Dallas may be known as the home of America’s team, but the city is also home to some of the friendliest bars, prettiest women and finest food in Texas.
By Nancy Nichols
BEER BARS/BREWPUBS
Whether you’re looking for a pint, growler or keg, the all-things-beer spot Humperdink’s (Addison; humperdinks.com) has the works. The flagship brand, Butt Face (made with four imported malts and three American hops) is what you’ll be if you don’t try one. Stay in the neighborhood and stop by Flying Saucer Draught Emporium (Addison; beerknurd.com), where owner Shannon Wynne and beer guru Keith Schlabs run one wacky beer business: Buy a $18 membership at one of 15 nationwide locations, and become an official Beerknurd. They’ll swipe your card after every brewski, and the more you consume, the more likely you are to be immortalized in the Ring of Honor. At Two Rows (Lower Greenville; tworows.com) the scent of malt drifts from the outdoor silos and greets you in the parking lot. Inside, there are always six handcrafted ales on tap, such as Honey Blonde Light Pale Ale, Old Town Hefeweizen or Route 66 Amber Ale. But if you need a little more variety don’t miss the beer drinker’s paradise Ginger Man (Uptown; gingermanpub.com) set in a cozy two-story house with an outdoor beer garden. The last time we counted, there were more than 70 beers on tap and more than 100 in bottles.
BARS
A quintessential Dallas bar by name alone, Lee Harvey’s (South Dallas; leeharveys.com) is a must-do for visitors who want to drink in the real local scene. The outdoor patio is illuminated by fire pits and populated with people, dogs and anything else that happens to wander in. Take it down a notch and settle into one of the cozy upholstered chairs at The Library Bar (Uptown; warwickmelrosedallas.com) and let the evening disappear as you listen to melodies from the pianist while nibbling on tasty hors d’oeuvres. These classy digs are located in the stately bookshelf-lined library in the Warwick Melrose Hotel. Or, mosey on over to The Loon (Uptown; theloonbarandgrill.com) where by day, suits break for a great burger to accompany their three-martini lunches. By night, professional types, the college crowd and the occasional Dallas Maverick dribble in to imbibe. An expertly-edited beer selection at The Holy Grail Pub (Plato; holygrailpub.com) will show you that sometimes quality should come before quantity. The food menu with items made almost entirely from scratch doesn’t hurt either. Head to The Libertine Bar (M Streets; libertinebar.com) for another spot that understands bar food. An impressive rotating beer selection showcases a nice mix of imports and local microbrews as well. If you’re in the mood for a Texas-sized night try out Trece (Knox/Henderson; trecerestaurant.com), the bar with more than 120 varieties of tequila calling your name. Order a fancy margarita (there’s one for $49), or get a quick lesson in the finer points of tequila by ordering a custom flight. Sips or shots? You decide.
SLEEP
The Belmont Hotel Dallas (Oak Cliff; belmontdallas.com) is funky, adorable and affordable—a little bit of Austin in Dallas. Choose a standard room, garden suite, loft or bungalow—all are less than five minutes from the burgeoning Bishop Arts District teeming with clubs, restaurants and coffee houses. Keep it interesting with Hotel ZaZa (Uptown; hotelzaza.com) where the one-of-a-kind concept suites are the deal. Pick your pleasure: the Shag-A-Delic room with a round bed, lava lamps and vibrant, swinging ’60s colors; the Erotica suite with luscious furs, sensuous silks and rich velvets; or play cowboy among the rich leather and rustic cowhide furnishings of the Texas suite. For swankier digs try the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek (Turtle Creek; mansiononturtlecreek.com) where the highly personalized service is only one reason ranks as one of the best in the country. While it is full service, the Mansion retains the intimate ambience of a private residence. Deep in the heart of Dallas, the W Dallas Victory Hotel (Downtown; starwoodhotels.com) is the perfect place for sports fans: The American Airlines Center, where the Dallas Mavericks and Stars play, is across the street, along with some of the finest dining and shopping in town. The most popular nightclub in the city, Ghostbar, is on the 33rd floor.
DINE
Hit the build-your-own Bloody Mary bar at Ozona Bar and Grill (Greenville Avenue; ozonagrill.com) and customize your hangover cure. Then, chow down on all the Texas classics like chicken-fried steak with cream gravy, handmade pork tamales or spicy-hot homemade chili. After you’ve recovered, dine with the power brokers and superstar athletes at Bob’s Steak and Chop House (Oak Lawn; bobs-steakandchop.com), one of Dallas’ top steak joints. It’s a high-falutin’ boys club with stiff drinks, fine wines and plenty of eye candy at the bar. But if you have time for only one plate of ’cue, head to the original location of the Dallas institution Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse (West Dallas; sonnybryans.com) on Inwood Road. It opens at 10 a.m. and closes when it runs out of the finest brisket, ribs, sausage and ham around. Seating is limited, but the hood of your car will do just fine. If an actual table is more your style, Stephan Pyles’ namesake restaurant Stephan Pyles (Arts District; stephanpyles.com) offers the authentic taste of upscale Dallas food. There’s a communal table for walk-ins and singles, a tapas/ceviche bar, a 10-seat wine room, an outdoor patio and an elegant dining room, all serving lovely whole fish, steak and Texas-style dishes. For solid beer and food pairings, look no further than the Meddlesome Moth (West Dallas; mothinthe.net). Keith Schlabs, the mind behind the Flying Saucer beer bar chain, provides an abundance of beers to go along with an impressive menu.
