dallas nightlife (McKinney, Greenville, Addison: hotel, houses, live)

[emmie]

visiting dallas for 1 night and wanted to check out the saturday nightlife before my flight home---any suggestions? i'm staying near dfw airport and have an early flight but that isn't a problem for this chi-town native. ----no tourist locations please.

[Synopsis]

It depends on what you want for nightlife. I guess if you're twenty-something it would be deep ellum or something like that near downtown. I'm sorry, not much of a help here. I live on the Ft. Worth side, but there are plenty of things to do in Dallas on a Saturday night, for sure. Chat with someone in the Hotel, I'm sure they can help.

One thing I forgot. Go to www.guidelive.com. It's a pretty comprehensive site with local reviews on things to do in Dallas (nightlife, shows, etc.).

[momof2dfw]

See what is going on in and around Addison. Too bad the Mavericks or the Stars are not having a home game this Saturday. If you were here on a night that either of them were playing I would say to go check it out. Get a seat in the lower bowl that will give you access to the Old No 7 Club and the Platinum Club. Go to the Platinum Club beforehand to check it out and possibley eat. After the game hit the Old No 7 and mingle. You won't find many tourists at all doing this and it will give you a small taste of the local scene w/o all of the cheesyness of some bars.

Get the Dallas Morning News on Friday and pull out the Guide section. You can look up just about any type of event that will be going on in the entire Dallas area. Concerts, plays, exhibits, festivals and dining reviews will all be found in this section.

[momof2dfw]

As for specific areas w/ some small clubs and restaurants and stuff w/o all of the touristy stuff, here is a short list.

1. Deep Ellum. It has turned more into the grunge scene. Great area to go get a tattoo

2. West End. Nothing like it used to be. Some of the bars are gone. The shopping center is no more. There are some good restaurants around there but that is about it. Close to the AAC if you went to a Mavericks or Stars game.

3. McKinney Ave down close to the Crescent. Lots of little areas w/ shops and restaurants and a few small pubs/bars. One is a cigar bar that my husband and some of the guys go to on few occassions.

4. Lower Greenville. Way more to choose from if just looking in the close proximity of downtown Dallas. Check at Suede and see if they have anyone performing. If the weather is nice they have a patio up on the roof. I'd say cruise up and down Greenville to see if anything strikes you. Start at Mockingbird and go south. Campisi's is on Mockingbird between 75-Central and Greenville. Some of the best Italian food around.

5. Upper Greenville. Not like it used to be. Not as many clubs but there are a few nice spots. Nothing specifically to recommend.

6. Addison. There are places all up and down Belt Line and the Dallas North Tollway. Name it and you will find it here. Sports bars, the Improv Comedy Club, excellent steak houses, etc.

FYI!!!! Be VERY careful where you park at just about any of these locations. Only park in the lots designated for the establishment that you will be visiting. Otherwise you will get to meet the nice people at the Dallas Auto Pound that is not in a very nice area of Dallas and come out about $250+ lighter than you came.
6.

[emmie]

Awesome!

Thanks for all the info. I'll cruise around and see what strikes me.

As for the potential tow situation---are things not clearly posted or do they tow your car regardless and charge you an $85 application fee in an attempt to get your $125 tow fee if you happened to be in the right like good old Chicago (happened to 3 times so far).

[LC81]

Im gonna go with Addison as well.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by emmie

Awesome!

Thanks for all the info. I'll cruise around and see what strikes me.

As for the potential tow situation---are things not clearly posted or do they tow your car regardless and charge you an $85 application fee in an attempt to get your $125 tow fee if you happened to be in the right like good old Chicago (happened to 3 times so far).

Only $125 towing fee !!!!!!!!! LOL!! Ya'll get a bargain. And they ONLY take cash. While some places are clearly marked there are some tow truck drivers/companies that are not to honest. There have been MANY reports in the news about the abuses they do. They will tow a car legally parked even if the person is at the business the parking is for. The best places have their own manned lots, like S&D Oyster Co on McKinney, give John a tip for keeping an eye on their parking lots.