Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Dallas
Before you serious crate diggers come for our heads, we're not saying that Growl Records has the greatest vinyl inventory in all of DFW, though its selection is pretty cool. We will confidently say, however, that this Arlington record shop provides everything we want in one night: It has live bands and is connected to a pizza shop and to a brewery that has trivia nights. So you can go back and forth among all these places in a few steps and indulge in your hobbies at one stop. The shop is a punk oasis in a sports-heavy town and sells other things you can play: scary toys called "deadly dolls," for starters.
To check out the sprawling collection at InkQ Rare Books, you have to either make an appointment or stop by and get lucky that staff is there. Inside, check out a selection from the personal library of late author William Goldman, as well as newspapers dating back to the 1780s. The shelves are stocks with rare first editions, signed copies and oddball gems, particularly in the pulp section near the back. You're not going to find the latest Colleen Hoover here, and prices tend to be on the high end, but InkQ is absolutely worth a stop for Dallas bookworms.
No matter how much we hate seeing strangers' sloppy feet bloating out of their flip-flops while we're trying to enjoy our lunch, we gotta recognize that feet are important. And we should show them some love from time to time for getting us where we most need to go (because your car will not get you to your fridge and pantry). Foot Therapy in Dallas specializes in reflexology that'll decompress, de-stress and de-mess your spirit from the bottom up. It also offers full-body or neck-shoulders-back combos, all in a tranquil space meant for optimum relaxation that'll your work problems into complete oblivion. It's also open late. Super late. Prices are fairly reasonable for an hour of the pampering your feet deserve, no matter how gnarly.
Most North Texans don't have the luxury of running to a salon after work when we have to hustle to pick up kids from daycare, get groceries and cook dinner. Nor do we want to face the weekend rush, when everyone is trying to get all done up last minute before date night. This is why there's no greater joy than making a nighttime trip to the nail salon to take care of semi-important self-care in the form of a mani-pedi, wax, facial or a massage. Fab Nail in Oak Lawn is in the heart of the gayborhood, so you know it's just as fab as its name promises. Walk-ins are welcome, and if you go at night especially, you won't need an appointment. We highly recommend the citrus-y, tropical pedicure, which goes great with the salon's cocktails.
While scientists and bloggers debate the benefits of basking in the sun with and without sunscreen, many of us would rather consume vitamin D in capsule form than risk more wrinkles and sun damage of all kinds. If you share that sentiment, fake tans are a safe bet, and some could say that they even give off a presidential glow. Flawless Tans uses an organic airbrushing technique and takes real pride in color matching so you don't end up Oompa-Loompa-ing the next day. The company, founded by Shelby Mesh, also offers mobile tans to a select few Dallas ZIP codes and cheaper sessions when conducted by students.
Since 1988, the White Rock Center for Hope's hundreds of volunteers have provided food, financial assistance and clothing to families in need, so you can feel guilt-free here about your shopping addiction, knowing your money is going to a proven good cause. The East Dallas nonprofit's resale shop accounts for half of the operation's revenue, and, most important, always seems to have the furniture you're looking for to make your place look sophisticated enough even on a low-wage budget. All right, so you won't find an Eames lounge chair or an Yves Klein Table (please, tag us immediately if you do,) but you can easily score a fine dining room table or a roll-top desk in good condition and help clothe and feed a family in the process, which, they say, is far more rewarding.
When it's midnight and you desperately need an, uh, implement, Amazon can't help you. It's important to shop local anyway, so head to your nearest New Fine Arts. Trust us, they have everything you need. It's got accommodating hours and an extremely wide ....selection. You can't go wrong to pop in and stock up on onanistic — or shared, you lucky dog — essentials at New Fine Arts.
At the best place to thrift in the gayborhood, fresh donations keep Out of the Closet stocked with great finds. Clothes, furniture and plenty of knick-knacks to keep your apartment decorated, all while supporting your community. Also providing free testing and an AHF pharmacy in the back, it's really a one-stop community shop.
Polaroids and 35mm cameras are back. However, the days of one-hour photo development are long gone. Sure, you can take your disposable camera and 35mm film to be developed, but it could take up to a month to get your photos back. But as an artist (yes, you), you can also support other local artists at Photographique lab. Developing from negatives is a fading art form, but the team at Photographique is keeping it alive (and offering darkroom rentals and tutorials). Photographique also specializes in creating larger forms of photography on canvas as well as putting together photo boxes. Most orders are completed within two to three days. (They also have a retail location where you can shop or drop off film at 409 W. Eighth St. in Bishop Arts District.)
When a shop is lauded by 's "Best Of," you know they're doing something right. And for gentlemen (and ladies) looking for that classic Americana/Western hybrid style, Nylo Wool is a best-in-class boutique we're very lucky to have in our hometown. Billed as "the clothes Dallas grew up in," Nylo's selection hearkens back to the days of high-quality, American-made clothing. Whether you're looking for old rock tees, tailored blazers or well-worn Levi's, each carefully selected item has a timeless appeal that transcends trends.
