Each year, we revisit Dallas’ top 100 bars with a jolt of reality: Some beloved spots fall off the list, not because they’ve lost their edge, but because they have shuttered. This past year, we said goodbye to Exposition Park’s Wriggly Tin, the master of pop-ups Whippersnapper, Tina’s Continental, Swizzle and Neon Kitten. Promising newcomers like Pinkies Coffee + Cocktails, Palma’s speakeasy Ghost Donkey, Monkey Bar on 9 and Terrazza di Triozzi haven’t stood the test of time – yet.
In our quest to survey Dallas’ finest, we asked bar managers, drinkers and event organizers one question: What makes a good bar in Dallas? The consensus? Drinks aren’t enough. Location remains one of the biggest factors in a bar’s success. Over the past year, two neighborhoods have stood out: Bishop Arts and Knox Henderson.
According to Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission records, drinking in Dallas ain’t dead. We still love our booze, and plenty of it, but we’re tiring of money grabs…