16 July 18–24, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents they’re comfortable in their own skin, and they’re comfortable next to the person that they might not know.” Whether he knew it or not, Payne may have blurted out the secret sauce: a feeling of comfort and belonging is key to a fantas- tic bar. Payne and Sanchez acknowledge that making people comfortable sounds easy enough, but it can be challenging to execute it. The duo have tapped into that magic at Black Swan, where you can get a great drink at a great price and be around great people. For Sanchez, he only realized how much people had missed the original Black Swan after opening the doors at the new East Dallas location, and patrons started showing up wearing tattered T- shirts from the original bar. “It got a little heavy for a second, but it’s been cool to be a part of that with people sharing the good shit and the bad shit and them reappearing out of nowhere when you hadn’t seen them in forever,” Sanchez re- calls. “It’s seeing those shirts and kind of a timestamp of being part of each other’s lives.” Tippling across this city helps us fit in, and it’s particularly important at times when it feels like the city and the country and the world are against us. The happy hours, the send-offs, the celebrations and the random nights of fun with our friends at Dallas’ best bars are a buzzy form of es- capism from our worries, if just for a little while. Sometimes we need a reminder of the joy we’ve forgotten while we were fret- ting over everything else. 21 New Bars for the Top 100 Bar Colette 3699 McKinney Ave., No. 306 Bar Colette wasn’t the only shiny new cock- tail bar to pop up across Dallas this year, but the mixology at this bar puts it into a cate- gory of its own. Ruben Rolon, the beverage director who previously developed a Mi- chelin-recognized establishment, is redefin- ing Dallas’ cocktail scene. The drinks are meticulously made, often taking multiple days to perfect, with a focus on reinter- preted classics. Add in their exotic spirits and global wines paired with exquisite bites like a caviar waffe, and you have one of the most memorable cocktail experiences in the city. Reservations are a must. Barcadia 1917 Henderson Ave. True to its name, Barcadia is half bar, half ar- cade and a full measure of good times. The golden age of video games may appeal to Gen-X, but Barcadia draws all types, like a true adults-only Chuck E. Cheese (fear not being trampled by kids; Barcadia is 21 and up). Cocktails like a Tetris Fizz or Street Fighter Sangria are well executed, and there’s plenty of cold beer both on tap and in bottles. If games aren’t quite your thing, grab a bite to eat and head to Barcadia’s spacious patio for a respite. There’s plenty of room if you’re part of a large group. Bernie’s 6211 Northwest Highway, No. C-150 It’s tucked away inside Preston Tower down a dim corridor with no signage announcing that Bernie’s is even there (none that we saw, anyway), but a visit here plays out like a trip back in time. Bernie’s gives speakeasy vibes. The decor is vintage art deco, the atmosphere is classy and the playlist offers the likes of Kenny Loggins, Stevie Nicks, Patti Austin and Quincy Jones. Bernie’s unapologetically skews to a slightly older crowd, which we’re here for — a place where the phone doesn’t eat first. The bartenders are pros, and the drinks are stiff. You really can’t go wrong with whatever you order, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t recommend the beautifully smoky and oh-so-smooth old fashioned. Black Swan 1623 N. Hall St., No. 101 This year, Black Swan Saloon rose like a phoenix out of East Dallas ashes after the bar’s initial decade-long run in Deep Ellum and closure in 2020. After four years of grief, happy tears were shed at the news that Black Swan was back. The signature house cocktails, Black Swan Classics, boil- ermakers and other spirits are back where they belong in the moody and swanky inte- rior full of kitschy art. Our most recent happy hour was confirmation enough: leg- ends never die. Brick & Bones 2713 Elm St. This bar in Deep Ellum has effortless charm and an easy attitude. Brick & Bones has six house cocktails all priced to move at $10 to $12, plus a bevy of beer ($2 pony High Lifes), wine and liquors. The small kitchen in the back pushes out 24-hour-brined Mexican- inspired chicken fried to order that will light your soul on fire and maybe other things. It’s sexy-hot, but keep that down low because influencers may pick up on it and ruin the joint. Drinks roll out quickly, and service is on point. This is a pocket of Deep Ellum’s old soul. Columbian Country Club 3314 Ross Ave. Remember when grandma let you take a drag off her ciggie? What happened to those grandmas? Well, you might find one at Co- lumbian Country Club, which oddly gives off grandma vibes, and for some reason we love it. Paying homage to the original Co- lumbian Country Club in Dallas that opened in 1881, the proprietors have succinctly cap- tured a bygone era, elegant and charming, but with carpet. You even get an Andes chocolate mint with your tab, if you don’t get kicked out for smoking first. Chicken fingers and the warm crab dip off the bites menu hit hard. Drinks are pricey but Grams would want you to splurge. Dallasite 4822 Bryan St. The place has an old-school, cash-only cig- arette machine by the restrooms. We were destined to love Dallasite the moment we laid eyes on that beauty. Dallasite is the di- viest of dives — the ultimate leave-your- pretentiousness-at-the-door watering hole. There’s a spacious patio out front, solid bar grub, pool tables, shuffleboard and darts. The bartenders are cool as hell and as well- versed in the bartending game as anyone around. And the amaretto sour is one of the best we’ve had anywhere. Electric Shuffle 2615 Elm St. Deep Ellum is full of options for a good time, some of which can get wild. But at Electric Shuffle, things get wild around the shuffle- board tables. So, get a headcount of fun peo- ple in your life and make reservations. It won’t take any time at all to learn to play shuffleboard, especially after the house mar- garitas kick in. The pucks are loaded with magic and the score is tallied automatically, which is nice with the DJ and drinks all go- ing on. There are entire rooms for rent, with music and a big party vibe. The food is good, and the service has always been great. And unlike other places with games, these are never broken or janky. Ginger’s 2115 Jackson St. Ginger’s is a new subterranean cocktail lounge in the historic East Quarter. It opened as the speakeasy attached to the Sushi | Bar, but over time it has gained trac- tion as its own entity. It’s possibly one of the only glamorous bars in Dallas that en- courages you to “come as you are” rather than enforcing a strict dress code. The bar- tenders are knowledgeable and attentive, and once you factor in some solid drinks and a good music playlist, well, the rest is history. The Grapevine 2213 Butler St. [Welcome Back, Kotter theme song play- ing] Naturally, when The Grapevine moved out of its beloved small pink adobe on Maple Avenue in 2023 there was skep- ticism about whether the charm could carry over. Great news, they double-bub- ble packed it. This new spot, a mile from the original, has most of the staff who have been with the bar for a decade, lots of out- door space and the same seriously strong drinks. This is an everyone bar. There’s a little bit of this (basketball) and a little bit of that (karaoke), but there’s no doing coke in the bathroom (a sign says so). Henry’s Majestic 2303 Pittman St. The original Henry’s Majestic (and its se- cret speakeasy, Atwater Alley) was a popu- lar restaurant, bar and brunch spot in Uptown for 18 years until its building was sold in 2022. Early in 2024, Henry’s was re- born in West Dallas, and everything about the new venue feels like an upgrade. There’s the massive courtyard that doubles as a small concert venue, plus two restau- rants — one with a kitchen and one with a bar. Henry’s offers a bit of everything: cozy indoor seating, tons of outdoor seating, fire pits, TVs, a good bar with classic and con- temporary cocktails and robust kitchen of- ferings. Hideaway on Henderson 2405 N. Henderson Ave. The Hideaway is a dive bar with a touch of live-wire spirit. From karaoke to college football, it goes hard and might not be the best place for lightweights. Daily food and drink specials keep things affordable, but the regular menu isn’t by any means ob- scenely priced either. Play pool or sign up for karaoke, maybe even play checkers with the bartender when things are slow. The Lauren Drewes Daniels A cozy booth at Ginger’s cocktail lounge Courtesy of Bar Colette The Miami Vice cocktail at Bar Colette Top 100 Bars from p15