Sideline Bar & Grill

[Libbymin]

I met a couple friends here last night to watch the NBA Finals. The place was fairly busy, with 10 - 12 people at the bar, about 7 or 8 tables inside and a couple groups on the patio.

Negatives: They have NO beers on tap and do not even have a drink/beer list, so I had to just guess as to whether they had a certain brand available and what it cost. They were also out of Miller Lite and Michelob Ultra. They server had no idea how to use the handheld ordering system and basically just stood at our table while she figured it out, which was annoying AF. The place also doesn't seem to have much of a "vibe" to it. They may be advertising themselves as a sports bar, but it could easily be mistaken for a hamburger joint or just any other neighborhood bar.

Positives: There are TV's all over the place, so it was easy to get a good view of the game. We didn't order entrees, but the Mozzarella Cheese Sticks we ordered arrived quickly and were hot and very tasty.

Overall, it was a so-so experience. It's nice to have another sports bar as an option, but I would rather watch a game elsewhere where the screens are bigger, like The Garage in Midtown.

No beers on tap seems like a bit of a miss for a sports bar.

[BoulderSooner]

A can of Modelo was $6. The High Noon seltzers were $8.

All in with tax and tip, 4 adult beverages came to almost $43. That's pretty pricey for a sports bar, in my opinion.

lol comically high priced ..

[catch22]

Yikes.

[SEMIweather]

I don't see any way that this, RadBar, and Grand Royale all make it until the end of the year, it's just a matter of which one(s) bite(s) the dust. Too many mediocre concepts in an area where the rent is too high for mediocre concepts to work.

[Bill Robertson]

^^^ This. And with no tap beer and those prices for can/bottle beers? i'm I know which one I would bet on not making it.

[soonerguru]

lol comically high priced ..

When I go to other cities, even "expensive" ones, beer is generally cheaper. Why is it so pricey in OKC establishments? Is it related to the alcohol taxes?

[BridgeBurner]

Very interesting considering their Norman location had $3 pitchers advertised on their saved instagram story a few months back.

[BoulderSooner]

Very interesting considering their Norman location had $3 pitchers advertised on their saved instagram story a few months back.

that kind of thing is required in a college town like norman ..

[BoulderSooner]

When I go to other cities, even "expensive" ones, beer is generally cheaper. Why is it so pricey in OKC establishments? Is it related to the alcohol taxes?

both that and that some owners think they can get away with it ..

this is the primary reason Urban Jonnies failed ..

1 they wanted to charge much higher prices for their burgers then they do at "normal" jonnies ..

and 2 they had crazy high drink prices .. (which pretty much made a spot locals didn't want to go and watch a game for 3-4 hours)

toward the end they created tons of beer specials while pretty much any sports was on TV but by then they are already turned off deep deuce residents ..

[progressiveboy]

When I go to other cities, even "expensive" ones, beer is generally cheaper. Why is it so pricey in OKC establishments? Is it related to the alcohol taxes?

Maybe due to old fashion greed?

[Bill Robertson]

When I go to other cities, even "expensive" ones, beer is generally cheaper. Why is it so pricey in OKC establishments? Is it related to the alcohol taxes?

I've never understood this. As I said in another thread I have a friend that I used to go see in Dallas often. There's a Hooters that you can almost see Jerry World and the Rangers stadium. Last time I went a large domestic draft there was 4.50. In the OKC stores they were 5.25. I would think with the location the Arlington store would be considerably more expensive.

[dankrutka]

When I go to other cities, even "expensive" ones, beer is generally cheaper. Why is it so pricey in OKC establishments? Is it related to the alcohol taxes?

I’ve been in LA and a can of Coors Light is $8 at most places.

[Will Dearborn]

Went last week, music was obnoxious...not piping in game audio seems like a bad idea for a sports bar. Was also really expensive for a couple beers and shots.

[ABCOKC]

Just walked by and it was dark, some guy even tried to go in and the door was locked. Anybody know what gives? Hope it’s okay because it’s a cool spot, but this was at 9:30 on a Friday night, Google says they should be open, and I see nothing about a closure on their social media.

[ManAboutTown]

Just walked by and it was dark, some guy even tried to go in and the door was locked. Anybody know what gives? Hope it’s okay because it’s a cool spot, but this was at 9:30 on a Friday night, Google says they should be open, and I see nothing about a closure on their social media.

They posted yesterday on Facebook that they are closing the doors on the Plaza District location:

“ We have some bittersweet news to share with you all. After much consideration, we have decided to close the doors of Sideline Bar & Grill - Plaza District. We want to take this opportunity to express our sincerest thanks for your support and the memories we've shared in our short run in the Plaza District. Thank you for giving us a chance OKC, but for now we will just stick to Sideline Bar & Grill - Norman!”

[Pete]

The revolving door continues to turn in the Plaza.

Other than Scorecards, very few of the restaurants & bars in the Plaza are the original occupants of their space. Lots of closures, change of concepts, and moves down the street.

[dankrutka]

The revolving door continues to turn in the Plaza.

Other than Scorecards, very few of the restaurants & bars in the Plaza are the original occupants of their space. Lots of closures, change of concepts, and moves down the street.

Are high rents the primary cause?

[OkieBerto]

Sideline was just the wrong fit for this district. It is the last place I would have put a sports bar.

[Pete]

Like Midtown, IMO it's just the maturation of the OKC bar and restaurant scene.

Long gone are the days when you can just open up something in the core, serve beer and bar food with TV's scattered around, and expect to succeed.

[ManAboutTown]

Sideline was just the wrong fit for this district. It is the last place I would have put a sports bar.

I totally agree, and that building was not optimal for a sports bar due to having fairly low ceilings and thus being limited in how big the TV's could be. I went a couple times and the food and service were good, but if I need to watch sports in that area I go to The Garage in Midtown.

[dheinz44]

They also didn't have any draft options when I went which is essential for any place that calls themselves a sports bar.

[OkieBerto]

I totally agree, and that building was not optimal for a sports bar due to having fairly low ceilings and thus being limited in how big the TV's could be. I went a couple times and the food and service were good, but if I need to watch sports in that area I go to The Garage in Midtown.

I went once just to check it out and I was not impressed at all. The food was okay and the service was not great at all. The interior was laughable. I am also not the best person to talk about sports bars. I find them lame and repetitive at best. Eddie's is doing really well, but I found it to lack anything that made me want to return. The only one I like is RePUBlic. Hahah!

[Oski]

Sideline was just the wrong fit for this district. It is the last place I would have put a sports bar.

I'm curious, what are the factors that make a great sports bar, in your opinion? What are the best places for it? Thanks!

[bison34]

I'm curious, what are the factors that make a great sports bar, in your opinion? What are the best places for it? Thanks!

Take The Garage, for example. Plenty of tvs and drink specials, especially on game nights. Even normal drinks aren't as expensive as Sideline was

Location isn't as important, but you need to actually be a sports bar and have things to get patrons in.

[OkieBerto]

I'm curious, what are the factors that make a great sports bar, in your opinion? What are the best places for it? Thanks!

For the most part Bison is right, but you don't always need a ton of TV's or even food. Sometimes you just need to go all in on drink specials and attach those to a sporting event. One of the places that does this the best is Skinny Slims. A small bar with a few TV's that really gets the Soccer fans out for almost every game. It is successful because it is entirely based on a sport. It doesn't open for lunch. It offers all types of beer both local and domestic on tap. They will open just for a sporting event. This Saturday they open at 8am to get as many people in the door for the Manchester United game. That is a sports bar.