Deep Ellum After Dark: Where Dallas Goes Out
Jonathan Barlow
The Strip
Deep Ellum is where Dallas drops the corporate polish and gets real. The neighborhood east of downtown has been the city's music and nightlife district since the 1920s, and while the buildings have changed, the energy hasn't.
Midnight Rambler
In the basement of The Joule Hotel downtown, technically not Deep Ellum — but the crowd migrates here. The cocktail program is one of the best in Texas. The lighting alone justifies the trip underground.
Truth & Alibi
Speakeasy entrance through a fake barbershop. Once inside, the space opens into a sophisticated cocktail lounge that Dallas didn't know it needed. The password changes weekly.
Ruins
A bar built inside what looks like ancient stone architecture. The mezcal selection is outstanding, and the atmosphere is unlike anything else in the city.
Free Man Cajun Cafe
Live music, Cajun food, and a patio that fills up fast. This is Deep Ellum at its most democratic — everyone is welcome and the music is always on.
Deep Ellum after midnight is a different city than Dallas during the day. That's the point.