Stutts House of Barbeque, a north Tulsa staple, will celebrate its 33rd anniversary Sunday, offering residents discounted dinners to mark the milestone.
From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m all dinners and pounds of chicken, baby back ribs, bologna, links and slabs are $15, except for the beef brisket. Dinners come with two sides.
Stutts will also host a “guess who game to dinner” game where photos will be displayed of people who have visited over the years. Customers can then guess who’s who.
“Come out to celebrate,”said owner Almead Hill Stutts. “Because that’s our way of saying thank you for helping us to stay here 33 years.”
Staying in business for 30+ years
Stutts said in 1993 she was told a woman couldn’t run a business. That didn’t stop her from purchasing the lease for the building located on 2021 E. Apache St. from the same man who told her she couldn’t “do this kind of work.”
During the restaurant’s infancy, Stutts had her doubters. She told The Eagle she caught wind of people in the area taking bets on how long it would take for her to close.
“When I did my 30 years, some of them (doubters) had passed on,” Stutts said. “And I thought to myself, ‘Oh, if they could see me now.’”
Fast forward to 2026 and she’s still in business. The barbecue joint is famous for its buttermilk pie, brisket, ribs and chicken alongside sides like baked beans, coleslaw and potato salad. It’s a cozy shop featuring a porch and outside dining area, similar to a house.
“I want people to feel like they’re at grandma’s house. I want them to be comfortable when they sit down and eat,” Stutts said. “They feel good, not only with the atmosphere that they are surrounded by, but also they are pleased with the food.”
Consistency has a cost though. Over the past three decades, she’s experienced rough stretches, including the COVID-19 pandemic where she struggled to pay all her bills.
Late last year, Stutts told The Eagle she was losing $200-$300 a day because of road construction in front of her restaurant.
Stutts will turn 85 in May and plans to keep the business going for as long as she’s physically capable. In the event that becomes a hindrance, she said she’ll sell it.
Until then, she plans on keeping stomachs full and hearts happy.
“I want to be able to help the people in my community, and I’ve been able to do that,” Stutts said.
Ismael Lele is a Report for America corps member and writes about business in Tulsa for The Oklahoma Eagle. Your donation to match our Report for America grant helps keep him writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting this link.
