Whoever decided to brand the onion burger as strictly an “El Reno thing” was, I’m sorry to say, a little off the mark…
Because if you’re really chasing the best version of this Oklahoma classic, you won’t find it in El Reno at all, but about 40 miles to the south, in the surprisingly bustling town of Chickasha. That’s where J & W Grill sits at 501 W. Choctaw Ave., and where I was about to find out what a real Oklahoma onion burger is all about.
It was a Thursday afternoon, and, thankfully, my wife and I had a peaceful and uneventful drive to the rural eatery. Parking the car, I noticed that a few families were sitting at patio tables enjoying the first truly hot day of the season—each holding an onion burger, smiling and happy.