The Pump is a bar with a food menu. A great bar with an outdoor patio and games! Perfect for a Sunday Funday. Make sure you try out the delicious food as well.
I discovered the Uptown 23rd Farmer’s Market about a month ago when I saw a post about it pop up on Facebook. I love farmer’s markets, and enjoy walking around and seeing what they have to offer. There is a farmer’s market in Stillwater, but it is quite small so I very rarely go. Last Sunday I was going to church in OKC, and the Uptown 23rd Farmer’s Market is open the last Sunday of the month, so this was the perfect opportunity to check it out. Of course, with my luck, it was absolutely blazingly hot that day. After about 2 hours I was finished with my purchases, and absolutely starving, because I had not eaten since before church. My original plan was to eat from one of the food trucks, but the lines were very long, and people had already claimed the few areas of shade. I briefly considered driving somewhere, but didn’t want to leave my purchases in the hot car.
The Pump Bar has a prime location at the market, just one block off of 23rd Street, and in the middle of the market. I wasn’t sure if it was a restaurant, because the sign only says “bar”, so I asked a woman who was handing out magazines. She said they do serve food, and it is amazing. That was all I needed to hear.
The location was originally a Texaco gas station from 1929 – 1978, and The Pump opened as a bar in 2014. I love that they revitalized the space, but maintained the integrity of the building. Outside is really the place to be, because it is much larger than the inside. No surprise, since they did not expand the building itself. There is a large outdoor patio on the left, space for games on the right, and a few tables underneath the overhang.
Since it was Farmer’s Market day, there are obviously lots of underage people in the area. The Pump has a staff member at the entrance just inside the gate, checking ID’s, and there is also a sign stating that the entire space is 21 and up. As he handed me back my license, he said “no way you’re born in ‘70”. I knew I would like this place.
I’m normally not a fan of sitting at the bar in restaurants, because I feel that the service can be lacking; the bartender is not only taking care of you, they are making drinks for everyone else. However, all of the tables both inside and outside were full. I found one open seat at the bar, so I jumped at the chance to sit there. Of course, my first request was water. I could have guzzled a gallon of it in record time. I chatted with Erin, one of the bartenders, and she was very friendly and helpful. I also met a great young couple who had just moved from Dallas to OKC. We had a great conversation about everything at the market. We asked Erin if they selected the location because of the market. Nope, they just got super lucky.
The bartenders and servers at The Pump are a very eclectic bunch. I felt like a few of them were in a punk rock band at some point. Wait…do people even say that anymore?! The movie Blues Brothers was playing on the big TV’s behind the bar, and Erin said the owner really likes the era before the early 70’s. I can’t even tell you the last time I saw that movie, so it was fun to take that step back in time.
The Pump is open in the evenings on weekdays, and then all day on Saturday and Sunday. The Pump is a bar that has a food menu, and that explains why kids are not permitted. The food menu is simple, featuring bar snacks, small plates, brunch, and even a Farmer’s Market Menu.
After the water, I decided to try a mimosa, served in an extremely classy cup
I love the presentation. Why mess with glass that could very easily break?! I also saw this lovely concoction being made and served at record pace
It’s called Ian’s Zombie, and has 3 different types of rum in it. Of course I decided to try one, and was well rewarded, because it is excellent. It does not start out strong, but the kick sneaks up on you, and gets stronger with every sip. Between the heat, and needing to drive back to Stillwater, I made it through about 3/4 before I stopped.
I began browsing through the regular menu, because it was sitting on the counter. Erin then handed me the Farmer’s Market menu, which is the only option on Market day. The BLT immediately jumped out at me.
The BLT was outstanding. The egg was perfectly cooked, the bread was toasted brioche and really delicious, and the bacon was a thicker cut. I like that they used arugula instead of lettuce. It provided a little peppery bite to the sandwich that added great flavor. I devoured the sandwich.
The BLT comes with chips as the side, but I wasn’t really feeling them. I had seen tater tots in the “bites” section, so I swapped those out instead
I definitely wasn’t expecting this big a portion! I had thought I would just get a small side, but nope…a whole potato and then some. I guess it makes sense, since they’re on the appetizer menu so are meant to share. These tater tots were so good. They came out screaming hot and crispy, exactly the way they should be. The garlic aioli was delicious but did not have an overwhelming garlic flavor. The sriracha ketchup had a nice smoky bite.
I only made it through half the tots before I had to wave the white flag. I took the rest home, and munched on them later in the day. I was pleasantly surprised they were still good even after the trip home and without reheating. And even more key? The serving container fit perfectly in the to-go box
Will I go back to The Pump? There is absolutely no question about that. I even texted Michele while I ate to tell her I found us a fantastic Sunday Funday spot. The food was excellent, the bartenders were really friendly, it’s a great atmosphere, and I would love to spend a few hours out on the patio.