After a long, hard workday, sometimes nothing sounds better than a refreshing cocktail to unwind and relax. Whether you’re looking for hard-to-beat happy hour pricing or the perfect swanky lounge to impress your out-of-town guests, these bars and restaurants in Downtown Dallas deliver with their delicious concoctions.
For those looking to be especially fancy, there is no better place to grab a cocktail downtown than Midnight Rambler. This craft cocktail salon, located inside the iconic Joule Hotel on Main Street, embodies all things hipster swank. The drinks may not be cheap — most are about $14 — but they sure are delicious, with both savory and sweet options to suit every palate. One of the most popular is the “Hot Buttered Soul,” which combines brown butter bourbon, pecan orgeat, lemon, cassia and cayenne pepper for a distinctively warm finish. This bar is open until 2 a.m., seven days a week, and complimentary valet (up to 90 minutes) is also available, so you don’t need to worry about parking.
If you want something more causal, head to Frankie’s Downtown. Also located on Main Street, this sports bar has long been racking up accolades, having been named Best Sports Bar and Best Happy Hour by D Magazine in recent years. With 44 flat screen TVs, there’s no bad seat in the place, and the cocktails aren’t anything to scoff at either. Happy Hour is held weekdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and all day on Tuesdays, and includes plenty of discounted classic cocktails like $5 Moscow Mules and $5 French 75s. If you’re looking for a special drink, head downstairs to the speakeasy lounge, The Underground, where you’ll find plenty of craft cocktails and live music.
Do you have friends or family visiting from out of town? Head to 3Eleven Kitchen & Cocktails, another popular downtown drinking spot. This farm-to-table restaurant has a prime location in the West End Historic District and recently received a 2019 Diner’s Choice Award from Open Table. One glance at the cocktail menu, and you’ll notice its distinct tie to 3Eleven’s location, with drink names containing specific nods to nearby history-making spots. Try “Oswald or Was It” or “Stroll Through the Grassy Knoll,” the latter of which is a floral cocktail that combines gin, elderflower liqueur, lavender reduction, lemon juice and club soda.
Last up, it’s hard to mention the word “cocktail” in Dallas without also mentioning Parliament, the plush, dimly lit lounge located on Allen Street in the State Thomas neighborhood of Uptown. Simply hop on the free McKinney Avenue Trolley or spring for the $5 Uber, and this bar, just a few minutes north of downtown, will deliver on all of your cocktail dreams. Open from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., Monday through Saturday, Parliament offers a whopping 100-plus craft cocktails, and it’s common to find this place packed with drink aficionados most days of the week. It’s also considered one of the best happy hours in the city, with $4 to $7 cocktails served from 5 to 8 p.m. and any time it rains.
Which bar or restaurant do you think has the best cocktails in Downtown Dallas? Share your recommendations with us (plus your favorite drink on the menu!) on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
