Little Belly

Amy Schepers 3 weeks ago

Added to my list of favorites. Great service, fun atmosphere, great food. Every dish had a little bit of something “extra” that made you think about the flavors, textures, etc. I wouldn’t go in expecting standard flavors or dishes (in a good way). My husband loved his cocktail. Would be a great location for a dinner with friends, a date night, or meeting family. Dishes are meant to be shared, so keep that in mind.

Joe Nguyen a month ago

Little Belly is one of our favorite spots in Tulsa right now. Everything we’ve tried has been super solid, but the chirashi royale and the pork tonkatsu are the standouts for us. It’s late night Japanese food made for Oklahoma and it shows in the best way. The menu feels thoughtful without being overcomplicated, and the flavors always hit. It’s the kind of place you go to share a bunch of things and end up talking about what you’re ordering next time before you even leave.

Emily Jones 2 months ago

Went on Wednesday night and everything was amazing! The online me u didnt have prices so i was worried but the pricing was very reasonable. We finished every last bite. Service was great and timely, the atmosphere was relaxed and i liked that they dimmed the lights to match the sunsetting. We have added it to the date night rotation for sure

Michael Luk a month ago

Absolutely worth the hype. Little Belly brings fun fusion flavors that actually feel thoughtful and well executed instead of gimmicky. Every dish we tried was balanced, creative, and clearly intentional. The service was attentive without being overbearing, and the space has a lively, stylish energy. The Toki highball cocktails made with the Suntory highball dispenser are a standout and might genuinely be one of the only setups like it in Oklahoma — crisp, perfectly carbonated, and dangerously easy to drink. My favorite bite of the night was easily the “deviled egg.” Unexpected, flavorful, and one of those dishes you immediately want another order of. A place that manages to feel playful, polished, and cool without trying too hard.

Robert Evatt a month ago

Short review of Little Belly: OH. MAH. GAAWWWDD. Long review: An Izakaya roughly translates to a Japanese pub. They have a little of every type of food (usually in small plates) and have a good selection of drinks. Now, I’ve been to some Izakayas in Japan. I’ve been to some American Izakayas gone wrong. (Not namin’ names.) But Little Belly goes above and beyond all of them. Here’s our food journey: My wife started with a Suntori shizo-lime highball (not pictured). Despite involving whiskey it’s got a low alcohol content, mixed well with seltzer water and lime. Light and refreshing. I got their version of an old fashioned with miso syrup and sesame, poured out of a soy sauce bottle. I’d never describe an old fashioned as “easy drinking” but this one was, cutting much of the bite while retaining all the flavor. For food, we started with the magic cabbage salad. Lived up to the brag - it has garlic, shallot, and dashi dressing, in perfect balance to create a big, bold flavor. We couldn’t stop eating it but forced ourselves to because we figured this great of a start would point to a fantastic meal. Yep! The “Okiemiyaki” was a traditional Japanese vegetable pancake with decidedly non-traditional barbecue brisket, mustard, and crumbled ruffles chips. Why did this work? It totally worked. No flavor clashes, light and fluffy, but amazingly satisfying. And we’re just at the halfway point! Drinks round two: my wife got the cherry blossom cosmopolitan (not pictured), which wasn’t overly sweet but also wasn’t overly tart or sour like too many modern fruity cocktails. It has cherry blossoms and hibiscus, but again in perfect balance. (This is a theme.) I had the yuzu sidecar. Yuzu is an Asian citrus fruit, and the drink had a great citrus flavor, not very tart or sharp, nicely sweet enough - I’m running out of synonyms for “balanced,” but here we are. Like no other drink I’ve had in Tulsa. More food! The ramen wasn’t like traditional ramen at all - it was more like a slightly soupy pasta dish. But the cheese and corn melded so well on it I couldn’t possibly be upset. And the karaage chicken strips - it had a good crunch, but both the batter and the chicken melted in our mouths. I’ve never, ever had chicken that tender. Plus great garlic and ginger undertones. Then the roasted sweet potatoes showed up. We didn’t order them - the restaurant just decided to give them to us gratis. They’re cooked in miso-Parmesan butter and turbinado sugar, but the potatoes themselves were much lighter and less starchy than you’d expect. The result was a confidently sweet finisher that made a great dessert in all but name. I should mention the service was extremely friendly and knowledgeable, and our server expertly walked us through the options when we couldn’t decide between two or three things. She also passed on a rumor of a secret menu. (Maybe a special hot dog is involved?) All that was just a fraction of the menu, and we can’t wait to try more. But we also want to keep ordering what we had. I can’t remember the last time a restaurant experience in Tulsa that blew us away this much - maybe Bull in the Alley at their best? It’s a little pricey, and you’ll need to be willing to get a little adventurous. (There’s a burger if you must.) But you absolutely won’t regret going.