Located south of Downtown, the Bishop Arts District is one of Dallas’s most exciting, vibrant and walkable neighborhoods. Its density and proclivity for the good life give visitors plenty to do, especially if you’re into locally-made beers, natural wines and top-notch cocktails. Because the multi-block area is sporting some of the city’s best and most interesting bars, you can string them together for a fun night on the town. Here are eight great bars in Bishop Arts.
Ladylove Lounge & Sound
Every night’s a party at Ladylove. The bar from the Spinster Records team is a cozy spot with retro sensibilities and hi-fi audio, where you can convene for early evening drinks and conversations and then stick around to dance. DJs and cocktails keep the energy up as the night progresses, and when hunger strikes, you’ll find better food than you expect in a room with pulsing music and a disco ball. That’s thanks to Jimmy Contreras of Taco y Vino, who stocked the menu with craveable snacks and handhelds, like Cubano sliders, tempura-fried green beans and Bumps and Lays, aka caviar served with potato chips.
Revelers Hall
Featuring a deft blend of food, drinks, music and a vibe that evokes vintage New Orleans, Revelers Hall is a guaranteed good time. A regular lineup of talented musicians and jazz bands provides the fun-loving soundtrack, while the bar slings beers, wines and cocktails like the Old Fashioned and A La Louisiane. Any of the above goes swimmingly with a fried shrimp po’ boy or a hotdog featuring local favorite Luscher’s Red Hots. It’s the kind of place where you show up for one drink and a song and wind up sticking around for the whole set.
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The Branca Room
This hidden gem is tucked inside Chimichurri restaurant and has quietly become one of the neighborhood’s most interesting bars. Swing through to find an intimate speakeasy-like space with a handful of tables, a chandelier and framed photos lining the walls; the drink concept celebrates the convergence of Argentine and Italian cultures. Barkeep James Slater has taken the time-intensive step to make amaro and vermouth in house, and he’s created a menu of original drinks that naturally features a lot of Fernet-Branca.
Bar Eden
Located next door to sister concept Paradiso, Bar Eden is a lush, tropical wonderland of drinks and snacks. Greenery lines the ceilings, and potted plants sit next to tables and chairs, so you feel like you’re outside even when you’re not (though there is a patio if you want to double-down on fresh air). The menu has a thoughtful selection of wines, but don’t miss the creative cocktails. They change with the seasons and include selections like the Prohibited Palates (Bolivian brandy, watermelon, lime, mezcal) and the two-person Fountain of Youth, made with gin, lemon, brut Champagne, fino sherry and ube.
Jaquval Brewing Co.
Jaquval is located around the corner from Oddfellows and comes from the same owners. The casual brewpub has stay-all-day European tavern vibes, with wooden tables and mirrors and other knick knacks festooning the walls. More important is the menu, which features a tight selection of well-made beers, including a lager, porter, stout and IPA, plus a few ciders, meads and wines. Food is comforting and filling, with dishes like fish and chips, a French dip, roasted chicken and a sausage plate.
Ampelos Wines
This bar and retail shop is full of wines you won’t find at your local grocery store. Instead, Ampelos stocks natural wines from small producers, filling the shelves in this cozy little house with whites, reds, skin-contact bottles and a handful of vermouths. Browse the selection, enlist the owners for a recommendation or try one of the regularly rotating flights. If you’re passing by outside, keep an eye out for the “wine-dow,” a walk-up window where you can score a glass of wine to sip on the patio.
Atlas
Edgar Allan Poe-inspired interiors: check. Moody artwork: yes. A global menu: very much so. That’s what you’re working with at Atlas, the dimly-lit, fun-loving cocktail bar where you can travel around the world without ever leaving your barstool. Snack on German pretzel bites, Italian meatballs, Vietnamese pho and a Cuban sandwich, and sip on well-traveled drinks like the Paloma, Daiquiri, Pimm’s Cup and Pisco Sour or request a beer from the equally international list. Heads up — that bookshelf in the back opens to a smaller bar where you can do all the aforementioned activities but in a more intimate space.
Casablanca
The same group behind Bar Eden is also responsible for Casablanca, a good-looking lounge that channels a Moroccan souk. The natural light-filled bar is a great place to post up with a cocktail and a few bites from the menu, with dishes like harissa-spiced chicken skewers, chili garlic noodles and patatas bravas. If you’re in with a group, try one of the spiked tea setups that serves up to seven people, perfect for ingesting some liquid courage before serenading each other in Casanova, the attached private karaoke space.
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