Downtown Oklahoma City has no shortage of places to grab a drink. But a true neighborhood bar — the kind with deep booths perfect for tucking into a strong cocktail, a full kitchen that refuses to close early, and an eye on all things ambiance — is a much rarer thing.Enter Superfly, a 1970s-ins pired concept that opened February 5 at 1137 NW 2nd Street, tucked in the latest cradle of cool on the western edge of downtown, beside Beer City Music Hall. The new bar comes from Denver-based restaurateur Andy Bruch, marking his first Oklahoma project.In an early press release, Bruch described Superfly as “a fresh take on the neighborhood bar that feels elevated yet approachable.”When I read that line, I’ll be honest, I rolled my eyes a little. It sounds like a celebrity profile in a glossy magazine, the hospitality equivalent of “She strode through the dim Park Slope diner in a dark blue hoodie and boxy boyfriend chinos, but there was no hiding those famous cheekbones.” We’ve heard this line before. It’s upscale but unaffected; it’s clever but not cliché; it’s polished but not precious. It’s this — but, God forbid — not that.I’m a little jaded, to be sure, but OKC residents of a certain age would forgive my Gen X skepticism. When I read about a “1970s-themed bar opening in an up-and-coming neighborhood,” the only thing that prevented me from making an actual scowl was the epic amount of Botox I’ve injected into my forehead since Uptown 23rd’s Rockford Cocktail Den closed in 2017.It’s not Bruch’s fault; he’s not from here. He’s the co-owner and chef at Point Easy, a well-regarded neighborhood restaurant in Denver known for being casually upscale — like J.Crew, but for Denver dining. In OKC parlance, it would be like if The Drake and Cheever’s had a cute, tasty baby. My point is this: Denver’s denizens never had to keep a straight face as a nearly naked Burt Reynolds gazed down at them while they tried to enjoy their craft cocktail. Bruch could not have known about the unintentionally ironic concepts that once made up our meager cocktail scene, but it does explain why my hopes were not high.At least I’m smart enough to confess when I am wrong. Superfly is not kitsch. There’s nothing schlocky about it. In fact, I just couldn’t help but love it, in no small part because it makes so much sense. Concertgoers can grab food and drinks before the music gets going at Beer City, or they can settle in after a show as their hearing comes back. Happy hour business meetings have a perfect spot. Weekend brunchers have a timeslot. And though the aesthetic nods to the 1970s, Bruch thankfully spares us the camp. Curated playlists take precedence over disco die-cuts. Can you dig it, pussycat?While the mood matters, Superfly is also working hard to position itself as more than a drinks-only stop. The menu anchors itself in bar snack classics, but with enough range to carry a full dinner: a smashburger, a grilled cheese, a griddled hot dog, wings. Szechuan popcorn chicken for those wanting something with a little more heat. Fries with chicken mayo. It’s wide-ranging and just the right kind of weird.But the best news? Superfly will keep its kitchen open late every night of the week, a detail Bruch emphasized as central to the concept. “[It’s] so our service industry friends have a place to gather and grab a bite when they get off work,” he said.In a city where many kitchens close well before last call, that commitment could carve out a meaningful niche. I’ve already made a mental note that this is the perfect spot for a bite when the rubber chicken at a downtown gala doesn’t quite cut it, but when I’m not ready to let bad fast food take the wheel. I’m sure I’ll darken the doorway here in cocktail attire before too long.Drinks, of course, are the star. Espresso martinis tap into the zeitgeist. As a child of the Sonic era, cherry limeade runs in my veins, although I’m pretty sure the carhops weren’t slinging vodka cut with house-made grenadine. A nice balance has been struck between drinks you’ll recognize, and options that will likely test your comfort zone in an approachable, friendly way, such as the Superfly Swizzle or the Chuparossa. I was naturally inclined to try something new, not like at some other spots where the menu starts way out on a limb, leaving me surreptitiously Googling ingredients.It’s not lost on me that this is also that reverse exodus OKC boosters have been promising for a while. How many of your friends moved to Denver? Did you really believe there would ever come a day when successful Denver restaurateurs would stake such claim in the 405? First Id Est, and now Bruch? Who’s next?Where other spots lose their je ne sais quoi in pursuit of heavy-handed thematics, Superfly has an authenticity I didn’t really think was possible. It’s the perfect ratio of truffle to fry, this place. Like Elmore Leonard and Quentin Tarantino’s “Jackie Brown,” it’s not really about the 1970s at all — it’s just that much cooler, thanks to a little soupçon of seventies grit. The post Downtown’s NewBar Flies High appeared first on Oklahoma Gazette. ...read more read less