24 July 18–24, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents to be,” Noonan said. The massive restaurant in Uptown is filled with Texas tchotchkes and country music. Come for the grilled quail. Whatever your choice, pair it with any of the number of Texas beers on tap and you’ll be off to a good start. 3656 Howell St., 214-730-0596, therustic.com. SANDAGA 813: Across the street from Fair Park is the lounge-y Sandaga, a destination for music connoisseurs with discriminating ears. The Exposition Avenue club is a gem that shines with its stellar booking, from reggae nights to jazz. Erykah Badu’s band is frequently found on the venue’s stage, and the Queen herself is known to bust out an impromptu performance there from time to time. On weekends espe- cially, every inch of the space vibrates to the grooviest frequency. The eclectic, laid-back space makes it the perfect no-frills setting to see some of the city’s best. 813 Exposition Ave., 214-616-0802, sandaga813.com. SHIP’S LOUNGE: Ships is one of the oldest dives in town and it sits in between the Lower Greenville club scene and an old East Dallas neighborhood. Visiting Ships on any evening offers a one-of-a-kind look into what happens when the two worlds collide. On one end of the bar, you’ll see folks who’ve been regulars since the bar opened some 50 years ago. Just a few seats down, you’ll usually see musicians and artists mixed in with people trying to catch a game on TV. The older regulars like to keep the place quiet, and they enforce a strict no-cussing policy. So be prepared to use your inside voices- or at least keep it to a dull roar. Ships has all the charm of an old-school neighborhood dive, but the people you’ll rub elbows with there make the place such an interesting bar. 1613 Greenville Ave., 214-823-0418, shipslounge.com. SINGLE WIDE: Single Wide is a small bar. Like, really small. But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in hospitality. Single Wide offers the same special drinks under the same trailer park aesthetic its Deep Ellum counterpart Double Wide is known for, but Single Wide stands out with its own undying spirit in spite of the constant changes taking place in Lowest Greenville. 2110 Greenville Ave., 214-824-5588, singlewidebar.com. SONS OF HERMANN HALL: The oldest bar in Dallas, Sons of Hermann Hall on the corner of Elm and Exposition on the outskirts of Deep Ellum has been there since 1910. Still used as a private lodge, the building is now a Texas Historic Landmark. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, Sons of Hermann Hall is open to the public as a bar for happy hour and for some of the area’s best concerts, but closes at midnight before things really heat up in Deep Ellum. 3414 Elm St., 214-747-4422, sonsofhermannhall.com. SPIDER MURPHY’S: This Irish pub owned by Dublin-native Feargal McKinney opened in 2021 but already has an old soul feel. Dark, heavy, wooden furniture and old-world ac- coutrements provide cozy niches for couples or small groups. The main seating area con- nects to a covered deck with picnic tables for an open-air, big-city energy. It serves classic bar food with a sprinkling of Tex-Mex and a few vegan offerings. McKinney even brought over a few menu favorites from his other spot, The Old Monk. Whoever picks the soundtrack here deserves a gold star; we need more ’80s rock. The beer menu includes imports, Paulaner Hefeweizen and Hoegaarden and local beers like Deep Ellum and Lakewood Temptress. The house cocktails are $7 during happy hour, Tuesday through Friday, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. 2810 N. Henderson Ave., 469-779-7658, spidermurphyspub.com. ST. PETE’S DANCING MARLIN: This Deep Ellum landmark has held steady as the scene around it ebbs and flows for more than 20 years now. St. Pete’s straddles the line between a restaurant with a reliably high-caliber kitchen and a bar where anyone can grab a stool and a beer. At the end of the day, every neighborhood needs a spot like this. The expansive outdoor courtyard is great for people-watching. If you’re looking for a place to become regular, the bar at St. Pete’s has a golden real estate opportunity for you. 2730 Commerce St., 214- 698-1511, stpetesdancingmarlin.com. STAN’S BLUE NOTE: Sports, sports and more sports await you at Stan’s Blue Note. This little Lower Greenville dive bar is a great place to catch football, hockey, basketball and any other sporting event you can imagine. Watch the game on multiple screens from the comfort of multiple barstools or soft couches. Plus, games like table shuffleboard and foosball are fun ways to pass the time during off season. Drinks are fairly cheap, so with pitchers of beer, you can celebrate your team’s victory. Or mourn another Cowboys loss. Whichever. 2908 Green- ville Ave., 214-827-1977, stansbluenote.com. STRANGEWAYS: A Yelp reviewer’s complaint about this place is exactly what makes it so endearing to its fans. He was miffed because the “non-recognized music is not able to be changed.” Exactly. One of the best craft beer bars around, Strangeways is an off-beat East Dallas neighborhood pub with a great patio. The eclectic wall art, vibe, conversation, music and whatever else is specifically not designed to appeal to the masses. You just either dig it or you don’t. Most do. Keep an eye out for its flight nights and pop-up dinners. And their bar food is some of the best around. 2429 N. Fitzhugh Ave., 214-823-7800, strangewaysdallas.com. SUE ELLEN’S: Since 1989, Sue Ellen’s has been a staple in Dallas lesbian nightlife where everyone is welcome. It used its pandemic hiatus to upgrade, update and polish everything. When it reopened, a crowd poured onto the sidewalk waiting to get inside. Keep an eye out for its schedule for its regular events and live music. 3014 Throckmorton St., 214-559-0708, sueellensdallas.com. SUNDOWN AT GRANADA: The historic Granada Theater on Greenville Avenue has a younger sister next door that’s just as worthy of recognition. OK, Marcia? With a rooftop patio, a covered patio and yet another out- door heated patio, it’s the perfect spot for th gathering outdoors, while the perfectly dim indoor space holds a stage that’s a frequent spot for local and touring acts. The bar staff is efficient and friendly, and the food is restau- rant-quality, so whatever your evening plans, it’s a solid one-stop choice. While Sundown is a particularly great hangout spot to keep the party going after taking in a show next door, it’s a destination all on its own. 3520 Greenville Ave., 214-823-8305, sundowndfw.com. SWIZZLE: Dallas got its first proper tiki bar in 2020, smack dab in the middle of a pandemic. But, you can’t keep a good grind down. Fully vested in every aspect of island life, including a Dole whip machine and tropical drinks served in SPAM tins, this spot on Lowest Greenville serves traditional Hawaiian plates with a side of floral every inch of the way. The water feature on the patio adds a nice island touch if you prefer to sit outside. There are private lounge areas inside that can be reserved for groups. Aloha and mahalo, time to get the grass skirt out. 1802 Greenville Ave., #110, 469-862-3102, swizzledallas.com. TEXAS LIVE: Just outside Globe Life Field is a bevy of restaurants and bars, all housed under one roof called Texas Live! And if you’ve ever thought, “Sure wish I could watch the game somewhere fun tonight,” this is your home. Before a Rangers game, it’s packed with families and sports fans scarfing down plates of nachos and sipping cold drinks. The ginor- mous screen at the center of it all, including many other TVs around it, makes this one of the best places to watch a Stars or Mavericks playoff runs. Neighbors include Troy Aikman’s restaurant and live music place, aptly called Troy’s. Texas Live! hosts concerts, DJs, family movie nights watch parties and serve local craft beer and whisky. 1605 E. Randoll Mill Road, 817-852-6688, texas-live.com. TEXAS THEATRE: The Texas Theatre is where Lee Harvey Oswald hid from police after he shot JFK. But that bit of history trivia is only one element in the landmark’s mystique, and the institution would be just as interesting without it. The theater offers impeccable film programming with classic films and art house gems, and its special events are just as exciting, with offbeat performances and concerts that take place behind the movie screen. Through the years The Texas Theatre has become a microcosm of Dallas culture, and its bar is an ideal spot to rub shoulders with the artists — many of whom work behind the bar — who keep the city interesting. So tip them well. 231 W. Jefferson Blvd., 214-948-1546, thetexastheatre.com. THREE LINKS: Three Links’ slogan is “We Never Sleep.” Take one look at its event calendar, and you will agree that these people never rest. Three Links advertises low-priced Tullamore Dew all day, every day and serves a wide selection of tap and bottled beers. If you get there just about any night of the week after 7, there will likely be some live music playing. Sometimes there’s a cover to get in while the music is playing, but the quality of that music will be well worth the price. 2704 Elm St., threelinksdeepellum.com. TINY VICTORIES: One appeal of Tiny Victo- ries might be that it’s near the Bishop Arts District, but not in it. Not that we don’t love the eclectic entertainment area, but you need to stretch out before you try to find parking. Here, at West Davis and Tyler Street, is a cozy cocktail den with a patio and happy hour that says, “Well, hi there, neighbor,” with a wink. It offers half-priced cocktails from 4 to 7 p.m. every Tuesday through Friday. The cocktail menu has classics like a 1916 Aviation with gin, Luxardo Maraschino,creme de violette and lemon. From the not-so-classic menu try a $5 house shot called Spring Break ’99 (strawberry and vodka). My Neck, My Daq is a Miller High Life with a “Snaquiri” for $8. Now, see, that is a tiny victory. Besides, who doesn’t love a place with a Bob Ross shrine? 604 N. Tyler St., 972-685-7055, wedothisandthat. com/tinyvictories. TRUCK YARD: Off the beaten path off Lowest Greenville is a favorite lunch and drink spot for Dallasites that really just wants the city to kick back and relax. The Truck Yard’s food menu is short: Philly cheesesteak, sandwich and/or nachos. But what more do you really need to eat at a bar with so much space in their massive patio area? Truck Yard also serves up beers brewed at their own By The Horns brewery in Mansfield. Whether you’re brunching, lunching or hunching for a country bar in the middle of this big city, The Truck Yard is your spot. 5624 Sears St., 469-500-0139, truckyarddallas.com. TWILITE LOUNGE: As you walk down Elm Street in Deep Ellum, you’ll pass a heavy black door and red shaded windows. This is the Jen Reyes Swizzle is a proper tiki bar in Lower Greenville. Top 100 Bars from p22
