Old Number 9 in Oklahoma City: A Cash-Only Dive with Cheap Well Drinks and a Regulars' Backbone
Old Number 9 is a no-frills neighborhood bar on the south side of Oklahoma City where well drinks cost $2 to $3, the jukebox plays country and classic rock, and the crowd is almost entirely people who have been drinking there for years.
What Old Number 9 actually is
A single-room bar with dim lighting, wood paneling, and stools at a modest bar top and a handful of tables. No TVs, no pool table, no kitchen. The space is small enough that you hear every conversation and every song selection clearly. The bar operates on cash only, which narrows the clientele to people who come prepared or who withdraw from the ATM inside. Regulars dominate the room; newcomers are acknowledged but not aggressively welcomed. The owner tends bar most nights and knows most patrons by name and drink order.
Well drinks and the pricing structure
A well whiskey or vodka soda runs $2.50 to $3. Beer is $2 to $3 depending on can versus draft. Call liquor (Maker's Mark, Patron, Tito's) is $4 to $5. There is no happy hour. These prices have held steady, but confirm by phone before making the trip since a small cash-only bar can adjust pricing with little notice. Old Number 9 does not serve food beyond bar snacks.
How Old Number 9 compares to other Oklahoma City dive bars
The Loaded Bowl, also on the south side, offers better food (burgers, sandwiches) and accepts cards, but well drinks are $3 to $4 and the space is noisier and more transient. Louie's Grill & Bar, near Bricktown, has a jukebox and cheap drinks ($2 to $3) but draws a younger crowd and operates more as a neighborhood bar for the downtown edge. Goro Ramen's neighboring bar, if you want dive atmosphere with a kitchen, is closer to upscale casual. Old Number 9 is the choice if you want the cheapest drinks in the city, zero distractions, and a room full of people who have been sitting in the same seats for ten years.
Who suits Old Number 9 and who does not
This bar suits people who prefer quiet, familiar spaces and do not mind a crowd that does not rotate much. Cash-only drinkers who know their drink order and do not expect novelty or experimentation will find value. It does not suit groups looking for cocktails beyond standard wells, anyone uncomfortable with a regulars-heavy dynamic, or people who need to pay with a card. A first-timer alone at the bar will be served competently but will not be drawn into conversation unless they initiate it.
What the first visit involves
Walk in, note the cash-only sign near the door, take a stool or table, and order. The bartender will not ask your name or offer recommendations; state your drink and you will have it in seconds. The jukebox sits near the entrance; songs cost 50 cents each and queue immediately. No one will acknowledge your presence unless you speak first. If you are the only non-regular in the room, you will feel it. This is not a problem if you expect it; it is awkward if you do not.
Hours, parking, and logistics
Old Number 9 is open Tuesday through Saturday, typically from late afternoon to midnight or later depending on the crowd; hours vary slightly by season. Confirm hours by phone before visiting since a small independent bar may shift times without notice. Parking is street parking on a residential block. There is a cash ATM inside if you arrive without bills. The bar is in a standalone building accessible by car from the south side's main arterials.
A bar where a drink costs $2.50, where you will recognize the same faces on your second visit, and where the owner still tends bar most nights is increasingly rare in Oklahoma City's nightlife landscape.
