hi i live in new york but will be in oklahoma for a while.
can you recommend some cool dive bars, or places off the beaten path.
i heard there was some place called edna's?

Any particular genre of bar that you're interested in? Our Bricktown area which is within walking distance of pretty much all downtown hotels, or a trolley ride away if you're staying on Meridian has a ton of bars to choose from. My favorite is Tapwerks -- amazing bar food and 100+ beers on tap and on many nights some pretty decent live music. If that's not what you're after, there are all kinds of other venues and restaurants down there. You can pretty much just shop around for a place to hang out.

Be warned -- the nightlife doesn't really pick up until Thursday.

Most of the Dive Bars off the beaten path in OKC are along and around NW 39th Street in the GLBT District. If I had to guess, Ednas would probably be in the GLBT district.

Bricktown has nice dance clubs and bars but I would not call them Dive nor are they "off the beaten path." No offense, midtowner :)

Unlike Bricktown, the GLBT district is always hoppin. Bricktown is more touristy and family oriented.

Just a clarification, the GLBT district is on NW 39th St. just west of Pennsylvania Ave.

What is a dive bar?

Most of the Dive Bars off the beaten path in OKC are along and around NW 39th Street in the GLBT District. If I had to guess, Ednas would probably be in the GLBT district.

Bricktown has nice dance clubs and bars but I would not call them Dive nor are they "off the beaten path." No offense, midtowner :)

Unlike Bricktown, the GLBT district is always hoppin. Bricktown is more touristy and family oriented.

Depends on where you go in and around Bricktown. But you're right as to the "off the beaten path" statement.

No offense taken.

Edna's is known for having drawn Australian columnist Tim Blair during an American visit; he seemed at least somewhat impressed. (It's on what used to be the Classen Circle, right before the underpass and the I-44 eastbound onramp.)

Edna's is great.

There's also a little bard just east of Classen on like 64th called By George. Pretty nice place...and gets some crazy karaoke going on saturday nights...or used to anyway...

If you are coming up near Tulsa there are many, many dive bars, here they are often called dirt bars.

I think the best is The Tin Dog Saloon, 33rd and Harvard, great dive bar 7 days a week, say hey to Jon the owner, best bartender anywhere.

Around TU there’s 4play, 26th and Harvard and The Buccaneer, 11th and Harvard, both are dives, but do have TU students in them all the time. Both have been around for 40-50 years.

Downtown for the ultimate dive experience there’s Orpha’s Lounge, the home of the homeless, always good for a story, 3rd and Boulder. There’s another one at 7th and Houston, the name escapes me, but it used to have mirrored walls and red shag carpet in a basemen across from the courthouse. Outstanding.

The bar districts have their own dives too. In Brookside is Tulsa’s oldest bar still in business, conveniently called The Brookside Bar, they recently lost their lease and had to move across the street, but it’s still the same grimy dive with the same bartenders that have been there for many decades. Cheapest drinks in town. 32nd and Peoria.

Downtown in the Brady District there are two great dives, first is the Deadtown Tavern, Brady and Detroit. Then there’s Caz’s, also a dive, their slogan is “helping ugly people have sex since 1985”, it’s at Brady and Main.

Downtown in the Blue Dome area is Arnie’s, I think Tulsa’s second oldest bar, an Irish pub of a dive. 2nd and Detroit.

If you are looking for gay dives I’m not as familiar, there’s a huge one called the Majestic in the Brady District, but it’s hardly a dive, I know of one in the 18th St. District downtown called the Renagade, it looks like a real dive, 17th and Boulder.

There are more, but this would be a good start, most of these are pretty busy every night of the week, unlike the more trendly clubs that don’t start to get busy until Thursday.

http://www.citywalkokc.com/photo_gallery/



Citywalk is not off the beaten path, but you might find it interesting anyhow - I think Bricktown is well worth a visit from someone from out of town ... check out the website and the photo gallery - if you are a single guy, the Hawaiin Tropic Bathing Suit Contest photos will probably be worth a look even if you don't make it to the club.

Plus, this shows some of the residents of OKC and might just help dispel the 'hick' image - granted we have a few, but you can find those anywhere!

If you consider dive bars those no-frills, neighborhood-type pubs, here are a few OKC standards:

Hi-Lo Club:
http://www.okclive.com/hilo/calendar.asp

Blue Note:
2408 N Robinson Ave, Oklahoma City, 73103 - (405) 524-5678
just north of downtown on Robinson and NW 23rd

Biting Sow:
1 E California Ave, Oklahoma City, 73104 - (405) 232-2639
Not off the beaten path (in Bricktown), but has the feel of a dive bar, and offers great live blues

Visit okclive.com for a live music calendar and other restaurant/entertainment info

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Danny's Blues Saloon is pretty fun. Great music and fun people. It's near 10th and Reno. Google it for the specifics.

Hawaiian Don's is a nice lil tavern on 10th St. just west of portland on the north side of the road. The cocktails are enormous.

The cocktails are enormous. You aren't kidding.