Neighborhood bar will open without a website or social media, relying on print, word of mouth and curiosity
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK. Ernie’s Boondock will open at 6 p.m. Friday, July 17, at 1708 N. Blackwelder Ave. in Oklahoma City’s Plaza Arts District. The bar will be open exclusively to guests 21 and older at all hours.
Most new bars begin introducing themselves online months before opening. Ernie’s Boondock has no website and no social media accounts. Instead, it is taking a more old-fashioned approach, relying on print, word of mouth and curiosity to bring people through the door.
Ernie’s takes its inspiration from the kind of roadside bar you pass and always wonder about. The windows are dark, the sign looks like it has been there forever, and you are never quite sure what you will find when you step inside.
What you find is simple: everyone is welcome. There is no gimmick and no specialty to explain. Ernie’s is an honest bar pouring real drinks at honest prices, with a place at the bar for the neighborhood and a patio where the community can gather and share a drink. It is the kind of place people tell their friends about, not the kind that needs Instagram reels or TikTok trends to explain why they should come.
“We have always loved the energy of the Plaza Arts District and the way the neighborhood has developed over the years,” said Ethan Brown, Operations Manager for Ernie’s Boondock. “It has always felt like somewhere Ernie’s would fit. Now the timing and the space finally came together.”
The compact neighborhood bar will accommodate approximately 40 guests inside and another 40 on its large patio. Wood paneling, taxidermy and vintage beer memorabilia set the scene, while the menu keeps things straightforward with cold beer, real drinks and hot dogs. House offerings include the Egg Bomb, a pickled egg served inside a 10-ounce Hamm’s, and a frozen coffee drink made with coffee liqueur and Tullamore D.E.W.
The first 50 guests through the door on opening night will receive a limited Friends of Ernie card, good for their first house beer on Ernie’s tab during every visit for one year. Opening weekend will also feature $2 Natural Lights while supplies last.
Ernie’s Boondock will be open seven days a week, with regular hours to be announced.
GRAND OPENING | FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2026 | 6 P.M. Ernie’s Boondock | 1708 N. Blackwelder Ave. | Oklahoma City, OK 73106 The first 50 guests will receive a Friends of Ernie card, good for their first house beer on Ernie’s tab during each visit for one year. Additional terms and house rules apply.