Looking for date ideas in Oklahoma City?
Oklahoma City is underrated, and that is just fine with us. We would much rather keep our secrets to ourselves than have the rest of the population swarm in and ruin them. We don’t need 16,000 people rushing the river when we’re trying to take a boat cruise, or a line running out the door when we’re going out to eat at our favorite restaurant. We’ll skip the reservations and the crowds. No, tranquility is a part of the country culture in Oklahoma City. And we have a lot of secrets to keep.
The rest of the nation might think we’re just a blander version of middle-America, but that’s because they haven’t seen what the city has to offer. They don’t know how big it is, or how hard we’ve worked to carve out something special.
So with that being said you better believe there are a lot of super cool OKC date night ideas for locals and tourists alike. If you are not from the area, I guess I’ll let you in on a few little secret date spots….
The most romantic date night in OKC right here.
Coffee Date Ideas in Oklahoma City
There’s a reason why coffee shops are perfect for the first date. They’re casual and crowded, which means there’s no pressure, and there’s always somebody around in case you need to call out for help.
They’re inexpensive; you won’t have to a hundred-dollar plate of lobster if you have to run out the door. And they’re filled with a maze of highchairs and giant tables, the perfect barricades in case your date tries to run out with your purse or your phone.
Here are the best coffee shops Oklahoma City for a date.
Coffee is the perfect date idea in Oklahoma City
Elemental Coffee – One of the best spots for coffee in OFC. If you are into good coffee then you are certainly in for a treat as they roast their own Peruvian and Colombian beans. If you are feeling peckish you can grab something to eat here too as they have plentiful menu of breakfast, lunch and brunch dishes, many of them southern inspired.
Leaf + Bean- Resembling a Brooklyn loft, this place is the perfect place to bring that special someone who likes good espresso-based drinks. All of their items are seasonal and locally sourced and include baked goods. Don’t miss the green matcha latte – it’s delicious.
Fun Date Night in OKC
See a Show
One of the most fun date night ideas in OKC is to see a show. Here are the best shows to program into your couples night out in OKC.
Bricktown Comedy – There’s something different about Bricktown. They’re listed as an a-list club, which describes the place perfectly. It hosts celebrities like Margaret Cho and Dave Atrell. They’re always bringing in somebody new, whether it’s a famous actor and comedian, or simply a celebrity standup performer.
They regularly hold an open mic night, giving the locals a chance to show off their skills, and there are a lot of lesser known names that tour through the region and make their stop in Bricktown. There’s a full bar with 10 beers on tap, an entree and appetizer menu—and not just bar food.
They actually take the time to prepare something special for their guests. They also have an arcade next door with video games, foosball, and a basketball court.
Michael Murphy’s Dueling Pianos
OKC is known for its live music scene. The culture in this city is distinct and vibrant. There’s a little bit of country, a little bit of jazz and rock. You can find it all, and it’s all concentrated in Murphy’s Piano Bar, one of OKC’s number one destinations for live music.
Their typical show includes three of the greatest piano players in the city on rotation. It’s request-driven, and it includes a comedy show where they’ll roast guests. You’ll laugh until your ribs are soar. They’re also known for their drink selection, including wine beer and liquor.
Go Do Something
Your home on the range doesn’t have to be boring. Yes, there’s a lot of grass, a lot of hills, a few bodies of water, and that’s about it.
But that’s forced OKC to adapt and build on itself, create new ways to get out and have fun—things you won’t find anywhere else, and it’s also forced the city to do something with what’s already there. The few natural attractions that are available are host to loads of activities that you and your date can enjoy.
Oklahoma River Cruise
There’s something about boats that seem to make everything an event. It’s not just the amenities—though there are plenty of amenities on Oklahoma River Cruise Boats; there’s bars, air-conditioned cabins, live music and shows. It’s something more: the movement, the water swaying you back and forth, lulling couples into a relaxed state.
Or maybe it’s the landscape passing you by, and the city—skyscrapers, architectural marvels, neighborhoods and business districts. Whatever the allure is for you, a riverboat cruise is definitely something you should try.
Whitewater Rafting at Riversport Rapids
This 45.2-million-dollar rafting simulation begins with a short instructional course, where you will learn what to expect on the rapids, how to paddle, and how to stay safe. You’ll then be assigned to a raft, and a conveyor belt will take you up to the top. It’s a fight, a thrill, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
See the Sights
You’d expect OKC to be a little easy on the eyes—not much, nothing all that exciting—but you’d be wrong. The city is home to more than just cowboys and farmland. It’s a mecca for sights unseen.
There’s museums, art, memorials, zoos and gardens—things you wouldn’t even consider. Without the allure of beaches or mountains, industries have had to create the allure themselves, and they’ve done an amazing job of it.
Myriad Botanical Gardens
This is not a trip through a boring museum. It’s not a half-attempt at gardening. You won’t walk for hours, stopping to read boring displays or baulk at aging experiments. Oklahoma City has put the extra effort into creating the best hiking trails, workshops and exhibitions. At the heart of the gardens is the 224 feet long, 70 feet in diameter Crystal Bridge Conservatory.
This tropical paradise is a gigantic biosphere, featuring 750 different species of plants, a skybridge, and a cascading waterfall. The structure has gained notoriety among botanists and architects for its size and its seamless representations of a jungle environment.
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
The history of Oklahoma is the history of cowboys and natives. Some of that history is rich and beautiful, and some of it is horrific, but it’s all intriguing, and it’s all a part Oklahoma City’s heritage.
That’s why the city is home to America’s premiere institution of western art, history and culture. There are interactive experiences, galleries and workshops, all meant to foster the study and understanding of that world and time.
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
OKC’s art scene is vibrant and thriving, and the Oklahoma City Museum of Art is at the heart of all of it. With collections from across the world and a vast range of time periods, you can expect this regional leader to present an enthralling experience.
Its biggest strength is in postwar abstraction. The museum also boasts the largest collection of Dale Chihuly glass, including the 55-foot Eleanor Blake Kirkpatrick Memorial tower.
Nightlife in OKC: Things to do in Oklahoma at Night
Restaurants are a quintessential staple in romance. It could be that cooking at home can be boring or work intensive. The result is usually subpar. Why do that when you can pay a little bit of money and have somebody do it better for you? It’s also nice to get out of the house, get some air and clear your head.
The environment definitely plays a factor. Restaurants are built on themes, decor and cooking styles, meant to encourage a specific type of ambience and dynamic between the people eating there. They’re versatile; there’s something for every occasion and every palette.
You can pick your experience just like you’re picking something off the menu. It means less free radicals and more control over the outcome. Everything about it screams dating.
Broadway 10
Broadway 10 is upscale, eclectic and modern. It’s not dark or stuffy. It’s casual enough that you can bring a new date there and nice enough that they’ll be impressed by your choice. The restaurant offers a very large, diverse menu, serving everything from sushi to wood-fired meats and seafood. It also has choices for picky eaters, like pizza, chicken tenders and the like.
One of the best places for a date night.
Castle Falls
Situated on a five-acre stretch of land, this historic castle setting features three different levels: the Primrose, the Library and the Cellar, each offering a different dining experience.
The Cellar is more casual, with white tablecloths and wooden folded chairs, lit up by a single chandelier. The Primrose, which has been featured in various publications and lists, is a more formal setting with lanterns and linens. The library is on the upper level, where you can dine quietly with your date, enjoying a view of the gardens and the sunset.
Vast
Vast is a step up from the usual dining experience. Their menu items are inspired by local cuisine, and their ingredients are locally sourced—a tactic meant to encourage freshness and sustainability.
You will find dishes featuring duck, lamb and pork, as well as a strong set of local beef cuts—a staple in the Oklahoma City food scene. Diners often come to the restaurant because it’s located downtown in the Devon tower, where you can look out at the entire city while you enjoy your meal.
Flint
When you walk into the lobby of the Colcord Hotel, it’s impossible to ignore the grandeur of the gray marble flooring, the staircases and flower displays. Its resident restaurant, Flint, is equally impressive. It’s open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner, so it’s a great place to go anytime of day.
Sunday brunch features jazz music during the summer, and there’s live music weekly on Thursdays and Fridays. The menu is characteristic Oklahoma with a mix of Tex-Mex, like their SXSW Benedict and their Appalachian Queso and some modern dishes, like their black bean hummus and devil crab salad. There’s also a bit of refined southern cuisine. Their sautéed shrimp and andouille is a fine dining take on shrimp and grits.
Hacienda Tacos
Romantic restaurants are nice, but sometimes the best food can be found in greasy shacks and strip malls. That’s where you’ll find true authenticity, and Hacienda Tacos is one of those places. Not everything in this taco shop is authentic. They serve burgers and Tex-Mex, and the style is definitely a toned-down version of what you’d find in actual Mexican cuisine.
But they do serve some of the best Mexican beef and pork, street tacos and enchiladas, giving OKC residents a taste of the border that you won’t typically find elsewhere in the city. Their menu is filled with Mexican beers, like Tecate, which are more popular down south, along with Mexican Coke and Sprite, made with cane sugar instead of corn syrup, adding a rich flavor you won’t find in the American versions.
Have a Drink
Nightlife in OKC is alive, beating a youthful drum, strumming out old tunes, and stringed serenades. There’s something about a dark dance floor, lights flashing, beat bumping. You can swing hips, or you can check out Oklahoma City’s thriving country scene.
Tight jeans and cowboy boots are common, and there’s plenty of good cheap drinks—or not so cheap wonders. Themed cocktail bars are coming back into fashion, but your experience doesn’t have to be centered around alcohol. Bars have started to focus more on what you can do while you’re drinking. There’s games, trivia and arcades, all perfect for date night.
The O Bar
With its arched, concrete facade and towering structure, the Ambassador Hotel is an impressive building, and its rooftop O Bar is definitely worth a look. The views in OKC are wonderful. There’s the river, the skyscrapers downtown and the seemingly endless skyline.
Why not have a drink in a quiet setting, just you and your date, while you watch the sunset or stare out at the stars? The O Bar is the perfect place to do that. Its bright, contemporary setting is elegant but pressure free, and their cocktails are worth the price. They have all of the classics, along with some craft creations that will leave you wanting more.
Bar Arbolada
Cocktails have always been an art in the city, but at the time when this bar was opened, there was nothing else like it in town. It’s simple, an easy setup, with black and white zigzag patterns on the tile, a long, white marble bar and neat rows of bottles behind it.
A tan sectional takes up the front corner, and there’s a series of matching booths where couples can sit and talk while they enjoy their cocktails. But that simplicity is also meant to add an air of refinement, letting customers know that when they walk in, they’re not entering a dive.
There are no dive drinks; there’s true mixology, something that can’t be taken for granted. Bar Arbolada, or Arby’s as many of the locals call it, serves the gourmet of cocktails, built with skill, talent and experience.
Ponyboy
Named after the famed protagonist of the novel Outsiders, which was written in OKC, Ponyboy is a tribute to the local community, meant to encompass everything the town embodies. It’s country. It’s rock and roll. It’s creative and modern, and so are the drinks.
The club is host to theater, live music, dance and comedy shows. You’re just as likely to see country western singers playing on their stage as you are DJs and rock stars. The bar is also an homage to a now-closed Oklahoma City hangout, Grandad’s.
Behind the bar you’ll find various family photos memorabilia, a leftover tradition that they’ve decided to carry on. The owner wanted the community to feel like Ponyboy was their bar, and they seem to have done a good job of attracting the locals.
FlashBack RetroPub
Walking into this bar is like going through a time warp. There are a lot of pubs meant to showcase different timeframes. From Victorian to Roman, there’s a concept for everything, but the details are usually missing. There’s always some glaringly obvious giveaway that reminds you where and when you really are.
FlashBack doesn’t have that problem. The bar is a thorough recreation of the 80s and early 90s, with giant murals of Michael Jackson and Madonna spray-painted on the wall. There’s arcade games, all dated, and 80s pop blasting on the loudspeaker. You can almost imagine somebody sitting in the corner with gelled hair and a red thriller jacket. It’s immersive to say the least.
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Wanna just stay in? You could always just cuddle up at home and whip up some yummy Oklahoma fried pies!
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