Where to Smoke in Oklahoma

Written by Philip Rodriguez

Alibi's

Several articles printed over the last couple of years (and especially since the pandemic began) have highlighted a troubling fact for the

LGBTQ+ population: gay bars, especially those primarily for POC or for women, are disappearing at an alarming rate.

According to a 2019 study published by Greggor Mattson, a sociology professor from Oberlin College in Ohio, numbers are dwindling across the country. Whereas there were over 200 lesbian bars during their peak in the late 1980s, it’s thought that there are now only around 21 still open in the United States.

The Lesbian Bar Project, an online foundation dedicated to helpingthese institutions stay open, lists three of the 21 locations in Oklahoma alone: Frankie’s and Alibi’s in Oklahoma City, and the Yellow Brick Road Pub in Tulsa. Wanting both to show my support as well as check out their patio, I stopped by Alibi’s on a Saturday an evening with my good friend Spenser Tracy, after we’d met up at The Pump and had a few drinks there.

Spencer is a frequent visitor to Alibi’s (as evidenced by the fact that the bartender working that night, and nearly every patron, was familiar with him on a first-name basis), so he was all too happy to take my lesbian bar virginity.

I work a day-job at a suit shop, and Saturdays are typically the shifts we get the most dressed-up for.

Typically, I’ll wear my newest suit to work, and then “take it for a spin” that evening at a couple of places (Gotta get the most out of it before it goes to the drycleaners!).

Given that I was a cisgendered man wearing a suit (the ideal outfit to make a man look good, but also the uniform of imperialists and oppressors for centuries now), I felt like I would stick out like a sore thumb at a place like Alibi’s, and almost worried about the possibility of hostile or questioning looks.

I had no reason to worry whatsoever; as Spencer and I walked in, I was immediately reminded of the old sitcom Cheers. Everyone seemed to know everybody’s name, and the mood was one of welcoming old-fashioned comfort.

Patrons sang karaoke in a room to the left of the main area, while others sat at the bar sipping everything from canned beer to iced drinks in bright neon colors (I highly recommend the Electric Lemonade; tasty and surprisingly potent). But the main draw for me was the patio, a fenced-in area in the rear of the bar It’s well-decorated with comfortable patio furniture and has ample space to spread out in, with plenty of wall art on the back of the building to gaze at.

On this particular summer evening, the majority of the patrons were outside, and I was far from the only one enjoying some legal cannabis.

Blunts abounded, as did several pipes and even at least one big fancy glass dab rig. I’d brought my terp pens along with me on this particular evening, as well as a gram of Skywalker OG live hash rosin (grown by Chromsix and pressed by Bear Essentials), and an infused pre-roll from Dr. Zodiak’s Moonrocks.

The effects from the combination of dabbing hash rosin and then smoking flower really can’t be exaggerated; the Skywalker OG hash allowed for a deep and strong feeling of peace and calm to spread through my entire body, with the Black Cherry moonrock-infused pre-roll adding another layer of muscle relaxation. They were perfect for getting me into the mood to be somewhat social with my new and interesting gay bar friends, while also keeping my anxiety out of the way and out of mind.

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Yet another draw on Saturday nights, especially for the stoned and medicated crowd, has to be that locally famous Molly’s Tamales stops by around midnight to sell freshly made tamales and burritos.

Owned and operated by a delightful queer family, and made from scratch with old recipes passed down through generations, her food is about as real as it gets.

And you can feel good knowing that purchasing these scrumptious goodies is helping a young woman build her dream to open her new restaurant space (opening very soon at The Collective food hall!).

Between Molly’s spiciest salsa and my equally spicy (and even more green) pre-roll, the endorphins were really revving in my brain in the best possible way. Alibi’s is a welcoming,

relaxing, incredibly friendly institution for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or whether they like cannabis, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and inclusive time.

I ’ll absolutely be back, both because I want to support institutions that are safe places for queer folx, as well as because it’s a great place that I felt remarkably accepted and at-ease at. I can’t wait to go back for more electric lemonades and tamales real soon.