In our quest to survey Dallas’ finest, we asked bar managers, drinkers and event organizers one question: What makes a good bar in Dallas? The consensus? Drinks aren’t enough. Location remains one of the biggest factors in a bar’s success. Over the past year, two neighborhoods have stood out: Bishop Arts and Knox Henderson.
According to Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission records, drinking in Dallas ain’t dead. We still love our booze, and plenty of it, but we’re tiring of money grabs.
“Flex culture is dying and individuality and storytelling is on the rise,” says DJ Alexander Chase, a 15-year nightlife veteran. “Bars like Atlas, Milo Butterfingers or even Columbian Country Club are thriving right now because they tell a story and allow space for individuality and conversations, versus who you are and what you do.”
It’s not just what you're serving. It’s who is serving it, how, to whom, for what price and whether the quality and ambiance are worth coming back for. Dallas drinkers, for the most part, want more than ring-light ready setups and buzz with the lifespan of a fly. Dallas wants to have fun, but more than that, Dallas wants connection.
The see-and-be-seen, flashy bottle service culture is fading. In its place, Dallas’ most passionate and talented spirits purveyors are raising the bar — pun intended — on quality, craftsmanship and skill. The city’s bar scene spans specialty bars with national cred, to hole-in-the-wall haunts, swanky rooftop lounges, essential Irish pubs and those vital mainstays that fuel our sanity.
We scoured the city to find the style, substance and heart, places where you can get a drink that not only looks good, but tastes good, too, ideally paired with some conversation worth having. This year’s list honors bars fueling neighborhood rebirths and third places where identity, integrity and intentionality and novelty so undeniably Dallas collide. — Desiree Gutierrez
The Dallas Dozen, Ranked
When we think about the best bars in Dallas, we like to think of the bars that make Dallas great. A mix of refined dives, classic cocktails, that unique Big D panache with a touch of sexy mystique. Here are a dozen of the best bars in Dallas, ranked. Below that, you'll find the remaining top 100 bars in Big D.
- Tiny Victories, Oak Cliff/South Dallas
- Double Wide, Downtown/Deep Ellum
- Ruins, Downtown/Deep Ellum
- The Old Monk, Knox-Henderson
- Katy Trail Ice House, Uptown/Oak Lawn
- Apothecary, Lower Greenville
- Black Swan Saloon, East Dallas & Lakewood
- The Grapevine Bar, Uptown/Oak Lawn
- Ayahuasca, Oak Cliff/South Dallas
- Mike's Gemini Twin, The Cedars
- Cosmo’s Bar & Lounge, East Dallas & Lakewood
- Lakewood Landing, East Dallas & Lakewood
Dive Bars
Dallas has an excellent dive bar scene. The original honkey tonk, Adair's Saloon, opened in 1963, followed by Inwood Tavern in 1964, which might seem long in the tooth, but not compared to Ships Lounge, which opened in 1947. Newer places like The Peak Inn and Brick and Bones still have that nonchalant grit that makes for the perfect setting for a dark beer in a dark bar. Here are our favorites:
- Adair's Saloon, Downtown/Deep Ellum
- Angry Dog, Downtown/Deep Ellum
- Barbara's Pavilion, Oak Cliff/South Dallas
- Brick & Bones, Downtown/Deep Ellum
- The Dallasite, East Dallas & Lakewood
- Hidden Door, Uptown/Oak Lawn
- Inwood Tavern, Park Cities
- Lee Harvey's, The Cedars
- The Old Crow, Lower Greenville
- The Peak Inn, East Dallas & Lakewood
- Ships Lounge, Lower Greenville
- Single Wide, Lower Greenville
- Sue Ellen's, Uptown/Oak Lawn
Neighborhood Bars
Neighborhood bars aren't quite as dark and brooding as dive bars, but not as loud as a sports bar or a club. These are low-key places, often with great food, and always a seat waiting for you. Anyone is welcome, all the time.
- The Dubliner, Lower Greenville
- Hideaway on Henderson, Knox-Henderson
- The Ivy Tavern, Park Cities
- La Reunion, Bishop Arts District
- The Libertine Bar, Lower Greenville
- Roy G's, Uptown/Oak Lawn
- The Wild Detectives, Bishop Arts District
Cold Beer Here
Craft beer certainly has come a long way in the past decade and many local bars keep local suds on tap, not because its trendy rather its what they like. Several pubs also keep a nice roster of imports as well. If you want to have your Guiness poured properly or get the latest local hazy IPA, here are the best options:
- Cold Beer Company, Downtown/Deep Ellum
- Community Beer Company, The Design District
- Dot's Hop House & Cocktail Courtyard, Downtown/Deep Ellum
- Four Corners Brewing Co., The Cedars
- Meyboom Brasserie, Lower Greenville
- Pegasus City Brewery Downtown, Downtown/Deep Ellum
- Peticolas Brewing Co., The Design District
- The Skellig, Knox-Henderson
- Spider Murphy's, Lower Greenville
- Strangeways, East Dallas & Lakewood
Cocktail Bars
A properly mixed cocktail is a laborious work of art, as anyone who has ever tried to make their own rosemary syrup can attest. Life's too short to waste your day on a balance you'll never achieve; let's these bars do it for you:
- Atlas, Bishop Arts District
- Bar Colette, Uptown/Oak Lawn
- Bernie's, Park Cities
- Bowen House, Uptown/Oak Lawn
- Boxcar, Uptown/Oak Lawn
- The Branca Room, Bishop Arts District
- Coupes, Uptown/Oak Lawn
- Ginger's, Downtown/Deep Ellum
- Goose Bar, Lower Greenville
- Jettison, West Dallas
- KessakuDowntown/Deep Ellum
- Midnight Rambler, Downtown/Deep Ellum
- The Mitchell, Downtown/Deep Ellum
- Parliament, Uptown/Oak Lawn
- Saint Valentine, East Dallas & Lakewood
- Whiskeys, Expo Park
Sports Bars
Dallas is a sports town, and we love to gather to root on our teams, even if that's a Love Island watch party. If you need sound up, and don't want to hassle with a bartender who doesn't know how to work the remote, hit these spots.
- Bar W, Uptown/Oak Lawn
- Barcadia, East Dallas & Lakewood
- Christies Sports Bar and Grill, Lower Greenville
- Dallas Woody's, Uptown/Oak Lawn
- Happiest Hour, Victory Park
- Mayer's Garden, East Dallas & Lakewood
- Milo Butterfingers, East Dallas & Lakewood
- Stan's Blue Note, Lower Greenville
Bars with Music
Wonder where the local music is? These places. Go to them. Support our local music scene and make some new friends.
- The Balcony Club, East Dallas & Lakewood
- Charlie's Star Lounge, Downtown/Deep Ellum
- The Goat, East Dallas & Lakewood
- The Green Elephant, East Dallas & Lakewood
- LadyLove Lounge and Sound, Bishop Arts District
- Louie Louie's Piano Bar, Downtown/Deep Ellum
- The Nines, Downtown/Deep Ellum
- Opening Bell Coffee, Oak Cliff/South Dallas
- Poor David's Pub, Oak Cliff/South Dallas
- Revelers Hall, Bishop Arts District
- RL's Blues Palace, Oak Cliff/South Dallas
- Round-Up Saloon, Uptown/Oak Lawn
- The Rustic, East Dallas & Lakewood
- Sandaga 813, Expo Park
- Sundown at Granada, Lower Greenville
- Three Links, Downtown/Deep Ellum
- Twilite Lounge, Downtown/Deep Ellum
Bars with Great Food
Below are all the bars that we could easily slide into our top 100 restaurants lists. It's a hard thing to distinguish between a bar with great food or a restaurant with a superior bar. Alas, we persist. Here are the best bars to hit when you need more than a hot dog (if you're looking for just a martini and hot dog, then of course you'll go to Mike's Gemini Twin.)
- Alamo Club, Lower Greenville
- Alexandre's, Uptown/Oak Lawn
- Armoury D.E., Downtown/Deep Ellum
- Henry's Majestic, West Dallas
- Hugo's Seafood Bar, Bishop Arts District
- HIDE, Lower Greenville
- Leela's Wine Bar, Lower Greenville
- Rayo Bar & Lounge, Expo Park
- Rodeo Cold, East Dallas & Lakewood
- St. Pete's Dancing Marlin, Downtown/Deep Ellum
- Thomas Avenue Beverage Co., Uptown/Oaklawn
- Truck Yard, East Dallas & Lakewood
- Ye Olde Scarlet Pumpernickel Tavern, Downtown
Club Vibes
Zzzz-zzz-zzz. Sometimes you just want — negatory, need — to hit the club. Dallas definitely has some high-end club scenes, and here are our favorites.
- Catbird, Downtown/Deep Ellum
- Columbian Country Club, East Dallas & Lakewood
- Double D's, The Design District
- Off the Record Craft Beer & Vinyl, Downtown/Deep Ellum
