Redstate

1. Not really.  The business areas shut down at dark.  There has been a recent (last couple years) growth of night life on the northside of downtown.  However, the best areas for a dinner/bar/nightlife are still Brookside and Cherry Street.  The city is quite spread out and it generally necessitates a car.
   
2. Dinner - good question, I haven't been in town much recently.  Hope someone else can help.
   
3. Security isn't too bad and they just remodeled the main terminal to make it more efficient.  One hour wait at top times in my experiences.  During some off-hours, there is no line.
   
4. No cabs.  Must call ahead and not convenient.  Rent a car.  Period.

We don't live there, but live nearby and sometimes go for some reason or another.

Lone Star is a good restaurant.  I enjoyed Shoguns (Japanese Steakhouse) last time we ate there.  

Airport is OK.  Small enough to be easily negotiable.  Rent a car.

P.S.  If you get a chance, break loose for Bartlesville and go to Woolaroc.  It's an Indian museum started by Phillips 66 and has some really neat stuff.  Not too far to drive.

1.  There is really not a significant benefit to staying downtown, since you can practically drive anywhere in Tulsa in 15 min.  However the majority of local culture and hang outs are near downtown (ie. Cherry ST. aka 15th and Peoria, Brookside aka Peoria btw 31 and 51st and the east side of downtown).  The majority of the larger chain shopping/restaurant are in south Tulsa but if you want a taste of local culture being near downtown is definitely not a bad idea.  A good area with lots of highway access is around 31st and Memorial.  From that location you can make it just about anywhere in 15 min.  
   
2.  There are quite a few really nice restaurants in the Cherry St/Brookside district, as well as in the Brady district which is at Main and Brady downtown.  There are almost all locally owned restaurants, great food and prices ranging from $5.00-25.00 perhaps a bit more depending on what you get.  Definitely get an URBAN TULSA when you get in town it comes out on Thursday.
   
3.  I don't think you will have to wait over an hour if that long.  Should be a relatively swift process
   
4.  Definitely don't get a cab, I am almost positive it is more economical to rent a car. 
   

Aside from the open-seating, which means I and my family get to share the bar's second hand smoke, I rather like them.

1. no benefit whatsoever, there is nothing to do down there most of the time, there are a few bars & resturaunts, but thats about it. as suggested, Brookside & Cherry Street are some of the neater places with food & entertainment
   
2. what kind of food? TexMex is above average, BBQ for the most part is below average (Billy Simms is definitally the exception), we do have some of the best burgers (Hardens, Arnolds, Hanks, Johnnys), but most of them are greasy spoons. we have some good cafes (Tallys, Wester Country Diner) and Thai resturaunts (Thai Essence & Lana Thai)
   
3. cant comment on the airport much, but havent heard much in the way of compalaints concerning that part of the operation, the last time I was through there was pre 9/11
   
4. rent a car, seriously

The links page @ www.livingontulsatime.com will give you some more ideas of what you can do...

You might want to check out the spotlight theater, its a blast

maybe he want to try something other than a national chain? I know I would rather try some local fare as opposed to something I could eat anytime when I am at home

Looks like I'll renting a car and staying outside of downtown.  I'll also definitely check out the Cherry St./Brookside District.  Thanks all.

Thomas:  Applebee's is Soviet plot, the first of the grey, mid-priced chain restaurants.  That way lies grotesque, Kremlinesque manifestations as O'Charlie's, Bennigan's, and TGIFridays.  Me, I like my chain restaurants cheap and all-American.  Give Me Bob Evans or Give Me Death!

Most things have already been well-covered, but since I am in Tulsa....

1. Very little benefit to staying downtown. The exception is staying at the Ambassador Hotel so that you are conveniently located upstairs from the ChalkBoard restaurant.
   
2. see above. Also would highly recommend The Wild Fork and Fleming's Steakhouse in the Utica Square area.
   
3. typically no problems
   
4. What is this "cab" thing?

You've already been well-advised on lodging, transport, airports, etc.

Here are good places to eat:

-- Doe's Eat Place on Cherry Street district. It's a pricy steakhouse, but the steaks are heavenly.

-- Jamil's on near Harvard and 51st. It's a unique steakhouse, where it serves Lebanese appetizers gratis with your meal. It's a funky old place, but a great value (12-ounce butt steak, potato, salad and scads of appetizers for $9.95). By the way, if you run across a Lebanese restaurant in town, you are advised to go there. There have been scores of Lebanese immigrants and their descendants here for many years, so they know how to make the food.

-- Garlic Rose near Brookside. Excellent gourmet Italian. Not as good as what you can eat on The Hill in St. Louis, but that's no crime.

-- Billy Sims Barbecue in The Farm shopping center. It's the best barbecue I've had since coming to Tulsa, and I've been to most of those restaurants.

-- Tally's Cafe at 11th and Yale. Stick-to-the-ribs diner food that's on a par or better than the much-discussed Metro Diner down the road on Route 66 (11th Street).

I've yet to investigate other places, including the Knotty Pine barbecue and Avalon Steakhouse. I aim to take care of one of those tonight.

with Cracker Barrel.  They're darn near everywhere in SE and Midwest and the after meal can't be beat--Pez, Necco Wafers, and Ginger Snaps.  Mmmmmm.

Forgot the link.