Edna’s, a longstanding fixture in Oklahoma City’s bar scene, the origin point for a beloved signature cocktail and a local watering hole for both residents and their visiting friends and family is one of 27 bars included on the 2024 USA TODAY Bars of the Year list. 

The list was created by USA TODAY Network food writers across the country and includes everything from humble dives to high-end cocktail bars. 

“It’s pretty crazy and quite an honor,” said Tammy Lucas, owner of Edna’s and daughter of the bar’s originator and namesake Edna Scott. “My mom just built such a legacy there. That place has a life of its own. It’s bigger than us. She’s just always there with her hands on everything and we’re just blessed.”

What makes Edna’s stand out

Edna’s has been offering up Lunchboxes and love to the community since the day Scott opened the doors 35 years ago. Today, Edna’s is owned by Lucas, who’s own children are also involved in the day-to-day running and management of the bar.

“It’s always going to be a family business,” said manager Kate Kezpers, who is Lucas’ daughter-in-law. “There aren’t as many these days. A lot of things have gone corporate, and I like that it’s still within the family and that it continues that legacy that Edna built.”

Edna’s is perhaps best known for the Lunchbox, created, in fact, by accident when Edna mixed a shot of amaretto with Coors Light and orange juice. The blunder became a menu staple that has grown into a full list of variations available at the bar, including secret off-menu options.

“We’ve now developed many flavors of Lunchboxes. … Try the original first because that’s the one that’s been around for 30 years. That’s the classic one, and then all of the other ones are just based off of that,” Kezpers said. “If you get the right person at the right time, you might just learn a secret one. We have a little Lunchbox bible behind the bar with all of them in it.”

What to know about Edna’s — beyond the Lunchbox

Edna’s also offers up a selection of tasty bar snacks — wings, chicken fingers, loaded fries, fried green beans and more — to satisfy the cravings that often come with a trip to the bar.

The most well-known visual feature at Edna’s is the hundreds, possibly thousands, of dollar bills lining the walls, ceiling and even a few epoxy-resined tables throughout the bar at this point.

There is an unspoken understanding amongst guests that the dollar bills stay on the walls and are not to be disturbed and any guest who comes into the bar can decorate a bill of their own and add it to the wall. There are some less cluttered places in need of decoration in the newly expanded and renovated area of the bar that was added during the COVID-19 pandemic.

That expansion also gave new life to the patio, which gained additional square footage for added seating and games. Patrons can play cornhole or oversized Connect Four on the patio during the bar’s regular hours. But don’t be surprised if seating is limited on nights and weekends when Edna’s gets busy and stays that way.

‘We’re just blessed’

Kezpers said you also shouldn’t be surprised if, on your first visit, a regular offers to buy your first Lunchbox, a common occurrence at Edna’s she’s seen too many times to count.

“I think the Lunchbox is a big part of it, but I also think we have a good community here. I think everyone that comes in is just instantly welcomed by the staff or the other people in the bar,” Kezpers said.

With three and a half decades under its belt, a committed family running it, strong community support and daily hours from noon until 2 a.m. Edna’s does not appear to be going anywhere.

“All I ever wanted to do, and my family, too, is just honor [my mom] and what she’s done and brought to Oklahoma City and how she wants people to be treated,” Lucas said. “You know we’ve had our ups and downs, but we’re hanging in there and we’re just blessed.”

Edna’s in Oklahoma City

Details: 5137 N Classen Circle, Oklahoma City, Ok.; 405-840-3339, ednasokc.com.

The best indicator for the Oklahoma Sooners’ first season in the SEC begins this week at the fall training camp. Head coach Brent Venables, who just received a contract extension this summer, is undoubtedly looking to see some major developments. This preseason, he’s starting with a patchwork offensive line and a defensive backfield rife with position battles. If nobody stands out, it could make creating the depth chart, let alone surviving the season, a real challenge.

A Preview of Oklahoma’s Fall Training Camp

Offense at Training Camp: The Offensive Line

Oklahoma’s Jackson Arnold remarked during the SEC Media Days that “Road games were a little difficult for us last year.” His comments were certainly true from an offensive perspective. The Sooners turned the ball over a total of 20 times in the 2023 season. A less-than-stellar offensive line allowed six of those turnovers in big losses on the road at Oklahoma State and Kansas. While Venables is working on a legendary recruiting class in the offseason, the focus right now is on maximizing the potential of his current talents.

The Sooners’ offensive line is currently undergoing a total overhaul as seniors cycle out and freshmen and transfers cycle in. This creates a major issue because the entire starting lineup has very little time to practice as a full unit. Until younger talent can develop, the obvious plan is to lean on transferring seniors, like Branson Hickman and Michael Tarquin.

Branson Hickman, a fresh transfer from SMU, is coming in as a veteran center. Hickman has been racking up accolades so far, so it’s doubtful that Venables will choose anyone else as his starter. How Hickman meshes with a group he’s only been practicing with for a couple of months, though, is a big question mark heading into the fall training camp.

Other big transfers such as Geirean Hatchett and Michael Tarquin are sure to factor into this style of play. Hatchett, as a right guard, was only able to really shine at Washington during their undefeated season last year. Tarquin, on the other hand, excelled as an offensive tackle for both the Florida Gators and USC throughout his career. Cayden Green, whose dominating performances last year surprised everyone, is likely to become a starter on the offensive line as well.

Offense at Training Camp: Wide Receivers and Running Backs

Nowhere is this fight for the starting position going to be more intense than in the running and receiving rooms.

Gavin Sawchuk is the front-runner for taking over the top spot, but he still has to compete with Jovantae Barnes and Tawee Walker. Both Barnes and Sawchuk suffered from injuries that hampered their abilities throughout last season. While Walker was able to help out, barring a miracle, he’s unlikely to overcome either for the starting job. A fully recovered Barnes and Sawchuk could become a dual threat as a truly dynamic backfield. The fall training camp will undoubtedly decide who starts for the season. Much further down the depth chart are the freshmen Sam Franklin, Taylor Tatum, and Xavier Robinson, who are also competing for a shot at third-string running back.

Last year, Nic Anderson’s star began to rise. At nearly 800 yards and 10 touchdowns, he has the potential to become one of the best pass catchers in the nation. This fall, however, Anderson is competing with Deion Burks, Jalil Farooq, and Jayden Gibson. If any position battle is going to be the one to watch both at training camp and beyond, it has to be this one.

Defensive Overview: Linemen and Cornerbacks

If anyone is able to make an impact on Coach Venables and Zac Alley’s depth chart plans, it’ll happen at the Sooners’ fall practice camps.

Damonic Williams’ time at TCU showed him to be an unmatched destructive force on the defensive line. Williams tore through the Colorado Buffaloes, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, and Kansas State in 2022. His dominance continued into the 2023 season with 33 total tackles. Williams’ starting spot on the interior defensive line, barring injury, is in no danger at the fall practice camp. Davon Terry is another safe bet for a starting job on the defensive line.

Jayden Jackson and David Stone are two of the top contenders for starting positions. Stone comes in as a Five-Star commit and the 17th-best player nationally. Currently ranked in the top ten of the nation’s defensive tackles, Jackson was also the IMG Academy’s 2023 Defensive MVP. At the Sooners’ fall training camp, they’re likely to remind everyone of exactly why they deserve those honors. They’ll have to stay healthy, though, because the drop-off behind them on the depth chart will be immense.

Another area open to position battles is unquestionably at cornerback. Gentry Williams earned his top spot during last year’s fall camp, but injuries limited his time on the field. Woodi Washington, on the other hand, was both team captain and a standout talent. However, his time at OU is coming to an end. Young guys like Jayden Row, Dez Malone, and Kendel Dolby have the opportunity to make a big impact in the fall training.

Conclusions:

This year’s fall training camp is one of the biggest make-or-break moments for the Sooners. A developmental year amid a transition to the hardest conference in college football isn’t ideal for anyone. The depth chart is nonexistent in some areas, and the battles to be number one are going to be intense this year. If Venables’ mix of veteran and rookie talents can pull it together, it all starts at the Fall training camp.

Billy Bowman was one of the best defensive players in the nation in 2023. His six interceptions and three interceptions returned for a touchdown put him on the map in Oklahoma’s final year in the Big 12. In year one in the SEC, Bowman, along with fellow defender Danny Stutsman, earned first-team All-SEC honors from SEC media.

All-American and Thorpe voters may have been unaware of Bowman’s excellence at safety, but he made everyone take notice and will be on every watch list possible when the preseason lists get released starting this week.

But Bowman isn’t the end all be all for Oklahoma at the safety spot. They’ve got as deep and talented group as there is in the nation. The senior certainly leads the way, but Oklahoma has talent up and down the depth chart.

Robert Spears-Jennings, a former four-star prospect from Broken Arrow has made the most of his opportunities and has been a terror around the line of scrimmage. Despite playing 178 fewer snaps than Reggie Pearson, Spears-Jennings had eight more total tackles last season. He played 158 fewer snaps than Key Lawrence and finished with just six fewer total tackles than the now Ole Miss safety.

Spears-Jennings finished with a higher defensive grade from Pro Football Focus than both Pearson and Lawrence. With Pearson and Lawrence gone, there’s a huge opportunity for Spears-Jennings to take over in a strong safety or box safety role.

Peyton Bowen has a huge opportunity for an increased workload, as well.

In limited opportunities, Bowen flashed his potential for the Sooners, finishing second on the team in passes defended with five. He was fourth among Sooners safeties in snaps behind Bowman, Pearson, and Lawrence. As a true freshman.

Venables, now Alley’s, defense likes to deploy three safety looks, so there’s a good chance we see packages that include Bowman, Spears-Jennings, and Bowen all at the same time. It’s a fast, athletic, and playmaking group in the Sooners secondary.

Oklahoma also has guys like Woodi Washington and Kendel Dolby, who will play a variety of roles on the Sooners defense. Washington will line up at cornerback and Dolby at cheetah, but you could see them rotating in at safety. The depth chart has a number of young players at the position who be impactful for the Sooners in 2024 and beyond. Erik McCarty, Michael Boganowski, Jaydan Hardy, Mykel Patterson-McDonald, and Reggie Powers could have an impact this year as well. It’s a strong, fast, and physical group that will make a lot of plays on ball carriers and on the ball in the air.

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