Where to Drink

Where to drink in Dallas right now: 5 bars with new happy hours for July

The time for cocktails is now.

Courtesy photo

With the 4th of July holiday here, and heat for days, the need is great for a refreshing cocktail, and finding one at happy hour prices is the cherry on the sundae. These bars are here to help with valuable cost savings on your cocktails and snacks.

Here are five happy hours for July:

Electric Shuffle
Shuffleboard spot in Deep Ellum has a newly launched happy hour featuring $7 cocktails including Spicy Lucy with jalapeno-infused tequila, cucumber, agave, lime, orange liqueur, and tajin; the Bold Fashioned bourbon with rosemary-infused demerara syrup and bitters; and the Espresso Martini with vanilla-infused vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur, and salted caramel. They've also added two new cocktails: a Frozen Watermelon Margarita with Watermelon and lime, and a Frozen Aperol Spritz with Aperol, Sparkling Rosé, and Soda. Hours: Monday-Friday 3-6 pm.

Fuel City
If "cheap drinks" are your driver, you can't beat the offer at this location of Fuel City, the locally-famous chain of mega gas stations outfitted with in-house taquerias, whose location at 10025 Harry Hines Blvd. (and that location only) is featuring what they are calling frozen daiquiris, but which consist of frozen mangonadas, featuring mango sorbet with tajín and chamoy, spiked with alcohol. What kind of alcohol, they do not say, but at a price of only $1, it seems in poor form to even ask. Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays all day.

La Stella Cucina Verace
Italian restaurant in Dallas' Arts District has launched a special patio-friendly weekday happy hour starring Starlino Rosé, an aperitivo that hails from Turin featuring citrus flavors such as Italian pink grapefruit, lemon, and orange with botanicals such as elderflower, Italian strawberries, raspberries, and coriander. There's a Starlino Spritz, plus bellinis in three flavors: mango, passion fruit, and white peach, as well as red and white wine, all $10. A small menu includes foccaccia bites, salumi & fromaggio, and frittura mista. Hours: Tuesday-Friday 5-7 pm in the bar, and 5-10 pm on the patio.

Taco Cabana
Any dedicated happy hour/cheap drink disciple is already more than familiar with Taco Cabana, home of the budget-priced frozen margarita, with their classic flavors being Lime, Strawberry, Mango, Mangonada, and Strawberry/Mango. It's not just that they're cheap — it's also that the texture of their frozen mix is irresistibly smooth and slushy. For July, there are two special quintessentially-summer flavors: Cherry and Watermelon, available at all Texas locations for $4 through July 31. Hours: 6 am-9 pm daily.

Tommy Bahama Restaurant
Restaurant at Legacy West in Plano is hosting the "Summer of Gin" through the end of July, with a special menu of gin cocktails, including the Tommy G & T made with Tommy Bahama Island Gin; Strawberry Fields of Summer with gin, lemon, soda, strawberries & basil; Ambrosia Fizz with Hendricks Orbium, St Germain, Prosecco, and Aperol; and Hendrick's Tea with Hendrick’s Gin, strawberry puree, lime juice, black tea syrup, and ginger beer. They also host happy hour every day. Hours: 2-5 pm daily.

where-drink cocktails

Chino-Mex News

Fun festive Dragon Casa restaurant in north Dallas combines Chino-Mex

Yelp

Tacos at Dragon Casa

A new restaurant has opened in North Dallas with a pretty uncommon fusion: Called Dragon Casa, it's open at 3355 E. Trinity Mills Rd. #213, in what used to be a Chinese restaurant called Chef Chu, with a menu that combines Chinese and Mexican flavors — tacos with Peking duck, for example.

The restaurant is a spinoff of Dragon House, a Chinese concept founded in Southlake that's acclaimed for its dumplings. It's from JJ Food and Beverages, who took over Dragon House in 2020, after the original owner was arrested on a prostitution ring charge.

JJ kept the original recipes including the signature dumplings, and opened a second location in Highland Village in 2024. They also own Japanese restaurant Nikko in Southlake.

Dragon Casa dumplingsYelp

Co-owner Chris Choi says that the menu and concept behind Dragon Casa — whose subhead is "Chino Mex Kitchen" — was inspired by their own team.

"Many of the people who work in our kitchen are Hispanic," he says. "We work as a family behind the kitchen and we share culture."

The menu spans more than 200 dishes, including customer favorites from Dragon House, from dim sum to house-made noodles to fried rice.

But Dragon Casa also has a separate "Chino Mex" section with dishes such as calamari with jalapeno and taco seasoning; and pork bun fajita, with pan-fried pork buns served in a fajita skillet.

There are six tacos, but with clever Chinese-inspired fillings such as kung pao chicken and Mongolian beef. They're served in the same slatted wooden bowls that are used to steam dumplings.

Meals begin with "chips and salsa" — but instead of tortilla chips, it's crispy wonton chips with sweet and sour sauce. Even their beverage menu is a culinary mixup with Jarritos, Mexican Coke, Chinese and Mexican beers, margaritas, micheladas, and hot tea.

Dragon Casa "chips & salsa"Yelp

One amusing section on the menu summons Chipotle: Called "Chinopotle," it has three burritos, but with Chinese fillings: Orange chicken burrito, Mongolian beef, and honey walnut shrimp.

The decor is a festive fusion of Chinese and Mexican cultures, including neon chile peppers and colorful lights. An Instagram nook features the classic wall of greenery but with a stack of sombreros on a chair. It's a little retro and a lot of fun, although the authentic Chinese roots remain thanks to a large see-through window that allows diners to see the dim sum and noodles being prepared.

Choi says they love the neighborhood, which has come out to support them.

"The demographic in this area is so diverse, and we see families coming to visit from all backgrounds," he says. "We do well in suburban areas because we are very family friendly."

tex-mex openings