One of the most popular comment threads in the nearly 12-year history of Route 66 News is the one about Oklahoma Joe’s, a restaurant along Route 66 that also became a tavern popular with University of New Mexico students. It also was known as Okie’s or Okie Joe’s.
At last count, more than 220 comments have been logged since the story published in October 2007, linking to a long-broken thread to the Duke City Fix community blog.
No more than a few weeks go by before a new comment arrives from people who frequented the bar. They want to share memories of the place during the 1960s and ’70s or reconnect with some drinking buddies from long ago.
— The tavern was known for 10-cent beer nights served in paper cups, pizza by the slice, picnic tables, sawdust on the floor, customers occasionally passing a marijuana joint around and plenty of wild (and not entirely lawful) shenanigans.
— Ten-cent beer night ended in 1973 because of too many “undesirables” and an “uncontrollable” scene there.
— The Albuquerque Historical Society said the restaurant began In 1935 as Dixie Barbecue. It later became known as Oklahoma Joe’s Genuine Pit Bar-B-Que and then as Okie’s bar.
— Oklahoma Joe’s became a flashpoint in the civil-rights movement. In 1947, the editor of the university’s newspaper sent a reporter with a black student, George Long, there. Long was refused service at the restaurant. The resulting story led to student boycotts and the city passing a non-discrimination ordinance in 1952 and the state enacting a similar law in 1955.
— Someone dug up an old photo of Okie’s and put it on Pinterest:
— Okie’s apparently inspired a now-rare 1984 book, “Let’s Boogie at Okie’s.”
— Here a copy of an old Oklahoma Joe’s menu from reader Janet Thomas:
— Oklahoma Joe’s no longer exists at 1720 E. Central Ave. A 7-Eleven has taken its place.
— The Oklahoma Joe’s in Albuquerque has no known link to the Tulsa-based barbecue chain or the manufacturers of barbecue smokers.
(Postcard images of Oklahoma Joes courtesy of 66Postcards.com and Wikimedia Commons)
Ten cent beer night most assuredly did NOT end in 73!
Agreed. I would think it ended in maybe 77 or 78 and was replaced by cheap pitchers, maybe $1/large pitcher.
Hit town in ’79. Worked at the Plateau Station up the street. Okie’s was crazy, even then, but fun as hell. Cracks me up to see a 7-Eleven there now.
We moved to Albuquerque in ‘65 from Long Island , NY . Graduated from Highland HS in ‘66 . Had
It’s of friends at the U . Hung out at OJ’s quite a bit . It was the best bar around in those days . Good place to meet chicks and get drunk . What’s better then that when your that age ?
I was a UNM student in the mid 1960’s. For some reason, I don’t recall the ten cent beer nights. But, Okie’s was the closest, and most commonly used bar for students, as it was walking distance from campus. What I do remember was it had the bar on one side, and a separate restaurant on the other side. Bar fights were common back then, when you combined the beer with college age hormones, and testosterone.
Just saying! Lol! I was always issued a 2 bouncer escort the minute I walked into the door
The 70’s were the best “fun & care free” years of my life, & Okie’s was apart of it, along with the KIRST’s Sunday driver, ( when it was the best rock station on the planet.). Miss those times.
New Year’s Eve 1980 I was in a band that played their opening for John Street Rockets. I Believe Jimmy Carl Black of the Mothers of Invention Fame was a guest drummer that night. I also believe there was gunfire.