On one plate, plump crab cakes waft a scent of Old Bay under a splash of tangy Dijon cream. On another, buttery Hokkaido scallops—pan-seared with pancetta—arrive on a bed of silken white cheddar grits. And on an icy platter, oysters shimmer like the sea, so fresh and pristine that you can practically taste the ocean. It sounds like the makings of a coastal vacation, but it’s all menu fodder at Juliette Oyster Bar & Steakhouse, a nautical newcomer on Norman’s historic Main Street.
Growing up in New England, a seashell’s toss from the coast, I grew accustomed to fresh seafood and shellfish; something I assumed I’d have to leave behind upon moving to Oklahoma City. But, as evidenced by the recent spree of new sushi spots and Japanese izakayas, quality seafood is becoming as omnipresent as steak around here. And Juliette, which quietly opened in October, is the latest—and quite possibly greatest—exemplar of Oklahoma City’s rising tide as a top-tier dining destination.
Photo by Rachel Maucieri
The independent restaurant hails from husband-wife team Theron and LeRhonda Jessop, with the former—an alum of such kitchens as The Skirvin and The Artesian in Sulphur—serving as chef. After launching The Wandering Pig food truck in 2021, and the seafood-focused 212 Boil House food truck in 2023, they came across a piece of prime Norman real estate this past summer, presenting an opportunity to do something more upscale, in a cozy space lined with exposed brick, snug booths and a huge wooden bar. With lofty aspirations, the duo designed a restaurant that feels authentic, effortful and personal—right down to the name, Juliette, after their daughter.
A veritable bivalve bistro, it feels cozy and comforting, while the chef quietly serves some of the best oysters and seafood in the metro. The oysters, from fresh East Coast varieties like Blish Point and Goldilocks, to char-broiled Gulf Coast iterations, bubbling under a dome of butter and Parmesan, take top billing—stunning in their fresh salinity. Scallops, too, are some of the best I’ve had in a landlocked state, whether served with cheddar grits and chimichurri, or atop a thick, wood-grilled filet for a masterful take on surf and turf. Even the simpler, earthen items are staggering. Like a verdant, piled-high fall salad, brimming with butternut squash carpaccio, arugula, brown butter vinaigrette, spiced pumpkin seeds, goat cheese and bourbon maple drizzle. Potatoes, meanwhile, are transformed into fluffy, sesame-dusted croquettes with gochujang honey and remoulade, or rosemary-seasoned garlic fries, cooked in beef tallow for extra richness. All fried items, in fact, get the tallow treatment, showcasing a concerted effort for quality and consistency.
Photo by Rachel Maucieri
Elsewhere on the menu, a show-stopping Basque cheesecake comes with lemon curd and a pecan lace cookie, while craft cocktails include the Butchers Old Fashioned, made with beef fat-washed bourbon and blood orange. Oysters and steak, the latter of which is wet-aged and cut in-house, may take top billing, but Juliette Oyster Bar & Steakhouse is in rarified air as a restaurant that goes above and beyond with every facet of its menu. I may not live close to a coast anymore, but thanks to this Norman newcomer, I’d hardly know it.
