The Best Bars and Restaurants to Watch the Dallas Cowboys This Season

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – the NFL season. What’s not to love? Wings and beer with a side of adrenaline as everyone cheers on America’s team. Historically speaking, that might come with a side of disappointment — whether it be from the Cowboys or due to a three-hour-long waitlist at a wing bar. Unless you camp out hours in advance on game day at a restaurant or bar, chances are you’ll end up watching the game from outside as the waitlist moves at a snail’s pace.

Don’t fret. Ahead of the Cowboys’ season opener this weekend, we’ve prepared a list of both newcomers and tried-and-true spots where you can cheer on the Boys. This is our year, right? Let’s cheer to that. (Honestly, what else can we do here? We’re open to ideas.)

Texas Live!

1650 E. Randol Mill Road (Arlington)

Texas Live! gives fans all the bells and whistles without the stadium fuss. For $10 admission, you can watch the game on a 100-foot LED HD screen in “the only atmosphere better than the stadium!” Admission won’t guarantee you a table at this 200,000-square-foot destination spot, but fans can book a table. They start at a $250 minimum for a four-top, but that shouldn’t be a problem.

Green Light Social

2625 Floyd St. (Deep Ellum)

Green Light Social entered Dallas’ party landscape last New Year’s Eve. The venue, located on the outskirts of Deep Ellum, is luring fans with all-day brunch and a 30-foot LED wall. Along with $25 mimosa towers, Green Light Social will have game-day food and drink specials. Pair kick-off with an order of Boujee fries and an alcohol-infused Capri Sun.

AT&T Discovery District

308 S. Akard St. (Downtown)

Continuing with the big-screen theme, AT&T Discovery District’s 8,700-square-foot media wall will be showing the games. For those who like options, this is ideal. The Exchange food hall offers two stories with 16 food spots and two bars. Pro tip: a Dock Local lobster grilled cheese pairs perfectly with a touchdown. To keep cool, visit Jaxon Beer Garden and grab a chamoy mango margarita. Bring a lawn chair or blankets to sit down.

Frankie’s Downtown

1303 Main St.

Also downtown is 2021 Best of Dallas Reader’s Choice winner Frankie’s Downtown. Readers crowned Frankie’s best cocktail bar, best happy hour, best wings and, most notably, best sports bar, making it a lock for this list. The bar is loaded with 44 screens and has all the game-day essentials covered, including $19 buckets, Champagne punch, Hoodoo fries and eight wing varieties.

Stan’s Blue Note

2908 Greenville Ave. (Lower Greenville)

Greenville Avenue’s Stan’s Blue Note celebrates 70 years in business this year by welcoming “Dem Boyz” back with door prizes, $4 Fireballs, $3.75 domestic drafts and $14 domestic pitchers. As one of Dallas’ oldest bars, Stan’s has become a hub for fanatics. For the best seats, come early and stay for the fresh, homemade meatball subs.

Christie’s

2817 Greenville Ave. (Lower Greenville)

Christie’s Sports Bar’s second iteration checks all the boxes. The two-story joint has a first floor with TVs in every corner. The rooftop is a fan favorite and even has corn hole. The new location came with a much larger kitchen, allowing Christie’s to expand its menu. Game-day staples like fried pickles, mozzarella sticks and wings are still on the menu, but you can also order a charcuterie board appropriately titled “The Board” or New York steak frites. Avoid the wait by making a reservation. Just text the day, time and number in your party to (469) 724-1888.

Hero

3090 Olive St. (Victory Park)

In Victory Park, Hero is a 24,000-square-foot mega spot with six full-service bars and a 24-foot screen along with all the amenities to meet your game-day needs. Along with the basics, NFL fans can opt for ahi tuna tostadas and tuna poke, or build their own bowls. Cocktails are named after Dallas sports teams such as the Cowboys Mule and Frozen Mavericks Marg. The espresso martini, Dallas’ crowning cocktail, is also available.

Viva El Gallo

534 S. Riverfront Blvd. (Cedars/Deep Ellum)

For a patio experience, Viva El Gallo is the spot. The Latinx-owned restaurant has become a hub for uplifting Mexican culture through Banda Fridays and Tejano music-centered events. The restaurant’s love of sports is equally celebrated. For the Cowboys season, Viva El Gallo is expanding hours to accommodate games and will bring in a large projector to show the action. Satisfy game-day hunger with shrimp cocktails, ceviche, camarones a la Mexicana and hot skillets filled with beef, chicken, shrimp, sausage, onions and peppers.

Quinlan’s Sports Grill and Bar

2810 E. Trinity Mills Road (Carrollton)

For a quaint option, Carrollton’s Quinlan’s Sports Grill and Bar has been a community favorite for over a decade. The Mills Pointe shopping center sports bar has garnered quite the reputation, and locals flock to the bar for strong pours. The neighborhood bar might not be loaded with screens, but it’s the kind of spot that feels like home. Come in a newcomer and leave a regular. The menu is stacked with good old-fashioned comfort foods. Try the homemade meatloaf with mashed potatoes and black-eyed peas.

Mexican Bar Company

6121 W. Park Blvd. (Plano)

For Mexican cuisine, don’t overlook the beloved Mexican Bar Company in Plano’s Willowbend Mall. It’s known for the Bodega Brunch and has become a go-to destination for daily happy hours, entertainment and Latin-influenced takes on American favorites like the lobster huevos agohadas. On Mondays, marvel at a mariachi band decked out in Cowboys gear.  Along with Cowboys games, Mex Bar also shows the Steelers, Bears, Chiefs and Raiders. Reservations and a private dining room are available.