Nancy’s 57th Street Lighthouse

[Uptowner]

I couldn’t find a thread on this place. I’m just curious if anyone knows more information on it. I used to live in this neighborhood before moving to uptown a little over 5 years ago. I guess it could be considered my local, but after I quit smoking, I had to stop going. Even still, with groovies down the street and electro lounge, which became the original S&B burger joint when Brian let Shannon drag a flat top into his bar and start frying burgers, I wouldn’t say I was a regular.

It’s totally a trip in a time machine. There’s this snaking bar that weaves through the main room. Smoky as all hell. I remember when they used to do dinner service. But I’ve only ever seen a handful of people actually eat. They are running a catering kitchen out the back entrance but I have zero clue what business it is? When I used to go they pretty much had karaoke every night of the week, wires for the tvmonitors strewn all over the place even though they had a grid ceiling to hide them in. I recall getting in trouble and threatened to be kicked out for singing curse words in an old chili peppers song. Funhouse mirrors in the bathroom lobby. A separate non-smoking area that I’ve never, ever, seen anyone sitting in.

It’s strictly a highball aka “a blank & blank” kind of bar operation. With beers and shots of course. It’s definitely an older crowd kind of place. The only thing I can recall changing in the decades I’ve gone is they decided to retop the bar with beige floor tile, it used to have a resin covered wood number with nautical rope for the edges like a seafood restaurant from the 70’s. Which maybe it was? Given the “lighthouse” name. It’s now listed on google as “nancy’s kitchen.”

Does anyone have more info? Like who owns it or the catering business? I’m just fascinated after driving by last week and seeing it still open and cars in the parking lot. It still has scars in the paint and siding from the big hail storm 8 or 9 years ago.

[OKCretro]

Back when it was a big deal pretty sure Nancy's had offtrack betting.

[Urbanized]

I remember it being a Mexican restaurant back in the late eighties and early nineties, but haven’t been in since. Hope that helps.

[OkiePoke]

You aren't the only one to get kicked off stage for cursing. Not sure why they even have those songs in karaoke if you can't sing them... Weird for a bar, anyways.

I don't go there because of the smoke. It is one of the smokiest bars in OKC, in my opinion.

[Urbanized]

Ever been to Cookies? LOL

[shawnw]

Yeah, Cookie's is Nancy's lite, or Nancy's is Cookies Pro, one or the other...

[jerrywall]

If you want to fall off your chair ask Nancy for a bloody Mary.

[Uptowner]

^^^^ lol, agreed. But the catering kitchen has puzzled me. I catered high end private parties in college, moonlighted across 4-5 kitchens to always get the best parties, and I thought I knew every game in town. I wonder if it’s someone doing business under another flag. Often times I used to see multiple operations using the same kitchen as a commissary. Which is very popular now in the food truck business.

[OKCisOK4me]

Place used to be called The Roxbury.

[Urbanized]

[AnguisHerba]

This place never ID'd me back when I frequented for a bit. So, let's just say it was my first regular bar.

[OU Adonis]

I just heard on the radio that Nancy's is closing down this Friday.

Does anyone know any details?

[Edmond Hausfrau]

I remember it being a Mexican restaurant back in the late eighties and early nineties, but haven’t been in since. Hope that helps.

It was part of the Vince Orza group, was like a TexMex Garfield's. Cactus Jack's Cantina, maybe? All servers had to wear khakis and bolo ties.
Meanwhile, Nancy's was hanging out over in the basement of Lakeview Towers. It was the bar for the residents and had foosball and karaoke. You had to enter through the back service entrance if you didn't live there. The catering business was because of the lack of kitchen in the basement, but you could rent out the back room for 8-12 people and get predone menu.
Similarly to Groovies which started as the Clubhouse, in both cases the move to new digs also changed the clientele.