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1917 Greenville Ave. Dallas, TX 75206-7438
214-821-1700
http://www.180degreesdallas.com It's pretty straightforward: A direct shot to the back of the club, a big bar and a DJ booth are the offerings of 180 Degrees. Spinning Top 40 and hip-hop off lower Greenville Thursday through Saturday, the club draws a typical younger pack looking to party. The bar top itself lends color to the joint, pulsing green, red and orange, and the kitchen serves a selection of tacos, burgers, hot dogs and wings late into the night. Special evenings include "My Ice Got Ice" Saturday nights and "Spin It, Flip It, Smack It" Thursdays. More >>
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2826 Elm Street Dallas, TX 75226
N/A
http://www.club2826.com The slogan that provides this casual Deep Ellum bar its name is painted in big, bold letters above the long, full-service bar: "Absolutely Reluctant 'N Everything That Is Conforming." Opened summer 2010, Arnetic certainly doesn't conform to the current crop of Deep Ellum haunts - it's more reminiscent of the hodgepodge art/venue spaces that studded Deep Ellum in the early '90s. Works by local artists cover the walls, with offerings ranging from abstract pieces to heavily stylized paintings of the Dallas skyline to metal sculptures, all of which are for sale. And a convenient "art menu" lists the names of each piece, the artist and the price. There's a large elevated stage for bands opposite the bar and a back nook with mirrors, leather couches and more art. More >>
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3805 Belt Line Road Addison, TX 75001
972-620-7700
http://www.3hundred.com Addison's 300 Dallas is a 45,000-square-foot entertainment destination featuring pool tables, video games, air hockey tables and more than 30 "state of the art" bowling lanes. Featuring the "Xtreme Bowling" lighting and sound system, with music video screens at the end of each lane, 300 Dallas is not your grandpa's bowling alley. There's a full-service bar, a lane-dedicated wait staff and an executive chef in the kitchen, too. Thanks to its size, it can host up to 1,400 guests. The complex specializes in group events for everything from company meetings to team-building events to birthday and holiday parties. Club 300 also offers a private bowling suite with six lanes for guests. More >>
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2929 Crockett St. Fort Worth, TX 76107-2908
817-820-0909
http://www.7th-haven.com Arguably the best rooftop bar in town, 7th Haven makes up for in drink prices what it lacks in panache. Always a place to find a good special, the place is dark and smoky. But with a back patio and roof complete with side bar, there's plenty of space for fresh air too. Paintings of Jim Morrison, Lenny Kravitz and Bob Marley adorn the walls, and two big screens stream sports news and entertainment all night. Booth and table seating complement the long bar, manned by a friendly staff, and best of all, Taco Heads taco stand provides great food late nights Wednesday through Saturday
on the back deck. More >>
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111 E. 3rd Fort Worth, TX 76102
817-336-0880
http://www.eightobar.com 8.0 Bar is one of the more popular bars in Fort Worth. Its crowded Sundance Square location might have something to do with it, but the bar's owners would argue there are many reasons to visit this downtown mainstay: lunch, dinner, a full bar and live music from some of the area's most popular rock bands on the huge outdoor patio. Another draw: Inside, the walls are covered with compelling murals painted by local artists. More >>
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2905 W. Berry St. Fort Worth, TX 76109
817-926-7814
http://www.the-aardvark.com Located around the corner from Texas Christian University, it's no surprise this rock club has Greek appeal. But housed in the same historic strip that was home to The Hop and Rail, it books the best locals in the Golden Triangle, plus the occasional road show. More >>
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101 W. Hickory Denton, TX 76201
940-566-5483
Located on the southeast corner of Denton's Historic Courthouse Square, The Abbey Inn is one of Little D's most popular English pubs. And in keeping with a traditional English pub theme, the beer tap is crammed with imported ales and lagers. Not quite so authentically British is their serving temperature: a frosty 29 degrees. Judging by the beer selection and decor, it's clear that the owners have put a lot of thought into the details of the place, including antique 19th Century church pews. Looking for a brunch spot? Head to Abbey Inn for $2 mimosas on Sundays. More >>
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100 W. Walnut St. Denton, TX 76201
940-565-5478
The Denton square is full of spots tailored to meet the boozing needs of college kids at the nearby University of North Texas campus. The Abby Underground is no exception, but it does offer a different look and feel thanks to its – hence the name – underground location. There’s plenty of room to move around, and pool tables on which to pass the time if you’re not ordering shots at the wide wooden bar located in the adjacent room. The green paint on the walls serves a dual purpose, attracting students with the University’s colors and livening up this otherwise dark basement watering hole. More >>
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100 W. Walnut Denton, TX 76201
940-565-5478
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1409 S. Lamar St. Dallas, TX 75215
214-941-9338
http://www.absinthelounge.net Just south of downtown Dallas, Absinthe Lounge is one of several watering hole options. But there's something delightfully sinister about Absinthe. For one, the drink of the same name only recently became legal in the United States, and Absinthe Lounge takes great pride in the way it serves it. There's a whole ritual involved: the pour, melting the sugar, and adding the water from a specialized dispensary that looks, much like the rest of the bar, like it came from 19th century France. The lighting is low and smoky, which may or may not come from the cigars sold behind the bar. More >>
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5625 Yale Blvd. Dallas, TX 75206
214-363-0660
http://www.acrossthestreetbar.com The Across the Street Bar was named for its location on SMU Boulevard on the other side of Central Expressway from Southern Methodist University, and the auto-garage-turned-bar-and-venue does see its fair share of college students. But it also draws folks from the surrounding area. This Upper Greenville no-frills bar, venue and billiards parlor is in a great location that's seen a recent facelift with several new lofts, restaurants and businesses moving into the area. And, like its sister bar, SMU Boulevard Ice House, Across the Street Bar is known for its cheap pitchers of draft beer. The bar regularly features local musicians and acts on its stage, and for more than 15 years the bar has hosted drum jams on Wednesday nights. More >>
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2613 Ross Ave. at Routh Street Dallas, TX 75201
214-754-7050
http://www.ad-libs.com Improvisational comedy competition troupe bases its award-winning show on a series of improvisational scenes, skits and professional comedians. Reservations suggested. Must be at least 19 years. More >>
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2626 Main St Dallas, TX 75226
214-754-7050
http://www.ad-libs.com
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2624 Commerce St. Dallas, TX 75226-1402
214-939-9900
http://www.adairssaloon.com There are loads of generic honky-tonks all over the metroplex. They have giant dance floors where the Wranglers-wearing masses spend their weekends dancing to country bands that don't venture far from their top 40 playlists. Adair's Saloon has virtually nothing in common with these places. Consider it the CBGB's of honky-tonks. A small, well-worn dance floor stretches from one overly decorated wall to another. Local country acts The King Bucks and Boys Name Sue regularly whip line-dancing regulars into a frenzy with their take on old country standards and hilarious originals. But if you don't feel much like dancing, Adair's Saloon has one of the best burgers in town, and plenty of cold Lone Star beer to help wash it down. More >>
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15401 Addison Addison, TX 75001
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4980 Belt Line Road Addison, TX 75001
972-404-8501
http://www.improv.com The premier comedy club of the Dallas area, the Addison Improv brings in national comedians, local comics and comedy troupes alike. The dining room setup gives an intimate vibe to the place. During a show in 2009, comic Richard Lewis, claiming to have co-founded the comedy club chain, nearly wiggled loose one of the metal letters from the word "Improv" behind the stage while mocking how cheap he thought the club looked. Cheap or not, where else are you going to witness moments like that? More >>
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4578 Belt Line Road Dallas, TX 75254
972-661-2230
http://www.addisonpointbar.net It's the classic Addison burger dive for sports, great food and cheap beer. Since 1969, the well-worn tables and horseshoe bar have drawn the older regulars together with the younger college kids, where on two-dollar burger Monday nights, a bison burger and pitcher of beer run less than ten bucks. Also grilling up turkey burgers, sandwiches and salads for the lighter eaters, the menu draws a horde, as do budget-friendly shot specials on weekends. A game room partitioned in the corner competes with karaoke Thursday through Sunday nights. More >>
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11050 S. Pipeline Road Euless, TX 76040
817-354-7800
http://www.theaftermidnightclub.com Private club. Membership required. More >>
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1819 W. NW Highway Dallas, TX 75220-7017
972-869-3200
http://www.afterlifedallas.com The scene at Afterlife recalls warehouse raves of the '80s. Since 2004, the nondescript dance house has opened only on weekends, pumping electronica and hardcore into the night off the Northwest Highway service road. Anyone age 17 and older is welcome, and the crowd is generally young. The bar is nonalcoholic, serving water, energy drinks and Gatorade to parched party animals. For larger events, the club features an outside stage and second building. Disco balls and old leather couches ornament the separate rooms. Any other decoration is extraneous, as club-goers can't take their eyes off the glow sticks tracing light among the crowd. More >>
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2281 N. Masch Branch Denton, TX 76207
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2301 N. Central Expressway Plano, TX 75075-2535
972-424-2300
http://www.theallenwickerspub.com The noble sport of soccer -- or "football" for those who actually watch it -- is notoriously ignored by most of the U.S. Not at The Allen Wickers Public House, though. Pub and soccer décor cover the walls. This Plano pub hosts soccer events of every kind, and is the official watch house for the FC Dallas Inferno team. Along with sports, the bar serves traditional pub grub -- that is, if it were run through a Southern comfort grinder. Waitstaff is particularly proud of its meatloaf/mashed potato sandwich. Just don't root against the Inferno. More >>
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122 E. John Carpenter Freeway Irving, TX 75062
972-717-6100
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/alofthotels/index.html The makers of the giant W Hotel had the idea to make Aloft, a smaller boutique-style hotel with the jet-setter crowd in mind. Judging by the look of the place, they spared no expense-and that includes their WXYZ bar. Typically, hotel bars are dark, generic nooks in the lobby, but at Aloft, the bar is the lobby. Giant bay windows light large modern couches, and birch wood lines the corners of the bar as well as the ceiling. At night, the windows reflect the beautiful people gathered around the bar's fireplace, located in the center of the room. Aloft combines luxury and simplicity, making the WXYZ bar both modern and comfortable. More >>
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100 Coneflower Drive Garland, TX 75040-2977
972-724-8000
http://www.amctheatres.com
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2500 Victory Ave. Dallas, TX 75219-7601
214-665-4535
http://www.americanairlinescenter.com
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300 N. Akard St. Dallas, TX 75201-3415
214-969-5550
http://www.ampmdallas.com AMPM (in the Mosaic building) promises "Dallas' only ultra urban luxury dining experience," which one presumes means that it's the only place in the city where you can enjoy the fine people-watching of an ultra-lounge as well as get a bite to eat.
A visit to the restaurant and nightclub reveals that yes, there were plenty of people who appear to spend a disproportionate amount of time at the gym, in the tanning booth and at body-waxing salons...along with their girlfriends. But even people those without an Affliction credit card would enjoy the food, courtesy former N9NE chef Tommy Simpson. Bites include tuna tartare on sesame crackers; watermelon and feta wrapped in a cucumber sliver; and mango-carrot spring rolls with jicama. A row of musician portraits including the likes of Jimi Hendrix--people who would probably never set foot in the place, living or not--greets you as you enter. The place is at once minimal and modern, with smooth black granite surfaces and a polished concrete floor and what has to be the biggest collection of mirrored disco balls in the city. More >>
