The Loon

Open 365 days a year, this popular dive bar and grill just off McKinney Avenue in the West Village is a hit with all the neighboring apartments, condos and lofts, as well as anyone who's able to take the McKinney Avenue Trolley. And it's no wonder The Loon is so popular with folks in the neighborhood -- who don't have to drive -- because it has a very solid reputation for having bartenders with some of the longest pours in Dallas. "Stiffest of the stiff," one regular says. "Just a splash of Coke." Food specials are scratched on chalkboards scattered throughout the establishment, and the thin-crust pizza, plates of pasta and thick hamburgers are the most popular menu items. It's worth noting that this windowless bar is in a strip near a dentist's office and a Subway. Bring quarters to play pool or the jukebox, and forget what's going on outside -- you can't even tell if it's raining.