96 September 19 - 25, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER CONTENTS | READERS’ PICKS | SHOPPING & SERVICES | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | FOOD & DRINK | SPORTS & RECREATION serving piping hot bowls of pho since 1996. If a Budha statue and altar are a marker of a good pho restaurant for you, well, sit anywhere you’d like. There are more than 100 menu items, so ordering might feel overwhelming. Perhaps just skip the menu and order brisket pho. Service is attentive and consistent. Start with an order of the Vietnamese crepes and end with a cup of Vietnamese coffee. 4302 Bryan St. 214-821-4542, vietnambarandgrill.com Best Local Brewery Vector Brewing We love a good story of survival. Better yet, we love a good survival story that comes with amazing beer and pizza. Vector Brewing almost didn’t open thanks to the 2019 federal government shutdown, but then in March 2020, of all months, it started slinging pints and pies. And boy has the brewery been on a roll since. In 2023, Vector was named Brewery of the Year by the Texas Craft Brewers Association, and this year, the same group awarded Vector a bronze medal for its Rubus Rex barrel-aged saison-style ale. We think their Fine Swine pizza, packed with pig meat, is also award-worthy. 9850 Walnut Hill Lane, No. 405 469-676-0797, vectorbrewing.com Best Happy Hour Harwood Arms Harwood Arms in the Harwood District has a happy hour that runs 4–7 p.m., Monday – Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. During that time you can get five plates all priced at $6 and $7 that are smaller versions of items from the regular menu like Reuben Fries topped with corned beef, Swiss and Mornay sauce. The white bean dip is fresh and light. The Guinness braised short rib sliders have heft. Drinks, you ask? You better watch out on those $7 rosemary cucumber gimlet martinis; they go down way too easily. Four other drinks for $7 include an Irish mule, a whiskey sour, a spicy margarita and an old fashioned. 2823 McKinnon St. 214-273-5151, harwoodarmsdallas.com Best Beer Selection Dot’s Hop House Dot’s should be the start and finish in any conversation about sampling a pint of suds. Let’s start with the famed 99 taps; sure four of them are dedicated to wine and kombucha, but that still leaves 95 options to fill your beer cravings, from a hoppy IPA to sturdy nitros and stouts and everything in between. The dog-friendly beer garden at Dot’s is one of our favorite places to post up in the city, with lively music and friendly waitstaff. Don’t forget to order a burger and some duck-fat cheese fries with your beer. 2645 Commerce St. 214-230-3687, dotshophouse.com Best Bloody Mary The Old Monk The house-made bloody mary on The Old Monk’s brunch menu is your cue to kickstart a boozy weekend. For $7, they’re practically handing them out here. They’re made with original or spicy house mix, Tito’s vodka and the classic garnishes: a green olive (maybe one too few) and a stick of celery, plus a lemon and lime wedge. With a generous squeeze of the citrus, it’s the perfect compliment to a savory brunch. 2847 N. Henderson Ave. 214-821-1880, oldmonkdallas.com Alison McLean Harwood Arms // BEST HAPPY HOUR Deep Ellum 2730 Commerce • 214-698-1511 stpetesdancingmarlin.com SINCE 1994 A DALLAS LANDMARK! WISE UP EAT AT PETE’S
