Dallas Nightlife — Live Music Venues, Neighborhoods & Nightlife Guide
7 videos · A guide to Dallas nightlife neighborhoods, live music venues, and places to go out across the metro area.
Dallas has one of the largest and most layered nightlife scenes in Texas, spread across distinct neighborhoods that each bring something different. Deep Ellum is the historic heart of live music and club culture, with roots going back to the 1800s as a major center for blues and jazz. Lower Greenville offers a more laid-back strip of dive bars, cocktail spots, and restaurants along Greenville Avenue. The Bishop Arts District brings an artsy, independent feel with small venues, craft beer, and jazz. And beyond the city core, places in McKinney, Sachse, Royse City, and Denton add country dance halls, songwriter stages, and open mic nights to the mix.
The videos on this page cover all of this ground. You'll find walking tours of Deep Ellum, the Bishop Arts District, and Lower Greenville, along with roundups of specific venues for live music, dancing, and nightlife across the Dallas metro. There's also a deep dive into 16 different open mics across the area, from Sunday brunch jams to Monday songwriter nights.
Whether you're looking for a country dance hall, a jazz club, an intimate songwriter venue, or just a neighborhood to walk around and bar-hop, the guides on this page will help you figure out where to go and what to expect when you get there.
Videos
What These Videos Cover
Bishop Arts District, Dallas: A walking tour of a vibrant and historic Dallas neighborhood
In Bishop Arts District, Dallas, the tour covers this walkable neighborhood about 10 minutes southwest of downtown, showcasing its murals, independent shops, and historic architecture dating back to the 1920s. Live music venues highlighted include Revelers Hall for jazz and swing dancing, Bishop Exchange for cocktails and live music, Oddfellows for a rustic coffeehouse-diner vibe, Baron's Creek Vineyards tasting room with wine and live music, and 12 Barrels Brewing, which calls itself the official Bonnie and Clyde Bar of Dallas. The video also stops at Vera Cruz Cafe for food from the state of Veracruz, Mexico.
Lower Greenville, Dallas: A tour of a neighborhood and nightlife spot in Dallas Tx
Lower Greenville, Dallas covers the nightlife strip running north and south along Greenville Avenue, about 10 minutes northeast of downtown Dallas. The video walks through the area from the cross streets of Ross and Belmont (known as Lowest Greenville) up to Mockingbird (Upper Greenville), highlighting venues like Son of a Butcher for sliders and live music, Avenue Sports Grill, Terrell's Restaurants for eclectic Italian cuisine with live jazz, and Sundown at Granada in the Upper Greenville area. The video also notes that Dallas's well-known St. Patrick's Day parade runs through this neighborhood, drawing an estimated 150,000 people.
What to do in Deep Ellum, Dallas
What to do in Deep Ellum, Dallas walks through 20 different nightlife spots in this historic neighborhood just east of downtown. Venues featured include Reno's Chop Shop Saloon, Club Dada (an all-ages live music venue operating since 1986), Three Links (described as a punk rock dive bar), Trees (a premier live music venue since 1990 that has hosted Radiohead, Nirvana, Arcade Fire, Deftones, Tool, and Erykah Badu), and the Twilight Lounge with New Orleans-inspired cocktails. The video also stops at Hawker for Asian street food and discusses Deep Ellum's history as a historically significant African-American community once known as the Harlem of the South, noting concerns about gentrification and crime.
A walking tour of Deep Ellum Historic District, Dallas, Texas
A walking tour of Deep Ellum Historic District, Dallas, Texas explores the neighborhood's street art, architecture, and live music venues on foot. Specific music venues mentioned include Sons of Hermann Hall for bigger acts, All Good Cafe for intimate shows, Elm Street Saloon, Trees, Three Links, Punch Bowl Social, Pecan Lodge with patio music, and a venue called Will Call. The video describes the neighborhood's origins as one of the largest African-American communities in the South in the 1800s, its historic blues scene featuring artists like Robert Johnson, Lead Belly, and Bessie Smith, and the gentrification that transformed the area in the 1990s.
Dallas nightlife: The best Clubs, Bars and Restaurants
Dallas nightlife: The best Clubs, Bars and Restaurants features 12 different locations across the Dallas metro area. Starting in McKinney at Hank's Texas Grill — where artists like Guy Clark and Mark Chesnutt have played and open mics run on Wednesdays — the video then visits The Ranch House in Sachse (a country bar and dance hall), Southern Junction in Royse City with a large dance floor where Brandon Bamberg was performing, All Good Cafe in Deep Ellum with open mic hosted by Scarlett Deerling and Milo, Adair's Saloon (famous for their hamburger, with Kirk Holloway performing), and Deep Ellum Art Company for concerts.
Where to go in Dallas for live music
Where to go in Dallas for live music highlights six venues across Dallas. Cowboys Red River is featured as a nightclub and dance hall with Texas two-step dancing and a house band called Running Behind. Adair's Saloon in Deep Ellum gets a second look, noting that Red has a weekly residency there. The Kessler Theater near the Bishop Arts District — once owned by Gene Autry — is shown hosting a Todd Snider concert. Balcony Club in the Lakewood area is highlighted for blues, jazz, and R&B with the Special Edition Band performing. Poor David's Pub near downtown is noted for its history, including a story about Townes Van Zandt and a Guy Clark green room.
The open mics of Dallas, Texas (Dallas music scene vlog)
The open mics of Dallas, Texas covers 16 different open mic nights across the Dallas metro area. Sunday spots include Six Springs Tavern with the Wake and Bake brunch hosted by Tim Travis, and Point After North in Flower Mound with Chris Babler and Warren Dunleavy Jr. Monday features Poor David's Pub hosted by Bob Case with an original songwriter focus, and Buzz Brews Kitchen in Lakewood with comedy and music hosted by Michelle Rose Dom. Tuesday includes Sideways in Rockwall hosted by Zac Romo with barbecue, and Guitars and Growlers in McKinney hosted by Jeff Gross. The video also visits Cavaculture Kava Bar in Denton.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best neighborhoods for nightlife in Dallas?
The main nightlife neighborhoods in Dallas are Deep Ellum, Lower Greenville, and the Bishop Arts District. Deep Ellum is the most popular overall, located just east of downtown with dozens of bars, clubs, and live music venues. Lower Greenville runs along Greenville Avenue about 10 minutes northeast of downtown, with a strip of dive bars, cocktail bars, and restaurants. The Bishop Arts District is about 10 minutes southwest of downtown, with a more artsy, independent vibe and venues like Revelers Hall and Bishop Exchange.
What live music venues are in Deep Ellum, Dallas?
Deep Ellum has a dense concentration of live music venues. Trees is a premier venue that's been open since 1990 and has hosted acts like Nirvana, Radiohead, and Erykah Badu. Club Dada is an all-ages outdoor live music spot operating since 1986. Three Links is a punk rock dive bar. Adair's Saloon is known for country music and has been there for over 50 years. Sons of Hermann Hall hosts bigger acts, All Good Cafe has intimate shows, and Reno's Chop Shop Saloon is a dive bar staple of the neighborhood.
Where can I find open mic nights in Dallas?
Dallas has open mics running every night of the week. On Sundays, Six Springs Tavern hosts a Wake and Bake brunch open mic with Tim Travis. Mondays, Poor David's Pub has an original songwriter-focused open mic hosted by Bob Case (once a month), and Buzz Brews Kitchen in Lakewood has a comedy and music open mic. Tuesdays, Sideways in Rockwall and Guitars and Growlers in McKinney both run open mics. Wednesdays, Hank's Texas Grill in McKinney has open mics in the back room.
Where is the Kessler Theater in Dallas and what kind of music do they have?
The Kessler Theater is located near the Bishop Arts District area of Dallas. It was once owned by Gene Autry and was abandoned at one point before being restored. It hosts seated concert-style shows with national touring acts — the video on this page covers a Todd Snider show there. The venue has a long history and an intimate feel for a proper concert experience.
What is the best place for country music and dancing in Dallas?
Cowboys Red River is a major nightclub and dance hall in Dallas featuring Texas two-step dancing with a house band called Running Behind playing popular country songs. Outside of Dallas proper, The Ranch House in Sachse is a country bar and dance hall, and Southern Junction in Royse City has a large dance floor with live country bands. Adair's Saloon in Deep Ellum also features country-style music, with Red playing a weekly residency.
What is the history of Deep Ellum in Dallas?
Deep Ellum originated in the 1800s as one of Dallas's first commercial districts and one of the largest African-American communities in the South. It was referred to as the Harlem of the South and became a major center for blues and jazz, attracting musicians like Robert Johnson, Lead Belly, and Bessie Smith. The area was significantly gentrified in the 1990s with expensive apartment complexes and rising property values. Today it remains the most popular nightlife destination in Dallas, though there are ongoing concerns about gentrification, crime, and construction impacting local businesses.
What is there to do in the Bishop Arts District in Dallas?
The Bishop Arts District is a walkable neighborhood with small independent businesses, murals, galleries, and a strong art scene. For live music, Revelers Hall focuses on jazz and swing dancing. Bishop Exchange is a neighborhood pub with cocktails and live music. Oddfellows is a rustic coffeehouse-diner with American food and music. Baron's Creek Vineyards tasting room offers wine and live music, and 12 Barrels Brewing is a craft beer spot that also hosts live music. The Kessler Theater is also nearby for concert-style shows. The neighborhood has a younger to middle-aged demographic with a strong independent and LGBTQ community presence.