Where to drink
Where to drink in Fort Worth right now: 5 best new bars in the 'burbs
New bars open in Fort Worth on the regular, but the ‘burbs are also buzzing with new drinking destinations. Northeast Tarrant County, in particular is hot, with several swanky lounges and new sports bars recently opened for business. Here are five new bars to visit that are the worth the trek beyond the 820 loop.
19 Degrees Sports Bar & Grill
Hidden inside the lobby area of the Children’s Health StarCenter in Euless — a community ice rink owned by the Dallas Stars offering ice skating and youth and adult hockey leagues — this two-level bar and grill just opened in August. It’s a satellite location of the McKinney original, which is also tucked inside a StarCenter. Patrons can visit any day of the week for a casual dinner menu of burgers, pizza, and fancy fries (think truffle, Buffalo-style, and poutine with brown gravy and fried cheese curds). But the upstairs bar is only open Friday night and all day Saturday and Sunday, serving cocktails, wine, and beer and tap. Guests don’t need to ice skate or have a ticket to a game to walk in for drinks like Victory Green Tea, made with Irish whiskey; or The Hitchcock, with Buffalo Trace bourbon. The under-the-radar spot is also great for game-watching with multiple TVs.
Anderson Distillery & Grill
Roanoke’s hottest new destination is Anderson Distillery & Grill, where the drink menu exclusively features spirits made in-house. The lineup includes vodka, rum, gin, bourbon, and whiskey, which may be served straight or in an array of craft cocktails. (Note that because the establishment is a distillery, no beer or wine is served here.) Signature cocktails include The Birdie, made with lemon vodka, lavender syrup, and lemonade; and The Key Lime Pie, made with orange vodka, cream, lime juice and a graham cracker garnish. Guests can also create their own shot flights with custom flavor infusions, like rum with pineapple or coconut or white dog (raw, un-aged whiskey) with apple pie or cinnamon. There’s also a full food menu with apps, sharables, and sliders, many items featuring the owners’ branded spice rub called Joe Rub. Go for Thursday trivia night and weekend live music.
Roots and Water
Oenophiles, take note: Southlake is now home to an exclusive members-only wine destination with the opening of Roots and Water. Founded in Dallas with a second location that opened in May in Southlake’s Kimball Park, the high-end wine storage facility doubles as a wine retail shop. Bottles can range from a pocketbook-friendly $12 to a celeb-caliber $4,000. “It’s where true wine collectors can come drink and share impossible to find wines,” says general manager Blake Maso. But no matter their budget, all guests will receive the exact same level of service, promises Maso. He hired longtime Pappa’s Bros. Steakhouse sommelier, Barbara Werley, to help customers navigate the wine world at their pace. There are approximately 650 different wines available for purchase here, and those interested in wine club memberships may inquire within for details.
Social Oak
Trophy Club just got a little swankier. Social Oak, a stylish new wine and whiskey lounge with a unique self-pour dispensing system, opened on August 29. Serving more than 50 wines and nearly 30 whiskeys by the pour, the 21-and-up-only establishment lets guests navigate their own tasting experience. High-end whiskey pours range from one to two ounces and wines from around the world range from one to five ounces. Lounge furniture in gold and jewel tones create posh seating nooks for which to sit and sip. There’s also a tapas menu with high-end bites like escargot, truffle deviled eggs, and fried soft shell blue crab. Go for happy hour, Monday through Friday from 4-7 pm, when all self-dispensing wines and whiskeys are 20 percent off, and select cocktails and appetizers are half-price.
Sport City Taverna
Located a half-mile from Old Town Keller, this new sports bar offers plenty of TVs for game-watching, along with a string-lit covered patio equipped with the all-important fans and misters. Opened in July, the laid-back spot is already popular for football watch parties and a casual dining menu that spans beyond basic bar food. Wings are big here, but so are Buffalo-style shrimp tossed in sauces like mango habanero and garlic parmesan. There’s a full bar with a dozen domestic and craft beers on tap. Open daily until 2 am, the bar fills a void for late-night options in Keller. But early risers can get started at 8 am on Saturday and Sunday with weekend brunch, featuring $4 mimosas and bloody Marys.