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1917 Greenville Ave. Dallas, TX 75206
214-821-1700
http://www.180degreesdallas.com It’s pretty straightforward: A direct shot to the back of the club, a big bar and a DJ booth are the offerings of 180 Degrees. Spinning Top 40 and hip-hop off lower Greenville Thursday through Saturday, the club draws a typical younger pack looking to party. The bar top itself lends color to the joint, pulsing green, red and orange, and the kitchen serves a selection of tacos, burgers, hot dogs and wings late into the night. Special evenings include “My Ice Got Ice” Saturday nights and “Spin It, Flip It, Smack It” Thursdays. More >>
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2826 Elm Street Dallas, TX 75226
http://www.club2826.com The slogan that provides this casual Deep Ellum bar its name is painted in big, bold letters above the long, full-service bar: "Absolutely Reluctant 'N Everything That Is Conforming." Opened summer 2010, Arnetic certainly doesn't conform to the current crop of Deep Ellum haunts – it's more reminiscent of the hodgepodge art/venue spaces that studded Deep Ellum in the early '90s. Works by local artists cover the walls, with offerings ranging from abstract pieces to heavily stylized paintings of the Dallas skyline to metal sculptures, all of which are for sale. And a convenient "art menu" lists the names of each piece, the artist and the price. There's a large elevated stage for bands opposite the bar and a back nook with mirrors, leather couches and more art. More >>
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16
3805 Belt Line Rd. Addison, TX 75001
972-620-7700
http://3hundred.com Addison's 300 Dallas is a 45,000-square-foot entertainment destination featuring pool tables, video games, air hockey tables and more than 30 "state of the art" bowling lanes. Featuring the "Xtreme Bowling" lighting and sound system, with music video screens at the end of each lane, 300 Dallas is not your grandpa's bowling alley. There's a full-service bar, a lane-dedicated wait staff and an executive chef in the kitchen, too. Thanks to its size, it can host up to 1,400 guests. The complex specializes in group events for everything from company meetings to team-building events to birthday and holiday parties. Club 300 also offers a private bowling suite with six lanes for guests. More >>
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7
2929 Crockett St. Fort Worth, TX 76107
817-820-0909
http://www.7th-haven.com Arguably the best rooftop bar in town, 7th Haven makes up for in drink prices what it lacks in panache. Always a place to find a good special, the place is dark and smoky. But with a back patio and roof complete with side bar, there's plenty of space for fresh air too. Paintings of Jim Morrison, Lenny Kravitz and Bob Marley adorn the walls, and two big screens stream sports news and entertainment all night. Booth and table seating complement the long bar, manned by a friendly staff, and best of all, Taco Heads taco stand provides great food late nights Wednesday through Saturday
on the back deck. More >>
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111 E. 3rd Fort Worth, TX 76102
817-336-0880
http://www.eightobar.com/ 8.0 Bar is one of the more popular bars in Fort Worth. Its crowded Sundance Square location might have something to do with it, but the bar's owners would argue there are many reasons to visit this downtown mainstay: lunch, dinner, a full bar and live music from some of the area's most popular rock bands on the huge outdoor patio. Another draw: Inside, the walls are covered with compelling murals painted by local artists. More >>
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5
2905 W. Berry St. Fort Worth, TX 76109
817-926-7814
http://the-aardvark.com Located around the corner from Texas Christian University, it's no surprise this rock club has Greek appeal. But housed in the same historic strip that was home to The Hop and Rail, it books the best locals in the Golden Triangle, plus the occasional road show. More >>
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101 W. Hickory Denton, TX 76201
940-566-5483
Located on the southeast corner of Denton's Historic Courthouse Square, The Abbey Inn is one of Little D's most popular English pubs. And in keeping with a traditional English pub theme, the beer tap is crammed with imported ales and lagers. Not quite so authentically British is their serving temperature: a frosty 29 degrees. Judging by the beer selection and decor, it's clear that the owners have put a lot of thought into the details of the place, including antique 19th Century church pews. Looking for a brunch spot? Head to Abbey Inn for $2 mimosas on Sundays. More >>
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16
1409 S. Lamar St. #008 Dallas, TX 75215
214-941-9338
http://absinthelounge.net If you're out on a date and want to avoid the hubbub of dance and rock clubs, head to Absinthe. It's also the ideal spot to wait out the inevitable traffic jams following Palladium shows. Comfy couches, moody lighting and a rotating lineup of down-tempo DJs on Fridays and Saturdays and jazz bands on Tuesdays through Thursdays make this a nice spot to chill with company. Plus, thanks to the recent U.S. legalization of the liquor from which the bar takes its name, you can have the bartender impress your date with the ritualized presentation of an absinthe cocktail. Be warned, though, they're almost as strong as they are pricey. More >>
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2
5625 Yale Blvd. Dallas, TX 75206
214-363-0660
http://www.acrossthestreetbar.com The Across the Street Bar was named for its location on SMU Boulevard on the other side of Central Expressway from Southern Methodist University, and the auto-garage-turned-bar-and-venue does see its fair share of college students. But it also draws folks from the surrounding area. This Upper Greenville no-frills bar, venue and billiards parlor is in a great location that's seen a recent facelift with several new lofts, restaurants and businesses moving into the area. And, like its sister bar, SMU Boulevard Ice House, Across the Street Bar is known for its cheap pitchers of draft beer. The bar regularly features local musicians and acts on its stage, and for more than 15 years the bar has hosted drum jams on Wednesday nights. More >>
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17
2613 Ross Ave. at Routh Street Dallas, TX 75201
214-754-7050
http://www.ad-libs.com Improvisational comedy competition troupe bases its award-winning show on a series of improvisational scenes, skits and professional comedians. Reservations suggested. Must be at least 19 years. More >>
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71
2624 Commerce St. Dallas, TX 75226
214-939-9900
http://adairssaloon.com There are loads of generic honky-tonks all over the metroplex. They have giant dance floors where the Wranglers-wearing masses spend their weekends dancing to country bands that don't venture far from their top 40 playlists. Adair's Saloon has virtually nothing in common with these places. Consider it the CBGB’s of honky-tonks. A small, well-worn dance floor stretches from one overly decorated wall to another. Local country acts The King Bucks and Boys Name Sue regularly whip line-dancing regulars into a frenzy with their take on old country standards and hilarious originals. But if you don't feel much like dancing, Adair's Saloon has one of the best burgers in town, and plenty of cold Lone Star beer to help wash it down. More >>
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1
4578 Belt Line Road Dallas, TX 75254
972-661-2230
http://www.addisonpointbar.net It's the classic Addison burger dive for sports, great food and cheap beer. Since 1969, the well-worn tables and horseshoe bar have drawn the older regulars together with the younger college kids, where on two-dollar burger Monday nights, a bison burger and pitcher of beer run less than ten bucks. Also grilling up turkey burgers, sandwiches and salads for the lighter eaters, the menu draws a horde, as do budget-friendly shot specials on weekends. A game room partitioned in the corner competes with karaoke Thursday through Sunday nights. More >>
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1
11050 S. Pipeline Rd. Euless, TX 76040
(817) 354-7800
http://www.theaftermidnightclub.com Private club. Membership required. More >>
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1819 W. Northwest Highway Dallas, TX 75220
972-869-3200
http://www.afterlifedallas.com The scene at Afterlife recalls warehouse raves of the '80s. Since 2004, the nondescript dance house has opened only on weekends, pumping electronica and hardcore into the night off the Northwest Highway service road. Anyone age 17 and older is welcome, and the crowd is generally young. The bar is nonalcoholic, serving water, energy drinks and Gatorade to parched party animals. For larger events, the club features an outside stage and second building. Disco balls and old leather couches ornament the separate rooms. Any other decoration is extraneous, as club-goers can't take their eyes off the glow sticks tracing light among the crowd. More >>
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1114 S. Elm Street Carrollton, TX 75006
972-242-4466
http://theagaveazul.com
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4026 Cedar Springs Dallas, TX 75219
214-559-0720
This popular neighborhood bar and live music venue is located in a busy strip shopping mall in Oak Lawn, sandwiched between a Chinese restaurant and a doughnut shop, just a few doors down from a convenience store and a novelty sex shop. So the sidewalk patio out front makes for an interesting perch for late-night people-watching. Most of the art on the walls features framed record albums by artists ranging from Elton John to Nancy Sinatra, and cozy two-person booths make for a great place for an intimate conversation, but the real appeal of the place seems to be the interaction between Alexandre’s bartenders and the regulars at the full bar, which features all-day happy hours on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, as well as $3 Long Island iced teas all-day every day. Plus, the bar features live music every night but Monday. More >>
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2301 N. Central Expy. Plano, TX 75075
972-424-2300
http://www.theallenwickerspub.com/ The noble sport of soccer -- or "football" for those who actually watch it -- is notoriously ignored by most of the U.S. Not at The Allen Wickers Public House, though. Pub and soccer décor cover the walls. This Plano pub hosts soccer events of every kind, and is the official watch house for the FC Dallas Inferno team. Along with sports, the bar serves traditional pub grub -- that is, if it were run through a Southern comfort grinder. Waitstaff is particularly proud of its meatloaf/mashed potato sandwich. Just don't root against the Inferno. More >>
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122 East John Carpenter Freeway Irving, TX 75062
972-717-6100
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/alofthotels/index.html The makers of the giant W Hotel had the idea to make Aloft, a smaller boutique-style hotel with the jet-setter crowd in mind. Judging by the look of the place, they spared no expense—and that includes their WXYZ bar. Typically, hotel bars are dark, generic nooks in the lobby, but at Aloft, the bar is the lobby. Giant bay windows light large modern couches, and birch wood lines the corners of the bar as well as the ceiling. At night, the windows reflect the beautiful people gathered around the bar's fireplace, located in the center of the room. Aloft combines luxury and simplicity, making the WXYZ bar both modern and comfortable. More >>
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300 N. Akard St. Dallas, TX 75201
214-969-5550
http://ampmdallas.com AMPM (in the Mosaic building) promises "Dallas' only ultra urban luxury dining experience," which one presumes means that it's the only place in the city where you can enjoy the fine people-watching of an ultra-lounge as well as get a bite to eat.
A visit to the restaurant and nightclub reveals that yes, there were plenty of people who appear to spend a disproportionate amount of time at the gym, in the tanning booth and at body-waxing salons...along with their girlfriends. But even people those without an Affliction credit card would enjoy the food, courtesy former N9NE chef Tommy Simpson. Bites include tuna tartare on sesame crackers; watermelon and feta wrapped in a cucumber sliver; and mango-carrot spring rolls with jicama. A row of musician portraits including the likes of Jimi Hendrix--people who would probably never set foot in the place, living or not--greets you as you enter. The place is at once minimal and modern, with smooth black granite surfaces and a polished concrete floor and what has to be the biggest collection of mirrored disco balls in the city. More >>
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42
831 Exposition Ave. Dallas, TX 75226
214-827-3433
http://myspace.com/theamsterdambar The Amsterdam Bar is by far one of the coolest bars in town. It's set up like a European-style bar, with a heavy German and Belgian beer menu. There is vintage fat-tire bicycle that hangs above the entrance. The Monday night jazz bands provide good background music, and Wednesday night "Geeks Who Think" always turns into a good time. The huge backyard is perfect to sit out and catch the occasional band on warm summer nights. More >>
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18
4151 Belt line Road Addison, TX 75001
972-233-1515
http://andiamogrill.com
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38
122 N. Locust St. Denton, TX 76201
http://myspace.com/andysbar Aside from its great corner location on the Denton Square, this bar and music venue is pretty much your average dive—small, smoky and dark, with cheap drink specials. Tables on the balcony offer an excellent view of the stage, though the way it wobbles when people walk around can be almost scary. More >>
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308
2726 Commerce St. Dallas, TX 75226
214-741-4406
http://www.angrydog.com There's nothing pretentious about the Angry Dog. You can grab a seat at the long bar, or at one of the small tables that crowd the opposite wall. The top sellers on the menu are hamburgers and hot dogs—nothing too exciting. Until you try one. You'll find out after only a few bites why we've heaped so many awards on them over the years. And you'll also be hard-pressed to find a better burger anywhere in town. You can wash down each bite with one of their 80-plus beers or with anything from their full bar. More >>
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2638 Elm St. Dallas, TX 75226
For many years, popular dining and drinking areas of Dallas, from Uptown to Greenville Avenue have had their share of English-style public houses. But, alas, Deep Ellum has never been able to draw a pub within its midst. That is, until Anvil Pub opened in mid- November 2010. Which may explain why -- even on the first weekend of its opening -- the place already had folks from the Deep Ellum neighborhood proclaiming themselves as "regulars." That first weekend, Anvil Pub still smelled of Home Depot, which, coincidentally, is where the family who own and operate the pub bought the supplies needed to build Anvil from the floor up. "Everything but the barstools, the chairs and the metal table bases," came from there, owner Josh Bridges said, while pouring a beer behind the long, dark wood bar. The grease-free "green" kitchen cranks out pub grub ranging from pizzas and wings to "all-natural" burgers from the menu, which boasts lots of vegetarian options. More >>
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11
1825 Abrams Parkway Dallas, TX 75214
214-821-7469
http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=arcade+bar&init=quick&tas=search_preload#!/pages/Dallas-TX/ARCADE-BAR/238937525174 Located next to the historic art deco Lakewood Theater and underneath the Balcony Club, this dive is popular among people in the Lakewood and Lake Highlands neighborhood. There's some café seating out front under the theater's marquee, but don't be disappointed -- there's no arcade inside. The long wooden bar runs the length of the establishment, and there's lots of seating available at the bar and at tables and chairs along the adjacent wall, which is decorated with old concert posters ranging from The Misfits to Jane's Addiction to Polvo. Arcade Bar offers weekly specials like Procession Mondays with $2 you-call-its all day, and karaoke on Tuesdays and Thursdays. More >>
