Historic restaurant opening new location in west Tulsa

For nearly a century, Ike's Chili House in Tulsa has filled thousands of bellies with a tasty blend of chunky meat and spicy beans.

The restaurant, whose history is nearly as old the city, soon will open a diner in west Tulsa at 1630 W. 51 St., in a space that once housed an insurance agency, said Chris Trail, owner of Ike's Chili.

Trail is no stranger to the west side, having lived in Berryhill most of his life. His new location will be about six miles from home.

"I just love the west side," Trail said. "When I was driving by and saw this location, I just couldn't pass it up."

Trail is a fourth-generation relative of Ike and I.O. "Ivan" Johnson, who opened Ike's Chili House in an alley near the old Frisco depot in 1908, a year after statehood.

Records indicate it could be Oklahoma's oldest restaurant.

Through the years, Ike's Chili has expanded to other locations with different names, but it remained in downtown Tulsa until 1996.

Six years later, it reopened in a new location along Boston Avenue in the downtown area, but that restaurant closed after a year because construction projects hindered business.

For almost 40 years, the restaurant has served customers at 5941 E. Admiral Place.

With each move, the restaurant has preserved a rich history, with enough stories to fill a dining room.

The original chili recipe was so hot and spicy that one of the Johnsons called it "liquid fire."

The family put out much of the fire but kept a popular taste for many "wildcatters" who needed a hearty meal loaded with beef and calories so they would have enough gas in their tanks to work in area oil fields.

In 1936, humorist Will Rogers ate at Ike's, paying 15 cents for a bowl of chili.

In 1966, a contestant on the popular television show "What's My Line" did not know the answer to actress Peggy Cass' question, "Who makes the most famous chili in the world?"

Cass answered her own question by telling a national audience: "Ike's out in Tulsa, that's who -- I've got some in my freezer right now."

About two years ago, Ike's Chili was featured on Martha Stewart's television show.

Len Wade, manager of the restaurant on Admiral Place, said about two months ago, the restaurant had another encounter with a celebrity when actor Gary Busey came in for a bowl of chili.

That chili remains a staple of the restaurant's menu. For family members, it has become a rite of passage when they cook their first bowl.

"The chili is really sacred to our family," Trail said.

"It's really exciting mixing the spices. I remember my first time grinding the meat to cook the chili -- it was a great moment in my life."

Tulsa's George Toole, a veteran of World War II, first ate at Ike's Chili in 1946 and continues to dine there today.

"The chili has always been absolutely superb," Toole said. "It doesn't get any better, and service is quick and good."

His friend Duane Gilreath, who served in the military during the Korean War, said his family first went to Ike's Chili in the late 1940s.

"We used to go there on Thursday and Friday nights and then go to a football game," Gilreath said.

His favorite dish is the Three Way, an entrée consisting of chili, spaghetti and beans.

"It's our top seller," Trail said.

Other items on the menu include Frito pies, hot dogs, Coney dogs, and pasta dishes.

Hamburgers soon will be available.

The west Tulsa location will have a seating capacity of about 75 people and should be ready to open by April.