Reba McEntire Opened Her First Restaurant and Both “Great Bread” and “Fancy” Cocktails Will Be on the Menu

The Queen of Country, Reba McEntire, has recently set out on a new business venture in her home state of Oklahoma by way of a restaurant, bar, and live entertainment venue. The 15,000-square foot establishment, dubbed Reba’s Place, is located in Atoka, Oklahoma — right between Dallas and Tulsa — and was constructed inside of a century old Masonic temple. And while this may not come as a surprise, while just having its official grand opening, Reba’s Place is already garnering a lot of positive attention. 

Featuring two stories of dining space as well as a large central stage for live performances, and a 100-year-old restored antique bar, Reba’s Place aims to be a down-home dining experience that is fun for the whole family. With Kurtess Mortensen, the former chef of Ree Drummond’s Pioneer Woman Mercantile, at the helm of the kitchen, it’s safe to say that the menu is also in very capable hands. 

“I told them, ‘You got to have great iced tea and great bread. I want chicken fried steak, chicken fried chicken, and I want beans and cornbread,'” McEntire exclaimed to People. “I gave Chef Kurtess my recipe for my smashed potatoes with caramelized onions and garlic. And good drinks. That’s very important.”

Although being a restaurateur was not originally in the cards for the multi Grammy-winning country singer, the recent death of her mother in March of 2020 found her back in her native state, handling her mother’s estate and rekindling fond memories of her past. 

“I stayed in Oklahoma to help settle up the estate and clean up Mom and Daddy’s house,” she recalled. “I got myself reacquainted with everyone in the state and the love that I have for the state of Oklahoma.”

The food won’t be the only thing worth noting about Reba’s Place. The cocktails will feature familiar names to McEntire’s fans, like the “Fancy” cocktail, and will act as a nod to her days of running barrels at Ken Lance Sports Arena. Patrons will also have the unique experience of browsing the third floor library, curated entirely with McEntire’s late mother’s personal collection. 

The restaurant will quite literally be a family affair, with her partner and Big Sky costar, Rex Linn, by her side at the grand opening, her niece Lucchese Luchsinger behind the bar, and a slew of dream performers including her sister and brother-in-law Susie McEntire-Eaton and Mark Eaton. Reba’s Place seems to be on the right track towards an all-around good-time dining experience. 

While on the topic of quality dining experiences, take a look at this $6 Trader Joe’s shortcut for recreating your favorite restaurant dishes at home, as well as this huge sale on one-of-a-kind restaurant dishware.