Blue Moon Restaurant in Oklahoma City: Cantonese Cooking Without the Downtown Price

Blue Moon Restaurant is a modest Cantonese spot in Oklahoma City that serves steamed fish, roasted meats, and dim sum at lunch without the premium markup of the city's more formal Chinese establishments. It operates as a casual dining room with a narrow focus on Cantonese technique rather than fusion or Americanized interpretations.

What Blue Moon Actually Is

A small, family-run Cantonese restaurant with counter service or table seating depending on time of day. The kitchen works primarily from a limited printed menu supplemented by daily specials written on paper or announced verbally. Most dishes are cooked to order and reflect Cantonese home cooking: steamed whole fish with soy and ginger, roasted chicken and pork sold by the pound, stir-fried greens, and clay pot rice. The space seats roughly 30 to 40 people across a handful of tables and counter seating. It draws a mixed crowd of locals and families and operates with minimal decor or frills.

Menu and Pricing

Entrees range from $8 to $16 for individual dishes. A half roasted chicken or duck costs $12 to $15 depending on the day. Steamed whole fish, typically in the 1.5 to 2 pound range, runs $14 to $18 and is priced by the pound. Stir-fried vegetable sides are $4 to $6. Rice is $2 per order. Lunch dim sum (where available) is priced between $3 and $5 per order of three pieces. Call ahead to confirm which dim sum items are available on a given day, as the menu rotates.

How It Compares to Other Chinese Options in Oklahoma City

Blue Moon differs from Grand Century at NW 23rd and Meridian, which operates as a larger dim sum and Cantonese banquet hall with full liquor service and higher per-dish pricing ($6 to $10 for dim sum, $16 to $25 for entrees). Grand Century suits diners seeking table service and a wider menu; Blue Moon suits those who want direct interaction with the kitchen and lower overhead costs passed to the customer. Blue Moon also diverges from Szechwan House, which emphasizes Sichuan heat and numbness rather than Cantonese technique. Choose Blue Moon for steamed and roasted preparations; choose Szechwan House for chili oil, Sichuan peppercorn, and fermented flavors.

Who It Suits and Who It Does Not

Blue Moon works well for diners comfortable with minimal English, a limited menu, and quick turnover. It suits people buying roasted meats by the pound for a family meal or those ordering a single steamed whole fish for two. It does not cater to large groups expecting a banquet table reservation or to diners seeking vegetarian breadth beyond stir-fried leafy greens. Spice tolerance is not a primary feature; the food leans mild to medium. Children generally fit easily into the casual environment if parents manage expectations around wait times and noise.

What the First Visit Involves

Arrive in the late morning or around 11:30 a.m. if you want dim sum; afternoon visits may have limited dim sum service. Walk in and wait to be seated or stand at the counter to order. Ask the staff or refer to the printed menu for what is available that day; daily specials may not be listed. If ordering roasted meat, specify how much you want and whether you prefer chicken, pork, or duck. Whole fish orders usually come out within 10 to 15 minutes. Payment is cash preferred but cards are often accepted; confirm when you order. Eating at a table is normal; taking food to go is also standard and does not feel unusual.

Hours, Parking, and Logistics

Blue Moon typically opens at 11 a.m. and closes by 8 or 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday; hours may contract on Sundays or Mondays. Call to confirm the day you plan to visit, as family-run restaurants occasionally close without advance notice. Parking is street parking on the block or in a small adjacent lot, depending on the exact location. The restaurant does not require a reservation for single diners or small groups, though calling ahead to confirm that a specific dish is in stock (especially whole fish or a particular roasted meat) is practical.

Blue Moon fills a gap for cost-conscious diners seeking Cantonese technique without dining-room markup, making it worth the short drive from central Oklahoma City if you know what you want.