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I actually kind of do (as I mentioned above)... While I don't think corporate is the word, there's definitely a preference of Washington/Midtown over Downtown for us locals.And a high visiting population Downtown. But again, on busy nights, or if the Spire or Toyota have a major event, locals do hit up Downtown.
You seem focused on trendy electronic (playing computer "music") dance clubs for the early-mid 20s crowd. That's definitely no longer the focus of the Historic District, though that's what it was in the late 1990s in its first (re)incarnation. The Historic District focuses on relaxed but sophisticated venues without the post-college-oriented silliness.
You seem focused on trendy electronic (playing computer "music") dance clubs for the early-mid 20s crowd. That's definitely no longer the focus of the Historic District, though that's what it was in the late 1990s in its first (re)incarnation. The Historic District focuses on relaxed but sophisticated venues without the post-college-oriented silliness.
On excruciatingly busy nights, the crowds from Midtown and the Spire will wonder into the historic district though. This was the case in last year Halloween.
Another interesting thing about Addison is for the flack DFW gets for not having as inclusive of a nightlife for black people as cities like Houston or Atlanta, Addison is actually where majority of the popular black bar/restaurants are in the Metroplex.
I noticed this too. Its interesting that they located there of all places. Speaks to the very solid Black middle class in North Dallas and the surrounding suburbs.
I will be moving to the area in the coming months and have been researching the forum for things like this as we've never been to the area.
We'll first be living in the Plano area and once settled in will want to find places to see live music in the area. Not sure if that fits in with this thread's idea of 'nightlife' but that's what it is to us at this point in our lives.
Partying late nights in trendy bars is a couple decades behind us but we still like to get out, and to places that are too far a drive. I don't imagine Plano is famous for much of this if any but thought to ask. Ideally places that have a mix of ages.
I will be moving to the area in the coming months and have been researching the forum for things like this as we've never been to the area.
We'll first be living in the Plano area and once settled in will want to find places to see live music in the area. Not sure if that fits in with this thread's idea of 'nightlife' but that's what it is to us at this point in our lives.
Partying late nights in trendy bars is a couple decades behind us but we still like to get out, and to places that are too far a drive. I don't imagine Plano is famous for much of this if any but thought to ask. Ideally places that have a mix of ages.
They have live music at Legacy West. You’d have to google it to find out dates and times, but I’ve seen/heard music the times I’ve been up there. I’m sure there are smaller venues scattered around at the smaller places in Plano/Richardson and of course a lot of places in Dallas. I feel like Austin Avenue had bands but I haven’t been there in over 10 years.
So my fiance' had her bridal shower in Carrolton this past weekend, and later that night our gang wanted to go out. The following series of events is a good example of why a lot of folks prefer partying in Houston or Atlanta over the Dallas area.
As an African-American who has lived in Houston all of my life, I just don't get the way DFW handles its nightlife. Don't get me wrong...I'm all for mixed crowds and what-nots...but DFW seems to PURPOSELLY cater ONLY to the white and mixed crowds. The few "black" spots that are available are all hookah lounges that don't serve liquor, or hole-in-the-wall night shacks that serve liquor but don't provide hookahs (the gang and I are big hookah fanatics). This was in Addison, so I suppose that I didn't really expect for that area to be hip-hop oriented...but JEEEESUS....the pickings are really slim.
After a failed attempt at going to Vinetti's (didn't know it was standing room only that didn't serve hookah...neither did we know that it cost $300 for a single table), we tried finding a spot that was trendy, yet urban (there are plenty of spots like this in Houston). After an hour of searching IN THE RAIN, we finally settled upon a dinky lil hookah lounge...won't say the name of it here...that, since it doesn't serve liquor, we had to stop at a convenience store for beer and wine (the liquor stores had just closed). After rushing inside (the rain was coming down pretty hard at this time), we find out that we have to pay for a table. That was no problem...there were going to be about 10 of us in all, so the space was needed. The problem started when, after paying for said section, we find out that it only seats 8 people. Again, that in itself would not have been a problem as I and the other guys I was with would rather stand up anyway and let the ladies have the seats. But NOOOOOO...this place CHARGED us for having two extra butts, despite the fact that we told them there would be ten people in all. And the REAL kicker...we were not allowed to share hookahs. If a hookah was made for 4 people to smoke and a fifth wanted to join, these people actually had the AUDACITY to charge us for it!!!! In Houston, I can share my hookah with as many people as I damn well please with no extra charge. Unbelievable...
The only place in DFW where I've had a truly good time was at Park Avenue and an old-school place called Odyssey in Oak Cliff. As I'm nearing 40, I'd much prefer an upscale environment in which I can still experience some of the trappings of the hood spots that I enjoyed when I was younger...but Dallas just doesn't have it. It's either one or the other...no in-betweens AT ALL, lol.
The heyday of hookah lounges here in the Dallas area was about 15-20 years ago IMO. They were trendy for awhile, and there were quite a few choices in Dallas proper and Addison, but one by one they either closed down or switched names/formats.
So my fiance' had her bridal shower in Carrolton this past weekend, and later that night our gang wanted to go out. The following series of events is a good example of why a lot of folks prefer partying in Houston or Atlanta over the Dallas area.
As an African-American who has lived in Houston all of my life, I just don't get the way DFW handles its nightlife. Don't get me wrong...I'm all for mixed crowds and what-nots...but DFW seems to PURPOSELLY cater ONLY to the white and mixed crowds. The few "black" spots that are available are all hookah lounges that don't serve liquor, or hole-in-the-wall night shacks that serve liquor but don't provide hookahs (the gang and I are big hookah fanatics). This was in Addison, so I suppose that I didn't really expect for that area to be hip-hop oriented...but JEEEESUS....the pickings are really slim.
After a failed attempt at going to Vinetti's (didn't know it was standing room only that didn't serve hookah...neither did we know that it cost $300 for a single table), we tried finding a spot that was trendy, yet urban (there are plenty of spots like this in Houston). After an hour of searching IN THE RAIN, we finally settled upon a dinky lil hookah lounge...won't say the name of it here...that, since it doesn't serve liquor, we had to stop at a convenience store for beer and wine (the liquor stores had just closed). After rushing inside (the rain was coming down pretty hard at this time), we find out that we have to pay for a table. That was no problem...there were going to be about 10 of us in all, so the space was needed. The problem started when, after paying for said section, we find out that it only seats 8 people. Again, that in itself would not have been a problem as I and the other guys I was with would rather stand up anyway and let the ladies have the seats. But NOOOOOO...this place CHARGED us for having two extra butts, despite the fact that we told them there would be ten people in all. And the REAL kicker...we were not allowed to share hookahs. If a hookah was made for 4 people to smoke and a fifth wanted to join, these people actually had the AUDACITY to charge us for it!!!! In Houston, I can share my hookah with as many people as I damn well please with no extra charge. Unbelievable...
The only place in DFW where I've had a truly good time was at Park Avenue and an old-school place called Odyssey in Oak Cliff. As I'm nearing 40, I'd much prefer an upscale environment in which I can still experience some of the trappings of the hood spots that I enjoyed when I was younger...but Dallas just doesn't have it. It's either one or the other...no in-betweens AT ALL, lol.
That reminds me of a few nights out in Dallas for sure lol. I think you described the difference perfectly. I always feel like I spend way too much money relative to what I actually get with respect to the nightlife there.
So my fiance' had her bridal shower in Carrolton this past weekend, and later that night our gang wanted to go out. The following series of events is a good example of why a lot of folks prefer partying in Houston or Atlanta over the Dallas area.
As an African-American who has lived in Houston all of my life, I just don't get the way DFW handles its nightlife. Don't get me wrong...I'm all for mixed crowds and what-nots...but DFW seems to PURPOSELLY cater ONLY to the white and mixed crowds. The few "black" spots that are available are all hookah lounges that don't serve liquor, or hole-in-the-wall night shacks that serve liquor but don't provide hookahs (the gang and I are big hookah fanatics). This was in Addison, so I suppose that I didn't really expect for that area to be hip-hop oriented...but JEEEESUS....the pickings are really slim.
After a failed attempt at going to Vinetti's (didn't know it was standing room only that didn't serve hookah...neither did we know that it cost $300 for a single table), we tried finding a spot that was trendy, yet urban (there are plenty of spots like this in Houston). After an hour of searching IN THE RAIN, we finally settled upon a dinky lil hookah lounge...won't say the name of it here...that, since it doesn't serve liquor, we had to stop at a convenience store for beer and wine (the liquor stores had just closed). After rushing inside (the rain was coming down pretty hard at this time), we find out that we have to pay for a table. That was no problem...there were going to be about 10 of us in all, so the space was needed. The problem started when, after paying for said section, we find out that it only seats 8 people. Again, that in itself would not have been a problem as I and the other guys I was with would rather stand up anyway and let the ladies have the seats. But NOOOOOO...this place CHARGED us for having two extra butts, despite the fact that we told them there would be ten people in all. And the REAL kicker...we were not allowed to share hookahs. If a hookah was made for 4 people to smoke and a fifth wanted to join, these people actually had the AUDACITY to charge us for it!!!! In Houston, I can share my hookah with as many people as I damn well please with no extra charge. Unbelievable...
The only place in DFW where I've had a truly good time was at Park Avenue and an old-school place called Odyssey in Oak Cliff. As I'm nearing 40, I'd much prefer an upscale environment in which I can still experience some of the trappings of the hood spots that I enjoyed when I was younger...but Dallas just doesn't have it. It's either one or the other...no in-betweens AT ALL, lol.
I know Sandaga 813/ Hero's/ Pangea Restaurant & Bar has more of that Houston vibe but you're right. In Houston those kind of places are a lot more easier to find. DFW has gotten better but it still has a ways to go to catch up as far as the Black nightlife experience.
Because of its central location and the sheer number of bars/restaurants it has, Addison will always be a busy nightlife spot in DFW.
But I've heard from several people (in other online forums and in real life) who have said Addison isn't as trendy as it used to be, with a number of previously popular spots having closed or moved (even pre-COVID). That's mainly because places like Legacy in Plano, Uptown and Deep Elum are now up and coming. For a long time, Addison didn't really have to compete with other areas.
That said, Addison's always been a "drive & park" type of place, with exception to Addison Circle which never had much in the way of retail and restaurants/bars.
Addison competes more with Legacy in Plano than Uptown and Deep Ellum.
Both Addison and Legacy Plano have paled in comparison to Dallas proper for nightlife for 10+ years.
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