Sidecar Barley & Wine Bar

Okay, let me just say that Sidecar handles its business on the social media front. I FB messaged the Automobile Alley destination a month ago, in hopes of making a reservation for my Mommy & Me group (minus kids). They’re super fast, and confirmed my group the same day.
I don’t often go downtown, and thus, wasn’t privy to the fact that Sidecar is on the corner, and doesn’t have a parking lot. Thankfully, I scored street parking and didn’t have to pay for a nearby lot (ifs a NYC thing. We don’t like to pay for parking, unless absolutely necessary.).
When I arrived, I met some of the ladies in my group at the bar. The badass bartender (a fellow natural hair diva, who was multitasking like nobody’s business) showed us to open seating outside, and took our order. Eventually, we came inside as the evening started to get a little chilly.
Even though it wasn’t super packed (there was a nice crowd), all staff were on deck, checking up on each party, and asking if we needed anything.
Here’s where Sidecar gets a gold star, and a virtual high five.
The ladies in the group and I ordered food (yes, we’re moms who aren’t afraid of a strong drink and carbs). I had the turkey panini, that was super tasty. Another lady in my group putnin her order shortly after my food came out. Within minutes, a staff member came back to let her know Sidecar was out of turkey (sorry, haha!). But instead of just leaving things as is, the gentleman offered to run across the street and get the items needed for the sandwich. My friend didn’t want to make a big deal, but he insisted — and 15 minutes later, she had her meal.
Classy.
I also indulged in the cheesecake that had a crème brulee touch to it. REALLY good.
All in all, Sidecar was great. The wine and cocktails were great. The food was great. And the evening was great.
Thank you for your stellar service. You sure did put a smile on Moms’ faces!

The drinks are tasty but the menu cluttered and poorly designed. The food is really quite good. However, the two servers/​bartenders who were there Wednesday night were not only unfriendly, they basically ignored the members of our party of ten despite there being no more than four to six other patrons in the place at any given time. Not a word of welcome. Not a smile. Not a «How is everything?» or «Can I get you anything else?» We practically had to stand up and wave to get their attention. Note to the owners: we would’ve easily ordered a lot more had the wait staff been more attentive.

We had a great time enjoying drinks and late night small bites after seeing a show at the Civic Music Hall. The space is small but hip, cozy and upscale. It was busy and had a fun vibe. The cocktail, beer and wine selection was excellent. We enjoyed an Old Fashioned, a Sidecar and a couple of Manhattans. The were superbly made by friendly and efficient bar staff. I found myself already anticipating return visit and what I might order next time on our walk to the car.

This place was oh so cute. I wanted to love it so much since I heard great things about it. The outdoor patio was really nice. However, it is very close to the street. It gave me the feeling of one wrong turn and I could be a goner. I ordered their Moscow Mule. Let me tell you, this is the first bad mule I ever had. I don’t know what was in it, but it did not taste right. I tried my friend’s drink and I immediately thought to myself, «I should have ordered wine». I also ordered their cheesecake. It was divine. The cheesecake was very light and fluffy and the top had a crispy scorched coating like a crème brûlée. This was their saving grace from a 2 star review. It deserved 5 stars all by itself. Lastly, I used their restroom. They only have one restroom so it is shared by men and women –it reeked! The service and drinks definitely need improvement. I wouldn’t be opposed to coming back, but it would probably just be for dessert.

First time going here, thought the décor was super cute. I had a cocktail and it was tasty but almost tasted like bacon… The bartender was new so that might be why. Great Convo with some other people in there! the afternoon seems slow so it wasnt packed. there was outdoor seating and lots of great spots to drink wine and read a book if you wanted too

What a great place to get a cocktail. A small space designed really well. The bar has a finish to it that I’d like to see more of in OKC.
I haven’t tried the food yet but I’m happy with my cocktail! Tasty and totally reasonable for a well made beverage.
A welcome addition to OKC’s growing bar scene. Cheers!

Sidecar is little but mighty: it packs more punch per square foot than any bar in OKC. I had driven by and thought the side patio was a little clunky and awkward, but I’m glad we stopped in for a drink. The inside is sleek and modern with more tables than you would think and a bar complete with purse hooks. The restroom makes you feel like you’re in some sort of futuristic airplane bathroom minus the cramped feeling. All in all, the atmosphere is cool and fun.
But you don’t come here just to look around, you come for the beverages! Just like they did with the décor, they maximized the coolness and functionality at the bar. The drink list is impressive including their signature drinks and wine and beer on tap. My husband and I both enjoyed a signature cocktail (maybe an Old Cuban and an Okie Gin and Tonic but don’t quote me on that!) and both were expertly prepared and delicious.
We didn’t eat anything except the snack mix at the bar (which I normally don’t do but the spoons made me feel like it was less icky). I’m sure they do a great job with the food offerings, but since we were on a date night I didn’t feel like eating something prepared in a toaster oven– we will give it a whirl for late night noms the next time we hop into Sidecar!

What a rad little bar. The inside was great, the staff was great, the beer was great, the seating was limited, but probably because everything is so great. The whole bar is about the size of a sidecar… Oh I get it now.
I really like this place.

Fun little bar to step in off the Automobile Alley area. Small selection of beers, mainly a cocktail bar with a full bar selection and a few food menu items.
It’s not large group friendly just due to the size of the inside. There is a small patio as well. It’s more of an intimate setting to be there with just a couple of friends.
Likes: hooks and outlet connections under bar top, friendly staff, cool cocktail concoctions, open concept that leads you in from the outside.
Dislikes: not many beer selections, one bathroom with no room to wait in line, not good air flow for the rest of the restaurant (idea: get fans to circulate during hot months)

We were really excited to try Sidecar. It’s in Automobile Alley which seems to be making some moves. We seated ourselves since the bartender was all by himself taking orders, making drinks, calling his boss for reinforcements, cooking food, not hitting on us even though he should have been. After a bit of a wait we ordered drinks: cocktails, wine, and beer. The food was amazing; we suggest the Pulled Pork Sliders with green chilis.
PROS:
Wide variety of wine and spirits; very tasty and thoughtfully crafted.
Clever space.
CONS:
Seems like a place you’d take your folks to when they’re in town; soccer mom hip.
Over-​priced drinks.
Bar tender never hit on any of us.

If you happen to be a douche bag and would like to mingle with other douche bags, good news: Sidecar is the place for you. If you are not a douche bag and don’t enjoy getting sat on and/​or bumped into repeatedly by drunk douche bags who have no sense of personal space and can’t stand up without the help of [your] side table, perhaps you should look into becoming a douche bag. If you are hesitant about embracing douche-​baggery and committing oneself fully to the art of douche-​baggedness, perhaps it would be wise for us to visit some key characteristics of douche-​bagology. First, we start with a simple definition (as provided by our friends at Urban Dictionary):
«An individual who has an over-​inflated sense of self worth, compounded by a low level of intellegence, behaving ridiculously in front of colleagues with no sense of how moronic he appears.»
Aside from the ironic misspelling of ‘intelligence’, that could have very well been my entire review for Sidecar, now that I think about it. Regardless, let’s now breakdown exactly what it means to be a douche bag in a convenient acronym:
* Dapper: why bother changing clothes after leaving your stressful young-​professional job? Go on, rock those slim-​fit slacks and that tucked in button down whilst you sip on that imported Carlsberg beer; you ooze success.
* Oblivious: this is great because you won’t actually ever be aware that you are indeed a douche bag and that nobody likes you, on account of being a douche bag.
* Unapologetic: this kind of goes hand in hand with oblivious, but when you are a douche bag, you can do no wrong — hence, no need to apologize for anything that you do. The world is your oyster.
* Confident: sure, you have no particular reason to be confident and nobody around you really cares for your company, but at least you have managed to fool yourself.
* Headstrong: (insert Trapt lyrics here).
* Ego: the heart and soul of a douche bag, who — ironically enough, has no heart or soul.
* Bro: the word you manage to use twice in every sentence (when you actually manage to form complete sentences). Ex: «Bro, I’m so wasted I can barely stand without the help of this [bro’s] side table bro[!]»
* Arrogant: you automatically assume that people don’t mind if you A) bump into them repeatedly or, B) spill half of your drink on-​or-​around their person — because you are God’s gift to earth (in your eyes).
* Generous: why would you ever save this drink all for yourself when you can generously spill some on those around you? #thanksforthat Why would you limit a conversation to just the person in front of you when you can speak so obnoxiously loud that everyone in the bar can hear you? #sharing
There you have it. If that’s not convincing enough, I really don’t know what is. Go and give Sidecar a try today, [bro].

Drinks were good, food was good, service was lackluster. Waited 20 minutes to be acknowledged by bar staff. What’s more??? The bathroom door doesn’t lock. We acted as unofficial bathroom police after a young woman got walked-​in on. Poor girl! Asked bar staff and they said it was tricky to work? Seriously. Fix the lock. Atmosphere is cool. drinks overpriced, and clientele… is Dallas-​esque. Welcome to new OKC.

I’m sad to see all the two-​star reviews here, because I really like Sidecar. I will say I’ve tasted friends’ drinks that I weren’t too fond of, but I’ve had good luck and really enjoyed everything I’ve had here.
The location is great, and the place itself just has a great atmosphere. It’s itty bitty, so I imagine at prime time it can fill up fast. I heard they were packed when they first opened. We went one night around 8 or 9 p.m. and sat inside and I loved the atmosphere like this. It was nice and quaint with only a few couples in the place. The other time I’ve been it was right after work for a happy hour, so there were definitely more people there, but still made for a cool atmosphere.
Of the speciality cocktails, I’ve had the GTO margarita and the Old Cuban. I’m a sucker for a margarita, so I liked the GTO, and it’s made to fill a rocks glass about 1.5−2 times, so a little extra is always nice. I’m a huge fan of the Old Cuban, and it’ll probably be my go-​to order here. It’s got a mojito feel, and the first time I ordered it, the glass was smoked with wood chips, which gave it a really unique, smoky flavor. So good. I would definitely recommend it.

The Missus and I went here for a happy hour with some of our friends. The location of Sidecar is awesome! I loved being able to sit outside in Auto Alley and enjoy a cocktail.
However, that was pretty much all I cared for at Sidecar. The service was very «meh.» Our server seemed to not be very interested in helping us and even seemed a little dismissive. He wasn’t rude, just not very friendly.
The drinks were okay at best. I had a few Manhattan’s and a beer. The Manhattan’s were good, but the beer was flat. The Missus had a couple of their cocktails and wasn’t impressed with them.
Overall, the drinks are underwhelming and overpriced… a bad combination for a bar.

What a fun find! The Sidecar is a friendly, intimate bar in Automobile Alley, perfect for meeting friends after work or for drinks and a snack or light meal.
We had a glass of wine before heading across the street for our dinner reservation, and enjoyed the experience so much we came back after dinner for a nightcap. There is a nice selection of wine, including a few «on tap,» which you almost never see. And, if you are a single malt scotch lover, you will be in heaven.
The bar is friendly, and additional inside seating is comfy for conversation. There is also outside seating, which was full to overflowing on this lovely night. One waitress and two bartenders handled the crowd, but as the word gets out (the Sidecar has been open for a little over 5 months), that may have to change.
Stop in and enjoy this great little spot, with good munchies, fun music, helpful and accommodating staff, and a super drink menu!

Visited this place on Monday for happy hour.
The patio is an excellent addition to the downtown OKC scene, except when the train rolls by. I understand that’s not really in their control though.
My friend ordered a Side Car, which came in a martini glass and was a little sweet, but overall a pretty good drink. I had a Jameson cocktail with grapefruit that was really good! I’m not exactly sure of the name though because I just told the server what I liked to drink and then he brought that out. I wish I would have asked!
Some friends nearby ordered some snacks and everything that we tried was delicious.
I’d definitely give this place a try if you’re looking for something new! Hope you enjoy it as much as we did! :)

I came to Automobile Alley’s newest bar expecting a nice cocktail and conversation, but I wasn’t impressed.
I think their biggest fault is that their location really isn’t prime. The wind was a constant thing and it was very difficult to hear with all the cars driving past just a few feet away. I’m sure once rush hour has died down you can hear better, but you’d still have that Oklahoma wind. If you decide to brave the wind and sit outside, hold onto your high-​stemmed glasses. Our server completely missed the wind knocking a martini glass and spilling all over two members of our group. Luckily their cloth napkins were on the edge of the counter and within reach.
The menu looked nice… at first. If you want a cocktail, you’ll be ordering based on name. There are no ingredients listed and the server was in too much of a rush to spend much time by our table and answer questions, so I opted for a glass of wine instead. The glass was huge, which meant a slightly bigger pour, but I didn’t enjoy my glass very much.
My biggest reason for rating so low: high prices and separate alcohol taxes (making the ticket even higher).
I probably won’t try this place again with all the better patios, prices, and service available in OKC.

Brought to you by the minds behind Broadway 10, Sidecar is part of the revitalization of Automobile Alley.
A party of 9 of us sought out some refreshments here at this hip establishment.
The set up and ambiance is interesting. It is an indoor bar with a lounge area inside and a nice patio set up on the sidewalk. The design reminds me of Los Angeles bars, a mix of reclaimed materials (wood and tin) turning an warehouse building into a open air bar. The wait staff are dressed in 20s style vests and khakis, retro hipster.
I’ve always giggled at the idea of outdoor dining and drinking in Oklahoma. And rightfully so. It is windy as hell most of the time. If it’s not nailed down it will fly away. That proved true, when one of our group member’s martini glass was blown over… by the menu, which was caught by the wind. She wasn’t charged for the drink and most of the other drinks came in sturdier, low-​ball glasses.
As my husband and I arrived late to the party, we asked what was good to drink. The consensus of the group was basically «we are trying to find that out». It took a while for a waiter to come to our table, but it was busy.
I went with the Manhattan, which was stout and tasty, served with a large ice orb and a dark cherry. It was very tasty and the ice was pretty spectacular. My husband ordered the La Socrrada Ale. It was flat and rather bad. It tasted like it was old beer that had been poured into a plastic pitcher and sat in the back of a dorm fridge. I cannot verify this, but at $ 9 it should taste better than 2 day old Bud. David tried another beer. I believe it as the Stout, but I could be wrong. This one was better and was carbonated. We also tried the butcher board, which was a wonderful mix of 3 cheeses, pita, caper berries, green apple, and a apricot jam. At $ 11 it was a great deal.
Overall, the ambiance is nice. The indoor/​outdoor flow is pretty awesome. However, the drinks were very miss with only a few hits. Plus being the cheese board, which was substantial and filling given the price point. Overall, it was kind of a meh experience. It may be a few before I try this again.

I think this place is great! I have a few critiques which you can read at the end of this review…
Atmosphere: Fantastic. Contemporary, Cool, Character… In a nutshell.
Food: Good options for their tiny under the stairs closet of a kitchen.
Drinks: Great cocktails, fun wine selection, almost perfect beer choices.
Service: Really good. We had a charming and charismatic gentleman bartender and a cute and spicy lady bartender. Both had good personalities.
Pointers for the management:
1. Toast the buns and add texture (e.g. Raw red onion) to the pulled pork sliders
2. Purse hooks??? Wtf… Who is your demographic?
3. You have an abundance of light beers. Please replace two at a minimum with a sour and a Belgium (double, triple, or quad).
4. Cocktail menu — do you really need to list that we should ask about whiskey, bourbon and cognac? Instead please delete those worthless lines and include in small font the ingredients to your cocktails… What’s the fuck is a violet night… Oh wait I don’t know because your didn’t tell me.
Cheers!

Grand opening.
The salmon is really good. Its served with a jalapeño chutney relish. Hot fresh Pita bread. For dessert I had the scortched cheesecake. This cheesecake was like crème brûlée & cheesecake so delicious. Best of both world’s.I had the gto margarita w/​peach. Lets just say everything was excellent! I loved the décor. Small but isn’t that what a side car is!