Experience Dallas
Where to Go Before—or After—the Boulevard
A Dallas Curated guide to where to start early, grab a bite, make the reservation, or keep the celebration going around SMU.
Where to Go Before—or After—the Boulevard
In Dallas, some traditions revolve around the main event. Others are about everything that happens before—or after—it.
On an SMU game day, kickoff is only one part of the plan. There is the early coffee run, the table everyone manages to gather around, the reservation made well in advance, and the place where no one is quite ready to call it a night.
Whether you are coming in for the game, meeting friends along the way, or simply looking for somewhere nearby to join the energy, these are the places we recommend to start early, grab a bite, make the reservation, and keep it going.
Start Early
Boulevard days have a way of beginning long before the official festivities do. Start with coffee, something fresh, or a proper breakfast before the neighborhood fills with red and blue.
White Rock Coffee, Kilo Coffee, Herb’s House Coffee, and Foxtrot make an easy first stop when the priority is caffeine and getting the day underway. Nékter Juice Bar offers a lighter beginning, while Shug’s Bagels and Café Brazil are reliable choices when something more substantial is required.
For a slower start, 360 Brunch House and Sweet Paris turn breakfast into the first gathering of the day. The point is not necessarily to be in a hurry. It is to settle in, meet your people, and ease into the rhythm of the Boulevard.
Grab a Bite
Not every stop needs to be a production. Sometimes the best plan is the familiar one: something satisfying, a comfortable table, and a place that can easily accommodate a group.
Burger House and Bubba’s are long-time neighborhood favorites, while Bandito’s, Olivella’s, and Ozona are made for the kind of casual gathering that can happen before the Boulevard or immediately afterward. Los Charros at Graduate Dallas brings the gathering even closer to campus.
Come as you are, order what sounds good, and leave enough room in the schedule for the plans that inevitably change.
Make the Reservation
Some Boulevard plans deserve to feel like plans.
This is the category for the table booked ahead, the outfit that can carry you through the day, and the meal that becomes an occasion of its own. The choices range from neighborhood dining rooms such as D.L. Mack’s, Jack & Harry’s, Ramble Room, and The Finch to sushi at Oishii SMU, French bistro energy at Bar Sardine, and the more spirited flavors of El Molino and Sueño.
There is intentionally no distinction here between lunch and dinner. Game times change, traditions vary, and the right reservation may come before the Boulevard, after the game, or somewhere in between. What matters is having a place waiting when everyone is ready to sit down.
Keep It Going
When the game is over but the evening is not, Dallas offers plenty of ways to extend it.
Barley House remains closely connected to the Boulevard experience. Its tent near Bishop and Binkley is often part of the day itself, with live music, food and drink wristbands, and a welcome for both home and visiting fans. Afterward, Milo Butterfingers and The Green Elephant keep things relaxed, familiar, and full of game-day energy.
For cocktails and a more polished final stop, there is Boxcar, Lounge 31, or Park House—the latter for members and their guests. The destination may change depending on the group, but the instinct is the same: one more drink, one more conversation, and no immediate need to end the night.
The Full List
Below is the complete Dallas Curated directory for where to go before—or after—the Boulevard. The restaurants are presented alphabetically so you can browse the full collection, explore the individual restaurant pages, and choose the place that fits your plans.
The list will continue to evolve as new places open, old favorites change, and more Boulevard traditions become worth keeping close.
Tex-Mex
$$
Bandito’s Tex-Mex Cantina
Park Cities
A longtime, casual Snider Plaza Tex-Mex spot with a full bar and a loyal following for chips, queso, and margaritas.
American / Pub / Live Music
$
Barley House
Park Cities
A longtime SMU-area hangout combining cold beer, casual American food, live music, and big-screen game days.
Golf Lounge / Bar
$$
Birdies Golf Lounge
Central Dallas
An upscale indoor golf lounge in Victory Park pairing TrackMan simulators with cocktails, small bites, and televisions throughout the space.
Pizza / American / Sports Bar
$
Bryan Street Tavern
East Dallas
A low-key East Dallas tavern known for pizza, a sprawling patio, bar games, and a giant projector for marquee matchups.
American / Sports Bar
$$
Chelsea Corner
Central Dallas
A Knox original since 1974, revived at its historic McKinney and Monticello corner for game days, brunch, and patio beers with the dog.
American / Sports Bar
$$
Christies
East Dallas
A three-story Lower Greenville sports bar built for major games, with multiple bars, a rooftop patio, and screens in every direction.
Gastropub / Beer Bar
$$
Craft Beer Market
Park Cities
A beer-focused gastropub concept in the Preston Center Pavilion.
American / Sports Grill
$$
Dudley’s Sports Grill
East Dallas
A casual Henderson Avenue sports grill with wall-to-wall screens, a full menu, and game sound for the matchups that matter.
American / Sports Bar
$$
Goodbye Horses
Park Cities
A polished neighborhood bar on SMU Boulevard where craft cocktails, cold beer, and a from-scratch menu meet game-day energy.
American / Sports Bar / Rooftop
$$
Happiest Hour
Central Dallas
A high-energy Harwood District destination with rooftop views, a large patio, and enough televisions to cover nearly every game at once.
British Pub
$$
Harwood Arms
Central Dallas
A polished British pub in the Harwood District serving classic pub fare alongside pints, darts, trivia, and game-day viewing.
American / Sports Bar
$$
Hero by HG
Central Dallas
A sprawling modern sports bar beside the American Airlines Center, designed for Mavericks and Stars games, watch parties, and large groups.
American / Gastropub
$$
Hillside Tavern
East Dallas
Casual neighborhood tavern serving classic bar food, draft beers, and weekend brunch with a large patio and TVs.
Texas Ice House / Bar
$
Lawnie’s
East Dallas
A true Southern-style ice house on Henderson Avenue, centered on a broad front lawn, cold cans, simple cocktails, and an easygoing neighborhood crowd.
Irish / European Pub
$$
Lochland's Irish Pub
Northeast Dallas
A welcoming neighborhood pub where Guinness, Irish whiskey, fish and chips, and weekend brunch share the room with soccer, rugby, and other major matches. It feels rooted in Lake Highlands while giving the area a convincing version of a proper local.
Pizza / American
$$
Louie’s
East Dallas
Established in 1987 by local bar legend Louis Canelakes, Louie’s evolved from a media-crowd hang into one of Dallas’ favorite thin-crust pizza destinations.
American / Sports Bar / Dive Bar
$
Milo Butterfingers
Park Cities
An SMU Boulevard institution with a relaxed neighborhood feel, a broad beer selection, and plenty of ways to settle in for a game.
American / Sports Bar
$$
Over Under
Northeast Dallas
The Village’s dedicated sports bar pairs scratch-made American food with an all-Texas draft list and a rooftop overlooking the property’s playing fields.
American / Cocktail Bar
$
Quarter Bar
Central Dallas
A French Quarter-inspired Uptown neighborhood bar with a rooftop patio, casual food, and an easygoing place to catch the game.
Texas American / Tavern
$$
Republic Texas Tavern
North Dallas
A bar-centric North Dallas restaurant combining Texas-inspired cooking with craft cocktails and an unusually deep whiskey selection.
American / Sports Bar
$
Stan’s Blue Note
East Dallas
Dallas’ oldest continuously operating bar remains a Lower Greenville favorite for college games, alumni gatherings, and classic sports-bar atmosphere.
American / Bar and Grill
$
Stoneleigh P
Central Dallas
A Dallas original since 1973, now on Lemmon Avenue, with burgers, wings, strong drinks, and generations of loyal regulars.
American / Sports Grill
$$
The Avenue Sports Grill
East Dallas
A family-run Lower Greenville sports grill with a laid-back atmosphere, a full menu, and an open-air setup for game day.
American / Craft Beer Bar
$$
The Brass Tap — North Dallas
North Dallas
A welcoming North Dallas beer bar with a vast tap and bottle selection, pub food, cocktails, and regular events.
American / Tavern
$
The Ivy Tavern
Central Dallas
A Lemmon Avenue neighborhood tavern with a large all-weather patio, cold drinks, late hours, and televisions for the game.
British Pub
$$
The Londoner — Addison
North Dallas
An authentic British pub and longtime North Dallas-area soccer destination, known for early matches, loyal supporters, and classic pub fare.
American / Sports Bar
$$
The Nodding Donkey
Central Dallas
An Uptown neighborhood sports bar with a scratch kitchen, Texas-saloon character, and a crowd that arrives ready to watch.
American / Gastropub
$$
Thirsty Lion — Preston Hollow
Northwest Dallas
A polished Preston Hollow gastropub with a broad menu, daily happy hour, and plenty of screens for groups watching together.
Sports Bar / Dive Bar
$
Time Out Tavern
Northwest Dallas
The TOT is a longtime Lovers Lane dive where neighborhood regulars gather for games, cold beer, pool, and shuffleboard.
American / Sports Bar
$$
Underdog Restaurant and Sports Club
Northeast Dallas
A Lake Highlands sports and entertainment venue with two bars, a dining room, lounge seating, and a broad open-air patio.