Inspired by the allure of southern rock ‘n’ soul, the lively basement bar below The Joule Hotel claims the coolest crowd and craftiest cocktails in Dallas. The unmistakably chic yet chill vibe is fueled by fun variations of classic drinks including arcane infusions, tinctures, sodas and shrubs, all made in-house. Jive with cult favorite, Savory Hunter – constructed over crushed ice with lemongrass and makrut leaf infused gin, fresh lime, coconut and cilantro. Always buzzing, it is open nightly until 2AM. Cue The Rolling Stones’ “Midnight Rambler.”

A bonafide icon of the Dallas social scene, this swanky lounge is the showpiece of Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek – a palatial early 20th-century home turned one of the most lavish hotels in America. The Mansion Bar feels like a refined private members’ club with rich woods, leather-lined walls, and bookshelves stacked with antiquities and rare bottles of booze. Plunge into an opulent velvet sofa with a top-shelf ‘tail like the Westland Old-Fashioned that will run you a pretty penny at $23. Be sure to dress-to-impress and prep to people-watch: Dallas’ more established crowd has claimed residency at Rosewood Mansion too.

Fact: Anheuser Busch Beer founder Adolphus Busch built The Adolphus Hotel on Commerce Street as Dallas’ first luxury hotel. Since opening its doors in 1912, the stately hotel has served as a lasting representation of Dallas: warm, welcoming and well informed. The French Room Bar certainly reflects this high-end hotel – the sophisticated spot is aesthetically similar to a Prohibition-style speakeasy as it is dressed in deep blue wallpaper with gilded paintings and a brass-ceiling overhead. Belly up to the dark stone-top bar covered with silver trays of cocktail elixirs and garnishes. Partake in pre-dinner drinks and French hors d’oeuvres (before indulging in the nearby French Room restaurant).

This striking speakeasy-style bar is cleverly accessed via faux telephone booth and boasts having the best bourbon selection in Dallas. Bourbon & Banter is found beneath the significant Statler Hotel in a former beauty salon. Grab a stool and have head bartender, Hugo give you a “Buzz Cut" or a “Pompadour,” which is actually an Old Fashioned with a flamed sugar top that you crack with a tiny hammer before imbibing. Inside tip: To enter, you must request the evening’s password at the front desk first. Then, proceed downstairs, pick up the phone in the booth, and punch in the secret code. The doors will swing open granting you access to real amusement.

Rolling up to a Ritz-Carlton (in any city) can be intimidating however, in Dallas, chef Dean Fearing’s welcoming southern bar awaits your arrival. Rattlesnake Bar, next to Fearing’s namesake restaurant, is the perfect haunt for barrel-aged blends, smoked bites and witty banter. Even though drinks will set you back a pretty penny, they do come with regular live music – just exit the double doors left of the main mahogany bar. Laze at the outdoor Live Oak Bar, termed after the Texas live oak trees that shade the square, with one of Dean’s Signature Margaritas – mixed with his private Patron Añejo tequila, damiana (a flowering shrub native to the state), agave nectar, and house-made sweet and sour. Dean’s beloved margarita marks a stop along Margarita Mile – a curated tour of the most brazen margaritas across Dallas’ vibrant neighborhoods. Dallas is the official home of the frozen margarita, after all.