Still haven't found a favorite place in DFW to relax and hang at, any suggestion? (Dallas: home, neighborhoods)

[MckinneyOwnr]

Holy Grail is good. Some other favs in North Dallas suburbs would be Cru, a wine bar in Plano off the Tollway, and Zen Bar in Austin Ranch.

If you liked the Londoner, then you'd probably like the Flying Saucer in Addison, which is better IMO. And if you're in Addison, you can also try out the Mucky Duck, (formerly Zen Bar) in Addison Circle.

If in Dallas, Old Monk is a perennial favorite, best fish and chips in Dallas, and a good crowd.

[TxBlackSheep]

Originally Posted by unseengundam

I am 27 year old male. Looks like some popular places for college age/younger people was Lower Greenville, though honestly didn't see too many 20 year old when went on Sat. night. I think I have also seen some meetup groups go to Londoner Pub Addison, which I tried out.

You should check out Uptown one of these weekends. I like to think of it as post college living. You a lot o people just out of college ranging from 21-30 yrs in age. The main areas of light life seems to be on McKinny in between Pearl st and Knox.

[TurtleCreek80]

Cosmo's and the **** & Bull in Lakewood may be up your alley. C&B has tasty food, too.

The bars in Exposition Park are pretty open & friendly if you have anything in common with the artsy/indie locals.

Coffee shop types like the Pearl Cup on Henderson and Opening Bell at Southside.

There are a few cool laid back bars downtown like City Tavern.

The "Cheers" Bar and Friend's "Central Perk" - both famous in those shows for being "where everybody knows your name" have some key elements you could learn from-> they attracted those who live in the neighborhood (who have obvious geographic and demographic commonalities) and were in low key, off the main route locations.

If you're seeking to build your social network via bar/ restaurant type places, stop going to ones on the main roads of Addison or massive gains like Fox & Hound. Most people are there with a big group o their own friends or coworkers and aren't looking to branch out. Check out some quieter neighborhood type places and try them several times on both weeknights and the weekends. Be prepared for a "raised eyebrow" when you first tell a bunch of downtown dwellers that you came from Plano or Addison or wherever. Keep coming if you like the vibe and some folks should open up to you. If you like it a lot, consider moving closer to it to actually be a part of the neighborhood (like the bar is).

[tracenat]

Originally Posted by unseengundam

Interesting, never heard of Holy Grail before. Might have to check that out sometime.



I am 27 year old male. Looks like some popular places for college age/younger people was Lower Greenville, though honestly didn't see too many 20 year old when went on Sat. night. I think I have also seen some meetup groups go to Londoner Pub Addison, which I tried out.

There are a lot of age groups at Holy Grail.

Are you an alumni? There are a lot of alumni groups around here that meet up--my husband and I are Michigan State alums and a ton of people meet up at the Blackfinn to watch games during the season. Other schools go there too when they play us, but usually hang their heads in shame when it's over

Addison in general has a younger crowd at a lot of places.

Deep Ellum brewery is another good place we've heard but have not had time to head down there yet.

[TrueDat]

If the OP wants a more relaxed atmosphere, not sure Uptown (especially on weekends) is the right choice. Here are some places I'd suggest, though if you live in the northern part of the Metroplex, they're a bit of a drive:

The Foundry: A really cool bar with a big open patio and a cool, non-judgey crowd. It sits on the same property as this new fried-chicken joint, Chicken Scratch, as well as some gardens. So you get a wide range of ages, families, couples, etc. D Magazine : The Foundry: The Hippest Patio in Dallas

The Ginger Man: Perhaps the most comfortable, least pretentious bar in Uptown. A good, convivial atmosphere, good beers, nice patio, and a nice crowd. The Ginger Man

Barcadia: '80s arcade games are the lure at this bar, and those games are free on Tuesdays. There's giant Jenga too. It's along a stretch of Henderson Avenue where there are lots of good bars like The Capitol Pub. Parking is problematic along Henderson though. Nearby on Fitzhugh, there's also the oddly named Strangeways (named after a song by The Smiths) that's also very comfortable. http://barcadiabars.com/barcadia-dallas/; Strangeways - East Dallas - Dallas, TX

The Old Monk: The long-running Old Monk, also on Henderson near Central, is always a good standby if all else fails. Though it can get crowded, and the patio fills up quickly. The Old Monk :: Irish Pub in Dallas, Texas :: Home

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Agree with TrueDat. If youre looking for a relaxed atmosphere, go ahead and forget Uptown.

I second the Old Monk. Love that place and Knox-Henderson is much more relaxed than Uptown.

[Souleiado]

You also have the Vickery Park bar , one is downtown Plano , one is in Dallas.

[MckinneyOwnr]

Originally Posted by justme02

I second the Old Monk. Love that place and Knox-Henderson is much more relaxed than Uptown.

Actually, you third the Old Monk, I brought it up before TrueDat. Can't believe I forgot about the Ginger Man though, another great place!

[Johnhw2]

Stan's in Plano along the NDallas Tollway is a sports bar atmosphere with a nice friendly staff and laid back patrons of all ages. The food is good and it has a nice feel to it, cant really explain it but you might give it a try if this sounds at all like you are seeking. It has the Cheers feel to it as regulars are friendly and management and staff wil recognize you after a couple of times there.

[skids929]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

The "Cheers" Bar and Friend's "Central Perk" - both famous in those shows for being "where everybody knows your name" have some key elements you could learn from-> they attracted those who live in the neighborhood (who have obvious geographic and demographic commonalities) and were in low key, off the main route locations.

Do you guys have a Cheers in Dallas? Or are you just referencing the bologna the show portrayed? Although Boston did at one point used to be more like that.

The real Cheers is actually a complete tourist trap, no one has anything in common there ironically! And it's on a Main throughway, Beacon Street. At one point that was probably one of the busiest streets in Beantown...Just don't ever let me find out you came to Boston and went there without consulting me!!

I can't believe the downtown crowd in Dallas would "raise and eyebrow" to someone from Plano etc. That seems weird to me, in any city. I am curious though, and you would know better than anyone..Does Dallas lack the "character" bars like NYC (and Boston) have? Not that I have ANY use for them anymore, but nice to know in case I get there..Someday my kiddies will want to party!!