Entry No. 50 — the Oklahoma City file — filed under: vinyl-bar
The SoundBar
Tucked above a Mediterranean restaurant and a cigar lounge in Automobile Alley, The SoundBar is an upstairs loft you'd walk right past if you didn't know to look for Suite B — and most people never do. Once up that eerily quiet flight of stairs, you find a kissaten-inspired hi-fi vinyl listening bar: walls stacked with over 15,000 records, plush acoustically treated walls, and a serious audiophile rig (McIntosh, Klipsch, Tekton, Technics, Rega) that pumps music at nearly 90 decibels from 10 feet away without a hint of distortion. Owner Jay Shanker — entertainment lawyer, 60-year vinyl obsessive — programs themed listening nights ranging from Louisiana Zydeco to "Battle of the Bands" genre face-offs, and the whole thing runs on "Conversations Not Algorithms." Hidden deeper inside is an actual speakeasy room stocked with vintage gear for sale, where you can spin whatever you want in private.
The story
You will walk right past Suite B if you aren't paying attention. Located at 712B N Broadway Avenue in Automobile Alley, the entrance sits above a ground-floor Mediterranean restaurant and a cigar lounge. You climb an eerily quiet flight of stairs into what feels like an apartment loft, only to find the passion project of Jay Shanker—an entertainment attorney and 60-year vinyl obsessive who built his own OKC take on a Japanese kissaten listening bar.
The room is framed by plush, acoustically treated walls and lined with a wall of over 15,000 records. Shanker built the rig out of serious audiophile gear: McIntosh amplification driving Klipsch, Tekton, Technics, and Rega hardware. The acoustic treatment allows the system to push sound at nearly 90 decibels from ten feet away without a hint of distortion, letting you hear every needle drag while keeping room acoustics low enough that you can speak at a normal volume. The venue runs on the explicit motto "Conversations Not Algorithms," pairing curated records with weekly themes that range from Detroit rock to Louisiana Zydeco.
Tucked even deeper inside the loft is a secondary speakeasy space. This back room is lined with vintage audio gear that is actually for sale, featuring a private turntable setup where you can slip away from the main lounge's programmed music and spin records yourself.
What it's like
Stepping off Broadway Avenue, the stairwell feels intentionally anonymous until you open the door to Suite B. Inside, the vibe is strictly living-room casual, packed with comfortable seating and an unpretentious 21-and-up crowd that is actually paying attention to what's playing. Weekday public sessions usually run Thursday through Saturday from 5 to 10 PM (Mondays and Tuesdays are often booked for private fundraisers). If you want to control the needle, slip straight into the back room to claim the private turntable room before another group takes it over.
The move: Pick a themed listening night, arrive early to flip through the wall of records together, then sweet-talk your way into the back speakeasy room and put on something only the two of you know.
📍 Before you go The SoundBar sits along Automobile Alley, the walkable historic auto-dealership strip on Broadway Avenue, where free on-street parking and surface lots are easy to find on most evenings. This is an evening destination built around its themed listening nights, so it's worth checking which theme is running before you lock in a date — that way the music matches your taste. As a bar, expect a 21-and-up crowd. Mondays and Tuesdays often go to private events and fundraisers, so public listening sessions tend to land later in the week. Make a night of the block: grab dinner downstairs or anywhere along the Alley first, with more bars and coffee just steps away.
- 📍 Automobile Alley / Downtown OKC
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 712B N Broadway Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73102
Hours: Added 2026-06-09 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Factory Obscura: Mix-Tape After Hours — Start two blocks away exploring an immersive art maze built around music, then walk over to hear pure analog records on a high-end sound system.
- Architectural DNA — Walk three blocks west to view a suspended spiral fire escape floating between Midtown buildings before climbing the stairs to your vinyl session.
- The Vault at The National — Trade an upstairs vinyl loft for a subterranean cocktail lounge tucked inside a historic 1931 bank vault four blocks south.
- Lunar Lounge — Follow up one hidden door with another by heading six blocks west to a celestial cocktail spot concealed inside an office building.
Good to know
Where is the entrance located?
Look for 712B N Broadway Ave in Automobile Alley. Head through the door marked Suite B and take the stairs up above the Mediterranean restaurant and cigar lounge.
Can visitors choose what records get played?
The main lounge is programmed around curated theme nights, but you can head into the hidden back room stocked with vintage gear to spin your own record picks.
What are the operating hours?
Public listening sessions generally run Thursday through Saturday from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM, while early weekdays are typically reserved for private events. Check their weekly schedule before heading over.
Is there a drink menu or food available?
The SoundBar serves drinks while focusing primarily on music. For food, grab dinner at the Mediterranean spot downstairs or along Automobile Alley before heading up.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: okfilmmusic.org · okgazette.com · Yelp · Official site
last checked: 2026-06-09