by Heide Brandes
Photos courtesy of Bar K
In Oklahoma City’s Boathouse District, Bar
K — a new bar, restaurant, coffeehouse,
dog park, and dog-friendly establishment — rings with the cheery barks of hounds scampering in more than two acres of outdoor play space while their humans laugh over tall pints of beer or vodka tonics.
Inside, a restaurant hums with the energy of a popular eatery, but dogs playing outside can still be seen. On the expansive patio, canines enjoy chef-created treats while their owners wolf down burgers.
Along the Oklahoma River — the flowing artery of the city, transformed from a seven-mile stretch of the North Canadian River — rowers and kayakers float by, and the whole scene is a small snapshot of heaven for dog lovers.
Bar K is the city’s newest dog-friendly establishment that is more than just a dog park or a bar that allows dogs. It’s a playground for humans and their furry friends, offering food, cocktails, plenty of play space, live music, and special events.
“We like to say that the dogs have moved from the backyard to the bedroom. Ninety-five percent of dog owners see their dogs as family members,” said Bar K cofounder Dave Hensley. “Dogs are now full-fledged family members, and we celebrate that special bond that we have with dogs. Why would you want to head out to a bar, restaurant, or coffee shop and leave one of your family members sitting in a crate at home?”
Hensley added, “Bar K is a destination and an experience — we call it the Bar K experience.”
Bar K, which opened in February, is indeed an experience for dogs and their families, with the two-acre outdoor dog park, a 10,000-square-foot indoor dog park, four bar areas, and multiple private event spaces. Ultimately, the whole concept of the place is to “reinvent the dog-park experience by combining a fully staffed park with a bar, restaurant, event space, and entertainment venue to create a unique and joyful destination for people and dogs ,” said Hensley.
Fun for Canines and People
Bar K was founded in 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri, when Hensley and his partner, Leib Dodell, both acquired dogs coincidentally on the same weekend.
“We never talked about getting dogs before, but it just so happened that we both got our dogs on the same weekend. We started going to dog parks and checking those out, and then we would try to bring our dogs with us to patios, coffee shops, and restaurants,” Hensley said. “We found that the dogs weren’t having a great time being chained up next to the table.”
Although the restaurant scene wasn’t great for dogs, Hensley and Dodell discovered that dog parks weren’t a great experience for humans.
“We thought we could improve on the dog-park experience and create thoughtful destinations for people and their dogs, something designed for the dogs to have as much enjoyment as the humans, and vice versa,” Hensley said.
That idea led to the creation of Bar K. The new concept had fans howling from day one. “We had lines out the door for months. People are looking for thoughtfully designed places where they can share experiences with their dogs, and we were able to provide that space,” Hensley said. “At that first location in Kansas City, we’ve had close to a million people come through and half a million dogs. We launched in Saint Louis in November 2021. “
Oklahoma City is the third location for Bar K. Hensley said the fact that Oklahoma City is already a dog-friendly community helped to make it a natural place for an establishment.
All the Amenities
The outdoor dog park at Bar K has multiple play features and is fully staffed with Dogtenders. Every Dogtender undergoes intensive training on dog behavior and breed characteristics to make sure the dogs are having a good time.
“The Dogtenders also help to keep the park clean, and our parks are always immaculately clean,” Hensley said. “In addition, the indoor dog park is climate controlled. So in the heat of the summer, it’ll be air-conditioned, and it will be warm in the winter.”
While dogs frolic, people can enjoy the four bars in the facility.
Menu items are even available as a “doggy flight,” a bone-shaped woodblock that includes three items from the dog menu. “We also have a separate, private park called Petfinder Park. It’s sponsored by Petfinder, which is an online adoption website, and in that park, we will do adoption events every Saturday,” Hensley said.
Bar K’s space is designed for dogs to enjoy with dog-based events such as doga — dog-friendly yoga — educational programming, and live music. However, Hensley says people do not have to bring dogs.
For people who do want to bring their dogs for a visit, Bar K offers entry and membership options for everyone. Day passes, which start at $10, are good for people who live farther away or might not visit as often, but Bar K also offers annual and monthly membership passes.
“We had an early opening at the beginning of February so members could get a preview of the space,” Hensley said. “Then we opened up to the general public.”
A Community for Conversation
Hensley said, “I think we’re most proud of the fact that Bar K is a community. You have people who come from all walks of life, and they may differ in a number of ways, but dogs are the ultimate icebreaker. Dogs bring people together and open up the door for conversation that might not have happened in other circumstances.”
For more information, visit https://barkdogbar.com. Membership options can be found at https://barkdogbar.com/ become-a-member.
