True, straightforward Sports Bar....ever?

[OKCMallen]

Anyone know of any plans for a true, straightforward sports bar in Bricktown? Halftime hardly counts as much of a bar at all. I'm thinking of something similar to the bar area of Buffalo Wild Wings...

[John]

Sadly, Daquiri Zone was the closest thing to a true sports bar in Bricktown.

And don't forget about Hooters!

[solitude]

I wish we had a Champps. I love to find them when I travel. They are in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Denver, Des Moines, Minneapolis, Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis, Miami, Tampa, Raleigh-Durham, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Cincinnati - even Sioux Falls! Among other locales.

Champps would be a great franchise opportunity for somebody in sports-loving Oklahoma.

[OKCMallen]

Daiquiri Zone had a lot of things right with it, IMO. The food was decent, had a gimmick, had TVs everywhere....I;m not sure where their forumla messed up, although I always felt that the service was pretty lacking.

[Pete]

Coach's doesn't count?

[solitude]

Coach's doesn't count?

That's a good question. I haven't been in Coach's in a long time. How many TVs? I mentioned Champps above, they have several HUGE screens and then tons of smaller flat panel screens. I think one of the things that makes a great sports bar is the ability to go into a place and know that whatever it is you are wanting to see - you'll see it. I know at Champps I have been traveling and none of the gazillion screens had OU on and I have never had trouble just asking them to put one of the screens on the game.

[Midtowner]

Tapwerks always has a bigscreen on for big games.

[OKCMallen]

Coach's = family restaurant, IMO.

Things that make a sports bar, IMO:

1. Smoking section, to me, screams BAR!! No smoking section in Coach's unless you sit outside, and I'm not even sure if you can there.
2. Ability to be loud without people looking at you funny. Coach's is more like a restaurant in this regard.
3. Most importantly- people actually treat it as a destination to go watch sports. I've never once heard anyone say, "Let's go to Coach's in Bricktown to watch XYZ."
4. The TV situation Solitude discussed. Go to BWW in Moore, go into the bar area, and see all the RANDOM sports on TV. You can tell that's the focus. You know they'd put soccer or horse racing on before they'd just turn off the TV. At Coach's, TV's aren't the focus unless you're sitting at the bar.

Mainly, what I'm thinking is a place where my buddies would want to go. Primarily a guy haven where you can have a cigarette, a bucket of beer, and if there's a good game on, people are hollering at the screen a bit. We don't want to worry about offending children and families, etc. An adult place to go hang out with a primary focus on sports, but the kind of place a group might go to on a Friday night for drinks. Tapwerks is great, but it's definitely not a focus there as much as premium beers. Coach's is OK, except it caters to the family restaurant crowd. Hooters doesn't have quite the TVs they need, the waitstaff is typically not very good at waiting tables, and the beer is expensive. I mean, what else is there in Bricktown now? Halftime is VERY meh; not enough TVs there, and bad service. It doesn't have to be super-cool hip, but I would like something that's not hokey or family-oriented. As an example- the Iron Starr....that's not really a family style restaurant. Sure, kids are welcome and you see them there all the time, but they don't cater to child. They cater to adults.

[MikeLucky]

Coach's = family restaurant, IMO.

Things that make a sports bar, IMO:

1. Smoking section, to me, screams BAR!! No smoking section in Coach's unless you sit outside, and I'm not even sure if you can there.
2. Ability to be loud without people looking at you funny. Coach's is more like a restaurant in this regard.
3. Most importantly- people actually treat it as a destination to go watch sports. I've never once heard anyone say, "Let's go to Coach's in Bricktown to watch XYZ."
4. The TV situation Solitude discussed. Go to BWW in Moore, go into the bar area, and see all the RANDOM sports on TV. You can tell that's the focus. You know they'd put soccer or horse racing on before they'd just turn off the TV. At Coach's, TV's aren't the focus unless you're sitting at the bar.

Mainly, what I'm thinking is a place where my buddies would want to go. Primarily a guy haven where you can have a cigarette, a bucket of beer, and if there's a good game on, people are hollering at the screen a bit. We don't want to worry about offending children and families, etc. An adult place to go hang out with a primary focus on sports, but the kind of place a group might go to on a Friday night for drinks. Tapwerks is great, but it's definitely not a focus there as much as premium beers. Coach's is OK, except it caters to the family restaurant crowd. Hooters doesn't have quite the TVs they need, the waitstaff is typically not very good at waiting tables, and the beer is expensive. I mean, what else is there in Bricktown now? Halftime is VERY meh; not enough TVs there, and bad service. It doesn't have to be super-cool hip, but I would like something that's not hokey or family-oriented. As an example- the Iron Starr....that's not really a family style restaurant. Sure, kids are welcome and you see them there all the time, but they don't cater to child. They cater to adults.

You are looking for Henry Hudsons... LOL

[OKCMallen]

You are looking for Henry Hudsons... LOL

Sans mullets and with class.

[MikeOKC]

A good sports bar to me is where sports on TV is the focus. If there's just a few that
happen to be on sports that's not it. The Champs sports bars are great, I've been to one on Belt Line Road in Dallas near the Pizza Hut national headquarters and that is the real deal.

[amylynn5656]

Daquiri Zone went wrong when they called it Daquiri Zone. Sent the wrong message from the get-go.

If you've ever been to Boulder, there is the Lazy Dog - which I think is exactly what you are looking for - http://www.thelazydog.com/ BONUS: rooftop patio.

If only the Bricktown Brewery could step it up a bit - I think there is some potential there, but people have grown tired of skunky beer and crappy food.

[Easy180]

Coach's doesn't count?

Not really...Has more of a restaurant feel to it

I'm pretty sure once a lot of the current housing projects get built and the Sonics are here we will see a very nice Champps or Fox Sports Grill type of sports bar

Maybe an ESPN Zone....They will buy into our new Big League City motto

Yeah right

[okclee]

Daquiri Zone went wrong when they called it Daquiri Zone. Sent the wrong message from the get-go.

If you've ever been to Boulder, there is the Lazy Dog - which I think is exactly what you are looking for - hybrid BONUS: rooftop patio.

If only the Bricktown Brewery could step it up a bit - I think there is some potential there, but people have grown tired of skunky beer and crappy food.

Good post, and I agree with you about the "Daquiri" Zone. They could have had the best set up for a sports bar but the daquiri concept was flawed, to me.

In regards to the Bricktown Brewery, they recently have new owners with all new brewed beer and a complete new menu. I haven't tried it but I heard the new owner on the Sports Animal this week and it sounded like a good change. They have gone away with the barbaque and brought in more of "sports bar" menu. Also the owner said that the hired an expert brewer to completely change all of their beers. Lastly the owner said that they have added all new flat screen 50" tv's throughout. It sounds good to me, I hope to give it a try.

Having said all that, Bricktown is lacking in a really good sports bar. The ESPN Zone would be the ultimate to me.

[OKCMallen]

I would seriously be cool with just a big BWW in Bricktown...although I was unaware of changes at the Brewery...

[metro]

Good post, and I agree with you about the "Daquiri" Zone. They could have had the best set up for a sports bar but the daquiri concept was flawed, to me.

In regards to the Bricktown Brewery, they recently have new owners with all new brewed beer and a complete new menu. I haven't tried it but I heard the new owner on the Sports Animal this week and it sounded like a good change. They have gone away with the barbaque and brought in more of "sports bar" menu. Also the owner said that the hired an expert brewer to completely change all of their beers. Lastly the owner said that they have added all new flat screen 50" tv's throughout. It sounds good to me, I hope to give it a try.

Having said all that, Bricktown is lacking in a really good sports bar. The ESPN Zone would be the ultimate to me.

Their food still sucks and the service is not any better.

[OKCMallen]

But is the beer any better!?

[amylynn5656]

Good to know about the Brewery. I'm definitely interested in trying the new brews!

[okclee]

Good to know about the Brewery. I'm definitely interested in trying the new brews!

Let us know if it is any better after you try it out.

[John]

I think Fox & Hound is the best sports bar OKC has. I think one in Bricktown or downtown would work.

TV's all over the place, good selection of food (as opposed to BWW), smoker & nonsmoker friendly, decent cigar selection, good pool tables, darts, great selection of libations.

[OKCMallen]

I think Fox & Hound is the best sports bar OKC has. I think one in Bricktown or downtown would work.

TV's all over the place, good selection of food (as opposed to BWW), smoker & nonsmoker friendly, decent cigar selection, good pool tables, darts, great selection of libations.

That's exactly what I am talking about....just one of those! Heck, even a Baker Street with more TVs would do fine. Just SOMETHING.

[okclee]

I am going to agree with the Fox & Hound. I would prefer it over BBW's.

[CCOKC]

I've been to the Emerson Biggins a few times in the last couple of weeks and maybe it is close to what you are looking for. It is definitely a guy kind of place and has screens all over the place to watch the games. The food is not bad either. I was a distinct minority both times I went (female wise).

[VikingSooner]

Well, this topic has intrigued me to post.

My friend who is in sales and I have been complaining about this aspect since we both started living around the downtown OKC area. He complains that he doesn't have a good sports bar in the downtown area to take his customers. I've whined because there isn't a good bar for me to watch the Twinkies or Vikings that I don't have to worry about offending somebody as they blow yet another season. Maybe if we get a NBA team, then somebody will feel there is a market for one in the area. *Crossing fingers

Fox and The Hound is on my sh*t list after they decided to keep the sound on for a world series of poker rerun over the Twins vs Yankees playoff game because it was "company policy". What a way to treat somebody that constantly drops hundreds on entertaining customers at your resteraunt.

[OKCMallen]

I'm with you Viking. It sounds funny to say, but I want a place that I can cuss and not offend others. I don't want to be brutish around children, and I'm not. But right now I'd just as soon stay home and watch sports than go anywhere in Bricktown.