So many people have emailed asking me to review Louie’s … but bad news: Louie’s doesn’t have drink specials, so it’s not completely in my wheelhouse. Sorry!
Their pizza, drink strength, and people watching is great, though.
Make sure you have cash or an AMEX on you, it’s all they take. Don’t get mushrooms on your pizza; they’re fresh, not cooked. Also, know what you want and don’t put the wait staff out too much; they’re cranky.
Louie’s
1839 North Henderson Avenue | (214) 826-0505
Pulling up to Cock and Bull (which is quite hidden) I knew I was in for an experience. Anyone who has been hasn’t just been … they all seemed to have frequented the place for a time. When I walked in and saw a group of regulars doing shots of Sambuca with the bartender, I knew I was home.
The service was snappy (really snappy) and the waitresses checked on us often. The booths were really only the least bit tattered and had the look that they’d smell if you got too close. Try not to use the bathrooms if you can help it.
We went on a Monday and Mondays are the night of the $9.50 burger and draft deal. Who could ask for more than a great burger and draft deal with many choices of both drafts and burgers (I had the one with mushrooms and it was deLIGHTful).
In short, a pretty ok night in a fun area. Give Cock and Bull a try … especially if it’s in your neighborhood.
Extras: free WiFi, 1 TV (if they let you turn it on)
Drink strength: 2.5
Overall: 3
Cock and Bull Neighborhood Pub
www.cockandbulldallas.com
6330 Gaston Avenue
(214) 841-9111
Specials:
Sunday| Stella Artois $4, Blue Plate Special $6
Monday | Burger and Draft $9.50, wells $2.50
Tuesday| Domestic Bottles $2.50, ½ Price Appetizers (axcept cheese plates)
Wednesday | ½ Price Wine by the Glass, cheese Plate $8, Heineken $3
Thursday | Guinness/Harp $4, Irish Car Bomb $5
This organic cafe knows how to do brunch! I’ve been known to lose track of time when at bars, but this was a brunch that lasted 3-1/2 hours. Let’s be for real, though … how could anyone turn down brunch, nay, brunch with bottomless drinks for a reasonable price? Definitely not me.
While I waited a hot 2 minutes by the front door for the host to acknowledge me, he was very friendly when he did and led me to a plush booth toward the back of the blue-and-white restaurant. This restaurant has been host to many-a work dinners and various other meals and events, and I seem to have a completely experience each time.
On a Monday they offer a free 2-course meal (full servings, no kidding) and it will only cost you the tip. Though you can get caught with this by ordering drinks and dessert, it’s still a fantastic deal. Get one sfuzzi and your night is made – it’ll get you festive.
Sundays are brilliant because you can mix-and-match. Having to choose one drink to be your bottomless choice is almost like choosing a husband … one flavor for an entire meal? No, thanks. Luckily Villa O is liberal with their choices and their portions.
The food at Villa O is very good and, as I mentioned, the portions are large so an entree can fill you up and leave you enough to take home for a midnight snack. The bread, though, is the crowning glory of this restaurant. I could be happy for the rest of my life with their bread basket and bottomless choices.
Drink strength: 3 (except for the sfuzzi which gets a 4.5!)
Overall: 4
Villa O
villaorestaurant.com
4514 Travis Street
(214) 780-1880
Specials:
Sunday | til 3 p.m. | bottomless drinks (your choice of mimosas, sfuzzis, bloody marys, or bellinis) $8 | kids eat free all day
Monday | free 2-course meal
Wednesday | 1/2 price wine
Thursday | $3 drinks for SMU students only
Be careful to trust a person who does not like wine.
Smoke replaced Cliff Cafe not too long ago and I couldn’t wait to try it. I should have, though. The tortuous route there due to two different wrecks started our day off on a bad note and the bbq restaurant had the potential to turn things around … but didn’t.
We were greeted by a host suited in overalls, a plaid shirt, and a sport coat – a surprising combination but he owned it. We were led to a table in the back corner and had to step over AV equipment. Sitting down, the tablecloths were topped with brown paper; a cozy touch but it proved to be annoying because it got caught every time I tried to move my arm.
We were delighted to hear that there was a mimosa deal so we each ordered a glass and began our mission to have a Sunday funday kicked off with bottomless mimosas. They were strong and pretty darn good … but weren’t refilled quickly; we had to ask twice to get refills. Finally, at the end of the meal we were given a pitcher.
Now for the service and food: the menus were awesome – if you want to order family style, you fill out a scantron sheet. Sounds efficient but we somehow got a wrong side, an extra 1/2 order of ribs, and were even charged wrong in the end. Skip the beans – they tasted disgusting (the waiter even pulled a face when he tasted one). Also, don’t bother with the “fresh out of the oven” biscuits because they came out cold in the middle and the pot holding the jelly they claim to make fresh every day was empty. To top it all off … it was really expensive.
A friend actually made the comment when they started setting up the AV equipment that if the music is as good as the food we had better get out of there quickly. Bottom line: I would have been a lot happier if they just left Cliff Cafe there.
Extras: large room with a pool table, plenty of parking, great view of Dallas from the Belmont Hotel, and a hotel conveniently located next door if you have too much to drink
Drink strength: 4
Overall: 2
Specials:
Monday-Friday | 4-7 p.m. | $1.50 off all drinks
Sunday | 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. | $11 bottomless mimosas
Smoke
www.smokerestaurant.com
901 Fort Worth Avenue (beside the Belmont Hotel)
(214) 393-4141
Here’s to alcohol: the cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems.
Toting the best happy hour in North Oak Cliff on a sign outside, we saw “thai” and “free appetizers” and couldn’t get through the door fast enough to test it out. While the restaurant was much larger than we expected, we sadly have to shoot down that it was the best happy hour … even just in North Oak Cliff.
When we arrived, we were the only two people in the bar area so we had our choice of tables. The first one at which we sat was wobbly. So we moved. The second, wobbly. The third already had sugar packets under the offending legs so we settled.
While the drinks were cheap, they weren’t very strong at all and the free apps weren’t anything special. The only drink worth order is their rum concoction dubbed the Samui. Olivia’s only comment on our experience was, “That frozen rum concoction got our nights started off just swelllll!”
My best advice: Ask them not to bother with the appetizers and to keep the Samuis flowing.
Drink strength: 2
Overall: 2.5
Chan Thai Restaurant
www.chanthaidallas.com
312 West 7th Street (in the Bishop Arts District) | (214) 948-9956
Specials:
Monday-Friday | 4-7 p.m. | $3 house wine, $2.50 well drinks, and free appetizers
I am writing while at the bar … this is the first review I’ve written in the moment. Thanks to their free WiFi, it’s a cinch. This is one of the more relaxing reviews I’ve done. Case and point: my sister and I are kicking our feet up after long days at our respective offices; she’s opening her mail and I’m writing this review. This place is certainly a no-pressure zone – and being downtown, that’s a blessing.
Parking is somewhat tough to find but if you do, meters aren’t active so you get to park fo’ free. WOOHOO, more money to spend on drinks.
We just ordered our meal: supreme queso blanco and house salad with sun-dried tomato vinegarette dressing – I’ll report back and let you know how they are. It took us a while to get our order in because the wait staff isn’t extremely attentive; but they get the job done.
As for the drinks you order … make sure they have what you want before you order. My friend ordered three differed beers and they didn’t have the first 2. It’s all about expectation vs. delivery.
If you’re here to watch a game, you’re in for a good view; there are flat screens all over the bar and restaurant with various news shows and games on. AND if you go to the bathroom, you don’t have to worry about missing anything; there are TVs in the bathrooms! If your game of choice isn’t on, just ask and they’ll change it for you.
(P.S. the food was good.)
Drink strength: 3.0
Overall: 3.9
Press Box Grill
www.pressboxgrill.com
1623 Main Street (at Elm and Ervay) | (214) 747-8226