Molly's Landing

Molly Pisicchio's family owned the riverside property along old Route 66 for several generations before Molly inherited the land in the early 1980s. The original property was a working farm; the decision to convert it to a restaurant came after Molly and her husband Don, both Tulsa residents at the time, decided they wanted to leave their corporate careers and build something on the family land. Construction of the log-cabin restaurant began in 1983 and Molly's Landing opened in late 1984.

The choice of log cabin architecture was deliberate. The Pisicchios wanted a building that would evoke the lodge-and-resort architecture of the upper Midwest where they had spent vacation time, while feeling appropriate to the Oklahoma countryside. The cabin was built by local Catoosa-area craftsmen using full-dimension lumber, a substantial stone fireplace as the centerpiece of the dining room, exposed cedar beams throughout, and lantern-style lighting that produces warm dim ambiance even in mid-afternoon.

Molly served as the original chef during the first decade of operation, gradually transitioning kitchen responsibilities to staff hires while remaining the restaurant's primary host and front-of-house manager. Don ran the bar and the business side. The Pisicchio family aesthetic — warm hospitality, attention to detail, commitment to using fresh ingredients — defined Molly's Landing's identity and has been maintained by their children who took over day-to-day operations in the 2010s.

Molly's Landing is a steakhouse first. The signature menu item is the hand-cut bone-in ribeye — 18 to 22 ounces depending on the day's cut, served simply with a baked potato and seasonal vegetables. The steaks are hand-cut in the kitchen rather than ordered pre-cut from a wholesaler, which is the operational reason for the consistent quality across decades. The beef is USDA Choice or better; some specialty cuts are USDA Prime.

Beyond the bone-in ribeye, the menu includes a 14-ounce filet mignon, an 18-ounce New York strip, the 24-ounce Porterhouse (a bone-in cut combining filet and strip), and a smaller 8-ounce filet for diners who want a serious cut but not a full steakhouse portion. Steaks are cooked over an open flame and the kitchen consistently executes ordered doneness levels — medium-rare actually medium-rare, not the slightly-overcooked medium that less-careful kitchens default to.

The seafood program is genuinely strong for a Catoosa restaurant. Cold-water lobster tails flown in from Maine (typically 8-12 ounces), Alaskan king crab legs weighed at the table, sea bass, and a daily fresh fish special are all on the regular menu. The Friday seafood special is the standard weekend recommendation for non-beef diners. Non-steak and non-seafood options include prime rib (Friday and Saturday nights only), pork chops, lamb chops, and a roasted half chicken.

The main dining room is the log cabin's centerpiece — a 90-seat space anchored by a substantial stone fireplace, exposed cedar beams, white linen tablecloths, and lantern-style lighting that produces warm dim ambiance. The walls are decorated with mounted game (deer, elk, a black bear shoulder mount over the fireplace), vintage Catoosa photographs from the 1920s through 1950s including several original Route 66 images, and Pisicchio family memorabilia. The aesthetic is unapologetically Oklahoma rural-lodge and the warmth is genuine.

The bar is a smaller intimate space adjacent to the main dining room with seating for roughly 25 at the bar itself plus several small four-tops. The cocktail program is respectable — classic American cocktails competently executed, with a particularly strong whiskey selection that reflects the upper-midwest lodge aesthetic. The wine list is moderate (about 80 bottles) with strong concentration in California Cabernet, Oregon Pinot Noir, and Argentinian Malbec — wines that pair with the steakhouse menu.

The outdoor patio overlooks the Verdigris River and provides about 30 additional seats. The patio is genuinely lovely in spring and fall (March through May, September through November) when the Oklahoma weather is mild and the river view is at its best. Summer evenings can be hot but become pleasant after sunset. The patio is closed in winter. Patio dining requires a separate reservation request when booking.

Reservations are strongly recommended for any visit — Molly's Landing is small (roughly 120 total seats including the patio) and frequently books out 1-2 weeks in advance on weekend evenings during peak tourism months (April through October). Reservations can be made by phone (the restaurant does not use OpenTable or similar online platforms — a deliberate choice that emphasizes the restaurant's traditional character).

Dress code is casual to business-casual. The restaurant attracts a mix of customer types — Catoosa locals in casual attire, Tulsa diners dressed up for a special-occasion dinner, Route 66 road-trippers in travel-day clothes — and the management is genuinely welcoming across the range. Closed-toe shoes are appropriate; ties and jackets are not required but nicer attire is welcomed.

Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 5pm to 10pm. Closed Sundays and Mondays. The kitchen stops taking new orders at 9:30pm. The single best time to visit is a weekday evening (Tuesday through Thursday) at 6pm or 6:30pm — the dining room is at its best ambiance with sunset light through the windows, the kitchen is at peak quality, and the service pace is unhurried. Weekend evenings (Friday and Saturday at 7-8pm) are the peak busy times.

Molly's Landing is the natural dinner anchor for any Catoosa-focused day. The classic plan: visit the Blue Whale at 5pm (afternoon light is good), drive 5 minutes south to Molly's for a 6pm or 6:30pm reservation, and have a relaxed steakhouse dinner with the option of patio seating if the weather is good. The pairing of these two stops produces one of the most genuinely satisfying Catoosa evening experiences.

For visitors based in Tulsa, Molly's is a 15-minute drive east via I-44 and is the standard recommendation when Tulsa hotel concierges are asked about destination restaurants for special occasions worth driving to. Many Tulsa residents make occasional special-occasion trips to Molly's for anniversaries, birthdays, and milestone dinners.

For Route 66 travelers continuing east toward Claremore, Will Rogers Country, and the broader Oklahoma Route 66 corridor, Molly's is the natural last Catoosa stop. A dinner at Molly's followed by an overnight stay at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa (15 minutes north) or at one of the Tulsa downtown hotels (20 minutes west) is the standard sequence for road-trippers continuing toward Missouri or Kansas.