Like any fabulous femme fatale, R Bar changes when the sun goes down. By night, slinky and seductive, she draws crowds of svelte young things dressed in fashionable black. They come for the spare, elegant, yet welcoming, ambiance: burnished wood, stucco walls of earthy sienna, exposed brick and gleaming granite. The comprehensive beer, wine and liquor selection is also a draw. It offers hard-to-find gems such as Booker’s, Chartreuse and Johnnie Walker Blue, along with a tempting selection of German, Belgian and local microbrews on tap, all at reasonable prices. By day, quiet and restrained, R still has her charms. The lure then is hearty yet superbly prepared food.

The sleek and stylish denizens of the night don’t order the big entrees. They know that the irresistible temptation to gorge would play havoc with their waistlines. (Delicious small plates, sandwiches and salads are available for them.) How could anyone leave even a single bite uneaten of the thick and juicy pork chop served with an impossibly rich cherry bordelaise sauce? Or the unctuously tender short ribs braised in ale? Or the chicken and waffles with rosemary-accented maple syrup and a juicy slab of bacon? Chef Trevor Tack, formerly executive chef at SoChey and Main Street Tavern, is proud of his food. He plans to introduce a lineup of elaborate daily specials. And when he does, that nighttime crowd will be skinny no more.

3421 S. Peoria, Tulsa. 918.724.555

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