Looking for the best place for lunch in Amarillo?! Even though we may be a bit partial on the topic, we do have some objective suggestions to help you choose the best lunch spot! Let’s face it Amarillo has a lot of options for lunch throughout the city; and just like every other major urban area in the Unites States, Amarillo offers lunch options that include everything from national chain, fast food restaurants to awesome off-the-beaten-path, mom & pop, hole-in-the-wall dive bars. If you are like us, you may not be above smashing down a Big Mac every now and again, but you still might hunger for a great place for lunch where you can sit down, have a truly fantastic meal (and maybe a cocktail), and still feel like you got your money’s worth.

Before we get started – if you are the kind of person that likes to sleep through lunch (and we’re not judging!), you may want to read our post about the best late night dining in Amarillo instead.

So how would you pick your favorite place for lunch in Amarillo?

Well, you do have ask yourself a couple of upfront questions first, don’t you? Like “Is this going to be a business lunch?” Or “Am I meeting a special someone for lunch today?” Or “Am I in the mood for tacos?” Obviously, the answers to these specific questions are going to have an impact – most likely a major impact – on where you decide to spend your lunch money that day; BUT if these are not concerns that need to be immediately addressed, then you should follow our 5 Tips for Choosing the Best Place for Lunch in Amarillo:

1. Location, Location, Location – Most people that drive their personal vehicles in Amarillo can make it from one side of the city to the other in 20 mins or less. That said – if you only have 45 mins for lunch, you are going to want to factor travel time into your calculations. One other thing you are going to want to consider is parking! Many restaurants have parking lots, but others, especially in
downtown Amarillo, only have street parking available and that can be a big pain in the butt!

2. Great food – Life is too short to eat bad food. Do your research for crying out loud! Google the “best restaurants in Amarillo” and see what comes up. Or if there is a specific type of food you are looking for, Google that! For instance, if you’re in the mood for the best seafood gumbo that you can find north of New Orleans, then try Googling the phrase “best seafood in Amarillo.” Look – The Drunken Oyster is not your place if you are looking for the best taco in Amarillo. But if you want the best Cajun food in Amarillo, you’re going to lose if you go anywhere else!

3. Good Value – It’s one thing to find a place with great food, but if it’s completely overpriced then forget it! Especially during lunch! Think about it like this: Why would you pay $25.00 for a half rack of BBQ ribs, if you could buy that same half rack from a food truck that are just as good, if not better, and comes with a side and soda for 10 bucks? Short answer: You wouldn’t – especially at lunchtime.

4. Awesome Service – Some restaurants have great food and great value, but their service just sucks. Want to know the best way to ruin my lunch? Send over a server that doesn’t want to be there. I hate that. All things equal – great customer service is a differentiator of restaurants. Again – Google is a great resource for this. Google reviews will tell you a whole lot about which restaurants have the best customer service in Amarillo.

5. Cleanliness – I know this this should be a given, but after of years and years of working in restaurants, we have seen some disgusting situations. Here is our top tip for stacking the deck in your favor when you are looking for a restaurant with high cleanliness standards: Before you order anything – go to the bathroom. While it is not a perfect system, I can tell you from experience – if the bathroom is kind of disgusting, there is a good chance the kitchen is not that great either. Restaurants that really care about their product and service keep things CLEAN. Period. And clean kitchens make better, safer food.

BONUS TIP: Booze – Not all the best bars in Amarillo have good food, but there are many that do! While it’s certainly not a deal breaker for most people, it can be if you are on a business lunch and your potential new client had their heart set on you offering them an afternoon cocktail. Frankly, we think that there is nothing better than enjoying the best burger in Amarillo with an ice-cold beer!

So, if you are looking for an awesome place for lunch with great ambiance and some of the best food in Amarillo, we would be delighted to have you! We are easy to get to, our service is impeccable, you can eat off the floor (but we’ll probably throw you out if you do), our food is AMAZING and you sure as hell won’t leave hungry! Oh… and our bartenders are kick ass. Enjoy your lunch with a great cocktail or mocktail.

Make your reservation for lunch at The Drunken Oyster today! Whether you come in for lunch, dinner, brunch, or the best Happy Hour in Amarillo, TX – We can’t wait to serve you!

PS – Travelling out for lunch not an option for you today? Order in! We’ve partnered with GrubHub and DoorDash to make it easier for you.