer, carve some time from your evening and come on out to Half Pint. They serve pizzas and subs and associated dishes like bruschettas and charcuteries. Lots of locals call in and take out.
Downtown Wichita falls does not have much pass-through traffic, this is located in a beautiful old brick building on a quiet city street. Be sure to spend time in the beer garden as it is gas heated in wintertime. They frequently have live music and host about a hundred events a year.
Bricktown Taphouse
They offer an expansive menu, we have eaten their pizzas, burgers, shrimp, fish and chips, and enjoy all their food. They have a large selection of craft beers and offer bar seating as well as tables and booths. There is frequently a wait, so plan accordingly. Side note: the service isn’t always prompt.
A friend recommended we get the caramel sweet potato fries before our first visit- we weren’t expecting them to be as amazing as they are! We order these every visit. Spicy caramel sauce is the secret to these tasty morsels.
You can order online here.
Parkway Grill
There are two Parkway grills, the original is on Southwest Parkway and the second is on Central Expressway near Sheppard Air Force Base. Both are sports grills where TVs abound. Each has a separate bar area plus table and booth seating and the food is really good.
Warning: if you order the pulled-pork nachos, be ready for them to serve you more than you can possibly eat. It’s delicious too. Additionally, they serve catfish, burgers, wings, fries, and rings abound.
The atmospheres at the two restaurants are quite different from one another. The original has more of a traditional restaurant layout and the Central Expressway is very compartmentalized. However, the food is great and plentiful at both locations.
Looking for More Ethnic Places to Eat in Wichita Falls?
Namaste Indian Restaurant
Namaste is the only authentic Indian restaurant in Wichita Falls. They do a booming to-go and carry out business. In addition to dishes with meat, they offer vegetarian and vegan dishes. We love their paneer, tendura, and kurma. The buttered naan is never-ending and it is so good it will bring you back again and again.
They provide an Americanized Indian atmosphere with background music and decor. The restaurant is clean and the staff members are always friendly and service-oriented.
Pho Viet
It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but it is the best Pho in Wichita Falls. Come for the food, not the table service. We’ve had several of the menu offerings and like everything we try. The fried egg rolls are terrific, as are the spring rolls.
It’s always clean and everyone has always been friendly. Lots of the popular and highly rated restaurants here don’t have good parking, but this is easy in and out.
Gutierrez Family Restaurant
Menudo. Enchiladas. Burritos, Salsa. Tortillas. The portions are large, you will be okay if you split a plate. All of their items are made on-site and made with love. Their salsa is delicious. This is the best Mexican restaurant in TEXOMA and it would compete favorably with any located much further south.
You can tell from looking at the exterior, the place hasn’t been updated in a while. And though it looks sketchy, it isn’t at all. Since it is a true family-owned restaurant, the family makes sure you’re treated very well.
The Original Casa Mañana
Home of the original Red Tacos, Casa Mañana is a staple in downtown Wichita Falls. It was one of the first places recommended to us when we moved to the area.
The decor is a little on the dated side (that’s being generous), but it only adds to the charm of this tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant. Every time we have eaten there, the staff have been friendly and the atmosphere is very family-friendly.
Whatever you do, you must order the red tacos and the wine sauce (I know, right?), but it actually works.
Their chips are not for everyone. I happen to prefer chips that don’t crumble into tiny slivers that I have to dig out of my salsa, but not everyone likes them a little thicker.
Burger-Joint Places to Eat in Wichita Falls
Scott’s Drive In
Locals here want to keep this place a secret! It’s a burger drive-in straight out of the 1960s. Service is dine-in or to your car and the server will probably wear his white apron and paper carhop hat. You park under the awning and do the push-button order thing. Depending on where you park, you can order from either side of the vehicle.
We had burgers, rings, fries, and malts the last time we went. The wait was long, but it looked like only one person was running the store himself: He took orders, did the cooking, and he was the only one car-hopping- he was busy! It was great and worth the time we spent waiting.
Pat’s Drive In
For over 50 years, this burger place has been too busy frying and grilling classic American food to answer the phone. Because of that, we recommend you come in person to order. Everything is cooked the way they did it in 1970. The interior and exterior are the same too, just more coats of paint, but that isn’t a bad thing at all.
The staff is clean and friendly and they know what the locals will order when they see them park out front. I suggest getting the chicken fried steak on garlic toast, but you will never go wrong with their bacon cheeseburger with either fries or onion rings. This place is inexpensive, too.
Gene’s Tasty Burger
Gene’s was actually one of the first places we were brought to by some friends for lunch after church. As newcomers to the area, they wanted us to know some of the local favorites.
The hamburgers reminded me of the old-fashioned ones I had as a child. The fries were really good but the onion rings were amazing.
The decor is a little dated, but that adds to the feeling you have of stepping back in time. The staff was very friendly.
Gene’s is definitely off the beaten path and you really have to be looking for it to find it. It’s a little out of the way but definitely worth finding.
Some Places to Eat Barbecue in Wichita Falls
Texas Underground BBQ
Go downtown and order any of the five staples (brisket, pulled pork, sausage, burnt ends, or ribs), and hope you are not on a diet! That’s not all, this place has non-bbq staples too- fried catfish, shrimp, alligator, and gumbo. The sides are crazy good too, don’t miss the mac and cheese and banana pudding.
The owners run this arts district restaurant and are fully committed to personalized service. They are open for lunch Wednesdays and Thursdays, and they are open from 11 am -7 pm Fridays and Saturdays. The portions are huge, there is always enough left to take some home with you.
Branding Iron
Branding Iron Bar-B-Que is part of Wichita Falls’ culinary history. Line up and order at the counter, then take your plate to your table. Bring old-school money because that is all they take. They are open for lunch Wednesdays and Thursdays and all day Fridays and Saturdays. The BBQ is good, prices are fair, and the ambiance is from the 70s!
Texas Best BBQ & Burger
Texas Best BBQ & Burgersreally lives up to its name. The food is good, the helpings are large, and the service is fast.
Although the name lists BBQ and burgers, they have much more on the menu. Along with all of the typical barbecue sides and fixings, they also make a really good chicken fried steak, club sandwiches, and more.
Once you enter, you will place your order at the register, then find a place in either of the rooms. The front room looks like any typical fast-food place, but the backroom is a virtual museum of rodeo memorabilia.
Places to Eat in Wichita Falls- A Little Fancier
Salt and Pepper
Dress well when visiting this restaurant. The most upscale public restaurant within a hundred miles, Salt and Pepper has an unassuming facade in a strip mall. You will want to make a reservation here because the restaurant has a strong, loyal following of regulars. Although the owner has been known to make room for last-minute guests, he can’t guarantee a table for walk-ins.
Expect a gourmet menu and a commensurate dining experience. They provide superior table service with live music. They welcome off-menu orders and can prepare dishes to taste. Vegan meals will be served if you ask; the menu doesn’t offer vegan entrees.
Pelican’s
Reservations are a plus. Wichita Falls does not have many up-scale restaurants, so this is one of the few places in town where you can get quality seafood or steaks.
Service has been excellent every time we visited, but as with many other dining establishments, the waitstaff is sometimes stretched.
The kitchen has never disappointed us. They offer a full bar, and whimsically to me, they have wine lockers for regular customers to bring and store their own wines!
We have gone here for celebrations, anniversaries, and a few romantic date nights and we have had a wonderful experience every time.
Have a restaurant you think we should add to the list of places to eat in Wichita Falls?
We know there are many more of the smaller, personalized restaurants in town. Let us know in the comments if there is another restaurant that you think we should add to the list of places to eat in Wichita Falls.
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