Where to Drink Now

Where to drink in Dallas right now: 5 new bars to try

This November seems to be a time for change, but it also has us demanding a drink (or several). So these five new Dallas restaurants fit the bill, each offering cocktails we haven't encountered before but certainly will be ordering up again.

They're also good to keep in mind for when your out-of-town pals are back in Big D for Thanksgiving. Hit up your nostalgic favorites, then head to these brand-spanking-new spots for something unfamiliar and exciting.

The Cedars Backyard
Dallas seems to have a thing for "kitschy trailer parks," as evidenced by Goat Ranch, Ida Claire's Airstream, and Truck Yard. Travel further south and now you have the Cedars Backyard, a huge shipping container transformed into a bar that sits adjacent to Cedars Social on South Lamar. It might be a little chilly to get excited about a new patio space — and we mean new, it only opened on November 4 — but once spring hits, this could be the less-crowded alternative to Dallas' other patio-happy watering holes. Right now it's only open Friday-Sunday, depending on the weather, so if you want to try a Honeysuckle Shandy or any of the other 15 beers on tap, plan accordingly.

Grayson Social
You gotta have a gimmick, and this new restaurant in the LTV Tower on Elm Street has one in the form of a "club component." That translates to perks such as invites to private events and members-only pricing, which, okay, we all like to feel special by paying less. But whether you're part of the club or not, there's still a hefty cocktail list to go with the Southern menu. The Coffee Bomb (Saint Arnold Santos Black Kolsch, Borghetti espresso liqueur, house-made honey syrup, and China-China bitters) and Pear & Pepper (house-made Anaheim pepper-infused vodka, Combier, house-made honey syrup, and pear puree) are promising, but of course there's also a drink called the Beef & Bourbon, which serves up house-cured beef jerky attached to the side of the glass. Trailer parks and beef drinks: two of Dallas' new favorite things.

Kitchen LTO Deep Ellum
The permanent pop-up restaurant is back, having moved from Trinity Groves into the old Twenty Seven space in Deep Ellum. Josh Harmon is heading up the kitchen for the next six months, and his Southern-ish menu is backed by a handful of cocktails devised by mixologist Byron Crain and boasting some pretty clever names. Take the Basic Spice Girl, for example, which has Cana Bravo rum, allspice dram, pumpkin syrup, and citrus juice, or the Black Thai Optional, featuring Ford’s gin, Lichi-Li, Amaro Montenegro, simple syrup, egg whites, and lemon.

Pie Tap Pizza Workshop + Bar
As the name implies, the bar gets equal weight at this Design District pizzeria. There are more than 35 taps pouring "everything from local beer to specialty wine to crafted cocktails." The beer has a nice Texas vibe while the wine is California-heavy, but the true draw with both is that they're half price when ordered to-go or with delivery. But if you're dining in, seek out the Frozen Ripsaw: roasted rosemary lemonade, vodka, and fresh fruit. The rest of the cocktail list is your typical assortment of smashes, mules, mojitos, and margaritas, but this refreshing libation is dangerously drinkable.

V-Eats
Dallas' newest vegan restaurant doesn't just mean business with the food — the drink menu also features vegan wines, beer, and craft cocktails, the latter of which are fashioned from cold-pressed juices, kombucha, and locally sourced herbs. Though small, the liquid offerings are tasty and include such positives as the Herb Garden, made with house herb-infused gin, lemon tonic, and fresh spinach juice.

Pear & Pepper peps up the cocktail list at the newly opened Grayson Social.

Pear and Pepper cocktail at Grayson Social

Photo courtesy of Grayson Social

Pear & Pepper peps up the cocktail list at the newly opened Grayson Social.

cocktails craft-beer drinks

Opening News

New restaurant The Gibson fills needs of its North Dallas neighborhood

The Gibson

A swanky new restaurant has debuted in North Dallas after overcoming some major obstacles: Called The Gibson, it opened in November at 17552 North Dallas Pkwy., in the space previously occupied by Maguire's Bistro & Bar, after three years in the making.

Husband-and-wife Carl and Carrie Britton first purchased the building in 2022, intending to open a spinoff of The Funky Door, their fine-dining restaurant in Lubbock.

Carrie is a big wine buff who's certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers and is also a French Wine Scholar. She opened The Funky Door in 2010 — a rare fine-dining haven in Lubbock at the time. More recently, she's turned her attention to the Dallas area, opening a French restaurant called Vieux Carre in Flower Mound in 2023 (which is currently closed temporarily).

The Gibson was slated to open sooner, but in mid-construction, they were dealt a serious blow.

"In 2023, The Gibson was devastated by thieves," Carrie says. "They destroyed the building, doubling the remodeling budget in damage by stripping copper from the walls, stealing all the electrical wiring and components, stealing equipment, and destroying everything from the AC to the floors."

To make it worse, insurance wouldn’t cover the loss because it was theft.

"It was a blow that left me truly shaken, and for a long time I couldn’t even look at the pictures of the damage," she says. "Emotionally and financially, I had to really pray about whether I was going to get this done or not. But I really felt like it was something that I needed to do. I want to be victorious. I'm not going to be a victim."

She regained her passion, returning to the vision she had for the space.

“The building had its own personality — I felt like a kind of Hollywood glamor with a new Dallas edge would be perfect," she says.

The GibsonThe Gibson

The facade and decor have an Art Deco flavor with chandeliers, a color scheme with polished black surfaces and brass accents, and a swooping bar in the center. They've also added a patio, helping to make the space right off the Tollway feel more friendly and approachable.

The menu is American with steakhouse touches. There's a tomahawk for two, ribeye, filet, and NY Strip. Plus short ribs, salmon, a burger, vegetarian risotto, and sea bass with an unexpected white chocolate strawberry buerre blanc.

There are deviled eggs, crab cakes, shrimp cocktail, and fried pickles. Entree prices start at $20 and top out at $59 for the sea bass.

Cocktails include a pear martini and a Gibson with gin and dry vermouth, garnished with an onion. A large wine list includes what Carrie describes as “unicorns” — bottles that are hard to find, including a 1982 Lafitte.

"There are very rare wines, but we also have everything, starting from $40 a bottle," she says.

They're currently open for dinner with plans to add lunch, and there's definitely an audience. Maguire's had a big following and when The Gibson got vandalized, the neighbors came out in support.

"The neighborhood has been really awesome," Carrie says. "They would alert me when things were going on, and they were really great to help watch over it. That was a big motivation."

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