Dallas is pretty damn flat, topographically speaking, so any sort of elevation that can be achieved while drinking seems to be intriguing to Dallasites, which is why so many new restaurants and bars are investing heavily in rooftop patios. If you're looking for liquor with a view, here are 12 places to start.
If you can find a seat on HG Sply's patio at sunset, you can join in on a sunset toast.
Susie Oszustowicz
2008 Greenville Ave. (Lowest Greenville)
Whether you're there for the vegan queso, a kombucha Moscow mule or to people-watch, this the spot. Every day, they offer a sunset toast, enabling you to sip that day's special while raising a glass to the sun as it sets over the Dallas skyline.
d.e.c. on dragon st.
1414 Dragon St. (Design District)
This ultra-hip event space opens its doors to the public once a month for a pop-up bar. The pictures say it all – a view that will knock your socks off and booze to knock you on your butt.
Soda Bar at the NYLO Dallas South Side
1325 S. Lamar St. (The Cedars)
The sweeping views of downtown Dallas from this South Lamar spot at the top of the NYLO aren't the only thing to ogle up here; the infinity pool offers fantastic people-watching, especially when it warms up.
Stirr
2803 Main St. (Deep Ellum)
The Deep Ellum hot spot not only has food to impress, but the new rooftop patio has a full bar serving up quality libations. Make sure to take a selfie in their SimpleBooth, because your backdrop will be a panoramic view of downtown. Ladies: Watch your heels on the wood floor, and remember that there is plenty of seating when your stilettos get to be a bit too much.
Nora
1928 Greenville Ave. (Lowest Greenville)
This Afghani restaurant right down the street from HG offers the same killer view, but with the added bonus of a large fire pit, a tad more shade and a slower pace. This is your locale for a quieter evening.
Tei-An
1722 Routh St. (Arts District)
Perched atop the high-end soba house in One Arts Plaza, you'll get up close and personal with downtown Dallas highrises. But this view isn't for everyone; to get onto the roof, you must dine at Tei-An or purchase a membership. (Call 214-220-2828 for information about memberships.)
See The Crescent from a whole new perspective, and with a glass of bubbles in your hand.
Courtesy of Nikkei
2404 Cedar Springs Road (Uptown)
The latest Uptown rooftop patio to open is a brand new addition to the scene. Nikkei constructed their rooftop patio for diners to have a nightcap or club-goers to start their night with one of their stellar Japanese-Peruvian-inspired cocktails. Just make sure you aren't hungry when you venture up there, because Coal Vines' pizza smells pretty amazing three floors up.
Omni Downtown's Uptown Terrace is a great place to decompress and rest your weary sole(s) after a long day at the convention center.
Courtesy of Omni Hotels
555 South Lamar (Downtown)
The Uptown Terrace is located on the fourth floor of the hotel with views overlooking downtown Dallas. This premier outdoor venue includes a heated infinity pool, comfortable lounge seating, cabanas, a full-service bar, LCD HDTVs and fabulous food. Let the breeze carry you away as you relax around the built-in fire pit. At night, enjoy the mesmerizing lights of the city as they reflect off of the infinity pool. Sure to become a staple among locals, first-time guests and visitors alike, the Uptown Terrace is the crown jewel of the hotel.
We can all give thanks to the "hungry West Texas rancher [who] had a hankerin’ for some really great food," so he opened the Reata.
Courtesy of the Reata
310 Houston St., Fort Worth
The Reata in Fort Worth's Sundance Square not only offers a rooftop patio, but in the unfortunate case of a Dallas cold snap, you can hunker down in the glass domed dining room and still enjoy the view with one of their Billionaire Margaritas.
Vetted Well's patio in The Cedars is a gorgeous spot to have a cocktail before catching a movie at Alamo Drafthouse below.
Kevin Marple
1005 S. Lamar St. (The Cedars), vettedwell.com
This karaoke haunt atop The Cedars' Alamo Drafthouse offers not just one patio to enjoy the skyline, but two. Their front patio is directly off the restaurant and bar area, but sit back and relax with a boilermaker on the back patio and watch a movie on the wall, or just take in the view.
Urban Crust has a patio with a view of downtown Plano.
Courtesy of Urban Crust
1006 E .15th St., Plano
Head north for sweeping views of downtown Plano. Complete with a full bar, the patio also offers their wood-fired pizzas, which, after a drink or two, you may need so you can navigate down the seemingly endless stairs.
Mirador's views of downtown go well with their stellar upscale food.
Tim Cox
1608 Elm St. (Downtown)
At one of the hottest new restaurants in town, you'll need a reservation to enjoy this patio, which offers sweeping views of the hustle and bustle in downtown Dallas. It's not technically on a roof, per se, but you'll forget that detail after a few minutes on this gorgeous patio. Located above the chic Forty Five Ten boutique, skip the elevators and take the stairs to take in a view of this chic shopping locale.
