It’s a little challenging to talk about the best tequila bars because now almost every bar is a tequila bar, and almost every restaurant carries a full shelf of tequila. Mezcal, too. The spirits that 10 years ago suffered from unfair stereotypes—tequila causes bad decisions, mezcal is firewater—are now the trendiest bottles on the shelf.
Making matters worse, many agave-based cocktails go out of their way to hide the taste of the base spirit, burying it in mixers, sweeteners, or fruit. It seems that many customers want to order mezcal, but not taste mezcal.
This list is for the people who want to taste agave. In a mixed drink, or neat. We’re not trying to be snobby here, only blunt. And helpful. The agave spirits at these bars and restaurants are well-chosen, made with traditional means, sourced from small-batch producers rather than corporate behemoths, and served with respect, neat or in cocktails. They will take your taste buds on a wild ride, rather than taming the spirits.
I’ve been a paying customer at all of these bars and restaurants, and am regular-ish at about half of them. Although this list isn’t in strict order, we have grouped our favorite agave selections in Dallas into two categories: bars and restaurants.
The best agave bars
Las Almas Rotas
If there’s a better agave bar in the country, I’ll plan a vacation around it. The wall at Las Almas Rotas is practically a museum display of great small-batch tequilas, mezcals, raicillas, sotols, and Mexican gins and whiskeys, too. If it’s made in a giant factory or with flavoring additives, they don’t want it. Though the mixed drinks here are superb, the best way to experience Almas is to treat yourself to a neat pour of something extraordinary and sit with it, letting it expand your mind. 3615 Parry Ave.
La Viuda Negra
There aren’t a lot of good speakeasies in Dallas—most of them are annoying, fake, or both—but this one is a gem. Connected to El Come Taco, this bar disguised as a wedding dress shop offers an intimate atmosphere, good drinks, and nice food from its neighbor, too. Inside El Come Taco, 2513 N. Fitzhugh Ave.
Ruins
Some of the wildest, most colorful, most interesting drinks in Dallas come from Ruins. The liquors also go well beyond Mexico to other countries in the Caribbean and Latin America. Cocktails might include horchata-infused rum, charanda, sotol, pisco, agave gin, Mexican rum, or Bolivian brandy (along with, yes, plenty of tequila and mezcal). Ruins is also one of the very few Dallas bars to serve pulque. 2653 Commerce St.
Bar Colette
This French-inspired cocktail bar may be a surprise inclusion on the list. Premium tequila with steak frites? Yup. Rubén Rolón’s seasonal cocktails often include Mexican spirits, including a hit called Al Pastor that, yes, riffs on the flavors of a taco al pastor, with mezcal, pineapple, micro cilantro garnish, and a mix of savory additions that make for a smooth, beautifully balanced drink. 3699 McKinney Ave., Ste. 306
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The Greenville Avenue bar well-known for sophisticated cocktails includes quite a few agave-based drinks among their number. Though the menu can look chaotic—drink descriptions often include five or more ingredients, and you can’t always imagine them together—put your trust in the bartenders, who’ve put a lot of work into balancing these recipes out. 1928 Greenville Ave.
Saint Valentine
There aren’t a huge number of specialty cocktails on offer at Saint Valentine, but you can order classics, too, and the staff focuses on getting everything right. The agave selection here includes Racho, the Dallas-based mezcal brand that makes an especially good introductory pour for first-timers. 4800 Bryan St.
The best restaurants for agave cocktails and neat pours
Ayahuasca Cantina
This backroom restaurant behind Xaman Cafe serves upscale food and some of the most sophisticated cocktails in the city. Think of it like a smaller, more intimate version of Ruins. Inside Xaman Cafe, 334 Jefferson Blvd.
El Carlos Elegante
The long list of agave pours here is comprehensive and mostly good quality, and the staff can help make recommendations. 1400 N. Riverfront Blvd.
José
Look for cocktails that feature brands like Koch or Socorro (we prefer The Unusual to The Usual), or skip ahead to the well-curated list of spirits available neat. 4931 W. Lovers Ln.
Las Palmas
It makes sense that Dallas’ most premium Tex-Mex restaurant would also have its most premium Tex-Mex-compatible spirits list. 2708 Routh St.
Revolver Gastro Cantina
This venue for Revolver’s famous tacos, ceviches, and Sunday brunches is also responsible for some of Dallas’ best palomas and margaritas. 2646 Elm St.
