Fort Worth is in its haute hotel era. New luxury accommodations are becoming the go-to for evening cocktails and post-dinner nightcaps – overnight stay not required.
Upscale hotels that raised the bar for hometown hospitality in recent years include favorites like Hotel Drover, The Sinclair, and The Kimpton Harper. Pioneers in the local high-end hotel movement also include The Worthington Renaissance Hotel (still a hot spot after more than 40 years in business) and the iconic Omni Fort Worth Hotel, which plans to add a new 400-room tower with a new 15,000 square-foot restaurant by 2026.
But a new batch of elegant new hotels has emerged in recent months, some just a few weeks old. With their openings come new options for hotel bars, which often serve as the social hub for the entire venue. Here are four new hotel bars to visit this month.
The Circle Bar at The Crescent Hotel
With its museum-caliber qualities – from the white walls to the marble columns – The Crescent Hotel (3300 Camp Bowie Blvd.) exudes off-the-chart levels of sophistication. Just off the lobby is The Circle Bar, which matches the hotel’s tone in look and feel. Floor-to-ceiling windows, tall potted greenery, and nooks of modern seating areas surround the actual bar – which is not technically shaped like a circle but does span 360 degrees. The name “Circle” refers to a diverse group of creative artists called Fort Worth Circle who produced hundreds of works of art in the 1940s. (The group is mentioned on the opening page of the bar menu.)
Anchored by a giant, gold-framed awning and a couple of huge TVs, the bar draws well-dressed Fort Worth elite and out-of-town hotel guests for cocktails and aperitivos. Signature drinks include the gin-based Olive and Herb martini, the blood orange and tequila-infused That’s Amore, and the Mediterranean Vesper made with Italian vodka. Visit during Social Hour Monday through Friday from 4-6 pm, when oysters are only $2 each and Parmesan fries are $5. There’s also live music on Wednesdays starting at 7 pm.
The Bar at Bowie House
National Cutting Horse Association hall-of-famer Jo Ellard is the visionary behind this Western-inspired hotel, which opened in December at 3700 Camp Bowie Blvd. is part of the high-end Auberge Resorts Collection. (There’s also a spa and newly opened pool on-site.) The interior showcases much of Ellard’s eclectic art haul, which is not all horse-centric and includes some surprises, like pieces with graffiti.
The Bar at Bowie House draws big business; it’s established itself as the new go-to for many West Fort Worth regulars for pre- and post-dinner cocktails. The bar itself - with its triple archway, weathered mirrors, and ornate wooden details - is one of Ellard’s unique finds from an antique dealer in Central Texas.
As for the drinks, signature selections include Better the Devil Know You made with Casamigos repo, orange and passion fruit juices, and "firewater tincture," and the Ramblin' Mr. Crosby, a gin-based drink best served with the optional champagne topper that's presented separately, making for an interactive experience. Bar apps are Southern-focused and include Ritz & Dips with pimento cheese, smoked salmon dip, and French onion dip, Deviled Egg Puffs, and Lil Smokies made with jalapeno wagyu sausage. Don't miss live music every Thursday evening.
The | Bar at Loews Arlington Hotel
Newly opened near Globe Life Field is the long-awaited Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center (888 Nolan Ryan Expy.), a neighbor to its sports-centric sister resort, Live! By Loews - Arlington. (It's easy to get the two mixed up, but they are not the same.) With 888 rooms, five restaurants and lounges, two pools, a sandy beach, cabanas, spa, and loads of meeting and event space, the hotel debuted just in time for the World Series Champion Texas Rangers 2024 season.
Of the quintet of dining and drinking establishments, The | Bar serves as the hotel's main meeting spot and social hub. Plush seating surrounds an island bar crowned with a crystal chandelier, where cocktails include the expected margaritas and espresso martinis alongside the Ketel One and lime-infused Augustus, and the Patron Silver Sunrise made with mint, ginger, and bergamot. Or try a No-Fashioned – mocktail that’s part of the new Free Spirited by Loews program that embraces the growing trend of non-alcoholic consumption. There’s also outdoor seating with fire pits and a menu of snacks, pizzas, pastas, and entrees like steak and salmon.
West + Stone at Sheraton Fort Worth Downtown Hotel
While the Sheraton (1701 Commerce St.) is not new, the downtown hotel just completed a $50 million renovation including updated rooms and event space and the addition of a sleek new signature restaurant and bar called West + Stone. Anchoring the restaurant, the large, rectangular-shaped bar boasts soft faux leather high-back barstools, a smooth marble bar top, TVs, and lounge seating areas with access to street-side patio seating.
The upgrades also include a new lobby bar. Called &More, the day-to-night gathering spot serves coffee in the morning, cocktails in the afternoon to evening, and light bites all day. So really, the Sheraton is a two-for-one when it comes to new hotel bars. Interesting cocktails include the Blood Moon Mule made with Texas wildflower blood orange vodka, When the Dust Settles made with scotch, sweet vermouth, and tobacco bitters, and the Oaxacan Sour shaken with Casamigos repo tequila, mezcal, and chocolate bitters. Also note the bars feature “Booze Free” options, like the Blackberry Paloma made with zero-proof tequila, and tropical coconut-infused Sunshine Fix.
aubergeresorts.com
The Bar at Bowie House is popular with locals.
