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The only better thing under the sun for mankind than to eat, drink and be merry is to eat, drink and be merry all in the same place. In Dallas, hundreds of amazing restaurants that are obviously in on this secret roll the finest things in life into one incredible evening. With world-class chefs pampering everyone’s taste buds from the moment happy hour begins and courteous bartenders intoxicating the masses, there seems to be little reason to ever leave a restaurant. Many places further tempt people to blow off their post-dinner club-hopping plans by opening up the stage to some of the best acts in Dallas. Greenville Avenue Seafood and Jazz blends authentic Cajun cuisine with sultry live jazz music for those who want to dine in a sexy, classy atmosphere, whereas Adair’s Saloon is packed from lunch on with young and old dining on incredible burgers and listening to gritty blends of country and rock. For casual folks, there’s an amazing Tex-Mex place with a swimming pool, or there are also several Irish pubs that serve some of the best Guinness Stew with a chaser of jukebox hits.
Adair's Saloon
2624 Commerce St., Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.939.9900
It's a little bit of country and a little bit of rock n' roll that make Adair's Saloon come to life as one of the better bars in Dallas. Live country music and great burgers make the dive bar a prime destination for college kids and cowgirls. There's the essential pool table and shuffleboard in the back that get more action on busy nights, but usually Adair's Saloon is a prime Dallas lunch spot due to their half-pound burgers. Snagging a bar stool at the main bar is ideal, but the booths in the back by the pool table allow for better conversation and people walking. Adair's is a little bit of classic Texas wrapped up in one Dallas bar.
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Bailey's 1st & 10 Sports Bar
6465 E. Mockingbird Ln., Ste. 316, Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.828.0055
When it's time for a Mavericks or Cowboys game, locals know to head over to the Eastside of Dallas in the Hillside neighborhood to catch the game at Bailey's. The sports bar isn't glamorous but that makes it all the better to watch sports, swig beers and buy ribs by the pound. If sports fans aren't in the mood for a slab of meat with their pitcher of beer from the bar, Bailey's also offers nachos, burgers, sandwiches and an array of fried Dallas favorites. Grab a seat in the corner and cozy up with a pitcher and chicken wings to settle in at the sports bar for a game.
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Barley House
5612 Yale Blvd., Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.824.0306
Open every day of the week, the Barley House is Dallas' go-to place for a good time, live music and specials. The bar brings in local Dallas and Texas area bands as well as national touring acts, but the local guys and girls are really the ones to see. When there isn't a band playing live music, bar flies are able to get up and try their hand in front of the crowd crooning karaoke songs or it can just be a kick back night at the bar with great food offered by the adjoining East Side Grill. The low-key nights are the ones to take advantage of the pool table and video games, and with over 60 types of beer on tap, there will always be enough beer to drink at the Dallas bar.
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British Rose Restaurant & Pub
8989 Forest Ln., Ste. 100, Dallas, TX; Tel. 972.690.8340
A family restaurant during the day and raucous bar at night, British Rose Restaurant and Pub takes care of the local Dallas urge for drinking in a European pub atmosphere. A British flag is among the decorations meant to make the pub feel a little more like it's from across the Atlantic than from across the south border. There is English fare on the menu like shepherd's pie or fish and chips but the cuisine is alongside Dallas favorites like nachos and chicken fried steak. Dallas families come in for dinner and only get a hint ant the drinking that starts when happy hour does. When the families are out, the real bar fun starts on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights when there's karaoke!
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Cosmo Restaurant & Bar
1212 Skillman St., Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.826.4200
Right in the middle of a Dallas neighborhood, Cosmo Restaurant and Bar is a favorite with locals who can have a short walk to their neighborhood haunt. A fireplace and great mood lighting make the bar a nice place to relax over the signature cosmo in a large glass while listening to hits come one after the other from the jukebox. The trendy Lakewood crowd takes over the bar on nights and weekends with martinis in hand. Come early for prime seating and to munch on decidedly delicious gourmet pizzas that are made when you order.
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Dubliner
2818 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.818.0911
As one of the best Irish pubs in Dallas, the Dubliner offers 32 Scotch and Irish whiskeys, ale and cider on tap and numerous beers by the bottle from around the world. On top of all the booze at the bar they also offers authentic Irish pub fare like the Welsh rarebit and typical American pub grub like the club sandwich. There's always plenty of room to sit at with a 30-foot mahogany bar except on St. Patrick's Day when the bar extends its capacity with a tent and several extra bars making the celebration one of the greatest in Dallas. The front patio is a nice place to sit and enjoy a pint while watching traffic go by if it gets to be too much inside with all the Irish energy.
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Frankie's Sports Bar
3227 McKinney Ave., Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.999.8932
For a life size view of the Dallas Cowboys and other athletes, Frankie's Sports Bar will hook it up with their enormous television and projection screens. The hip neighborhood hangout has almost every sporting event—the bar certainly has enough TVs to entertain them all—from all over the nation. True sports fans can even bring their laptops to use the free Wi-Fi and look up information about their Dallas, Texas teams. Frankie's offers great happy hour deals—free pizza on Tuesday nights—plus other fun activities like video games, pool and more. Also, don't forget to stop by for the sports bar's awesome Sunday brunch with everything from Quarterback Scramblers to Darryl Strawberry Waffles. Even your Sunday morning hangover will say, "Yum."
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Gingerman
2718 Boll St., Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.754.8771
Taking in the good life is easy at Gingerman where over 70 beers are on tap, fine wine and cigars are offered plus there are fabulous food accompaniments. The Dallas location is the second in he Gingerman chain and has pioneered friendly service for the bar and restaurant. After enjoying a few beers or glasses of wine the menu is a good list to reference with snacks and sandwiches. A "Beer Companion" plate offers mixed cheeses, salami, olives, pickles, fresh fruit and a sliced baguette that can be enjoyed in the beer garden, or for those who need a little more, try the bratwurst sandwich. There's no way to go wrong at the Dallas location of Gingerman's with their great food and bar.
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Greenville Avenue Seafood and Jazz
2104 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.826.6376
Live jazz every night of the week makes Greenville Avenue Seafood and Jazz a nice place to go, but the authentic Cajun cuisine makes it excellent. The lower Greenville restaurant has quite the menu with appetizers like alligator cheesecake—savory cheesecake with alligator meat—or entrees like crawfish ettoufee—crawfish tail meat with a creamy sassafras sauce—among others that are all Cajun classics. The bar serves up a nice selection of wine and beer to accompany the restaurant selections and a comprehensive dessert menu is sure to end the night on a sweet note.
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J. Pepe's
3619 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.821.6431
Boasting Tex-Mex with a swimming pool, there's nothing better than good food and a great way to cool off on a hot day than going to J. Pepe's right in the middle of Greenville Avenue. The restaurant has a full menu of delicious Tex-Mex cuisine as well as a full bar with killer margaritas. In front and out back of the restaurant there are huge patios for plenty of outside seating that often host the live music on weekends. J. Pepe's brings Mexican resort hotels to Dallas with their unique restaurant, bar and swimming pool combination that is any party goer's dream. Bring your floaties though, after one too many margaritas there's no lifeguard to save you.
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JR's Bar & Grill
3923 Cedar Springs Rd., Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.528.1004
Old meets new—décor that is—in JR's Bar and Grill where Dallas gays and lesbians congregate to chow on pub grub and dance like there's no tomorrow. Each night has its own unique theme like Monday's "Queer Factor"—an eating contest—or the Tuesday and Thursday drag show. Pool tables and wireless internet are available for those who aren't feeling the bar vibe, but there's a lot to be felt. The multi-level Dallas bar and restaurant has plenty of places to hang out and people watch with a cocktail in hand. Regardless of orientation, the bar is a friendly place to make your neighborhood bar.
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Loon Bar & Grill
3531 McKinney Ave., Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.521.9598
Known for above average bar food and some of the stiffest drinks in Dallas, the Loon Bar and Grill is a place in the trendy West Village where trends don't matter. Probably because after a couple drinks, nothing matters as much. Somehow the Loon still remains the kind of bar where the tragically hip head when they need a bite to eat or are looking for a low-key night out in Dallas. The menu is infused with Italian flare and dishes right along typical Texas favorites like chicken fried steaks and burgers. The Dallas bar is the perfect place for all types of people to hang out whether or not they're from the West Village. With so many hipsters around, there's an awesome singles scene to take a part of in the dim lighting.
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McKinney Avenue Tavern
2822 McKinney Ave., Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.969.1984
When there's a Texas game on, McKinney Avenue Tavern fills up with local Dallas Uptowners looking to watch the game while getting a bite to eat and a drink at the bar. American bar food like appetizers, burgers and sandwiches are served up hot from the kitchen to keep sports fans fat and happy. Happy hours take off the sting of the price for drinks but food—like a platter of cheese sticks, jalapeno poppers, buffalo wings and chicken strips for four people—still has to be paid for. Good, friendly service at the bar, over 30 televisions and an outside patio can easily accommodate even the most fervent Dallas sports fans.
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Press Box Grill
1623 Elm St., Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.747.8226
American fare and cold beer go together like bread and butter at the Press Box Grill in Downtown Dallas. Everybody from white to blue-collared workers feel comfortable at the bar after work to grad a burger and a drink before heading home or spending the night out on the town. The historic building that houses the Press Box Grill has dark wood and a newspaper motif that light up with the sun that shines through the bar's windows. Items on the menu are all under 13 dollars and are hearty portions of salads, sandwiches, burgers, steak and chicken entrees. The Press Box is the quintessential neighborhood bar with good food and good drinks every night of the week.
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Spike Global Grill
5312 E. Mockingbird Ln., Ste. 100, Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.288.8882
A casual lunch menu and sophisticated dinner menu of tapas, salads, desserts, appetizers and entrees make Spike Global Grill a great place to stop for a bite in Dallas. The restaurant and bar separates diners from the singles collected around the bar so those enjoying a date can whisper sweet nothings over their tiger shrimp tapas. There are several weekly events that the Dallas bar often hosts like "Rhumba Dallas" on Fridays or an old school and retro Tuesday night. Residents of the surrounding Loft and Phoenix housing get drink specials on Monday nights which up the ante for going to the bar and grill.
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Stout
1924 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.828.6262
Every weekday until 9pm the British restaurant and bar, Stout, has happy hour prices that lure Dallas businesspeople to the bar after work. When it's not the great prices that make the bar so tempting, it's the fabulous beer selection and British ambiance that sends Dallas citizens back to their pre-pilgrim roots. Stained glass, dark wood and leather manage to project class and authenticity throughout the large bar. A pool table in the back and a few dartboards give other entertainment options than ordering something from the menu or mingling around the bar. A nice start out Stout before a night out on the town could be just what the doctor ordered.
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Ten Sports Grill
1302 Main St., Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.748.1010
The one place in Downtown Dallas that has it all, Ten Sports Grill has awesome pub grub, a great atmosphere, good drink specials and of course so a ton of televisions with Texas teams and national sports on. Pool tables and other sports bar activities keep the singles around the bar busy when they aren't watching sports or stuffing their faces. Happy hour is Monday through Friday from 11am until 7pm offering food and drink specials at the bar. Ten Sports Grill serves tasty dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner with many choices of pasta, Tex-Mex and regular ol' pub favorites like juicy burgers and golden fries. The bartenders are friendly and make a mean martini. Dallas' Ten Sports Grill is a bar that stands a head above all the rest in Downtown Dallas.
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The Beagle
1806 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.824.8767
Two levels plus an outside rooftop patio at The Beagle allow for plenty of room to gallivant when it's not too crowded. The first floor offers a sports bar atmosphere with a full bar, TV screens, dartboards, foosball and a pool table to keep Dallas sports fans happy. Up the stairs on the next level there are seven more pool tables, another bar and a VIP lounge to kick it. To enjoy the downtown Dallas night air and a great view, the rooftop patio is the place to get a breath of fresh air. Before the bar gets packed with party people and sports fans, The Beagle offers a menu with appetizers, pizza, burgers and other bar food from hot off the grill. Happy hour is the best time to stop by and keep your wallet full.
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The City Tavern
1402 Main St., Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.698.8550
It can be a little overwhelming having to decide what to eat or drink at City Tavern with so many beer, wine and menu options. The good news is that the service is friendly and can help make the decision easier… or why not just get one of everything? When there isn't live rock or country at The City Tavern, the TVs take away the attention with Dallas Cowboys, the Rockets or another sports game on. The antique jukebox is also a main attraction at the Dallas bar that welcomes everyone. After work, local Dallas folks come to the bar for a drink and a bite to eat before a rowdier crowd takes over in the evening. Both crowds make The City Tavern worth a visit to see what the best bar in Dallas should be like.
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Tipperary Inn
5815 Live Oak St., Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.821.6500
The Tipperary Inn offers a night off from typical Dallas bars by transporting customers to classic Ireland with a pub focused on good values—friendly drinking—and live Irish music. The Tipp has a sister bar on the other side of the building, McCarthy's Pub, that offers a little different taste or Ireland, more TVs and an outside patio for smokers. When enjoying a nice pint of Guiness, remember that there's nothing that goes better with the dark beer than one of the fine Irish dishes offered on the bar's menu like shepherd's pie or the Irish bacon burger. Monday nights have karaoke because, hey, even the Irish like to sing lyrics from a screen for a full bar.
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Trinity Hall
5321 E. Mockingbird Ln, Ste. 250, Dallas, TX; Tel. 214.997.3600
Dark wood and the savory scent of lamb stew, corned beef and cabbage and of course shepherd's pie make Trinity Hall feel like the pub is straight out of Ireland minus the smoke. An outside patio is the only place to smoke, but it's also a great environment to enjoy a pint of beer with friends in the Dallas night air. Trinity Hall prides itself on the selection of beer, wine, whiskey and even coffee that they offer even having a tasting that includes the alcohols every month. Monday nights are free poker nights to play tournaments for fun, or just come to enjoy the friendly bartenders and neighborhood characters.
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—Dallas bar and club reviews by Alanna Lee
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