It's long been said that Deep Ellum begins at Elm and Exhibition streets with Sons of Hermann Hall. Times may be a-changin', but this mainstay country and western Dallas fixture ain't goin' nowhere. It's old as hell, having remained unmoved since 1890. Still used as a private lodge, the building is now a Texas Historic Landmark and was home to native daughter Kelly Clarkson's first audition for American Idol. Visit the downstairs dive bar for drinks over a game of shuffleboard, or take a tour of the lodge's historical bowling alley. It's rumored to be haunted, but as the dance floor announcer says, "Welcome to Texas, boys and girls, that's fantastic!" Not much has changed inside the Sons of Hermann Hall since its inception year, when Benjamin Harrison was president. Can we all agree that's a beautiful thing?
Readers' Pick: Billy Bob's Texas