As Oklahoma City’s hospitality scene continues to evolve and expand, bars are taking shape in unexpected places. From celestial speakeasies to distilleries in historic theaters, newer watering holes offer unassuming places in which to imbibe. Then there’s Rose Room, the prettiest bar hiding in plain sight on one of the city’s main thoroughfares.
The bar, housed at the base of the impossible-to-miss Classen Tower at 2200 N. Classen Blvd. in Uptown, is nestled in the back of Howard Brothers Florist, making it the only bar in town where you can pair rosé with a literal rose. Formerly a City Bites space, Rose Room bloomed a few years ago without much fanfare — due partly to its arrival amid a lingering pandemic, partly to the fact that it’s hard to see through the flowers in the window.
It’s worth seeking out, though, because Rose Room has not only one of the most comprehensive drink lists in Oklahoma City, but the craft and quality to back it up as well. Toward the rear of the elongated space, past a miscellany of bouquets and floral housewares, the bar area beckons with a pillow-lined banquette, elegant artwork and velvet fixtures woven through drapes and chairs.
There’s a food menu that skews as comforting as the aesthetic (think crab rangoon dip, burgers, and flatbreads), but this is — first and foremost — a place to imbibe. The exemplary wine list offers an assortment of affordable pours, flutes and bottles, with plenty of pink wine to match the decor. The cocktails are particularly impressive, with both classics and originals getting a fair shake on the menu. Doubling as a flower shop, it’s apt that many of the mixed drinks skew light, floral and effervescent, with lots of gin-, vodka- and Champagne-based options.
If you’re looking for one signature sip, make it the Rose Water, which is essentially a sparkling Cosmopolitan with cranberry gin, spiced vodka, elderflower, Champagne and an edible flower petal floating on top. The Pornstar Martini is another entry that’s far more delicate than its name suggests, a passionfruit showcase with both passionfruit liqueur and puree, plus lime, vanilla and a twee sidecar of Champagne, which can be sipped on its own or added to the coupe for a little fizz. The list goes on, from minty-green Grasshoppers to Lavender Gin Sours as aromatic as any of the flowers up front. No matter your drink of choice, it’s worth stopping to smell the rosés.
Contact: 2220 N. Classen Boulevard Oklahoma City, OK 73106 | info@roseroomokc.com | (405) 632-4747
Looking for more hidden gem bars in tbe metro? Check out this article about Edmond’s Round Midnight Bar.
