Pub grub crawl

Bar bite beer pairings to prevent a hangover from hell

Does this sound familiar? It’s Friday night. Your squad is in Sicko Mode, hopping between every watering hole, speakeasy, dive bar and juke joint in the city. The beer is flowing and the night is humming, when you suddenly realize that modest dinner from hours earlier isn’t going to give you the sustenance you need to soldier on through your evening of debauchery without waking up with a throbbing headache and a sunlight allergy.

So we’ve put together a few pairings of local brews and small plates for when you need a bite at the bar to keep up spirits and give yourself a fighting chance at not waking up with the phrase never again ringing in your ears. While food might not be the star of the show at the spots below, these dishes are not simply standouts in their own right—they might just save you from a wicked hangover.

Fish & Chips w/ G-Force Grapefruit IPA

New Era Fine Fermentations

Folks without dietary restrictions may balk at the phrase “gluten-free,” but New Era is trying to change that. For Exhibit A, look no further than their GF take on traditional British fish and chips—which, according to TTV contributor Brady Whisenhunt, “is already a serious contender for a local best-in-class award.” The generous portion of filets deep fried in sublime, crackly crispiness are stacked high in a nest of golden brown fries, a perfect duet of soft and crunchy.

Pair this pub staple with New Era’s irresistible G-Force Grapefruit IPA. Clocking in at 7.2% ABV, this well-balanced brew is a classic blend of Centennial, Cascade and Chinook hops, offering the perfect platform for the grapefruit added at the end of the batch to really shine. They use sorghum as the malt base, instead of other grains like rye or barley, making New Era’s beer an unbeatable boozy indulgence for those sensitive to gluten—and simply a damn fine beer for those without.

Smoked Bavarian Pretzel w/ Dead Armadillo Tulsa Flag

R Bar & Grill

Few combos are more appropriate than pretzels and beer, and this beauty at R Bar is leagues above the rest. This entry is a bit of a rule-breaker—since R Bar is known as much for its elevated pub fare as its brews and cocktails—but we couldn’t resist.

R Bar’s Smoked Bavarian Pretzel is served with two sides: Seikel’s mustard and white queso. Seikel’s Mustard comes to R Bar from Cherokee home chef Steven Seikel, and his father, Paul Seikel, whose Oklahoma Gold mustard is simply unbeatable.

The beautifully twisted lightly salted soft pretzel pairs perfectly with Dead Armadillo’s Tulsa Flag, which has become the gold standard in the city’s summer months. The blonde ale’s golden color does not only match the pretzels golden brown hue, but its drinkability and earthy hops make the two soul mates. The drinkable beer’s citrusy notes balance the salt of the pretzel in a perfectly curated contradiction.

Rub Tacos w/ Prairie Pink Guava Funk

Fuel 66

Oklahoma Rub is known for its BBQ fusion fare with creative takes on brunch, backyard classics, and tacos. Rub parks at Fuel 66 for Taco Tuesdays from 5 to 9 p.m. to serve up grilled corn tortillas filled with your choice of protein—including smoked pork belly, chicken, tuna, lamb, steak, shrimp—and jackfruit for those wanting a meatless meal.

Rub’s Island Fire taco is an explosion of flavor that transports you to the equator. The spicy jerked jackfruit mixes with your choice of meat (we recommend the pulled pork) wedged between a grilled corn tortilla. Topped with mango salsa and pico de gallo, Island Fire is a taste fresh out of the tropics.

Complete the meal with Prairie’s Pink Guava Funk, a kettle sour fermented with Brett yeast. Sweet guava meets tart lemon in this 6.3% ABV sour beer, finishing with fruity notes of pineapple and plenty of funk. Like a fermented tropical fruit salad, this beer plays with your sweet and sour taste buds in the best way. If you’re looking to save a few bucks at Taco Tuesdays, Fuel 66 has half-priced draft beer until 7 p.m. and $3 margs all night.

Hot Dog w/ Stonecloud Chug Norris Mosaic Pale Ale

Soundpony Bar

There’s nothing quite like a hot dog and cold brew during the sweltering summer heat—and if you’re itching for this time-honored combo in the wee drunken hours, Soundpony has you covered. This isn’t some fussed-over, farm-to-table delicacy—not some pretentious gastropub’s play on a hot dog, but the OG childhood sodium bomb we all know and love. While best consumed at peak intoxication, these bad boys are free during Soundpony happy hour.  

Stonecloud Brewing Co.’s Chug Norris Mosaic Pale Ale makes the perfect sparring partner for this summertime staple. The Oklahoma City brewery hops this American Pale Ale with Mosaic, giving notes of candied-mango, lemon, tropical fruit and pine, and a crushable 5.4% ABV. It’s the perfect brew for a hot summer day, and paired with the dog, it’s the closest thing you’ll get to a backyard barbecue from the comfort of Soundpony’s air-conditioned abode.

If you’re feeling brave like Walker, Texas Ranger after that Chug Norris, try The Pony Shot: 1 oz. blackberry brandy in a hollowed-out piece of hot dog. Take that shot and then pop that hot dog bite like the champion you are. There’s no way you’ll regret it tomorrow morning.