120 BEST OF DALLAS® 2026 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SPORTS & RECREATION | FOOD & DRINK | SHOPPING & SERVICES | READERS’ CHOICE | CONTENTS BEST GAY BAR Woody’s 4011 Cedar Springs Rd., Dallas dallaswoodys.com Woody’s might not be the biggest or glit- tery-est bar in Dallas’ historic LGBTQ+ neighborhood, but that’s the charm of it. With walls covered in collegiate sports flags and football jerseys, this bar feels like it could be your one gay uncle’s cozy, lived-in bachelor pad. You’ll regularly find seasonal LGBTQ+ recreational teams enjoying a cold beer (or three) on the wrap-around patio deck upstairs following an afternoon game, but you don’t have to be a jock to enjoy this gem. There’s also darts, a pool table, karaoke nights and TVs playing classic music videos by Madonna, Britney and Janet. It’s one of those rare haunts that will serve you well at both the beginning and/or end of the night. Oh, and perhaps most importantly: the drinks are cheap but stiff. BEST PLACE TO DANCE It’ll Do Club 4322 Elm St., Dallas itlldoclub.com Show us another dance club with the range to host homegrown chillwave pioneer Neon Indian, gay pop-up party Horse Meat Disco and Grammy Award-winning house music hitter Afrojack under its roof. Oh, and be home to the city’s most iconic goth party every Sunday night. This is a sweat-inducing institution in this city, and we’ll likely never get tired of singing (and dancing to) its praise. BEST NEW CLUB Shyboy Hifi 1312 Main St., Dallas shyboyhifi.com First of all, where else can you get a soft- serve matcha ice cream cone in the club? Earlier this year, after months of anticipa- tion, Shyboy Hifi finally opened the vault — literally, there’s a vault here — and instantly christened Dallas with one of the coolest spaces in the entire city. From a basement underneath Downtown Dallas sits a Japa- nese-influenced, divinely-crafted, 3000-square-foot lounge. Inside the vault is a plush, blue-hued listening room where the music isn’t simply a night’s decoration; it’s the intangible pièce de résistance that any DJ’s dreams are made of. Oh, and the drinks are just as delectable. (Get the Hi-Chew and the frozen Okay, Diva.) There’s truly no- where else in Dallas that can sublimely transport you to a night in Tokyo quite like Shyboy can. BEST BLUES BAR The Goat 7248 Gaston Ave., Dallas thegoatdallas.com Dallas dive bar (noun) – The Goat. A legend- ary Lakewood dive, The Goat is the penul- timate jam bar tucked into a weathered old building near White Rock Spillway. From outside, it’s evident that The Goat is alive with the same soulful blues that have made it a neighborhood destination for close to half a century. The walls reverberate with harmonica riffs and guitar solos. Inside, it’s dim, but that doesn’t stop the regulars from dancing as one of The Goat’s longtime resi- dent acts plays on. Live bands are on offer Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, while Thursday night is reserved for a blues jam session. The music is central, the crowd is lively and the drinks are stiff. Stevie Ray would be proud. BEST GAY BAR THAT’S NOT A GAY BAR Charlie’s Star Lounge 4319 Main St., Dallas charlieslounge.com The spirit of your “I don’t like labels” friend possesses this Old East Dallas dive favorite in just about every sense. If you’ll allow us, we’ll set the scene of Charlie’s: You walk into a dimly-lit bar glowing with the soft focus of string lights — a vision straight out of your Provided by The Goat The Goat