Harden's Hamburgers

Restaurant: Harden's

Location: Tulsa, OK (this was the Sheridan location)

Number and Size of Rings: A huge pile- 19 large

Cost: Large side, $4.50
Harden's requires a flip-top head to eat its famous BOB burger, but as for its onion rings... it takes a bit of determination. These have a VERY UNIQUE batter coating, in that they some how cross the line of crispy into crunchy and then head in the direction of unyielding. They don't look it (they actually look kind of flaky), but these are so miraculously durable. So much so, that you can still get a crunch out of them after a day leftover in the fridge. I kid you not. Each onion is encased in a permanent, protective SHELL!
I asked one of the workers how they made them, and she said, "We cut up them onions and dip them in a fresh batter. Then we fry 'em up." I asked what is in the batter and she said, "We don't know none of that. Nobody knows that for sure 'sep the owners." Then other people in the restaurant started guessing, "Cornmeal?" "No, no cornmeal in there," she said. "Sugar?" "Maybe, dunno." I don't think it's much sugar because they're not THAT sweet. Maybe eggs? Maybe baking powder. It's unknown. They win the prize for the hardest and crunchiest onion rings I've ever experienced, though. Hmmm. HARD- ens. I get it!

Fronimos Greek Cafe

Restaurant: Fronimos Greek Cafe

Location: Tucson, AZ

Number and Size of Rings: A huge pile

Cost: still looking for my receipt!

These have got to be in my top three favorite onion rings of all time. Fronimos makes them by hand fresh when you order them. They have a sign that says, "We CRY FOR YOU"! They have a way of taking very thin onion rings and putting a very thick knobby batter on them, then cooking them perfectly. The salty seasoning is so addictive. The rings always come with plenty of what they call "fry sauce", which is a mayo and ketchup mix. They are heaven next to some moussaka and spanikopita. When I was pregnant with Paul (now age three), we would go to Fronimos after every ob visit. Therefore, Paul has had these since in the womb! Who knew the Greek folks were the best onion ring makers? I will visit again next time I'm in Tucson.

Dick Clark's

Restaurant: Dick Clark's "American Bandstand" Grill

Location: Phoenix, AZ (Sky Harbor Airport)

Number and Size of Rings: 9

Cost: As a side with an $8.99 sandwich entree
These are beer batter onion rings, but not typical or gross or greasy at all. These were fabulously crispy, perfectly done, not too thick, and not too sweet.

Cafe USA, Sapulpa, OK

Restaurant: Cafe USA

Location: Sapulpa, OK

Number and Size of Rings: 6 large, 5 small

Cost: $4.99 for the "onion ring tower" appetizer
I was a little disappointed because I expected a big tower of some sort, but got a normal-sized unorganized pile. These were quite good homemade tasting onion rings, nice and knobby, not too thick, but still good and hardy. The ranch was super great with them, but they still were a tiny bit greasy (okay, it's not possible to NOT have greasy onion rings that are this good, so it's all relative). They were extremely filling, so much so that we couldn't eat all the rest of our meal. I would suggest just getting them as a side, because for $5, this wasn't much of a bargain compared to other onion ring gangas in the vicinity. The service was super friendly and quick- you couldn't ask for a nicer all-American diner atmosphere.

Scott's Hamburgers, Bixby OK

Restaurant: Scott's Hamburgers

Location: Bixby, OK

Number and Size of Rings: 7 very thick, large beefy rings

Cost: $1.60 for a side
This small Oklahoma restaurant serves up traditional Oklahoman food, but their onion rings are fresh and unique, packing a super crunch. They are almost as huge as the ones at Fleming's, but at a tenth of the price! How they get such big huge rings to be perfectly fried through and through (well cooked, but not slimy at all) must be some miraculous secret. Definitely worth a country trip to sweet little downtown Bixby. The ones shown are a little smaller than usual- they can be much larger as well.

A&W

Restaurant: A&W

Location: Iola, KS

Number and Size of Rings: 8 rings medium size

Cost: $1.79

These onion rings were okay. The only thing that I really like about them was in that in some of the rings the onion part was pretty think and just nice and juicy. The batter around the rings were also nice and thick and did not flake off very easy when you bite into it.
(Thanks to Tom and Erin for this review)

The Habit Burger Grill

Restaurant: The Habit Burger Grill

Location: Oxnard, CA

Number and Size of Rings: About 10 total in all different sizes

Cost: $1.69

They were pretty good for fast food/restaurant style onion rings. They were a little oily, but the thickness of the batter around the onion ring made them kind of nice.
(Thanks to Tom and Erin for this review)