Open for: Happy hour and dinner

Price range: $$

Few places with pool tables on the premises boast bar food and cocktails as good as Palo Santo’s. Owners Bailey and Brian Butler came to Oklahoma City in 2020 by way of Los Angeles, where Brian worked for chef Roy Choi. That influence is clear in the katsu chicken sandwich, tacos, and wings here. Among the cocktails, standouts include two varieties of Old Fashioneds, a mango caipirinha, and the warm Oaxacchiato (mezcal, sherry, Oaxacan hot chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, and foamed milk). For drinks only, consider the Butlers’ Later Bye cocktail bar, which became a semifinalist for the Best New Bar award from the James Beard Foundation in 2026.

Best for: Starting an evening out with cocktails and bites.

Dave Cathey