Deem Laow
Supree Deesomjit was nearly born into the restaurant world. Nicknamed Boom as a child, his aunt, Tana, helped his family immigrate to Oklahoma City from Bangkok, Thailand, in 2004. She opened Tana Thai Bistro on North May near The Village in 2005, and though Boom expected cowboys and horses upon arrival, his childhood memories were in the kitchen surrounded by family and other members of the OKC Thai community. At 18, he started cooking at Tana and was nursing an interest in design, while his soon to be business partner was finding his own path.
Born in Moore, Rickey Garrrett’s hospitality industry life began as a busboy and server, among dozens of other odd jobs. He began bartending at an early iteration of The Jones Assembly while attending the OCU School of Law. After graduating in 2020, Rickey had made such good money and enjoyed the community in bartending enough that life in a law firm seemed unattractive by comparison. His future in limbo, Rickey worked at Automobile Alley’s Sidecar for a bit, but felt burned out — and, reeling from the death of a close friend, he hit the road. Rickey traveled around Colorado, bartending and serving. Money was tight, so he came back to OKC to make extra money as a house music DJ under the alias DJ Ric Float. Soon, he had sold most of his things, including the record collection he’d spent almost a decade building. He wondered what was next.
A connection from a mutual friend took Rickey and Boom to the slopes of western Colorado. After shredding pow pow together, they talked about opening a bar, a pact settled a few months later when they crossed paths again in OKC. Construction on Deem Laow, located next door to Tana Thai, began in September 2022 with a grand opening in October 2023.
Warm Thai dishes provided by the continually well-reviewed Tana Thai are matched with the smooth, balanced cocktails developed by Rickey, some including Thai spirits unavailable anywhere else in town. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Causing a doubletake among patrons in the know, nationally renowned skateboarder Clint Walker unassumingly works behind the bar. The combination of food, drink, and community built the foundation, and business has increased consistently ever since.
Design is a key feature of Deem Laow. The space reflects elements of Boom’s Thai heritage and his vision of tropical culture. He adds knick-knacks to the walls from travels or local vintage shops, creating a cultural texture that makes the fresh space feel organic and cohesive. A beaming neon sign on the back wall reads Sabai Sabai — whose translation can mean “Take it easy,” “Doing well,” or “Relax.” Its command matches the atmosphere and reveals why Deem Laow was so quick to develop a batch of regulars. The result of the duo’s experience and efforts is a bar that feels immediately welcoming.
> Deem Laow, 10702 N. May Avenue, Oklahoma City, (405) 849-6006, deemlaowokc.com.
