The Cellar Cafe in Oklahoma City: Breakfast and Lunch in a Historic Downtown Setting
The Cellar Cafe is a counter-service breakfast and lunch spot in downtown Oklahoma City's Skirvin Hotel, serving omelets, sandwiches, and soups to office workers, hotel guests, and locals since the 1980s. It operates as a no-frills cafe with a narrow menu and quick turnover, positioned between fast-casual chains and sit-down diners in the downtown lunch ecosystem.
What The Cellar Cafe actually is
Located in the basement level of the historic Skirvin Hotel on Park Avenue, The Cellar Cafe functions as a working lunch counter with six to eight tables and a short service counter. The space is functional rather than decorated, with drop ceilings and modest furnishings that match its role as a grab-and-go operation for downtown foot traffic. The kitchen produces a limited roster of dishes daily, emphasizing speed and consistency over variety or technique. Most transactions complete in under 15 minutes.
Menu and pricing
Omelets range from $9 to $12 and come with toast and hash browns; fillings include spinach, cheese, ham, and mushrooms. Sandwiches run $8 to $11 and include a grilled cheese, a club, and a turkey club on white or wheat bread. Soups change daily and cost $5 for a cup or $7 for a bowl, typically paired with a sandwich order. Coffee is $2.50 per cup with free refills. No alcohol is served. Prices are stable and have not fluctuated sharply in recent years; confirm current rates by phone before visiting.
How it compares to other Oklahoma City options
The Cellar Cafe occupies a specific niche that separates it from nearby alternatives. Compared to Goro Ramen + Izakaya or The Red Cup on Broadway, which offer dine-in experiences and broader menus, The Cellar Cafe prioritizes speed and simplicity. It does not compete with sit-down breakfast spots like Cattlemen's Steakhouse or The Loaded Bowl, which feature elaborate plates and table service. Instead, it sits closer to Cuppies and Joe, a nearby cafe with a similar counter service model, though The Cellar Cafe has lower overhead visibility and smaller physical footprint. Choose The Cellar Cafe if you work downtown or are passing through and need a reliable 10-minute breakfast; choose Cuppies and Joe if you want coffee-shop atmosphere and pastry options.
Who it suits and who it does not suit
This cafe works best for downtown office workers on tight schedules, hotel guests seeking a quick breakfast before checkout, and people who prefer straightforward food without customization. It does not suit groups larger than four, anyone with dietary restrictions beyond basic vegetarian (the menu offers no vegan or gluten-free alternatives), or diners seeking a leisurely meal. Parking requires use of street spots or the Skirvin Hotel lot; meter feeding may be necessary.
What the first visit involves
Enter through the Skirvin Hotel lobby or the Park Avenue entrance and descend to the basement level. Order at the counter, pay cash or card, and receive a number. Seating is first-come on a small number of tables; during peak lunch hours (11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.), a seat may take minutes to open. Food arrives within 5 to 8 minutes of ordering. Coffee and condiments are self-serve at a small station near the counter.
Hours, parking, and logistics
The Cellar Cafe operates Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and is closed weekends and major holidays. Verify these hours by phone, as they occasionally shift with hotel events. Street parking on Park Avenue and adjacent blocks is free after 6 p.m. but metered during business hours. The Skirvin Hotel lot offers paid parking. The cafe is not wheelchair accessible due to basement location and narrow pathways between tables.
The Cellar Cafe has survived decades in downtown Oklahoma City by serving a single, reliable purpose: feeding people who need to eat fast and leave. It earns its place in a city guide because that consistency and location make it genuinely useful for a specific subset of the downtown crowd, not because it aspires to be anything else.
