Where to Drink
Where to drink in Fort Worth right now: 5 best new patios to sip and stay awhile
For some, being outdoorsy means drinking on patios. If that sounds like you, there are five new patio options now open just in time for spring sunshine. Some offer picturesque views, others, great drink specials, and others, in trendy fashion, outdoor games intended for adults. Grab your sunglasses for this edition of Where to Drink and get ready to sip and stay awhile.
The Yard
There’ll be “No Adulting,” says the sign at The Yard, a new, 18,000-square-foot, adult-themed playground open in the former Capital Bar space near West Seventh Street. Here, amid brightly painted picnic tables, ottomans and even a few swings, patrons can play everything from ping pong and checkers to mini golf and arcade games. There’s also a dog park, beer garden, and a stage for live music. Food trucks, including Salsa Limon and Gorgonzilla, are on a rotating schedule, and there are more than 70 beers on the menu. For those feeling especially thirsty, table-side kegs complete with colorful ice buckets are also available.
Fairmount Music Hall
Fort Worth’s most picturesque rooftop patio is back thanks to Fairmount Music Hall, which opened quietly in late February in the former Live Oak space on West Magnolia Avenue. The space is simple: string lights, shade from towering oak trees, and possibly the city’s best view of the downtown skyline. Big name acts (think Stoney LaRue and Casey James) headline the main stage inside, but cozy acoustic acts often frequent the rooftop. There’s a rooftop bar (try the refreshing mangorita) and corn hole tournaments on Sundays. The Fairmount folks also added a convenient component the Live Oak lacked: a rooftop restroom.
Wild Acre Brewing Co.
A patio without any shade can be a scorcher come summer. That’s why Wild Acre Brewing Co., which celebrates its two-year anniversary this summer, added a massive steel pavilion last month to their spacious outdoor beer garden. Six rows of picnic tables fit comfortably under the shady structure, but there’s still plenty of room on the grassy green pad for live music and corn hole. The outdoor area sits adjacent to the 5,000-square-foot taproom, which boasts a 50-foot bar with 24 taps. What to drink right now: Sip-n-Go Pils, Wild Acre’s German-style brew and current seasonal selection.
Twilite Lounge
With spring weather well under way, this swanky South Fort Worth bar and music lounge is set to make its mark as home to one of the best patios in town. Glimpses of downtown lights are visible on the stone-paved, open-air seating area, which sits adjacent to a covered deck with ceiling fans. There are pretty flowers, surrounding greenery, and candlelit four-top tables that create a romantic vibe. The location is second to the original in Deep Ellum and offers a taste of New Orleans in the form of po’ boy sandwiches, fried green tomatoes, red beans and rice, and French Quarter cocktails. Try a Louisiana Bulldog, Pimm’s Cup, or frozen hurricane, and be whisked away to the Crescent City in spirit.
Salsa Limon River District
It’s the first spring for the latest location of the local taco institution, which opened in the developing River District late last summer. To save it from being bulldozed, owner Milo Ramirez dropped some coin to move the historic 1930s-era Streamline Moderne aluminum building from University Drive. He added a yard full of cheery yellow and white picnic tables, giant umbrellas, planted trees and potted cactus, and created a pleasant space to dine under shade trees. The off-the-beaten path hot spot is popular for micheladas, margaritas, and cold cerveza al fresco.