The video above is a solid tour through the Dallas nightlife scene, covering 12 different spots spread across the city and surrounding areas. If you're trying to figure out where to go on any given night — whether you're into country dancing, blues jams, swing music, hip hop, or just a good burger and a cold beer — this is a useful place to start. David Bridwell visited each of these venues in person, and the video gives you an honest look at what the rooms actually feel like, who's playing, and what kind of crowd you can expect.
What Are the Best Places to Experience Dallas Nightlife?
The Dallas area has a surprisingly wide range of spots depending on what you're after. Here are the 12 venues featured in the video:
- Hank's Texas Grill — A McKinney favorite for live Texas music with open mics on Wednesdays; the walls are lined with photos of legends like Guy Clark and Mark Chesnutt
- The Ranch House — A country bar and dance hall in Sachse that serves as a stepping stone for bands working their way up the circuit
- Southern Junction (Royse City) — A big dance hall with a full steak dinner menu and plenty of room on the floor; Brandon Bamberg was playing the night of the visit
- The All Good Cafe — An intimate Deep Ellum spot perfect for smaller shows; the first Thursday open mic featured Scarlett Deerling and Milo
- Adair's Saloon — A no-frills Deep Ellum saloon known for its famous hamburger and steady rotation of live music; Kirk Holloway put on a great set
- Deep Ellum Art Company — A concert venue with cool art on the walls and a mix of touring and local acts; funk band Blue Tongue came up from Austin
- Sons of Hermann Hall — A historic venue that hosts big Texas touring acts and swing dancing on Wednesday nights
- Revelers Hall — A cocktail bar in the Bishop Arts District with swing dancing and a Thursday residency by the Bishop Avenue Hot 6
- The Green Elephant — A Northeast Dallas dive with a hip hop and rap open mic on Tuesdays and both indoor and outdoor stages
- The Goat — East Dallas's self-proclaimed neighborhood blues bar; the Pete Barbic blues jam on Thursdays draws a loyal crowd
- Kearney's Feed Yard — A Sunnyvale spot with good food, weekday music inside, and a back area for weekend bands; Kenneth Waters played on the visit
- Cowboys Red River — The wildest nightclub in the Dallas area, packed wall to wall with dancers on the floor and on the bars — just keep an eye on your catalytic converter in the parking lot
Deep Ellum Is the Heart of Dallas Live Music
Four of the 12 venues sit in the Deep Ellum neighborhood, and that's no accident. Deep Ellum is where you'll find the widest variety of music in the tightest radius — blues at Adair's, singer-songwriters at The All Good Cafe, touring bands at Deep Ellum Art Company, and historic swing nights at Sons of Hermann Hall. If you only have one night in Dallas and want to bar-hop between live music rooms, Deep Ellum is where you start.
Beyond the City Limits
A lot of the best Dallas nightlife isn't technically in Dallas. Hank's is in McKinney, Southern Junction is out in Royse City, and Kearney's Feed Yard is in Sunnyvale. These outlying spots tend to have a more relaxed, community feel compared to the packed rooms downtown, and the food is often worth the drive on its own. If you're willing to get outside the loop, you'll find some of the most genuine live music experiences in the region.