Remember when nabbing your aunt’s Benson & Hedges and downing the cooking brandy was the height of social sophistication? All right, I may be alone on that one, but the truth is our tastes have evolved when it comes to cocktails and cigarettes. We have come to appreciate the finer things, which, come to think of it, usually come in the finer venues. So here’s the hottest of the haute local bars to get you in the spirit of things.
Ghost Bar
What happens in Vegas doesn’t necessarily need to stay there. Local Sin City transplant The W is home to the penthouse Ghost Bar, the club located on the top floor of the hotel, accessible only through security-operated elevators. Celebrity DJs and A-listers frequent the place, which is furnished with modern deco and a semi-outdoor patio with a vantage point offering all of downtown (depending on the time of year you visit.) Ultra cool factor: the “Ghostdeck,” a glass floor you can stand on and see all the way down the 33 stories. Spooked yet?
The W is located at 2440 Victory Park Lane in Dallas
Dragonfly
Hotel ZaZa is known around town as the hot spot for celeb hangouts, so it’s no wonder their in-house lounge Dragonfly is so popular. Whether you’re shoulder-to-nose with your neighbor at the bar or enjoying a cocktail poolside, the chances of mingling with local or visiting business wunderkinds are good. Have too much champagne, or want to take the party upstairs? ZaZa’s got the best suites in town.
Hotel ZaZa is located at 2332 Leonard Street in Dallas
Victor Tango’s
You can’t get an idea of VT’s until you valet your car and venture inside. There’s no front patio or windows, just a glowing sign and a train of short-skirted, big-haired hotties teeteting on Louboutin’s waiting at the entrance. The food is good, but the cocktail list is where it’s at, as the classic bar concoction craze has made an impact on their menu. Try fresh, made-from-scratch renditions of the Moscow Mule, French 75 or Passionfruit Gimlet. Looking for some harder fare? Go for The Sazerac.
Victor Tango’s is located at 3001 N. Henderson Avenue in Dallas
Teddy’s Room
I love new bars in Dallas, especially if they’re named after dead presidents. And specially especially, if they include any kind of risque, tasteful nudity. Teddy’s has it all. The affluent and party-fluent Uptowners have been living it up at Teddy’s since they opened their doors on Cedar Springs in May, enjoying upscale burlesque performances along side some jazz and stiff martinis. Settling in to the former Lift Lounge space, Teddy’s offers bottle service and nightly entertainment in their sleek, red interior space, punctuated with animal busts and studded leather sofas. Yee-haw.
Teddy’s is located at 2404 Cedar Springs Road in Dallas
The Social House
On any given day of the week, after 6 p.m. at the West Village is a parking nightmare. Even if you manage to veer through traffic to get to the garage, you’re still looking at five floors of fullness before you park your Jag. Luckily, you can score a valet right by Social House, the self-proclaimed “gastropub” that offers good eats and nightly treats at the heart of the Village. This double floored playground gets going on weekends, so if you prefer to down drinks while seated, it’s advised you get there early. There’s a smaller but chic crowd at Social Monday’s.
The Social House is located at 3699 McKinney Avenue in Dallas
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