Dallas | Bars/Not the "divey" type

[C-Man 27254]

So as not to confuse this with the dive bars thread, thought I'd start a new one.

Old friend from the Star-Telegram and her husband are in Dallas this weekend for a wedding. We haven't seen each other since before I had kids (oldest is 14). They're in from LA and staying over at the Anatole. Their rehearsal dinner is downtown and we are going to meet them for drinks after they leave the rehearsal. Looking for a good watering hole -- nice, casual, it doesn't really matter -- and probably best to keep it within downtown, Uptown through west of Cedar Springs/Preston and then over to the Design District. We live near Love Field.

Lando suggested the new back bar at The Charles, which we are considering. I also threw out the Grapevine -- haven't been there in  years.

Edited February 28, 2020 by C-Man

[DalTxHornFan 3116]

13 minutes ago, C-Man said:

I also threw out the Grapevine -- haven't been there in  years.

That's closing in on "dive bar" territory.  That said, its a fun place and you just never know who or exactly what kind of crowd you'll see there.

Mansion bar or the Library bar at the Melrose (whatever it is called now) are fun on weekends.  Cheers.

[C-Man 27254]

2 minutes ago, DalTxHornFan said:

That's closing in on "dive bar" territory.  That said, its a fun place and you just never know who or exactly what kind of crowd you'll see there.

Mansion bar or the Library bar at the Melrose (whatever it is called now) are fun on weekends.  Cheers.

Yeah, you're probably right on Grapevine's classification!

EDIT: I like the Mansion but only when on the expense account. Way too spendy otherwise!

Edited February 28, 2020 by C-Man

[NOMAAA 1696]

uptown pub.  uptown bar and  grill.  dubliner.  the loon.  san francisco rose.  stans. 

these are the only places i know in dallas.  hope this helps.

[Landomatic 3813]

14 minutes ago, C-Man said:

Yeah, you're probably right on Grapevine's classification!

EDIT: I like the Mansion but only when on the expense account. Way too spendy otherwise!

Last time we went to the Grapevine, our Uber driver kept insisting it was a gay bar.  English wasn't his first language.  Reminded me of the guy saying, "she is a bitch"...only this was, "it is gay bar."  It wasn't a gay bar but it was a dive...and I think that was like 7 years ago.

Was going to mention the Mansion.  I always enjoy a nice drink there.  Well, not always.  Sometimes it sucks.  Your friends from LA would probably think the mansion is cheap.

Ivy Tavern?

I always like Monkey or 31, but something tells me that's not the type of scene ya'll are shootin for.

[PorscheGuy 127]

It’s been a year or so, but Parliament was a cool spot we hit up for some great drinks.

The weather should be great, I would add Saint Ann’s.

There’s alway the Rattlesnake bar at the Ritz. Might Not necessarily fit what you are looking for but it might be the most entertaining people watching in Dallas. You can simultaneously get propositioned by a hooker while a 68 year old man hits on your wife all before you get approached by swingers who are PGA tour groupies. (All of which are actual events that happened the last two times we visited.)


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[DalTxHornFan 3116]

2 minutes ago, PorscheGuy said:

There’s always the Rattlesnake bar at the Ritz. Might Not necessarily fit what you are looking for but it might be the most entertaining people watching in Dallas. You can simultaneously get propositioned by a hooker while a 68 year old man hits on your wife all before you get approached by swingers who are PGA tour groupies.
 

I have no doubt that all of this is true.  Fun bar!

[Landomatic 3813]

4 hours ago, PorscheGuy said:

There’s alway the Rattlesnake bar at the Ritz. Might Not necessarily fit what you are looking for but it might be the most entertaining people watching in Dallas. You can simultaneously get propositioned by a hooker while a 68 year old man hits on your wife all before you get approached by swingers who are PGA tour groupies. (All of which are actual events that happened the last two times we visited.)

 

4 hours ago, DalTxHornFan said:

I have no doubt that all of this is true.  Fun bar!

Yeah good call.  All of that and then some has happened to me.  Well, except the PGA part.  Never know where the night is gonna go when you end up there.  Great call.

[Stunns38 3538]

The Henry is nice. Chelsea Corner is opposite but could work as well.

[C-Man 27254]

On 2/28/2020 at 10:15 PM, Stunns38 said:

The Henry is nice. Chelsea Corner is opposite but could work as well.

I love Chelsea Corner but it's been awhile since we've been. We wound up at Grapevine (yes, more divey than the other suggestions) and it was perfect. My friend remembered having been there 20 years ago as soon as she walked in and she was kind of looking for "familiar" in her return to town. We had a good time. Plus, they get upscale/douchey all the time in CA so I think they were glad to have the laid-back feel of Grapevine.

One thing we did notice on the way over is that The Windmill is now known a MD Tavern or something like that. The patio area out front has been ripped out. I'm not sure is Lisa Georgalis still owns the bar or not -- she bought it when it was still Windmill and cleaned it up some. Then she and her husband Tom split -- they owned Ivy together (after selling Inwood Tavern) -- but I think they're back together again. Maybe they dumped Windmill altogether to whoever has rebranded it.

[DalTxHornFan 3116]

Interesting about The Windmill.  Haven't been there in a long time.  Inwood Tavern and Ivy are both legit places.  Glad y'all had fun at Grapevine.  I need to get out and dive bar some more.  I miss the old Loon and haven't been to the most recent location since Cliff sold the bar.  Perhaps the next Loon location will recapture the magic of the original place?  Let's hope.

[DFWTexEx 278]

RIP Christy's.

In the 90's this place was as close to a hangout as my buddies and I had.  For a while, I could walk there.  I watched so many Texas games there and it was our HQ for the Stars' cup run.  Of all the places closing, this one hurts in an odd, nostalgic way.  Since I moved to Oak Cliff, I stopped going to Uptown frequently so I haven't been to Christy's in years, but I felt this one in my gut as a loss of my youth.  I wish I had had that rib-eye sandwich one more time.

The press released hinted that they may reopen somewhere else.  I doubt that happens, and even if it does, it won't be the same.

[threesheets 1674]

Bet we hung out @DFWTexEx.  I pretty much lived at that joint back in those days.  Along with the MAT and TABC.

Edited July 22, 2020 by threesheets

[ztejas 43528]

Just another reason why uptown sucks.

[DFWTexEx 278]

52 minutes ago, threesheets said:

Bet we hung out @DFWTexEx.  I pretty much lived at that joint back in those days.  Along with the MAT and TABC.

The MAT was Sunday lunch, watching NFL and checking fantasy stats.   Food there was terrible, but that's where we went.  The TV situation let you watch all the games at once.  At Christy's, you had to pick a game or two to watch.

[C-Man 27254]

1 hour ago, threesheets said:

Bet we hung out @DFWTexEx.  I pretty much lived at that joint back in those days.  Along with the MAT and TABC.

Same with us. Like DFWTexEx, I watched the majority of the '98 and '99 Cup runs at Christie's. I remember they'd put white, plastic chairs and long tables in the parking lot outside the back door with TV's to accommodate the spill-over.

[Landomatic 3813]

Y’all making it a little dusty in here.  Watched many many games there over the years.  RIP in peace, Christie’s.

[Rougarou 594]

I watched Ray Allen hit the 3 pointer in Game 6 versus the Spurs at Christie's and was literally the only one cheering. Heat went on to win in 7. YOU'RE WELCOME!

[AustinMT 952]

10 hours ago, DFWTexEx said:

RIP Christy's.

In the 90's this place was as close to a hangout as my buddies and I had.  For a while, I could walk there.  I watched so many Texas games there and it was our HQ for the Stars' cup run.  Of all the places closing, this one hurts in an odd, nostalgic way.  Since I moved to Oak Cliff, I stopped going to Uptown frequently so I haven't been to Christy's in years, but I felt this one in my gut as a loss of my youth.  I wish I had had that rib-eye sandwich one more time.

The press released hinted that they may reopen somewhere else.  I doubt that happens, and even if it does, it won't be the same.

yeah, that sucks. Remember heading over to catch early baseball playoff games and March Madness when i worked in Dallas.  Is the Loon still around?

[AustinMT 952]

On 2/28/2020 at 5:22 PM, DalTxHornFan said:

I have no doubt that all of this is true.  Fun bar!

Late to the game on this thread, but Rattlesnake Bar is great for people watching.  We stay at the Ritz when we head to Dallas, and the bar is always fun.

[C-Man 27254]

I watched Ray Allen hit the 3 pointer in Game 6 versus the Spurs at Christie's and was literally the only one cheering. Heat went on to win in 7. YOU'RE WELCOME!

Eat shit.

yeah, that sucks. Remember heading over to catch early baseball playoff games and March Madness when i worked in Dallas.  Is the Loon still around?

The original Loon went bye-bye when the original building was demolished for a new CVS. It reopened in one of those old houses on McKinney as Cliff’s but I think that has now changed and The Loon appears to have opened in a spot around the corner from there. I haven’t been to that location.

[AustinMT 952]

41 minutes ago, C-Man said:

 

Eat shit.



The original Loon went bye-bye when the original building was demolished for a new CVS. It reopened in one of those old houses on McKinney as Cliff’s but I think that has now changed and The Loon appears to have opened in a spot around the corner from there. I haven’t been to that location.

 

I assume you can still get a burger, fries and three martinis.  At lunch.

[C-Man 27254]

2 hours ago, AustinMT said:

I assume you can still get a burger, fries and three martinis.  At lunch.

Cliff's was basically The Loon in a new location with a new name. They still had the stiffest drinks in town and served the fantastic burger.

[Skipper 6192]

 I wondered how much places like that were doing once Hero opened since nobody could match it from a sports viewing perspective.   I spent a ton of time there back in the day as well (2003 through 2009ish when I lived in uptown) but last time I went (probably 7 or 8 years ago) they hadn't updated their TV setup since those days.  

[C-Man 27254]

On 7/27/2020 at 10:35 AM, Skipper said:

 I wondered how much places like that were doing once Hero opened since nobody could match it from a sports viewing perspective.   I spent a ton of time there back in the day as well (2003 through 2009ish when I lived in uptown) but last time I went (probably 7 or 8 years ago) they hadn't updated their TV setup since those days.  

Hero only makes sense for me on a game night when I'm headed to something at AAC.

[Landomatic 3813]

2 hours ago, C-Man said:

Hero only makes sense for me on a game night when I'm headed to something at AAC.

I’ve forgotten what that feels like.

[Skipper 6192]

15 hours ago, C-Man said:

Hero only makes sense for me on a game night when I'm headed to something at AAC.

Obviously perfect for that (man I really missed not having NHL/NBA playoffs this spring) but we did it for a kid free CFB Saturday last year and it was great.  Got there early enough to get a good table and parked for the day.  Unbeatable TV setup and good enough food.

[C-Man 27254]

2 hours ago, Skipper said:

Obviously perfect for that (man I really missed not having NHL/NBA playoffs this spring) but we did it for a kid free CFB Saturday last year and it was great.  Got there early enough to get a good table and parked for the day.  Unbeatable TV setup and good enough food.

Perhaps. I like Hero OK but it's pretty much a shit-show on game nights anyways. I'd never go down there unless I was already headed that direction. Much rather go to someplace like Chelsea Corner for a day of CFB watching.

[Firemans4Horn 18119]

Dallas lost a titan this week.

 

https://dallas.culturemap.com/news/city-life/04-25-21-joe-tillotson-barley-house-katy-trail-redfields/

 

Quote

Joseph "Joe" Patrick Tillotson, a Dallas entrepreneur who helped open popular bars such as Barley House and Katy Trail Ice House, passed away on April 22, after battling cancer for several years; he was 53.

Joe was born on June 11, 1967, the fourth of five brothers, a seventh-generation Texan, and a descendant of Texas patriot Jose Antonio Navarro.

He was an accomplished athlete from an early age, winning the Dallas Times Herald Junior Golf Tournament at age 9, and played high school football (quarterback) and basketball, winning numerous awards, championships, and all-state honors. 

He attended Lake Highland schools and graduated from Jesuit College Preparatory in 1986. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1990 with a BA in Economics, then attended SMU Cox School of Business where he completed his MBA in 1999.

He'd already started founding a string of businesses with friends including acclaimed Dallas bars and restaurants such as The Barley House, Muddy Waters, Bryan Street Tavern, the Metropolitan, City Tavern, Banditos Tex-Mex, Katy Trail Ice House, Katy Trail Ice House Outpost, and Redfield's Tavern, which he opened in 2019 as a gift and legacy for his wife Katy.

Most of the establishments he helped open or found are still open and had a positive impact. The Barley House was an early settler on Henderson Avenue, helping to set the stage for the thoroughfare's revival. Along with its sibling Muddy Waters, Barley House also provided a platform for an entire community of local musicians such as The Old 97's, the Cartwrights, Lone Star Trio, Slobberbone, Sorta, Little Grizzly, Pleasant Grove, Chomsky, and Deathray Davies.

 

Joe is survived by his wife, Mary Katherine "Katy" Tillotson, their six children, his parents John and Sylvia Tillotson, brothers John, James, Jeffrey, and Jerome, their wives, and many nieces and nephews.

A funeral Mass will take place at St. Monica Catholic Church in Dallas on Saturday, May 1st at 12 pm, followed by a reception at Redfield's from 3-6 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Jesuit College Preparatory in the name of the John R. Tillotson scholarship fund.

 

[C-Man 27254]

14 hours ago, Firemans4Horn said:

Dallas lost a titan this week.

 

https://dallas.culturemap.com/news/city-life/04-25-21-joe-tillotson-barley-house-katy-trail-redfields/

 

 

I've never met Joe but traded some emails with him back when they were looking for investors for Redfield's. I'm friends with Scott Cecil.

[DDD Dad 14347]

On 4/26/2021 at 12:33 PM, C-Man said:

I've never met Joe but traded some emails with him back when they were looking for investors for Redfield's. I'm friends with Scott Cecil.

Knew him back when he was a member at Lakewood but lost touch with him when he moved out to Southlake..  Seemed like a nice guy.  Sad to hear of his passing.

[Firemans4Horn 18119]

Trinity Hall closed. Dallas is a worse city as a result of the loss.

 

https://dallas.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/08-27-21-trinity-hall-pub-mockingbird-station-closed/

 

[bluto 4942]

Bennigans gonna make its comeback starting there! (Jk of course)

[C-Man 27254]

On 8/27/2021 at 11:22 PM, Firemans4Horn said:

Trinity Hall closed. Dallas is a worse city as a result of the loss.

 

https://dallas.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/08-27-21-trinity-hall-pub-mockingbird-station-closed/

 

Mockingbird Station is such a weird development. Since I've basically stopped going to movie theaters, there's nothing drawing me there.

[DDD Dad 14347]

On 8/29/2021 at 12:10 PM, C-Man said:

Mockingbird Station is such a weird development. Since I've basically stopped going to movie theaters, there's nothing drawing me there.

Yeah it's a tough location (left turn off of mockingbird coming from the bubble) and there doesn't seem to be anything worth visiting other than the theater.  It's been a place where restaurants go to die for the last 10 years.

[DalTxHornFan 3116]

On 8/29/2021 at 12:10 PM, C-Man said:

Mockingbird Station is such a weird development. Since I've basically stopped going to movie theaters, there's nothing drawing me there.

Trinity Hall Pub had a worthy selection of beers, but I always preferred the Uptown Ginger Man (RIP) or The Old Monk if I wanted to get some beers on.

[conVINCEd 21469]

On 8/29/2021 at 12:10 PM, C-Man said:

Mockingbird Station is such a weird development. Since I've basically stopped going to movie theaters, there's nothing drawing me there.

I’ve lived in a Dallas most of my adult life and have been to MS twice.  Once was to go to West Elm to look at some rugs or some such shit when I initially shacked up with the wife.  The other time was when we took my niece to the zoo and we had to get out there and switch trains.

[bluto 4942]

Kessaku, the sushi cocktail bar above monarch, a great view if you have a window seat but meh otherwise. Service sucked, drinks way overpriced, kinda tacky joint overall.

[victory88 5669]

If you guys are into cocktail bars and speakeasy’s, wife and I recently tried Apothecary in lower Greenville.  Fan fucking tastic drinks.  Make a reservation before you go.  Fun date spot, I really enjoyed their espresso martini and they had a pineapple cocktail that was quite good.
 

We also just tried La Viuda Negra.  It’s a speakeasy right next to El Come Taco (sister restaurant).  You won’t find it on Google.  Looks like a bridal shop from the outside.  Possibly the best fucking drinks I’ve had.  The food from the speakeasy menu was unreal as well.  Ate some bomb ass tinga quesadillas and chicharrones gorditas.  The bartenders at Atwater Alley said La Viuda Negra has the best mixologists and drinks in Dallas so we tried it out and they were not wrong.  Also, some old white dude came in to DJ later in the night and was playing some sick trance beats.  Great date spot for mid 20s to 30s.  Very small spot and menu is in Spanish.  This is going to be my new go to cocktail spot.  The drinks are balanced and effort in presentation are great.  
 

 

 

Edited December 27, 2021 by victory88

[Firemans4Horn 18119]

Has anyone checked out Whiskeys in exposition park? Menu and photos looks awesome. They have close to 400 whiskeys in stock. 

[DFWTexEx 278]

On 10/31/2021 at 9:02 AM, bluto said:

Kessaku, the sushi cocktail bar above monarch, a great view if you have a window seat but meh otherwise. Service sucked, drinks way overpriced, kinda tacky joint overall.

Hmmm.   I had the opposite experience.  We did have a window seat.  The place is nice and I enjoyed being around dressed up people for once.  I live in Oak Cliff and there is no dressing up here for anything.

Service was amazing.  We just got cocktails as we were headed downstairs for dinner, but wow, they treated us really well.  Drinks are expensive but consistent with other high end cocktail bars.  The Japanese whiskey prices are crazy.  The server gave me a couple of tastes when I expressed curiosity.  I am a mere dilettante, so I could not appreciate how good they might have been compared to the price.  She gave us another round of thank you shots too.  It was really fun.  We didn't have the best experience at Monarch, but we look forward to another adult night out at Kessaku.

[bluto 4942]

1 hour ago, DFWTexEx said:

Hmmm.   I had the opposite experience.  We did have a window seat.  The place is nice and I enjoyed being around dressed up people for once.  I live in Oak Cliff and there is no dressing up here for anything.

Service was amazing.  We just got cocktails as we were headed downstairs for dinner, but wow, they treated us really well.  Drinks are expensive but consistent with other high end cocktail bars.  The Japanese whiskey prices are crazy.  The server gave me a couple of tastes when I expressed curiosity.  I am a mere dilettante, so I could not appreciate how good they might have been compared to the price.  She gave us another round of thank you shots too.  It was really fun.  We didn't have the best experience at Monarch, but we look forward to another adult night out at Kessaku.

Careful with that monarch slander around these parts! (kinda Jk, never been personally)

In defense of kessaku I was there on a Friday night with a later reservation, crowd was very much not the dress up nice type that night. So our server mighta just been over it all. 

[Firemans4Horn 18119]

Finally checked out the Belgian bar, Meyboom Brasserie, on lowest Greenville. Walked past it about 50 times with my dog but the crowd always looked pretty sparse. 
 

Shocked it’s still open. Had kind of an unfinished college frat basement vibe with cheap finishes. The bartender took a shot right after we sat down and also vaped behind the bar. 

[ztejas 43528]

2 minutes ago, Firemans4Horn said:

The bartender took a shot right after we sat down and also vaped behind the bar. 

Sounds like a cool place. 

[C-Man 27254]

Anybody been to the new Stoneleigh P on Lemmon?