The best clubs in Dallas

This cozy record lounge in Oak Cliff's Bishop Arts District is the perfect antidote to mega clubs. Its intimate space, soft lighting and better-than-expected cocktails make it a fine choice for happy hour, but as the hour gets later, the DJs start spinning and the volume turns up. Dance to one of the best musical selections in town—just what you’d expect from the team behind Spinster Records—and when you need a break, fuel up with a Cuban sandwich and Disco Fries topped with jalapeño cheese curds and house gravy.

At first glance, this spot is not a club. It’s a casual Design District bar with wood paneled walls and checkered floors that could be mistaken for a ‘70s rec room. The friendly bartenders are ably equipped to make classic cocktails but just as happy to pour shots and beers. Sit on a sofa, hang out or maybe stretch your hamstrings. Because once the DJ comes in and the crowds follow, a dance party will break out, infusing the space with loud music and high energy until the lights turn off at 2am. 

This Miami icon descended upon Dallas in 2023, and it brought all the glitz and sushi associated with the original. The main floor is where you’ll gather for dinner and drinks, but the upstairs lounge dials the party up to 11. The indoor/outdoor space has a DJ booth, neon lighting, unique artwork and a full bar, and it’s where you’ll see groups ordering bottles that are presented by a cavalcade of staffers with sparklers. Bring your good credit card, dress the part and join the fray.

Once a staple of downtown nightlife, PM Lounge reemerged on Henderson Ave in 2022 after a decade-long closure, and it’s been drawing old and new fans alike ever since. Once past the red velvet rope, guests can sink into plush, colorful sofas or stay upright and dance to a rotating cast of local and visiting DJs. The full bar serves classic and original cocktails, and bottle service is always ready when you want to splurge.

Deep Ellum provides no shortage of places to party. The Nines hits the unique sweet spot of catering to a variety of tastes, with DJs mixing pop and electronic hits and playing R&B and Motown classics, depending on the night. The bar even hosts aerial performances. The two-story space gives you plenty of room to spread out, including on the rooftop terrace when you need a breather. There are drink specials all week, so a discounted tequila or whiskey is always within reach, and happy hour runs until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Sandaga promises “always good music and good people,” and it delivers. There’s a $20 cover charge at the door, but that goes to some of the best bands in town who play jazz, soul, R&B and more. The bartenders are quick, the crowd’s lively and there’s a patio out back when you need a seat, some fresh air or want to enjoy quieter conversations away from the stage.

It’ll Do Club skips the discriminating bouncers, dress codes and bottle service, opting for a more laid-back and welcoming experience befitting its Old East Dallas location. Local and touring DJs take full advantage of the hi-fi surround sound, as fun-loving patrons dance to house and techno on the light-up floor every Thursday through Sunday night.

​​At 40,000 square feet, Escapade 2001 offers plenty of space for dancers to spread out and groove to the beat of ranchera, cumbia and bachata hits. This sprawling venue features multiple levels of bars and dance floors, giving visitors the freedom to move around until they find their perfect vibe. Escapade is open from Friday to Sunday.

The world-famous Station 4 is an LGBTQ+ nightclub with 17 drink stations and 24,000 square feet of space. From Wednesday to Sunday, the venue pulses with DJ sets, light shows and dancing crowds. All that produces first-rate people-watching from the sidelines, but the best move is to hit the floor and dance until closing time, which isn’t until 4am here. And don’t miss one of its iconic drag shows, held upstairs in the Rose Room.

Drive through the popular Knox/Henderson neighborhood during the day, and you might miss Candleroom entirely. Arrive on a Wednesday, Friday or Saturday night, however—yeah, the schedule’s a bit strange—and you’ll notice lines of well-dressed people waiting to enter the upscale space decked out with luxe mirrors and a candle-lit chandelier. Weekends are never a bad choice, but the lounge is one of the city’s best options for a Wednesday night party, with crowds who don’t mind dancing shoulder-to-shoulder to pop, electronic and hip-hop tracks.

Dallas doesn’t have the cowboy culture of Fort Worth, but Dallasites can still don a hat and two-step on occasion. Cowboys Red River is a honky-tonk club that plays the best country hits every day but Sunday. The dance floor surrounds a bar, and many line up against wooden rails with beers in hand to watch couples spinning to live bands on the club’s mainstage. For those who need a crash course in dancing, Cowboys host free two-step and line dancing lessons multiple nights per week—just check the posted schedule on the website.