Everybody wants to drink with Oklahoma Gazette staff. And why not?! We’re a fun bunch of semi-literate lushes. But, just as our writing styles often differ, so too do our drinking habits. That’s why we’ve rounded up our favorite watering holes, so you can stalk us individually, eventually kidnapping us and holding us for ransom. (Fun fact: You will not get paid.)
— by Greg Elwell,
photos by Garett Fisbeck and Mark Hancock
The Other Room
3001 Paseo St.
picassosonpaseo.com/about-other-room
602-2002
Photographer “Marky” Mark Hancock’s favorite place to down a beer is Paseo’s down-and-dirty bar The Other Room. The drunken kid brother to Picasso Cafe, this is a fun place for your funky bunch to meet to discuss things like movie careers, underwear modeling and what Reese Witherspoon smells like. Also relevant: It serves alcohol, which is one of the most effective ways to legally become inebriated.
Phoenix Rising
2120 NW 39th St.
601-3711
Have you ever caught on fire? That is too bad. Being engulfed in flames is not a prerequisite for drinking at Phoenix Rising, but it’s also not going to disqualify you. All are welcome! Photographer Dr. Garett Fisbeck, MD, DDS, LOL, prefers this spot to drown his sorrows and lift his spirits and then lift those spirits to his lips to drown his sorrows in them. It’s all very complicated, but thirst-quenching, nonetheless.
Saints
1715 NW 16th St.
602-6308
Grammar nerd and assistant editor par excellance Brittany Pickering doesn’t go out drinking very often because she’s pretty much always at the paper, fixing the mistakes all of us dummies make. But when she does have a few minutes, she’s heading to Saints in the Plaza District for great drinks and the amazing menu of chef Mitchell Dunzy. And when it’s not too rowdy in there, she can read her book in peace, thanks very much.
Oak & Ore
1732 NW 16th St.
606-2030
No-nonsense news reporter Laura Eastes loves nothing more than chasing down a lead and then tackling the lead and beating the truth out of it. She. Is. Mean. But sometimes she also just likes a beer, and there’s no place better for a pour than Oak & Ore, which has small-batch craft beers from across the state and around the world. And the food’s pretty good, too.
The R&J Lounge and Supper Club
320 NW 10th St.
602-5066
Discerning drunks and foodies (like food writer Greg Elwell) know that the place for carafes of champagne and tartine croque Parisienne is The R&J. With chefs Russ Johnson (R) and Jonathon Stranger (J) at the helm and Brad Ackerman working his magic in the kitchen, this skinny little bar is a hit and a half. And there’s even a private den in the back so you can swill your sherry in peace.
The Pump Bar
2425 N. Walker Ave.
702-8898
Do you like to party? That’s nice. Calendar writer extraordinaire Kirsten Therkelson does not like to party. But she’ll go to a party at The Pump Bar because that’s a fun place no matter what you’re up to. Whether you’re ordering a big glass of Haterade or one of the intoxicatingly delicious and deliciously intoxicating Tiki drinks, be sure to check out the rotating food specials on the board to soak up some of that fun juice.
Urban Johnnie Bar & Grille
121 NE Second St.
208-4477
Publisher/owner/professional grumblemuffin Bill Bleakley might have been lying about his preference for watching sports with a beer at Urban Johnnie — the last thing he wants is for any of us to sit down next to him and say, “You know, if I owned the paper…” Or it’s a double-bluff and he’s there right now, outwitting us all once again.
