Best Craft Beer Bars in Dallas

Peticolas is Dallas's most decorated craft brewery and the taproom is where you drink its best beers fresh. The malt-forward ales that made the brewery famous are only available here and at a handful of select accounts. The Great Stumblin' Bison imperial stout and Velvet Hammer are the two drafts every first-timer should order before exploring the rest of the list. View Details

3 Nations Brewing pours from a large air conditioned taproom in Carrollton, just north of LBJ, where a rotating lineup spans IPAs, sours and the flagship Belgian-style ales. The picnic seating on the production floor stays in play for groups, and rotating food trucks keep the room going on weekends. It is one of the metro's most established independent breweries. View Details

Deep Ellum Brewing built its reputation on Dallas Blonde and Double Brown Stout and the taproom experience reflects that history: no pretension, serious quality. The outdoor biergarten fills every weekend and the Friday afternoon crowd starts arriving at 3pm. One of the few Texas craft breweries distributed nationally that still tastes better fresh at source. View Details

Craft and Growler runs 40 rotating draft lines covering Texas breweries, national craft leaders, and a strong import selection. The staff know the list with the depth you want from a specialist and the Design District location draws a crowd with actual opinions about beer. The growler fills mean you can take the best draft home. View Details

Bishop Cider produces some of the finest small-batch Texas cider available and the taproom gives you access to the full experimental range not distributed elsewhere. The fruit-forward and dry ciders serve non-beer drinkers better than any other spot on this list, while the beer selection covers the bases for everyone else in your group. View Details

Four Corners sits on the Trinity Groves development with a beer garden that earns its space even by Dallas standards. The Latin-influenced brewery makes El Chingon IPA and Local Buzz honey ale that anchor a tap list running 14 house beers. The Trinity River views from the patio account for some of the rating, but the beer delivers independently. View Details

Flying Saucer Downtown runs one of the longest craft beer lists in the city: 80 taps covering domestic craft, regional Texas breweries, German imports, and Belgian ales. The breadth is unmatched in downtown. The UFO club rewards regulars who work through the list, and the kitchen stays open until midnight on weekends. View Details

Lakewood's Garland taproom is worth the 20-minute drive from downtown Dallas for the full brewery experience and access to the barrel-aged and experimental Temptress series before they sell through. The main taproom runs 18 house beers and the patio accommodates dogs. Weekend tours at 1pm and 3pm are free with a beer purchase. View Details

Meddlesome Moth earns a dual listing in both craft beer and cocktail categories because the beer curation genuinely holds up alongside the cocktail program. The Belgian and farmhouse ale section is the best curated in Dallas outside of a specialist bottle shop. If you are building a mixed group itinerary, this is the only stop that works for both camps. View Details

Revolver's Blood and Honey is one of the best-selling craft beers in Texas by volume, but the DFW taproom outpost is where you access the limited releases and barrel-aged variants unavailable through distribution. The staff are genuinely knowledgeable and the taproom atmosphere skews toward the serious end of the Texas beer culture spectrum. View Details

Oak Highlands sits in the Lakewood neighborhood and operates with the relaxed confidence of a brewery that has figured out exactly what its community wants. The Oktoberfest Lager and Chump Change IPA are year-round anchors, and the seasonal releases like the winter Warmer draw local regulars the week they tap. Dog-friendly patio, no-reservation, perpetually full on Saturdays. View Details

Armadillo Ale Works built a national reputation for wild fermentation and sour ale production before most Dallas drinkers knew what lacto meant. The Deep Ellum taproom access point lets you try the full current sour range plus whatever limited barrel project just hit condition. Not a beginner's introduction to craft beer, but essential for anyone who knows what they are looking for. View Details

Community Beer Co. produces the most-consumed Texas craft beer in the Dallas metro and the taproom lets you understand why. Public Ale is a perfectly calibrated session beer and the taproom runs 12 additional house beers in various styles. The beer hall format with communal tables encourages conversation with whoever is sitting next to you, which is usually someone who knows their Texas craft beer. View Details