Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City is the largest city in the state, as well as its political, cultural, and economic engine. The city is the nation's third largest city in land area (608 sq miles), just behind Jacksonville, Florida (759 sq miles) and way behind Anchorage, Alaska (1698 sq miles). The city is the 29th largest city in population in the nation (506,132 in the 2000 census), and the largest city in the 5 states on the Great Plains (Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and North and South Dakota).
After decades of suburban sprawl and attempts at "urban renewal", a burst of investment during the 1990s gave it additional big city attractions and a pleasant quality of life that often surprises visitors from other cities, making Oklahoma City more of a tourist destination in itself.
Oklahoma's state capitol building is the only capitol in the world with an oil well under it. Although its legal description is Capitol Site #1, it is referred to as Petunia #1 because it was drilled in the middle of a flower bed.

Geography

Oklahoma City is in the Frontier Country region of central Oklahoma, in the Southern Plains of North America. Contrary to popular belief, the geography is not flat and treeless (like in the true high plains) but rather gently rolling hills covered in places by dense low trees, shrubs, and grasses. The weather ranges from cold and windy in the winter to hot and windy in the summer, with a chance of flash floods and tornadoes in between.
The city is roughly bisected by the North Canadian River, which has been partially renamed the Oklahoma River in a flight of civic exuberance. The North Canadian is not very impressive as rivers go. It was once substantial enough to flood every year, wreaking destruction on surrounding homes, until the 1940s when the Civilian Conservation Corps dammed the river and turned it into essentially a wide ditch for the next 50 years. In the 1990s, as part of the citywide revitalization project known as MAPS, the city built a series of low water dams, returning water to the portion of the river that flows near downtown. The city also has three large lakes. Lake Hefner and Lake Overholser are in the northwestern part of the city. The largest, Lake Stanley Draper, is in the far southeastern corner of the city.

By plane

• Will Rogers World AirportThis airport offers over 180 flights a day, including non-stop service to over 30 cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and Washington, DC. The international airport (built in the 1960s) has completed the first phase of a major expansion and modernization project and is attracting additional non-stop flights to the city.

• Wiley Post AirportIf you want to fly in yourself, this is the place to go. Nine runways handle more than 200 private planes and corporate jets arriving and departing each day. After you land, taxi over to the Oklahoma Museum of Flying in Hangar 24, and then go to the Runway Café in the main terminal for a huge cinnamon roll, or to find out what the lunch special is. Open to the public, including people who arrive by car.

By train

Amtrak offers daily service from Fort Worth, Texas via its Heartland Flyer train, which can be boarded at , along E.K. Gaylord Blvd between Sheridan Ave and Reno Ave in the Bricktown neighborhood of downtown. The Heartland Flyer has connections to other regional Amtrak lines in Fort Worth. Plans have been proposed to expand the line north to Wichita, KS, and eventually onward to Kansas City.

By car

Oklahoma City is at the intersection of two of the nation's longest continuous interstate highways, I-40 and I-35, as well as I-44. It is also on historic Route 66.

By bus

Greyhound moved the in downtown Oklahoma City to 1948 E Reno Ave, in the Bricktown neighborhood. Bus service is also provided to the suburbs of Guthrie, Edmond, Norman, Shawnee, Midwest City, El Reno, and the airport.

Getting around Oklahoma City is easy by car. If you're coming to OKC, you will likely want to either rent a car or plan on staying around downtown, because public transportation is rather limited. There is pretty good bus service around downtown, to the airport, and to the cluster of museums and attractions in the northeastern part of the city, but if you want to explore the rest of the city without renting a car, you'll either have to use the not-too-stellar parts of bus system or call a cab. A streetcar system operates in dowtown.
If you happen to have or rent a car, then getting around OKC is very simple. The streets are laid out in a grid, with named streets running north and south and numbered streets running east and west. The main thing to remember when driving the city is that when you're on the north side, the numbered streets increase from south to north, while on the south side they increase from north to south. (NW 23rd street is a very different place from SW 23rd street, and you don't want to get them confused.) Aside from that minor issue, navigation is a breeze: there are very few one-way street mazes or "Texas Turnarounds" to worry about, and the interstates in town are usually not congested, except during rush hour and construction.
The city is reasonably bicycle-friendly in the Midtown areas of Oklahoma City due to the numerous through residential low-traffic streets. In other areas of the city, bicycle travel is more difficult due to the lack of low-traffic through streets.
By bus:
Embarkok provides local bus service. The most helpful bus routes for tourists are:

• Route 050 Downtown Discovery runs from the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum to Bricktown, with stops near the downtown transit center, Red Earth Museum, Myriad Gardens and Amtrak station.
• Route 003 N Kelly goes to the zoo and science museum from the downtown transit center.

Many of the attractions are near downtown or on the north side of town. Highlights in downtown are Bricktown, the city's fast growing entertainment district and tourist showpiece, the new Oklahoma City Museum of Art, home to the largest collection of Chihuly glass in the world as well as an arthouse/revival theater and a restaurant, and The Myriad Gardens, an impressive urban park with a 7 story botanical garden. North of the museum is the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. The memorial is both one of the most visible attractions in the city as well as its saddest, which has posed some problems for the city's tourism department. The outdoor symbolic memorial is free and open 24 hours a day, while the very well done Memorial Museum (located in the former Journal Record Building next door) can be visited for a small fee.
Many of the neighborhoods in the immediate vicinity of Downtown are textbook examples of urban blight, but to the northwest of downtown is a cluster of interesting early 20th century neighborhoods near the campus of Oklahoma City University. The most notable are The Paseo, a ramshackle artist colony in a 1930s-era urban neighborhood, and "Little Saigon" or as it's officially known, Asia District, home to the city's large Vietnamese and East Asian community. The Paseo was built in conscious imitation of Kansas City's Country Club Plaza in the early 20th century, but has since developed a gritty bohemian character that can feel like a breath of fresh air. Dozens of art galleries, restaurants, clothing stores and other related businesses are clustered in the area. The Paseo is actually only a single street lined with Art Deco Spanish revival buildings, but theme had been applied to much of the surrounding neighborhood, including a stretch of storefronts on NW 23rd street, sort of the main street of the Northwest side.
West of the Paseo along Classen Boulevard is the Asia District, home to the city's majority Vietnamese Asian community. After the fall of Saigon in 1976, one of the cities picked by the US government for the relocation of refugees was Oklahoma City. Since then, these refugees have been joined by later immigrants from Vietnam and other southeast Asian nations, and by Vietnamese Americans from elsewhere in the country. The district is home to many great restaurants, and to Super Cao Nguyen Supermarket, the largest Asian market in the state.
Just West of Asia District is Oklahoma City University which features a small art museum and a variety of cultural events and programming.
To the North of Oklahoma City University is the "NW 39th Street Enclave" the largest GLBT neighborhood in the state, Crown Heights and the Western Avenue District, which are home to businesses and restaurants catering to young urbanites (Sushi Neko, a fine sushi bar and Will's, a coffee shop, both inside the restored art deco Will Rogers Theater complex, are worth a look).
On the Northeast side of the city is the capitol complex, which is interesting in itself, and the Oklahoma History Center. There is a medical research cluster northeast of Downtown centered on the OU Health Science Center that is large and growing, but unless you're a patient, a doctor, or a scientist, you're unlikely to spend much time there. (However the historic Lincoln Terrace neighborhood that is between the OUHSC and the state capitol is worth looking at if you enjoy historic architecture.) The Harn Homestead is also located nearby on NE 16th street.
North of the capitol is the Adventure District with the highly ranked Oklahoma City Zoo, the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, and the Kirkpatrick Center (which features a children's science museum, an air and space museum, a photography museum and more), Remington Park and Casino a thoroughbred and quarter horse racing track with a Casino and off-track betting.
The Southside is notable primarily for Capitol Hill, a large Hispanic district, and the Stockyards, a neighborhood built around one of the largest cattle markets in the world. Cattle are still bought and sold there every Monday morning, much to the dismay of PETA and other local activists who can sometimes be spotted protesting nearby. The Stockyards resembles in some ways a Wild West-themed amusement park, sans rides. There are stores selling just about anything western themed that you could imagine, from saddles to belt buckles to truly giant hats. One of the few places in the city where your newly purchased giant hat will go mostly unremarked upon is the venerable Cattleman's Steakhouse, which has been serving up hearty steaks and lamb fries (a polite term for fried bull testicles) for over a century.
Capitol Hill to the east is one of the city's great contradictions; rife with poverty and violence, it can also be one of the liveliest and most welcoming neighborhoods in the city. Capitol Hill's main street along SW. 29th Street is full of bustling Mexican owned shops and restaurants, as well as the somewhat out of place seeming Oklahoma Opry.

• Edward L. Gaylord - Boone Pickens Oklahoma Heritage Museum

  phone: +1 405 235-4458
  address: 1400 Classen Dr

• Harn Homestead Museum

  phone: +1 405 235-4058
  address: 1721 N Lincoln

• International Photography Hall of Fame & Museum

  phone: +1 405 424-4055
  address: 2100 NE 52nd St

• Myriad Botanical Gardens

  phone: +1 405 297-3995
  address: 301 W Reno

• Stockyards City

  phone: +1 405 235-7267
  address: 1305 S Agnew Ave

Performing arts

• Canterbury Choral Society

  phone: +1 405 232-SING

• Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma

  phone: +1 405 524-9312
  address: 1727 NW 16th St

• Oklahoma Opry

  phone: +1 405 632-8322
  address: 404 W Commerce St

• Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park

  phone: +1 405 235-3700

• Cox Convention Center

  phone: +1 405 602-8500
  address: 1 Myriad Gardens

• Chesapeake Energy Arena

  phone: +1 405 602-8500
  address: 100 W Reno

• Frontier City

  phone: +1 405 478-2140
  Saddle up for some good ol' Wild West fun at Frontier City. You'll find over 50 thrilling rides and attractions to explore, featuring ErUPtion!, Oklahoma's tallest thrill ride, four nail-biting roller coasters, fantastic water rides, and hours of fun for tthe kids.

• White Water Bay

  - located in Oklahoma City

• Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum

  phone: +1 405 235-3313
  address: 620 N. Harvey St
  The outdoor memorial is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year and security is always on-site. A three-acre site memorializing the 1995 bombing of the Alfred F. Murrah Federal Buildingthe most devastating act of terrorism on US soil until September 11, 2001--the memorial includes the remnants of the federal building, as well as a reflecting pool, a collection of 168 hand-cast bronze chairs (one for each person who died in the blast), and the Survivor Tree, a 100-year-old American elm that survived the blast. Admission to the outdoor memorial is free. The museum, which boasts an impressive collection of artifacts pertaining to the Murrah building site, the bombing, and the investigation and recovery efforts.

• Blue Sage Studios - Glass Works and Gallery

  phone: +1 405-473-0754
  address: 1218-C N Western Ave
  Glassblowing demonstrations and more.

• Museum of Osteology

  phone: +1 405 814-0006
  address: 10301 S Sunnylane Rd
  The Museum of Osteology displays over 300 real animal skulls and skeletons!

• Orr Family Farm

  phone: +1 405 799-FARM
  address: 14200 S. Western

• White Water Bay

  phone: +1 405 943-9687
  address: 3908 W Reno

• American Banjo Museum

  phone: +1 405-604-2793
  address: 9 East Sheridan
  The American Banjo Museum's interpretive exhibits tell the history of the banjo which included its African roots, jazz era, Bluegrass, and folk. The American Banjo Museum houses one of the largest collections of banjos on public display anywhere in the world.

• Reduxion Theatre Company

  phone: +1 405-651-3191
  address: 3000 General Pershing Blvd
  Classical and contemporary theater company.

• Ninety-Nines Museum of Women Pilots

  phone: +1 405 685-9990
  address: 4300 Amelia Earhart Ln

• Oklahoma City Museum of Art

  phone: +1 405 236-3100
  address: 415 Couch Dr

• Oklahoma History Center

  phone: +1 405 522-5248
  address: 2401 N. Laird Ave

• Oklahoma Railway Museum

  phone: +1 405 424-8222
  address: 3400 NE Grand Blvd

• Red Earth Museum

  phone: +1 405 427-5228
  address: 2100 NE 52nd St

• Nona Jean Hulsey Gallery

  phone: +1 405 208-5230
  address: Norick Art Center, Oklahoma City University, 2501 N Blackwelder
  Art gallery on the campus of Oklahoma City University. See website for current exhibitions.

• Oklahoma City Dodgers

  phone: +1 405-218-1000
  address: 2 S. Mickey Mantle Dr
  The local Triple-A Pacific Coast League minor league baseball team plays at .

• Oklahoma City University

  phone: +1 405-208-5000
  address: 2501 N Blackwelder
  Small university associated with the United Methodist Church

• Oklahoma State University–Oklahoma City

  address: 900 N Portland Ave
  Large satellite campus for one of the two main state universities

• Oklahoma City Community College

• Oklahoma Christian University

• University of Oklahoma

  address: Norman

• Downtown College Consortium

• The Colonial Art Gallery and Co.

  address: 1336 NW 1st St
  Open since 1919, Colonial is a full-service gallery, buying and selling investment-quality artwork, as well as framing, restoring, and appraising art.

• Size Records

  address: 8915 N Western
  Oklahoma City's best independent record store.

• Guestroom Records

  address: 3701 N Western Ave
  Another good independent record store

• Blue Seven

  address: 5028 N May Ave
  Modern furniture, unique gifts, and vintage clothes.

• Full Circle Bookstore

  address: 50 Penn Pl
  A great local independent book seller. They have great service and a very decent selection of everything from children's books to the latest news.

• 30 Penn BooksA great used book store.

• Book Beat and CompanyDescribes itself as "an independent bookstore. specializing in Beat Generation And Counter Culture Books, High & Low-Brow Art Books, Political Thought, Radicalism, Anarchism, Communist & Socialist Literature, Poetry, Philosophy, Sci-Fi, Metaphysical Studies, Classics, Avant-Garde Literature, Fiction, Eastern Religion, T-Shirts, Compact Discs, Vinyl, Videos & DVDs, Posters & Prints, as well as unique handcrafted gift items from the local artists of Oklahoma."

• Route 66

  address: 50 Penn Pl
  Rare and hard to find gifts and personal care products as well as several lines of women's clothing. Also located at (Penn and North West Expressway)

• The Lime Leopard

• Bohemian Spirit Vintage

  phone: +1 405-885-5994
  address: 913 W. Britton Rd
  Miss Amy provides locals with vintage wearables and wares and art. 1900s-1980s.

• Wilshire VillageLocated on Western, north of 63rd, at the intersection of Wilshire and Western. Has a great variety of shops, such as:

• The Learning TreeToy store offering lots of educational toys.

• The Makeup BarGood makeup that you might not be able to find in Dillard's at any of the malls. Very popular for boutique buyers.

• Gil'sHip, modern clothing. Great jeans selection.

• The Lingerie StoreCarries good brands of lingerie, very soft bathrobes, and good pajamas.

Village Park SouthOn North May Avenue, between Hefner and Britton. It has the best resale shop in the village, a local Curves, Hi Performance Sporting goods, and many other shops.

Jo Ann's Classic ConsignmentGreat clothing and accessories. Say Hi to Jo Ann!

Hi PerformanceScuba Diving Gear, and other high performance sportting goods.

Mail RoomSend mail, and pick up your drivers license and tags at one location.

ModeWomen's clothing, accessories and gifts boutique in the heart of Midtown.

American

• Beef & Bun-Mr Catfish

  address: 2741 NE 23rd St
  Awesome locally owned joint.

• Bunny's Onion Burgers

• Cheever's

  address: 2409 North Hudson Ave
  Specializing in American cuisine with Southwestern influences.

• Cattlemen's Steakhouse

  address: 1309 S. Agnew
  Listed in Patricia Schultz's 1,000 Places To See Before You Die.

• The Haunted House

  address: 7101 N. Miramar Blvd

• Irma's Burger Shack

  address: 1035 N.W. 63rd St

• The Museum Café

  address: 415 Couch Dr

• Nichols Hills Drugstore

  address: 6411 Avondale Dr

• Ranch Steakhouse

  phone: +1 405-755-3501
  address: 3000 W. Britton Rd

• Saturn Grill

  address: 6432 Avondale Dr

• VZD's Club & Restaurant

  address: 4203 N. Western

• Chuck House

  address: 4430 NW 10th St
  The best chicken fried steak in town.

Barbecue

• Banta's Ribs & Stuff

  address: 1200 N. Meridian

• Big D's B-B-Q

  address: 1701 W. Britton Rd

• Earl's Rib Palace

  address: 6816 N. Western
  A local favorite, voted Best BBQ by readers of Daily Oklahoman and Oklahoma Gazette

• Leo's Bar-B-Q

  address: 3631 N. Kelley Ave

• Swadley's Smokehouse

  address: 824 SW 89th St

• Rib CribVarious locations. Excellent BBQ.

Brazilian

• Cafe Do Brasil

  phone: +1 405-525-9779
  address: 440 NW 11th St
  Brazilian bakery and deli with live jazz on Saturdays.

Chinese

• Dot Wo

  address: 3101 N. Portland Ave
  Great Chinese restaurant specializing in seafood.

• Grand House

  address: 2701 N. Classen
  A classy and authentic Chinese restaurant in the heart of the Asia District. Features Dim Sum on the weekends.

• Fung's Kitchen

  address: 1500 Nw 23rd St
  Across from Oklahoma City University, has become very popular for the college crowd.

• Nothing But Noodles

  address: 2410 W. Memorial Rd

• Snow Pea

  address: 6600 N. Western Ave

• Chen's BuffetWindsor Hills Shopping Center, N.W. 23rd and Meridian. A full buffet.

• Golden Dragon

  address: 5934 NW 122nd St
  Authentic Chinese Restaurant.

Delis

• Gourmet Deli

  address: 7300 N. Western Ave

• Someplace Else Deli and Bakery

  address: 2310 N. Western Ave

Ethiopian

• Queen of Sheba

  address: 2308 N. MacArthur Blvd
  Great selection of vegetarian options.

Fine dining

• Castle Falls

  address: 820 N. MacArthur Blvd

• The Grill

  address: 2824 W. Country Club Dr

• The Metro Wine Bar and Bistro

  address: 6418 N. Western

• Rococo Restaurant and Fine Wine2824 N. Pennsylvania, also new location in Northpark Mall at NW 122nd & May Ave

• Royal Bavaria

  address: 3401 S. Sooner Rd
  Unique atmosphere, with large, shared tables and live Bavarian music.

French

• La Baguette

  address: 7408 N. May Ave

• Le Cep Bistro

  address: 231 S. Coltrane

German

• Ingrid's Kitchen and Delicatessen

  address: 3701 N. Youngs Blvd

• Old Germany Restaurant

  address: 15920 SE 29th

• Royal Bavaria

  address: 3401 S. Sooner Rd

Greek

• La Greek Restaurant

  address: 2839 S Douglas Blvd, Ste 102, Midwest City

• Akropolis Greek Restaurant

  address: 1809 S. Air Depot Blvd

• Mediterranean Imports and Deli

  address: 5620 N. May Ave

• Ole'Town Gyros & Kabob

  address: 402 E. Main St, Norman, OK

• Zorba's Mediterranean

  address: 4621 N. May Ave

• Sweis' Gyros & Pita

  address: 1901 NW Expressway ST

• Gyro City Cafe

  address: 7300 NW Expressway

Ice cream

• Braum's

  address: 4335 NW 23rd St
  And throughout city. Get the ice cream; skip the French fries.

• Freddie's Frozen CustardMultiple locations.

• Il Dolce Gelato

  address: 937B SW 25th, Moore

• Marble Slab Creamery

  address: 216 Johnny Bench Dr

Indian

• Ajanta Cuisine of India

  address: 11921 N. Pennsylvania Ave

• Gopuram

  phone: +1 405-948-7373
  address: 4559 NW 23rd St
  Indian cuisine, themed dining rooms, and belly dancing.

• KhaZana

  address: 4900 N. May Ave
  Excellent buffet with many vegetarian options. North and South Indian cuisine.

• Taj Indian Cuisine

  address: 5801 NW Expressway

• Tandoor Indian Cuisine & Indian Grocery

  phone: +1 405-270-0379
  address: 1901 E Reno Ave

Irish

• McFinn's Pub

  address: 902 Straka Te

• McNellie's Public House

  address: 1100 Classen Dr

• Sean Cummings' Pub

  address: 9610 N. May Ave
  Great pub food, beer, and live music!

Italian

• Italian Jim's Pizzeria

  address: 342 S. Mustang Rd. South
  Of I-40 on Mustang Rd about 3 blocks - Great Pizza and pasta - Lots of Blown glass!

• Bravo! Cucina Italiana

  address: 13810 N. Pennsylvania Ave

• Caffè Pranzo

  address: 9622 N. May Ave

• Cascata Ristorante Italiano

  address: 801 Signal Ridge Rd

• Mama Lucia's

  address: 12325 N. May Ave

• Othello's

  address: 1 S. Broadway, Edmond

• Papa Dio's

  address: 10712 N. May Ave

• Sophabella's

  address: 7628 N. May Ave
  A great local Italian restaurant.

• Vito's Ristorante

  address: 7521 N. May Ave

• Flip's Wine Bar & Trattoria

  address: 5801 N. Western Ave

• Zio's Italian GrillSouth of Reno and Meridian or in Bricktown

• Nomad II

  address: 7301 N. May Ave

Japanese

• Musashi's Japanese Steakhouse

  address: 4315 N. Western Ave

• Sushi Neko

  address: 4318 North Western

• Tokyo Sushi Bar

  address: 7516 N. Western Ave

• Yamato Japanese Restaurant

  address: 7101 N. W. Expressway

• I Love Sushi

  address: 1900 NW Expressway St Ste R

• Shogun Steak House of Japan

  address: 11900 N. May Ave

• Mr. Sushi

  address: 214 S Sante Fe Ave

Korean

• Bwon Korean Restaurant

  address: 4517 S. Sunnylane

• Korean House

  address: 4813 S. E. 29th St

• Bon-Jom Korean Restaurant

  address: 4428 SE 44th St

• Seoul Garden Korean Restaurant

  address: 6012 SE 15th St

Mexican

• Adobe Grill

  address: 5102 North Shartel

• Birriera Aguascalientes

  address: 601 S. Western Ave

• Casa Juanito

  address: 4718 S.E. 29th St

• Chelino's Mexican Restaurant

  address: 5900 N. May Ave
  1 of 10 metro locations.

• Los Palomas

  address: 2329 N. Meridian

• Los Mariachis

  address: 3655 NW 39th St

• Margarita's Mexican Restaurant

  address: 7800 N May Ave
  Not the fanciest dining experience in the city, but it's an absolute hidden gem. Quality, delicious food with a friendly staff.

• San Marcos Mexican Restaurant

  address: 12201 N Rockwell Ave
  Includes live music on some Fridays and Saturdays.

• Tacos San Pedro

  address: 2301 SW 44th
  This is real Mexican food, not Taco Bell.

• Ted's Cafe Escondito

  phone: +1 405 848-8337
  address: 2836 NW 68th St
  You may have to wait to get into Ted's, but it is worth the wait. Some of the best Mexican food in Oklahoma City.

Pizza

• Sauced

  address: 2912 Paseo

• Joey's Pizzaria

• The Wedge PizzeriaGourmet Pizza in a brick oven style

Seafood

• Fish & Pies

  address: 1309 NE 23rd St
  Great family-owned place.

• Pearl's Oyster Bar

  phone: +1 405-848-8008
  address: 5641 N. Classen Blvd

• Pelican's

  address: 291 N. Air Depot Blvd

Thai

• Bangkok Restaurant

  address: 7906 N. MacArthur Blvd

• Sala Thai

  address: 1614 N.W. 23rd St
  This is one of the city's finest restaurant, and is completely vegetarian-friendly.

• Tana Thai Bistro

  address: 10700 N. May Ave

• Thai Garden

  address: 3913 S Western Ave

• Thai Garden II

  address: 1801 S Air Depot Blvd

• Thai Kitchen Cafe

  address: 327 Dean A Mcgee Ave

• Lai Thai

  address: 7419 NW 23rd St

• Thai House

  address: 4548 NW 23rd St
  Serves the best crab fried rice in town.

• Thai House II

  address: 500 NW 23rd St

Vietnamese

• Banh mi Bale

  address: 2426 N. Classen Blvd

• Lang Bakery

  address: 2524 N. Military Ave. #110

• Lido

  address: 2518 N. Military #110

• Minh Deli

  address: 2800 N. Classen Blvd Suite 104

• Pho 89 Café

  address: 2800 N. Classen Blvd

• Mr. Pho Noodle House

  address: 1133 NW 25th St
  Next to Super Cao Nguyen asian grocery in Asia District.

• Pho Hoa

  address: NW 23rd St
  You will find this spot crowded with local Vietnamese.

• Pho Thai Nguyen

  address: 3221 N Classen Blvd

"Last call" is 2AM in Oklahoma City and its environs. Also, until new alcohol laws take effect in October 2018, strong beer (i.e., greater than 3.2% alcohol by weight, or 4.0% by volume) and wine can only be purchased in liquor stores, and liquor stores are open M-Sa 10AM to 9PM (closed every Sunday and every major holiday, such as Christmas, New Year's Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving). Also, by state law, all alcoholic beverages sold for off-premises consumption, except for "3.2 beer", must be sold at room temperature. Wine cannot be purchased in grocery stores or convenience stores, so if you need wine, strong beer, or hard liquor you must purchase it before 9PM or you will be out of luck (at least until October 2018 for beer and wine). On the plus side, Oklahoma's prices for spirits and wine tend to be lower than that of nearby states, including Texas.
From October 2018 forward, any establishment with a license to sell alcohol for off-premises consumption will be allowed to sell beer of up to 9.0% alcohol by volume, plus wine, under refrigeration. This includes supermarkets and convenience stores.

• Bin 73 Wine Bar

  address: 7312 N. Western Ave

• Picasso Cafe

  address: 3009 Paseo

• Henry Hudson'sLocations throughout OKC and surrounding suburbs offers a casual bar atmosphere with occasional karaoke. Also, monthly drink and appetizer specials.

• Hi-Lo Club

  address: 1221 NW 50th

• Edna's

  address: 5137 Classen Cir
  Known for their 'lunchboxes' and for the owner's dance moves.

• SideCar

  address: 1100 N Broadway

• Junior's

  address: 2601 N.W. Expressway St

• Tramps

  address: 2201 NW 39th St
  Strongest drinks on the gay strip (and likely the entire city), with pool, great jukebox and drag shows. Lots of fun!

• UCO Jazz Lab

  address: 100 East Fifth St

• VZD's

  address: 4200 N. Western Ave
  Great place for a pint of Guinness, and listening to live music.

• TapWerks Ale House & Cafe

  phone: +1 405 319-9599
  address: 121 E Sheridan Ave
  5 stars. Want to try a new drink or an unsual beer, this is the place for you.

Coffee houses

• Cafe Bella

  address: 9018 S. Pennsylvania Ave
  Coffee, tea, bubble teas, and Vietnamese sandwiches, po' boys, red beans & rice from their New Orleans family recipes. Proudly serving fine, locally roasted, certified organic fair trade espresso & coffees. Also featuring a selection of teas and a bubble tea bar. They also serve vacuum brewed siphon pots of coffee. Free Wi-Fi.

• Cafe Oasis

  address: 1135 NW 25th St
  Next to the Super Cao Nguyen Asian grocery. This cafe is really more of a bubble tea house although they serve coffee as well. They also serve a variety of Chinese food. It feels like you are stepping into a modern Japanese hot spot. Free Wi-Fi.

• Coffee Slingers

  address: 1015 N Broadway
  Coffees roasted in-house, espresso bar and french pressed coffee 7 days a week

• Cuppies & Joe

  address: 727 NW 23rd
  Great coffee and tons of cupcakes.

• Full Circle Bookstore Cafe

  address: 1900 NW Expressway
  Nice cafe with free Wi-Fi inside an excellent independent bookstore.

• Java Dave's

  address: 10 NE 10th St
  6025 W. Reno Ave. Suite C., 7936 N. May, 9101 S. May. Big, with a diner atmosphere. Free Wi-Fi.

• The Red Cup

  phone: +1 405-525-3430
  address: 3122 N. Classen Blvd
  Funky atmosphere, veggie food and free Wi-Fi. An OKC gem.

• Elemental Coffee

  address: 815 N Hudson
  High quality coffees roasted in-house, espresso bar, pour overs, vegan pastries, breakfast and lunch served 7 days a week

• Will's Coffee Shop

  address: 4322 N. Western Ave
  Inside the art deco Will Rogers Theater complex. Features locally roasted fair trade and organic coffee. Serving Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Free Wi-Fi.

Microbreweries

• Belle Isle Brewery

  phone: +1 405 840-1911
  address: 50 Penn Mall
  Free Wi-Fi

• Coop Ale Works

  address: 4745 Council Heights Rd
  Tours available

• Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau

  phone: +1 405-297-8912
  address: 189 W. Sheridan

• Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce

  phone: +1 405-297-8900
  address: 123 Park Avenue.

A little bit of common sense goes a long way. On the whole, the city is quite safe, but you shouldn't take that as a cue to be careless. If you're downtown or in what looks like a sketchy neighborhood, nothing will probably happen to you, but you should still lock your car door, keep your valuables secure, and not put yourself in potentially dangerous situations. Some of the worst areas are in the inner-city districts just surrounding downtown, particularly parts of Mulligan Flats (SE-SW 15th Between I-35 and Western), NE 23rd St., NE 36th Street, Martin Luther King Boulevard, NW 10th Street, South Central Avenue, South Shields Boulevard, and South Robinson Avenue; you might want to avoid being there especially after it gets dark. Also steer clear of particularly seedy-looking bars, although not all are created equal. Keep your wits about you and you'll be fine almost anywhere in Oklahoma City.
You might want to check the Tornado safety page if you are visiting Oklahoma City, as it sits in the heart of "Tornado Alley", but the local media are always all over any developing severe weather. Peak tornado season is in the spring, with April and May being the months with the most severe storms.
Summertime heat is also a concern, as average high temperatures during July and August are typically in the mid 90s °F though humidity levels are usually not as high as parts of the adjacent deep south. Temperatures over 100 °F are also very common during the summer months, but all businesses are air conditioned, as well as hotel rooms and other public places. While snow is not uncommon in the winter, it typically falls only a few times and in small amounts, but just a few inches of snow can be enough to cause much more havoc than in more northern locations... drive safely!

Consulates

• Germany (Honorary)

  phone: +1 405 842-0100
  address: 5801 N Broadway Ste 120

• Norman, a short drive south of downtown Oklahoma City, is its largest suburb and the home of University of Oklahoma, which has beautifully landscaped Victorian campus and several fine museums.
• Edmond Is a rather affluent suburb due North of Oklahoma City. It has some great qualities, including nice restaurants, the third largest university in the state University of Central Oklahoma and some quaint, quiet neighborhoods near its uniquely successful downtown business district.
• Tulsa is a 100-mile 1.5-hour drive east on Interstate 44, and is known as the Oil Capital of the World.
• Dallas and Fort Worth are only 3-4 hours south on Interstate 35.
• You can also follow Route 66 to Los Angeles and to Chicago.