The wet bar zone of a Tulsa outdoor kitchen — the area combining a bar sink, bar faucet, ice maker, and refrigerator under a countertop overhang with bar seating — is the social heart of the outdoor kitchen experience. It’s where guests gather, where drinks are made, and where conversation happens while the cook works the grill. VistaScapes & Design designs the wet bar zone into outdoor kitchen projects throughout Tulsa and helps homeowners integrate bar functions that match their entertaining style and the scale of their covered patio.
Wet Bar Sink Options for Outdoor Kitchens
The outdoor kitchen bar sink serves primarily as a drink and glass rinse station rather than the prep sink that the kitchen work zone may also include — a smaller single-basin sink of 14 to 16 inches is typical and appropriate for bar functions. The bar sink requires a cold water supply and drain connection coordinated with the outdoor kitchen plumbing rough-in, and in a covered patio with the kitchen near the house exterior, these connections route from the house through the wall or through the concrete pad to the masonry kitchen base. Bar faucets for outdoor installation should be stainless steel or a corrosion-resistant finish with ceramic disc cartridges rated for outdoor exposure. The outdoor sink and drain must be winterized before Oklahoma’s first freeze to prevent water damage to the supply and drain lines.
Bar Counter Height and Overhang
The bar counter in an outdoor kitchen wet bar zone is typically raised to 42 to 36 inches from finished grade with a 12 to 14 inch overhang to accommodate bar-height stools with knee clearance underneath. This raised bar counter separates the bar zone visually from the working counter height — standard kitchen counter at 36 inches — and creates the distinct bar seating environment where guests sit face-to-face with the bartending function. The raised bar counter is typically constructed on a separate masonry section that extends from the L-shape or linear kitchen base at bar height, with the lower working counter on the cooking side. The countertop material on the bar face — the vertical surface facing bar patrons — is typically the same veneer as the kitchen base, creating a unified visual character.
Bar Storage and Refrigeration
Under the bar counter overhang, accessible from the service side, the wet bar zone typically incorporates an outdoor refrigerator for beer and wine storage and an ice maker for on-demand ice without a separate cooler. The combination of dedicated refrigeration, ice maker, and bar sink in a single counter run creates a self-contained bar service area that can operate independently from the cooking zone — the bartender and the cook can work simultaneously without getting in each other’s way. For L-shape outdoor kitchens, the bar leg of the L is the natural location for this full wet bar configuration; for linear kitchens, the wet bar zone is typically positioned at the serving end of the run.
Call VistaScapes & Design at (918) 779-1317 for a free outdoor kitchen consultation in Tulsa. We’ll design a wet bar zone that makes outdoor entertaining seamless and creates the gathering environment your covered patio deserves.
