Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Oklahoma Oklahoma City Thirty Nine
AO Edited Gastro Obscura

Thirty Nine

Named for the 39 tribes that live in Oklahoma, this restaurant's menu deliciously highlights local flavors.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Added By
Sam O'Brien
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The entrance to the museum.   Sam O'Brien for Gastro Obscura
The turkey sandwich.   Sam O'Brien for Gastro Obscura
The butternut squash soup.   Sam O'Brien for Gastro Obscura
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Oklahoma is home to 39 different Indigenous tribes. Some of those groups have always lived in the region, but others arrived as part of the U.S. government's deadly displacement campaigns. The First Americans Museum of Oklahoma City honors their resilient history in its exhibitions and performances, and at its on-site restaurant.

The restaurant's name, Thirty Nine, is a direct nod to the number of Indigenous groups residing in Oklahoma. Its menu was crafted in part by Indigenous chefs Loretta Barrett Oden (Potawatomi Nation) and Matthew Johnson (Cherokee) and highlights the ingredients that have been grown, gathered, and hunted in the area for centuries.

Appetizers at Thirty Nine celebrate the glory of the Three Sisters: a white bean hummus comes with toasted piñons, sumac, and chickweed; butternut squash soup is topped in crisped sage, wild rice crackers, and sage-piñon pesto; and corn ribs are coated in sumac rub, brown butter, smoked jalapeño aioli, and queso fresco.

Meanwhile, the hearty mains emphasize local game, such as a bison burger loaded with pickled red onions, tomato jam, garlic-sage aioli, and squash pickles. And turkey breast—a meat often criticized for having a bland flavor—gets a decadent flavor boost from cornbread dressing, sage chimichurri, green beans, crispy onions, and cranberry gastrique. 

Afterward, visitors can walk off their meals by viewing the museum’s priceless cultural materials (many of which were recently returned to tribal governments by the Smithsonian) and audio narratives of oral histories.

Related Tags

Native Americans Museums Restaurants Indigenous Native American Cuisine

Know Before You Go

You can visit Thirty Nine without paying the museum fee. Simply enter through the door near the gift shop.

Community Contributors

Added By

Sam OBrien

Published

November 11, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Thirty Nine
659 First Americans Blvd
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73129
United States
35.459145, -97.476825
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

First Americans Museum

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

miles away

Jim Thorpe Museum

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

miles away

Flaming Lips Alley

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City

Oklahoma

Places 19
Stories 1

Nearby Places

First Americans Museum

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

miles away

Jim Thorpe Museum

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

miles away

Flaming Lips Alley

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City

Oklahoma

Places 19
Stories 1

Related Stories and Lists

14 Places to Celebrate Native American Heritage Day

List

By Jonathan Carey

5 Recipes From Indigenous Chefs to Add to Your Thanksgiving Spread

food

By The Gastro Obscura Team

19 Places to Savor Indigenous Cuisine in North America

List

By Sam O'Brien

Related Places

  • The entrance to Owamni.

    Minneapolis, Minnesota

    Owamni

    The dishes at this restaurant by The Sioux Chef celebrate indigenous heritage.

  • An Indian taco on frybread.

    Sioux Falls, South Dakota

    Watecha Bowl

    Chef Lawrence West serves up Indian tacos, wojapi, and other Lakota dishes at the brick-and-mortar incarnation of his popular food truck.

  • Calgary, Alberta

    Little Chief

    What happens when a chef with indigenous roots takes over a hotel-restaurant?

  • Seattle, Washington

    Off the Rez Cafe

    Where else would a linchpin of post-colonial Native American cuisine anchor the menu but a museum?

  • Preparing blue corn for atole.

    Taos, New Mexico

    Tiwa Kitchen

    Taos Pueblo recipes, foraged ingredients, and outdoor ovens define the menu at this eatery.

  • The cafeteria.

    Washington, D.C.

    Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe

    A museum cafe showcases Native American dishes and indigenous ingredients from across the Western Hemisphere.

  • Elk and bison are regularly featured on the menu.

    Fort Langley, British Columbia

    Tradish's The Ancestor Cafe

    First Nations’ foodways are front and center at this food truck-turned-brick-and-mortar.

  • Bee balm is just one of the many plants that Native Americans relied on for medicinal and ceremonial uses.

    Montrose, Colorado

    Ute Ethnobotany Garden at the Ute Indian Museum

    This high-desert oasis spotlights some of Colorado’s most sacred native plants.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.