Elliot Nelson is the founder and CEO of McNellie’s Group, a hospitality company with 20 concepts and 31 locations across Oklahoma and Arkansas. Over the past two decades, he has helped revitalize downtown Tulsa through food, hospitality, and community, building restaurants that have helped shape neighborhoods, create jobs, and strengthen local culture.
Elliot opened his first restaurant, James E. McNellie’s Public House, in 2004 at age 25 after being inspired by the role of pubs in Irish life during his time studying abroad in Dublin while attending the University of Notre Dame. He brought that spirit of gathering and connection back to his hometown of Tulsa, where downtown had little culinary activity at the time.
What began as one pub became a catalyst for a growing district. Since then, Elliot has launched more than 10 restaurants in downtown Tulsa and 25+ concepts overall, ranging from German beer halls and Irish pubs to award-winning steakhouses and speakeasies.
In 2025, Elliot was named a James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurateur, recognizing his creativity, consistency, and commitment to his team and community.
McNellie’s Group employs more than 1,000 team members and offers benefits such as free mental health support through BetterHelp, health insurance, 401(k) plans, and an employee aid program.
In addition to hospitality, Elliot has led more than $300 million in real estate development, including historic rehabilitations and new multifamily, retail, and office projects focused on infill in Tulsa’s urban neighborhoods.
Beyond business, Elliot serves on civic boards including the Downtown Tulsa Partnership, Oklahoma Restaurant Association, Tulsa Tough, St. John’s Health System, Bishop Kelley High School, and the YMCA. He and his team also support organizations such as Little Light House, local public schools, and first responders.
For Elliot, food and hospitality are tools for transformation. What started as a vision for one gathering place has grown into a belief that restaurants, when done right, can help change a city.
Elliot lives in Tulsa with his wife, Meg, and their three children, Jed, Claire, and Declan.
