Being that Denton is a college town, there’s a street of bars that most of the students go to, Fry St. If sticky tables, push frat bros, and screaming sorority girls isn’t your thing, here are 10 Hole in the Wall bars to check out.
Paschall’s is a world-class cocktail bar founded in 1887 and named after its original proprietor. Located on The Square, it’s a short walk from campus and a wide variety of eating establishments. The bar transports you to a sophisticated environment where you’ll know you’ll be taken care of by its professional staff. You can choose one of their signature cocktails like The Alamo, or just stick to an Old Fashioned. They’ll know how to make whatever you want. Everyone should visit this place once just to see how much care was put into the atmosphere and the craft the staff employs when making drinks.
Like the previous entry, most of the bars on this list will probably be on The Square because it’s such a hotspot for nightlife. This bar is just a street away so you can avoid the huge crowds. In addition to being a chill place to get a few drinks, it’s an awesome place to get incredible food. There are resident food trucks who happily serve patrons of the bar. They have over 80 different beers on tap and serve over 120 different bourbons, whiskeys, and scotch. While you can’t smoke outside, they have a large patio perfect for cool summer nights.
The operators and owners of this place pride themselves on ensuring their customers have a good time. They know that’s why you’re going out anyway. Opened in 2018, it’s one of the newest bars on the list and it’s noticeable by the overall youthful energy the bar evokes. It’s also right across the street from campus and carries less of a crowd that Fry’s. You can dance to the incredible DJ, mingle with the always ecstatic bartenders, or just sit back and sip on your favorite cocktail. You can come here, forget about your problems, and just have fun.
Back to Denton’s Downtown Square, Hooligans is another place to visit if you’re looking to add a certain level of style to your night out. Hooligans opened in 2006 and is located in a 1800s brick building renovated with stain glass and wood fixing. This two-story building also serves as a grill. Their entire menu is available until 1 am and there are multiple flat screens, and internet jukebox, and pool tables for some entertainment. Add on the view to Denton’s Historic Courthouse, and you have a pretty cool night.
The next bar is one of two owned by a pair of men who care deeply about Denton’s nightlife. II Charlies (pronounced 2 Charlies) is the second of the bars that they opened and is worth a try for the food they serve alone. They have some of the best Garlic Parmesan wings in Denton. This is the more relaxed of the two bars and a great place to go if you love a good burger and a large glass of beer. It’s located not far from campus, on University Drive, so it’s just a short Uber or Lyft to some of the best bar food in Denton.
The Loophole is the second bar owned by the saviors of Denton’s nightlife. While II Charlies is the fun and relaxed younger brother, The Loophole is the industrial yet chic older sister. It’s also a return to The Square, and The Loophole is a local favorite. Because it’s associated with II Charlies, there’s obviously awesome bar food to try, including fried pineapple stuffed jalapenos. Patrons can choose from over sixteen different craft beers and a wide variety of liquor and bottles. There’s also live music and specials for every night of the week.
Backyard on Bell is a longtime Denton favorite, despite it being a fairly new addition to the town’s nightlife scene. It actually serves as two bars with one serving the seated area and another serving the gigantic backyard. There are food trucks waiting to serve patrons who have danced and drank their night away. Despite serving alcohol, it’s considered a family-friendly bar with musicians playing shows every night and numerous other events taking place there including yoga classes.
If tequila is your drink of choice, you have to check this place out. Mulberry Cantina has a wide variety of tequila options and some of the best margaritas in town. Their drinks also come with complimentary chips and salsa so you don’t have to worry about ordering food. What more could you ask for than margaritas and chips & salsa?
This is a violation of the rules of this list, but this place is too cool to not be mentioned. Free Play Arcade is located right across the street from The Square and is one of the few places that gives you all access to classic arcade games and extremely trained bar staff. You can order from their extensive menu and then play classic Mortal Kombat II in its original form. This is definitely a place to start your night off because you’re gonna wanna remember how to play the games and the experience as a whole.
The last violation of the list, and the last entry of the list, in general, is Cool Beans on Fry Street which offers one of the most relaxed atmospheres out of all the bars on Fry. There are very few screens, they have a rustic design and aesthetic, and an almost never occupied roof. Cool Beans is a nice place to start off your bar experiences in Denton. It offers the laid-backness that most Dentonites posses, but if you’re looking for more fun, there are more college bars to choose from on the rest of Fry.
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