In a town filled with great places to drink wine, OK Omens in the Hawthorne District stands out. Its lack of pretense is a huge part of the charm. Sommelier Brent Braun’s nerdy fervor for wine is apparent, especially riesling; it takes up nearly half of the bottle list, with a section of riesling aged for a decade-plus. And descriptions of the wine indulge in whimsy (“tastes like a spa day for lizards: cactus facials, peach steam, and a plunge pool filled with frozen lime curd”).
Just don’t call it a wine bar — the food is just as much of a draw, from bar fare like a cheeseburger classed up with house-ground brisket to fancy plates like a skate wing with wild caper leaf. And did we mention the dollar oyster happy hour? This is the kind of place where you’ll find industry vets bellied up to the bar as well as families out for a nice dinner.
At happy hour, riesling is $9 a glass or $15 for the somm’s pick. Or go for the two-glass riesling flight from Braun’s favorite producers. The bottle list offers Oregon wines, including Braun’s own label, Post Familiar, as well as Austrian whites and plenty of French reds. Or just ask Braun for pairings. Cocktails are playful yet restrained, like a brown butter-washed bourbon Old Fashioned with miso. Nonalcoholic choices range from Austrian sparkling tea with grape skins to a booze-free piña colada.
While most dollar oyster happy hours in town book out weeks in advance, reservations here are plentiful. Just do it.
Dining and Cooking