During one of my meals at Union Bear (pictured above), downstairs at the basement bar, I sat next to two bros who were swilling suds between repeated runs to their truck out front to smoke a joint. They were characters, and after every beer they finished they spent a less than optimal amount of time deciding what their next optimal brew would be.
The bartender working that evening was completely professional, pouring sample after sample of beer, listening to tasting preferences and doing his best to pair these brew-bros with their desired beverage. He was a patient man.
Here are some other bars in Dallas where I've found the bartenders willing and enthusiastic when trying to help you pick out your drink. There's no better way to find your new favorite beer.
Eno's It makes sense that beer explorations is just as enjoyable at Eno's, the Oak Cliff pizza restaurant owned by the same group that opened Union Bear. If you don't want to sit in an Uptown basement, check out Eno's upstairs bar and ask one of the bartenders what looks good tonight. The resulting procession of amber tumblers will have you on your way in no time.
Goodfriend In addition to being one of the best bars in Dallas, Goodfriend has a great selection of beer. Have a seat at the horseshoe and engage your neighbors. If you don't find a friend in your glass you can always find one sitting next to you.
The Ginger Man Here is a bar that's built in a house that keeps Uptown lubricated. The music that plays out back is most often terrible, but the beer selection is decent, and they have a great front porch. On quiet evenings the Ginger Man is a great low-key place to drink beer.
The Common Table The patio is amazing, and the lists of beers seem to shift like the weather at this bar in Uptown. Special events through the week showcase rare and exciting brews that are hard to find, and the patio out front is outstanding.
Meddlesome Moth If chef David McMillan gets the food at this Design District pub half as good as it was at the Screen Door, the Meddlesome Moth will hands down be the best beer bar in all of Dallas. All of the bars in this list have food that can be terrible at times (with the exception of Goodfriend's burgers) and I'm amazed that more beer bars don't expend more effort on the cuisine.
I stopped in the Moth a few weeks ago, and the menu hasn't changed much, but I noticed the french fries had improved greatly. Here's hoping the trend continues and speeds up.
Katy Trail Ice House The Ice House has the largest run of Texas taps I've seen since moving to the Lone Star State. That makes this place worthy of a few beers all on its own. When the weather is nice the massive patio doesn't hurt things either.
