The 10 Best Dallas-Fort Worth Patios That Host Live Music

OK, so Dallas tends to get a little hot in the summer. And by hot we mean "so goddamn hot we're starting to hallucinate; please hand me another beer." But don't let that obscure one key perk to living here: year-round patio season. That's right, whether it's the dead of "winter" (say, 50 degrees out) or peak summer death march, there's always a patio with your name on it. Better yet, there's almost always a patio with live music happening. These 10 venues are the best spots to catch music and a little outdoor time all at once.
10. Gas Monkey Bar & Grill

Situated way far out on I-35, it's easy to forget about Gas Monkey Bar & Grill, what with its bigger, fancier younger sibling, Gas Monkey Live!, right across the street. But the original Bar & Grill (or GMBNG, if you prefer mouthful acronyms) has one thing going for it: its patio. Situated on an I-can't-believe-it's-man-made lake, it's as picturesque a patio as you're liable to find hosting live music in DFW. And, like its sibling, it has a kick-ass sound system too. Jeff Gage

10261 Technology Blvd. E., Dallas, gasmonkeybarngrill.com

9. Sundown at Granada

There is something going on at Sundown at Granada every night. DJs, bands, movies, dating games, drunken shenanigans — everything is happening at this Greenville Avenue spot, and that’s just the way the crew at the Granada likes it. Pro tip: When your show at the Granada ends, head directly to Sundown; they do a hell of a job programming acts to correspond with whomever you just saw play. Who knows, you might just discover your next favorite band. Jaime-Paul Falcon

3520 Greenville Ave., Dallas, sundowndfw.com
8. Harvest House

Harvest House burst onto the Denton scene in March 2015, during the return of 35 Denton, and quickly made a name for itself as one of the most exciting aspects of the festival. The patio brings to mind Dallas’ The Foundry, with a heavy dose of Austin’s The Mohawk thrown in, and it’s quickly become the spot to catch a band and a beer in Denton. Much like Denton’s thriving downtown, there’s really nowhere to go but up for Harvest House. JPF

331 E. Hickory St., Denton, dentonharvesthouse.com
7. Lee Harvey's

A friend of mine recently recounted a story where she was with some friends catching a band perform on the outdoor stage and a rather confused older lady walked up to her to ask if she was at a — clutch your pearls — “GAY BAR.” To which my friend responded, “No, it’s just a bar.” That sums up Lee Harvey’s perfectly: It’s just a bar, with just a stage, with just some of the best live music in town. JPF

1807 Gould St., Dallas, leeharveys.com


6. The Rustic

The Rustic’s patio offers a lot more than just live music. Co-owner and Texas country singer Pat Green billed the establishment as a restaurant first, a bar second and a music venue third, which has made it a hot-spot in Dallas any day and time of the week. Whether you’re in for the family-style Sunday brunch or the locally sourced menu, boasting their twist on Southern classics and a choice of 40 beers on tap (most of which are local breweries), while taking in local music on most nights of the week and even the occasional large national act that comes through — The Rustic and its patio have it all covered. Mikel Galicia

3656 Howell St., Dallas, therustic.com

5. Shipping & Receiving

I know man, Fort Worth seems so far. But you are missing out if you haven’t checked out this Panther City jewel. Fort Worth is its own animal that’s hard to describe, and honestly pretty bewildering to most. Shipping & Receiving is a unique spot for a very unique city — they're a perfect fit for each other. Nestled into the same complex as Niles City Sound, it's also ripe for Leon Bridges sightings; he played there just last month.  JPF

201 S. Calhoun St., Fort Worth, facebook.com/thebaronthenearsouthside
4. Dan’s Silverleaf

Denton’s best venue is home to its best patio, where not only are political moves planned and festivals booked, but there’s occasionally one hell of a show, especially when home favorites Hares on the Mountain take over the stage and it becomes their personal mad house. A shocking number of large acts have graced the stage over the years and the patio has become the place to spot a celebrity running around Denton. Sinbad, Michael Cera receiving a piggyback ride and Jason Lee have all been spotted on that patio, and that’s barely the beginning of who’s been there. JPF

103 N. Industrial St., Denton, danssilverleaf.com
3. The Foundry

Sharing a wide-open gravel patio with Chicken Scratch, it's tempting to spend an afternoon at The Foundry with your favorite drinks and some fried chicken. But in recent years, The Foundry has taken to hosting some damn fine shows on Friday and Saturday nights, which can make for an interesting mashup of people. Now, local bookers Parade of Flesh handle the talent coming in, but it’s not like they did so bad on their own. This is, after all, the first place that Sturgill Simpson played in Dallas. JPF

2303 Pittman St., Dallas, cs-tf.com
2. Twilite Lounge

Oh, I don't know, man, maybe the patio that just hosted a free Old 97's show deserves to sit near the top of a list of the best patios to catch a show? I mean, that might just be me, but few patios on this list have the pull to bring in such a high-profile performance from such a beloved group. Makes you wonder how they’re going to top this in the future, but knowing how the bar operates, the sky’s the limit. JPF

2640 Elm St., Dallas, thetwilitelounge.com
1. Club Dada

The best concert patio in Deep Ellum is also, not surprisingly, the best concert patio in DFW. Dada's patio has gone a little under-utilized in the past year or so — save for the Dallas Observer Music Awards last December, Courtney Barnett's show there in June 2015 was one of the latest highlights — but new booker Moody Fuqua is set on changing that. And none too soon, because standing on the cobblestones under the tree on Dada's patio is a DFW music fan's rite of passage. And with a newly renovated stage, sound system and picnic tables, that rite comes with a whole new set of perks. JG

2720 Elm St., Dallas, dadadallas.com