The Paramount Room in Oklahoma City: Craft Cocktails in a Historic Downtown Setting

The Paramount Room is a craft cocktail bar located in Oklahoma City's Bricktown district, housed in a restored 1920s building and known for house-made syrups, bitters, and spirits infusions that back a focused menu of 12 to 15 cocktails rather than a sprawling list.

What the Paramount Room actually is

The bar occupies a narrow, brick-walled room with a long wooden counter and dim overhead lighting that matches its early-20th-century shell. It seats roughly 30 people at the bar and a handful more at two-tops along the wall. Unlike high-volume cocktail operations, the Paramount Room prioritizes slow preparation and conversation over throughput. Orders are built to individual specification, not poured from batch bottles. The space draws equal parts date-night couples and solo drinkers who settle in to watch bartenders work through infusions and layering techniques.

Signature drinks and pricing

Cocktails run $13 to $16, with most drinks landing in the $14 to $15 range. House infusions change seasonally but have included whiskey infused with tobacco leaf, gin redistilled with juniper forward, and syrups made from seasonal fruit and herbs sourced from Oklahoma farms. The menu typically includes a spirit-forward Old Fashioned variant, a citrus-heavy daiquiri riff, a stirred drink built on amaro or Chartreuse, and drinks incorporating house-made bitters. The Paramount Room does not advertise a signature drink; instead, bartenders ask what flavor profile or spirit you prefer and either suggest from the menu or build something custom within the same price band. Beer and wine are available but secondary; the bar's identity centers on spirits.

How it compares to other Oklahoma City cocktail bars

The Paramount Room differs from Picasso Cafe, a craft cocktail venue also in Bricktown that emphasizes European-style aperitivo drinks and maintains a longer menu closer to 30 cocktails with higher visual theatricality (smoking glasses, flamed citrus peels). Choose the Paramount Room if you want technique-focused, ingredient-driven drinks and conversation space; choose Picasso Cafe if you prefer spectacle and a broader selection of styles. Belvidere Vodka Bar, located on Midtown's 23rd Street, specializes in vodka-forward cocktails and operates as a larger, louder social venue with DJs on weekends. The Paramount Room is quieter, slower-paced, and spirit-agnostic.

Who suits it and who doesn't

The Paramount Room suits drinkers who value clarity of flavor, bartender knowledge, and a setting where you can hear conversation. It is ideal for dates, pre-dinner drinks, or a solo visit where the bartender becomes part of the evening. It does not suit large groups (no table service, limited seating), those seeking high-energy nightlife, or drinkers primarily interested in beer or wine. It is also not the place to rush; prepare for a 15 to 20 minute wait between order and drink if the bar is full, and expect to stay for at least two drinks to justify the seat.

What the first visit involves

Walk in, seat yourself at the bar or at a wall table if available. The bartender will greet you and ask what you drink or what flavor you're after. If you name a spirit or style, they will suggest a menu drink or ask clarifying questions about sweetness, citrus preference, or strength. Expect to watch the drink built in front of you. Payment is cash or card; tip jars sit at the register. There is no formal welcome ritual or upsell; the interaction stays low-key.

Hours, parking, and logistics

The Paramount Room is open Wednesday through Saturday, 6 p.m. to midnight (hours can shift seasonally; verify before visiting). It is located on a Bricktown street with metered street parking during day hours; after 6 p.m., parking becomes easier in nearby Bricktown lots, most of which are free. The building is not wheelchair accessible due to a front step and narrow interior layout. No reservations are taken; first-come, first-served.

The Paramount Room holds its place in Oklahoma City's cocktail landscape because it refuses to chase volume or novelty, instead investing in ingredient quality and bartender skill that most drinkers encounter nowhere else in the city.