Observations on Dallas' Scene

[SW15]

Thought Id share this meme, I found it funny. lol

While this meme has more to do with Austin than Dallas, it does bring up an important point that is related to the culture of Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and the mating environment here.

In the first post in this thread, I mentioned all of the transplants coming to DFW. A lot of transplants that come to DFW are married couples with families settling into suburban areas. A lot of transplants aren't in the urban core of Dallas in singles-centric areas. With that said, there are plenty of transplants from all over the USA and some from international areas that are around the singles-centric parts of Dallas. In Dallas itself, it's common to find people who have relocated to the urban core of Dallas soon after finishing school. They often move here completely unattached and start dating here, though sometimes people arrive as part of an established boyfriend-girlfriend non-marital couple.

There are so many people pouring into major Texas cities from the expensive, populated regions of California (Los Angeles-Orange County, Metro San Francisco, and Metro San Diego). Many long term Texas residents are concerned about transplants from California coming here and changing the culture of Texas negatively. While the ex-Californians are a legitimate concern for those who don't wish for Texas to become more like the failed state of California, transplants from a lot of other regions have the potential to affect the culture here just as much.

The transplants do affect the mating market in DFW. They weaken social circles. Because social circles tend to be weaker, people aren't closed off here. Stranger approaches are usually at least cordial and there isn't any hostility to outsiders, unlike some other areas of the USA. The rootless nature of a lot of transplanted to Dallas adults leads to a lot of app-based dating, which puts men in a more difficult position. The better play is to approach strangers and join in on whatever in-person events that you can attend.

The weak social circles do contribute to Dallas' pretentious reputation. Because a lot of people are meeting strangers, there are no consequences for bad behavior. When there's no attachment, women can be as superficial as they please.

 

[SW15]

I do enjoy Northpark.

I think Northpark is less enjoyable during the November-December holiday shopping season.

There might be more foot traffic but I think it would be more difficult to get women's attention on approaches during peak holiday shopping season at Northpark. The same problem would be relevant at Galleria Dallas too.

The parking situation at Northpark is better than Galleria Dallas.

 

[HaleyBaron]

I think Northpark is less enjoyable during the November-December holiday shopping season.

There might be more foot traffic but I think it would be more difficult to get women's attention on approaches during peak holiday shopping season at Northpark. The same problem would be relevant at Galleria Dallas too.

The parking situation at Northpark is better than Galleria Dallas.

I don't even expect to pick up women at Northpark. Too much of a walk park. No logistics for sitting and chatting except the small food court.

 

[SW15]

I don't even expect to pick up women at Northpark. Too much of a walk park. No logistics for sitting and chatting except the small food court.

In Northpark, the places to pick up are inside various stores or maybe in the corridors between stores.

 

[itouchyou]

If you could work remotely, would you choose to live in Dallas?

 

[HaleyBaron]

If you could work remotely, would you choose to live in Dallas?

Only reason I live here is out of convenience and happenstance. I would rather work remotely out in the rurals with beautiful green trees and plains. I just have to be worried about the occasional freaky weather and tornado. But it's a good place to live, but I think if I wanted more peace of mind, I'd go live in a more conservative traditional kind of city or town personally. Dallas for bachelor life for the moment.

 

[SW15]

If you could work remotely, would you choose to live in Dallas?

Dallas is a mediocre place to live for a remote worker who moves here with 0 connections to the area.

People who tend to move here with 0 connections to the area are people with bachelor's degrees + who move here for some sort of corporate job that requires an in-person presence at least some of the time. Dallas' corporate job environment is appealing to transplants.

Transplanted adults who move here with 0 connections to the area tend to enjoy this area less than those who grew up around Dallas-Fort Worth and/or attended a regional college with a strong alumni base here. The regional colleges with the strongest alumni bases are Southern Methodist University, Texas Christian University, University of Texas, Texas Tech University, Texas A&M University, University of Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State University. Most other colleges will have some alumni base and an alumni group in Dallas, but the alumni bases might be small and not likely to show up to alumni gatherings.

Alumni networks are useful for college grads in this area. They can help with finding friends and even getting dates without having to cold approach at bars or swipe on the swipe apps.

Dallas does offer some solid big city amenities. There's enough to do around here. There's more to do than just shopping and eating here. You can find some good hobbies and there are often fun, semi-unique things to do. There are some good accounts on Instagram to follow to find some good things to do outside of going to bars/restaurants around here.

This place can be tough socially if you don't come here without some good elements in place. A lot of remote workers don't have the right life circumstances in place to do well socially here.

 

[Isildur1]

Love legacy west go there at least once every 6 months minimum but as a daygamer I’m not impressed with the quality - the city lacks footflow unless you’re at a university or mall. My cousin used to lecture at university of Texas met some women there they were very into the British accent

I still prefer Washington DC if I had to do game somewhere - went to Colorado a few months ago whilst it’s a beautiful place again really empty compared to Western Europe

 

[SW15]

Love legacy west go there at least once every 6 months minimum but as a daygamer I’m not impressed with the quality - the city lacks footflow unless you’re at a university or mall.

I have a positive impression of Legacy West / Shops of Legacy (its older predecessor) on small sample sizes.

Legacy West does seem to be drawing in some talent. There are approach opportunities there. The approach options can happen between the stores outdoors, inside of a store, and sometimes at the bars/restaurants in the area. There's very little in Legacy West in terms of nightlife that I think is a good place for approaching. The bar area on the top floor of the Legacy Food Hall is possible for approaching. Some of the dining/drinking venues there are good date bars, even for early stage dates. Bulla Gastrobar and Taverna are probably the best for an early stage date around there.

The biggest issue with both Shops of Legacy and Legacy West is that they are both in the suburb of Plano. They draw in more of the Plano/Frisco type suburban crowd as compared to some places in Dallas city limits, where I tend to spend my time.

In the last 10-15 years, more corporate headquarters have moved up to the Legacy corridor. As a result, there are more career oriented transplanted singles up in that area. The most notable corporate headquarter relocation to that area was Toyota around 2016-2017.

There are big name companies that headquartered in that part of Plano prior to 2000. Frito Lay (PepsiCo's food division) has been headquarted in that area since the 1980s, when Plano was far less populated. Ross Perot's EDS company was up in Plano in the Legacy corridor in the 1980s as well. JCPenney has that their corporate headquarters in Plano since 1987.

Plano has changed a lot since circa 2010. Plano developed its reputation as a family centered suburb in the 1980s-1990s and it was the "hot, new suburb" in the area then. By 2000, Plano had reached a population of 222,000, as compared to 72,000 in 1980 and 17,000 in 1970. Today, Plano's population is nearing 300,000. It's a more mature suburb now and unlike some suburbs in DFW, it has matured without experiencing much urban decay. Plano has kept its school systems good and attracted a lot of white collar East and South Asian transplant couples with children or East/South Asian transplants who are planning to start families soon.

The Legacy area of Plano is good for more established couples who are childless and want to have some fun things to do without being a more family-centered part of Plano. It's also good for those in that life stage mentioned in the last sentence who have a corporate job near that area.

The bars around the Legacy area do tend to draw in some attractive single mom divorcees looking for either a good time or for a 2nd husband. Sambuca 360 in the Shops of Legacy area is the most well known bar for this but there are other bars that are similar to Sambuca in that area.

You mentioned footflow before. Dallas isn't great for footflow. Pure street game in the Dallas area isn't all that impressive.

The best footflow spot in Dallas for doing approaches outdoors is The Katy Trail, which I profiled in Post #274 in December 2023. White Rock (profiled in Post #275) is also an outdoor Dallas option for that too, but doesn't have as many good options as Katy Trail.

The top 2 malls for approaching are Northpark (profiled in Post #355) and Galleria Dallas (profiled in Post #280).

Dallas isn't known for its university scene either. Southern Methodist University (SMU) is the biggest name university in the area. It's a smaller private school. The University of Texas has 2 satellite campuses around DFW. UT-Dallas is in Richardson near the Plano border and UT-Arlington is in Arlington in between Dallas and Fort Worth. UT-Dallas and UT-Arlington are smaller commuter schools. Texas Christian University is a bigger name private university in Fort Worth. There are a couple other smaller, religious schools in Dallas too. SMU has the biggest pickup scene in Dallas. There's some daygame possible adjacent to SMU (though not as big as the post college scene on Katy Trail). SMU students who have turned 21 are known for going to Dallas nightlife venues in a few Central Dallas neighborhoods.

 

[GoodMan32]

To the OP: I know you've said Houston broads have better attitudes than Dallas broads.

Might you know (or have any guesses) of why?

The possible explanations I can think of:

Houston is a blue-collar oil city. Dallas is a keeping-up-with-the-Joneses white-collar city.

Houston, as far as I know, mostly gets fellow Southerners as transplants. Dallas, on the other hand, gets transplants galore from all over.

 

[HaleyBaron]

To the OP: I know you've said Houston broads have better attitudes than Dallas broads.

Might you know (or have any guesses) of why?

The possible explanations I can think of:

Houston is a blue-collar oil city. Dallas is a keeping-up-with-the-Joneses white-collar city.

Houston, as far as I know, mostly gets fellow Southerners as transplants. Dallas, on the other hand, gets transplants galore from all over.

That's pretty much the reason. I can clean up in Houston. The women are more receptive. But it comes with the downsides. A lot more crazies there.

 

[SW15]

Houston broads have better attitudes than Dallas broads.

Houston is a blue-collar oil city. Dallas is a keeping-up-with-the-Joneses white-collar city.

Houston, as far as I know, mostly gets fellow Southerners as transplants. Dallas, on the other hand, gets transplants galore from all over.

That's pretty much the reason. I can clean up in Houston. The women are more receptive. But it comes with the downsides. A lot more crazies there.

Houston's economy is more closely tied to the energy industry, strongly overlapping with oil/gas. There are some white collar energy industry jobs in Houston, especially nearer to Downtown Houston. Dallas has a more diversified economy.

Even though Houston's economy is more closely tied to the energy industry, it is still one of the biggest metropolitan areas in the USA. There are a lot of jobs in a lot of fields in Houston. However, Dallas has always been more diversified economically than Houston and it is also a massively populated metropolitan area.

Houston women are not working the bluer collar energy industry jobs.

Houston women are generally not as good looking as Dallas women, but they make up for it with better attitudes. Obesity rates are higher in Houston. Outdoor exercise is more challenging in Houston with more oppressive humidity. The Dallas area is more into fitness because there's a strong image oriented in Metro Dallas, usually in the neighborhoods closer to Downtown. Collin County (the suburbs north of Dallas) tends to have more out of shape married people. Southern Dallas County (south of Downtown Dallas) tends to be more non-Whites with higher obesity rates and not known for being a hub of a lot of singles activity.

Both cities are getting a lot of transplants. I think Dallas gets a wider range of transplants, but Houston is still drawing in a lot of people.

A lot of Dallas area are transplants are married people with children going straight to the Collin County suburbs. Some might go to Keller/Southlake in Tarrant County (Fort Worth is Tarrant's big city) or the Denton County further out suburbs of Fort Worth. These married transplants with children typically only enter the local dating pool after a divorce.

Dallas gets more of the unmarried transplants moving here for a corporate job.

Plenty of crazies in Dallas too. Houston doesn't have a monopoly in Texas on the craziest females.

 

[Travel memoir21]

Speaking of Dallas…I feel like going to Austin and taking a stroll on 6th street when I get back.

Who wants to join me? Give me a dm

 

[SW15]

Speaking of Dallas…I feel like going to Austin and taking a stroll on 6th street when I get back.

There's an interesting relationship between Dallas' scene and Austin's 6th Street. 6th Street in Austin is the most well known nightlife district in Austin.

At a fundamental level, Dallas and Austin have different feelings and cultures. Dallas is more about being pretentious and superficial than Austin. Dallas is a much larger metropolitan area and more corporate than Austin.

Austin is only a 3 hour drive from Dallas if traffic cooperates (it often doesn't -- unless you want to travel at unusual times).

Many Dallasites went to The University of Texas in Austin. That's the main University of Texas campus. As a result, a lot of Dallasites did have an Austin 6th Street experience.

It's difficult to replicate the Austin 6th Street experience in Dallas. The closest areas would likely be Deep Ellum and Lower Greenville at this point.

When Uptown Dallas was stronger in the 2010s, there was a bar called 6th Street in Dallas. It opened in September 2012 (see below) with the intention of replicating the Austin 6th Street experience as a lot of Uptown was starting a decaying phase. It closed in late 2016/early 2017. From late 2012-early 2015, it was popular.

Sixth Street imitation opens in Dallas, unsure if will live up to Austin namesake

Dallas is borrowing some Austin atmosphere with 6th Street Bar, a bar designed to embody the essence of Austin’s famous Sixth Streetbar district. Celia Lopez, owner of 303 Bar & Grill in Dallas, opened 6th Street Bar in the Bishop Arts District in Uptown Dallas, an area known for its urban...

thedailytexan.com

 

[Steno]

Is anyone pulling consistently from bars or clubs like at least once every other month? Most of the bars I been to are only good to go with friends but horrible for trying to meet women. The only area I found that is somewhat decent is Lower Greenville. There are a few good rooftop bars but I assume people do not go to them when its cold out so I'm concerned about that since December - Feb are the coldest months so I'm guessing people will be staying in.

Might venture out to Fort Worth soon to see whats up.

 

[SW15]

Is anyone pulling consistently from bars or clubs like at least once every other month?

There are people in Dallas who do pull from nightlife venues at least once every 2 months. Most of them aren't participating on the SoSuave forum or other similar forums. I am more of a non-bar approacher than a bar approacher. That said, I will do bar/nightlife venue approaches too. I had a night game session this week.

Most of the bars I been to are only good to go with friends but horrible for trying to meet women.

Please name some bars that you have gone to that you think are only good for going out with friends. Tell me why they are horrible for meeting new women. It's possible I've been to that bar and can share an experience.

Katy Trail Ice House is a good example of this. It's long tables on the patio are perfect for social circles but bad for meeting new women. Libertine on Lower Greenville is a good friends/date bar. I could name some other examples too. I think Truck Yard in Lower Greenville is another good example of that.

Some of bar culture has changed in the last 10-15 years. Bars have become more of a place for hosting early stage dates arranged on apps. Approaching at bar culture has diminished in the last 10-15 years (covering the period that I have lived in Dallas).

The only area I found that is somewhat decent is Lower Greenville.

I like Lower Greenville. However, it's not a great area for pickup. A lot of the Lower Greenville bars close before 2 AM. Pickup is possible there but it wouldn't be my first choice for pickup.

Right now, the Henderson Avenue bars of the Knox-Henderson district are the best pickup options. Uptown held that title from the early 2000s - mid 2010s. However, Uptown started decaying around 2016.

Deep Ellum has its fans but I've never liked it that much.

There are a few good rooftop bars but I assume people do not go to them when its cold out so I'm concerned about that since December - Feb are the coldest months so I'm guessing people will be staying in.

You're correct about rooftop bars. HG Sply is probably the rooftop bar in Lower Greenville that you're talking about with that sentence. It's ok for pickup but I think it's a better date bar. Some hotties will use HG Sply to take Insta pics overlooking the Downtown skyline.

 

[Steno]

Please name some bars that you have gone to that you think are only good for going out with friends. Tell me why they are horrible for meeting new women. It's possible I've been to that bar and can share an experience.

Its not even worth naming them but most of the ones I've been to in the northern suburbs have the same problem. There are only guys at the bar area or couples who are on a date. People are mostly in tables which gives it more of a restaurant dynamic and its not appropriate for doing approaches. Very similar to Libertine which you mentioned, imagine every single bar being like that.

In the actual Dallas area these are the ones I've been to.
Double D's was good but there's always a line and the girls are never by the bar area so you have to approach them while they are dancing and I'm not going to do that.

Cosmo's has same issue as the northern suburbs. Its practically a restaurant not a bar. People just stick to their own table and its awkward to approach.

Blackfrair Pub I tried going there twice but cannot find parking in that area.

Double Wide you have to get there very early to find parking. By the time that the crowd starts coming in you will already be tired and in the mood to leave due to the boredom of being there for the quiet hours. The bar here is good for doing approaches but its more strategic to arrive peak hours but might have to Uber.

Mike's Gemini Twin Lounge similar to double wide parking is a nightmare and it gets too packed where you can barely move. Only been able to get in one time. The male to female ratio was like 50 men and 3 women. I might give this a second chance one day but lets see.

Bryan Street Tavern is all guys no women. The few times I went there was 0 women by the bar area.

In Arlington I tried the tiki lounge 4 Kahunas but its also one of those spots where its too small and quiet. It's like the size of a small Subways restaurant only like 12 people fit in there.

I like Lower Greenville. However, it's not a great area for pickup. A lot of the Lower Greenville bars close before 2 AM. Pickup is possible there but it wouldn't be my first choice for pickup.

Why you don't like Lower Greenville for pickup? So far HG Sply Co is my favorite bar but the only problem is that its a rooftop bar and its starting to get cold so not sure if people will be going there for the next 2-3 months. I still want to try a few places in that area like Ships Lounge and Leela's. The good thing is that its super easy to find parking and if one place is bad for the night then you can just walk to the next one.

Right now, the Henderson Avenue bars of the Knox-Henderson district are the best pickup options. Uptown held that title from the early 2000s - mid 2010s. However, Uptown started decaying around 2016.

I'm going to try out that area next. When I drive through there to get to Greenville I always see everyone super dressed up. Do you know if the places there generally have a dress code? Also I try to avoid places where everyone is dancing so let me know if you have recommendations for specific bars there.


There are a few spots I want to try but haven't been to yet.
Adair's Saloon but been trying to avoid Deep Ellum. I've heard good things about the spot though, can anyone confirm if its good bar for pick up?

Sambuca 360 every time I drive by there I always see mostly women on the line, generally an older crowd milfs and gilfs. I hope its not one of those places where everyone is dancing because I don't like that. Has anyone been there and can give rundown of what its like?

I'm scared to go to Deep Ellum because I heard there are shooting and stuff. Is it really that ratchet?

 

[SW15]

the northern suburbs

Sambuca 360 every time I drive by there I always see mostly women on the line, generally an older crowd milfs and gilfs. I hope its not one of those places where everyone is dancing because I don't like that. Has anyone been there and can give rundown of what its like?

If you're spending time in the northern Collin County suburbs (Plano, Frisco, etc) trying to get your penis wet, then you're not positioning yourself as well as you could be. It's not as easy to get laid or even get dates in the northern suburbs.

There are local DFW area people who are saying that the northern suburbs are changing a bit. They would claim that newer developments like Legacy West and some apartments being constructed up north are making it less family oriented. Plano, Frisco, McKinney, and Allen (the main Collin suburbs) are most known for having above average public school districts and attracting families. Established couples from other states and even Asia tend to move to those cities for the public schools. Many couples that meet in Dallas tend to move up to Collin County after marriage or once a baby is born for the schools.

A few apartment communities or townhouses is not going to change that dynamic.

In general, I don't recommend the northern suburbs for the single, childless man.

Sambuca 360 is a well known bar in Plano. I have been there. I was last there in 2012. Sambuca 360 has had a reputation since the 2000s as a place where Collin County divorcees go to try to find new penis. There's a bit of a cougar population up there but more of the divorced females are looking for divorced males around their age. However, there are some under 30 men who know about Sambuca's reputation for cougars and will go up there to try to get laid with cougars. It is a MILF and a GILF place. Would not recommend for the most part.

Double D's was good but there's always a line and the girls are never by the bar area so you have to approach them while they are dancing and I'm not going to do that.

Cosmo's has same issue as the northern suburbs. Its practically a restaurant not a bar. People just stick to their own table and its awkward to approach.

Blackfrair Pub I tried going there twice but cannot find parking in that area.

Double Wide you have to get there very early to find parking. By the time that the crowd starts coming in you will already be tired and in the mood to leave due to the boredom of being there for the quiet hours. The bar here is good for doing approaches but its more strategic to arrive peak hours but might have to Uber.

Mike's Gemini Twin Lounge similar to double wide parking is a nightmare and it gets too packed where you can barely move. Only been able to get in one time. The male to female ratio was like 50 men and 3 women. I might give this a second chance one day but lets see.

Bryan Street Tavern is all guys no women. The few times I went there was 0 women by the bar area.

I've been wanting to go to Double D's. It's good you've been. I'm disappointed to read that.

I went to Cosmo's once over 10 years ago. It was lame and not crowded that night. I also remember having the same thought that night about that place that you did.

Blackfriar Pub used to be good enough for approaching when Uptown was at its peak. It was possible to go to the interior downstairs area and do approaches. It is difficult to park around there. It's possible to find parking on some side streets in Uptown if you're lucky. You could Uber/Lyft there.

Never been to Mike's Gemini.

Bryan Street Tavern is a craphole dive bar. Went once, not impressed. It used to be a sponsor bar for some co-ed sports leagues in the 2010s on weeknights, but those kickball and soccer type league players tended to mingle with themselves. I wouldn't recommend Bryan Street Tavern.

Why you don't like Lower Greenville for pickup? So far HG Sply Co is my favorite bar but the only problem is that its a rooftop bar and its starting to get cold so not sure if people will be going there for the next 2-3 months. I still want to try a few places in that area like Ships Lounge and Leela's. The good thing is that its super easy to find parking and if one place is bad for the night then you can just walk to the next one.

I like Lower Greenville in general. I don't like that some venues close at 12 AM. I think a lot of Lower Greenville is better for friend groups or for hosting an early stage date. HG Sply is a cool place.

Henderson Ave is more oriented for pickup. Henderson has evolved from a late 20s to mid-30s place during most of the 2010s to a place now that draws in a lot of under 30s and even the 21-24 year old crowd.

I'm scared to go to Deep Ellum because I heard there are shooting and stuff. Is it really that ratchet?

Adair's Saloon but been trying to avoid Deep Ellum. I've heard good things about the spot though, can anyone confirm if its good bar for pick up?

Deep Ellum has a bit of a seedy feel. It's questionable. I've never liked the seedy feel of Deep Ellum. I once saw a homeless man urinating on the side of a 7/11 in Deep Ellum in broad daylight. Most people are ok in Deep Ellum in groups and near bars. Stay around well lit areas.

There are some pickup opportunities there, but it seems to have fallen off a bit since 2017-2019. It was seedy and sketchy then too.

I haven't been to Adair's.

 

[CornbreadFed]

I’ve been to every part of the US except New England and the non continental states. Dallas so far is the worst city ive ever stepped foot in. The whole city just gives out a Tangier outlet mall with a Walmart parking lot vibe. I didn’t see any hot girls and everyone just seemed miserable there. Unlike Houston, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles, and the other sprawly cities, Dallas lacked a complete soul to the city which made it feel completely worthless imho. Yes, I’ve been to Fort Worth and it was ass cheeks too.