View Full Version : 51st Street Speakeasy



Pete
01-05-2016, 09:17 AM
The old operation closed on January 1st but will soon re-open under new ownership:

http://okgazette.com/2015/12/30/nuggets-food-news-51st-street-speakeasy-waffle-champion-and-more/


New Year’s Eve was going to be the final night for 51st Street Speakeasy, 1114 NW 51st St., until three employees came together to get the torch from former owner Kevin Sine.

The business will close as Sine moves on, but only for a little while, said Greg Bustamante, who purchased it with his brother Mike and partner Henri Bailey.

The bar will retain its name while making a few changes to improve the customer experience. When it opens again in mid-January, they’ll have done some remodeling work and made the entire first floor nonsmoking.

Going forward, they’re planning to bring more live music shows to the Speakeasy while keeping the ever-popular Lost Ogle Trivia. And the kitchen will return in time, including future plans for lunch hours.

“My brother and I have been here almost since the beginning, for eight years, and we’d never done lunch,” Bustamante said.

For Sine, it’s a bittersweet reprieve. He said he’s glad the bar will remain open, “though [he will] have to pay for [his] drinks, now.”

bchris02
01-05-2016, 10:10 AM
51st Street Speakeasy is a cool place, but it gets lost among the shuffle of new places. I wish the new owners best of luck.

barrettd
01-05-2016, 01:20 PM
My wife and I went by there for a rare happy hour without kids during one of the nicer fall days recently. At 6:00PM, the parking lot was practically empty, there didn't appear to be any lights on inside, the patio appeared to be closed. We never even got out of the car to check since the place looked so dead we wouldn't have wanted to stay anyway. Ended up on the patio at Flip's.

I would go back, definitely, if it regained some of the appeal it held in its earlier days.

gopokes88
01-05-2016, 01:22 PM
Needs a face lift and convert to non smoking. Location is starting to be a problem as well. Greg is a really cool guy though, the few convos I've had with him I've liked him,

soonerguru
01-05-2016, 01:26 PM
Hard to compete in the bar market when something newer and hipper is opening every other month (week), especially without daytime food options.

HangryHippo
01-05-2016, 01:28 PM
Location is starting to be a problem as well.

In what way(s)?

bchris02
01-05-2016, 01:35 PM
My guess is that with more critical mass in terms of bars further south, 51st Street Speakeasy somewhat gets forgotten. A few years ago, it was one of the trendiest places in town and one of the few alternatives to Bricktown.

I think it can still work but it needs something to set it apart from the other options now in OKC.

gopokes88
01-05-2016, 01:39 PM
In what way(s)?

-Let's go out tonight.
-Ok sweet
-Midtown? Fassler, blue garden, rj's, o bar, sidecar, dust bowl. (all smoke free indoors)
-Plaza? Mule, Saints, Empire (all smoke free indoors)
-23rd? Pump, rockford, guytues? (all smoke free indoors)
-Deep duece? DDG, Slaughters, WSKY, Aloft, Johnnies (all smoke free, except wsky indoors)
-Bricktown? (too many to list)

Classen Corner? Speak, edna's, fry, hilo. Which are all smoking bars, and all are pretty old.

PhiAlpha
01-05-2016, 02:17 PM
-Let's go out tonight.
-Ok sweet
-Midtown? Fassler, blue garden, rj's, o bar, sidecar, dust bowl. (all smoke free indoors)
-Plaza? Mule, Saints, Empire (all smoke free indoors)
-23rd? Pump, rockford, guytues? (all smoke free indoors)
-Deep duece? DDG, Slaughters, WSKY, Aloft, Johnnies (all smoke free, except wsky indoors)
-Bricktown? (too many to list)

Classen Corner? Speak, edna's, fry, hilo. Which are all smoking bars, and all are pretty old.

You also have to walk across an interstate on/offramp to get between Edna's and the others. Its not ideal. It's too bad speak easy doesn't front Western, I think that would help it.

gopokes88
01-05-2016, 02:35 PM
You also have to walk across an interstate on/offramp to get between Edna's and the others. Its not ideal. It's too bad speak easy doesn't front Western, I think that would help it.

That would for sure. It just needs to become a destination bar again. There's still lots of potential. Lunch will help a lot, as would having a great happy hour. Lots of employment in the area that would swing by after work.

Urbanized
01-06-2016, 05:40 AM
I've known Henri for more than a decade and he is good people and a total pro. He was a longtime Good Egg guy and involved in the running of Cheever's and Red Prime. Of late he's been behind the bar at Powerhouse since it opened. I knew he was looking to buy or start a bar with partners. These guys will do a great job.

Pete
01-06-2016, 05:42 AM
^

Ah, didn't realize it was *that* Henri from Powerhouse.

51st Street's gain is the loss of Powerhouse. He is great.

Teo9969
01-06-2016, 01:49 PM
Location is not the best, but it is not at all a problem. The problem is the pool of businesses right there which all really need a face-lift. They'll get it at some point, but I'd bet Classen Circle is at least 2 or 3 years away from getting an injection of life. If Drunken Fry, Edna's, and HiLo don't also find a way to improve their establishments, then Speakeasy is not going to have the draw of people that they want. I just hope their investment motivates the other 3 as well.

If we could get some nice multi-story apartments going on 50th where there's a bunch of single-story houses, empty land, and parking lots, that would go a long way to providing at-the-ready clientele.

HangryHippo
01-06-2016, 02:13 PM
I think the Classen off ramp from I-44 needs to go away. Connect 51st St north of Edna's, 50th St with the NW Expressway and modify N Classen Cir to connect to the I-44 off ramp to Western and then you can make that little area much safer for pedestrians and less confusing for drivers.

adaniel
01-06-2016, 04:26 PM
I used to go to Ednas quite often when I was still in OKC and I lost count how many near misses occurred right there, with cars flying on the Classen on ramp exiting 44 and people (usually intoxicated) darting into the street. It is really a miracle nobody was ever killed. Needless to say, there is absolutely zero walkability with this area, and its a shame.

Anonymous.
01-06-2016, 04:36 PM
I went here a few months ago for the first time in probably a year. Wow that place used to be popping. It was totally dead on a Saturday night. There wasn't even a bouncer it was so slow.

trousers
01-06-2016, 04:46 PM
Same here. I have been there a few times over the last several months and every time it was completely dead. It hasn't seemed to matter if it was weekday, weekend, pint night, anything...dead.

Pete
01-14-2016, 08:14 AM
They reopened last night.

onthestrip
01-14-2016, 10:09 AM
So did they do a big remodel or something? Just cosmetic stuff or big overhaul?

Pete
01-29-2016, 09:43 AM
This is from their Facebook page:



Soooo.... It's true. The Speak is under new ownership and we have finished phase one of our little remodel. The shuffleboard is sanded and ready for play and for the love of god if you or anyone you know can give me a challenge on this fooseball table, please, bring it. If you win I'll by you a beer. Stop thru and check out the new digs, have local beer in one of your favorite local bars

https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xlt1/v/t1.0-9/1513684_10153917074929885_5730074712089174971_n.jp g?oh=e0d081d3311e1588e52e79cd9e5e95e9&oe=572CDAE5

trousers
01-29-2016, 09:47 AM
Are they serving food?

OKCretro
01-29-2016, 09:58 AM
Speakeasy was on my rotation for a number of years. Really enjoyed it. Remember when it was just the little one room bar, then it kept expanding and expanding. Its downfall was when they tried to do the "VIP" upstairs bar. Where you could buy a season pass or something to get in this members only bar. (what is this whitewater?) I think once they did that the crowd started going other places.

Needs work on the patio part

bchris02
01-29-2016, 10:09 AM
Speakeasy was on my rotation for a number of years. Really enjoyed it. Remember when it was just the little one room bar, then it kept expanding and expanding. Its downfall was when they tried to do the "VIP" upstairs bar. Where you could buy a season pass or something to get in this members only bar. (what is this whitewater?) I think once they did that the crowd started going other places.


Flashback is doing that. They have another area of games in their backroom. Will be interested to see how it works out for them.

tsou89
01-29-2016, 11:00 AM
Enjoyed the speakeasy when it was the one room bar even though it was smoky.

gopokes88
01-29-2016, 12:52 PM
Speakeasy was on my rotation for a number of years. Really enjoyed it. Remember when it was just the little one room bar, then it kept expanding and expanding. Its downfall was when they tried to do the "VIP" upstairs bar. Where you could buy a season pass or something to get in this members only bar. (what is this whitewater?) I think once they did that the crowd started going other places.

Needs work on the patio part

That and shortly after the vip experiment the wave of new bars started. I understand their logic. Speak at that time was 1 in 1 out every Friday and Saturday starting at 10pm. They needed a way to keep the crowds under control. They went with a VIP area, should have just raised prices instead.

2Lanez
01-29-2016, 12:59 PM
Speakeasy was on my rotation for a number of years. Really enjoyed it. Remember when it was just the little one room bar, then it kept expanding and expanding. Its downfall was when they tried to do the "VIP" upstairs bar. Where you could buy a season pass or something to get in this members only bar. (what is this whitewater?) I think once they did that the crowd started going other places.

Needs work on the patio part

This is not the problem. Speakeasy thrived when it was one of the only shows in town. Development of Midtown, Deep Deuce, 23rd and even more in Bricktown have made Classen Circle an afterthought.

Pete
01-29-2016, 03:01 PM
Looking closer at their FB page, kitchen is not yet open as they are working on a new menu.

Also says downstairs is nonsmoking, so I am going to go check it out.

Richard at Remax
01-29-2016, 03:48 PM
I will echo everyone else and say the VIP killed it. This was right at the time when new bars and areas were starting to pop up. I mean its speakeasy, cmon now. Every time I glanced in there while waiting in line for bathroom there was maybe 10 people in VIP, and they were the exact kind of people who would pay for VIP at speakeasy.

Pete
01-30-2016, 08:20 AM
I went last night and stayed quite a while...

I had never been in the place before and was fortunate to have one of the owners gave me a tour. I had no idea the building was so big with so many separate rooms.

It has that big patio and deck out front and it's a little confusing to get in, but once you find the entrance on the northwest corner, you walk into a room that is about 1/3 the ground floor. They have put in a few very high back booths and some other new finishes and it's actually quite nice and a cool place to hang out out. Bar #1 is at the far north end with about 10 seats.

I got there around 7 and the only part of the place that was open was that room. It was pretty full but not crowded and the people were friendly.

The other 2/3rd of the ground floor is separated by a couple of glass doors and it has it's own larger bar and the stage at the far eat end. About 10PM the had a lineup of four bands so they opened those doors and the bar and the entire place became very full. Because of the separation, you could sit in the west section and still have a conversation as you could hear the music but not well.

Between bands, everyone spilled out onto the deck which became really crowded or came into the east section. By the time I left around midnight, the place was super crowded all around and very loud and boisterous. As in, there were lots of people really drinking and having fun. And as in, I saw a drunk woman completely fall to the ground and a fair number of others seemed to be in about the same condition.

The upstairs is about 2/3rd what they call the game room, which is a smoking area. Passed through here quickly as it was thick with smoke with only a few people up there. The other 1/3rd -- east side -- is for private events with another large bar, a good sized room and the only access to the good sized 2nd level deck on the front. That room also has it's own private entrance to the parking lot behind.

They are still working on their new menu and the kitchen won't reopen for a couple of months.

I have to say the place was different in every respect from what I expected. I think the smaller bar on the ground floor is really a great space, as was the deck out front. The live music part of the venue was pretty darn cool and obviously drew in a ton of people. The private space upstairs would be quite cool for an event.

The three new owners are younger guys who all used to work there and then bought out the previous owners. They are making continual improvements as their budget allows so I expect the place to be even better.

The one issue I had (beside the temporary no food thing) was they had a pretty limited beer selection. Only a handful on tap and really not much choice in cans. However, those guys seem to know their crowd so I suspect the aren't angling for the craft beer lovers. Still, hope that changes because the only local beer I found was an Anthem IPA that I didn't really care for. Ended up switching to Newcastle which I don't really like that much either.

Glad to see the place in good hands and pulling big crowds. And on the slower weekday nights, they merely close off the live music side and the remainder is somewhat intimate and a good local watering hole.

Pete
01-30-2016, 01:35 PM
BTW, they also have the occasional DJ (like tonight) and comedy acts as well as Lost Ogle trivia.