There’s almost always a line at the counter when you enter White River Fish Market, 1708 N. Sheridan Road. If you’re lucky, it’s just a couple of diners separating you from the register.
It’s always important to show up before 6:15 p.m. on Fridays to avoid getting stuck in a lengthy line that stretches past the 12 feet of refrigerated cases holding fresh seafood, beyond the giant painted penguin and the press clippings on the walls, before ending somewhere 30 feet or so back near the main entrance.
That piece of advice, given to me decades ago, still holds true today.
For the past 60 years, White River Fish Market has anchored a north Tulsa shopping strip near the airport that today includes a beauty shop and liquor store nearby. The restaurant’s old sign near the road shows years of wear and tear, but as the sun sets the neon still mostly illuminates.
Diners choose from a plethora of fresh seafood options, then place an order and pay. A display case of pies hums near the register to remind you of your dessert options. Some give in and add a slice of cheesecake or pie to the total, while others wait ‘til after their meal to return to the register. Then it’s off to find a table.
The servers do a magic trick where they suddenly appear at the table you’ve chosen to sit at with the drinks you ordered. Three groups of three could order their meals and be off to find their seats. Somehow the servers will know which table gets what drinks and promptly hand them out.
I was introduced to White River more than 20 years ago. It has since been a fairly regular dinner spot. Nowadays, about every six weeks or so, we make the trip north and I order the fried catfish dinner. It’s the only fish I’ve ordered there. You can take the boy out of Claremore, but you can’t take the Claremore out of the boy, they say.
In my numerous visits I’ve never altered my main dish order, but I will switch up the sides to sometimes include the cole slaw instead of green beans. There’s always a loaded baked potato as one of my two sides. Pro tip: The giant hush puppies are delicious and should be saved for the end of the meal because they are filling.
White River has been a Tulsa staple since O.T. Fallis opened it in 1932 near the downtown Tulsa Union Depot. A few decades later the restaurant and market moved north and then Garry Cozby took over operations from 1981 to 2009. It has since been owned by Tom Clark.
While ownership has changed hands a few times, the restaurant hasn’t. The cafeteria-style dining room has booths lining the front windows. Big tables sit ready to host family gatherings or large parties of friends. When it gets busy, two parties can share a table with an empty seat or two between.
The room feels like it’s forever trapped in 1985, which adds to its charm.
White River isn’t fancy dining. It leaves that to Bodean. This is about family-style comfort that feels reminiscent of childhood experiences dining out with grandparents.
There’s a second location in Broken Arrow, and I’ve never been to it. I’m a creature of habit — if you couldn’t tell.
It’s the time of year when there could be an uptick in Friday fish eaters, take some decades-old advice. If you’re planning on going, maybe show up a little before 6 to skip a big line.
And order the slice of pie when you pay for your dinner. You won’t regret it.
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