University of Texas at Dallas, Southern Methodist University
Barley House5612 SMU Blvd.
For years, Barley House has been beloved by many who walk the halls of SMU — including SMU alumna Laura Bush, who gave the bar a shout-out in her 2009 commencement speech at the university. Local Mustangs and music fans alike share a fondness for one of the most popular coed hangouts, where “beer is a way of life.” Barley House’s cozy atmosphere welcomes patrons old and new to a nice selection of in-house eats and drinks, making it a popular game-day hot spot. The bar is also known for hosting one of the best varieties of off-campus musical acts with regular weekly rotations.
Fox & Hound English Pub
112 W. Campbell Road, Richardson
Fox & Hound is an English pub better suited for the relaxed UTD crowd. Its well-lit interior, accented with warm wood, imparts a cleaner-cut image than a typical campus dive, but it maintains a similar college bar variety of draft and cocktail selections. Featured weekly specials include $2 draft Tuesdays and $20 domestic buckets on Saturdays for cheaper nights out. Fox & Hound’s two-room indoor space also offers a range of entertainment, including dart boards, pool tables and TVs for sports fans of all sorts.
UTD students can easily hoof it to Northside Drafthouse, known as the university's "first college bar."
Samantha Thornfelt
3000 Northside Blvd., No. 800, Richardson
UTD students who prefer an on-foot commute from campus should be more familiar with Northside Drafthouse, which is a 4-minute walk from the university. Known as “UTD’s first college bar,” Northside has 50 on-draft beers and a number of specialty cocktails, including the vodka Hazeberry and rum-based Night Owl. Northside also offers a full menu, billiards and darts, making it a great nightcap location just minutes from the classroom. Weekly specials include happy hour all day on Sunday, Monday night trivia and Wednesday pint nights.
University of North Texas, Texas Woman’s University
Cool Beans offers thirsty UNT students something called the "Adios MF" pitcher. It obviously know its market.
Megan Melott
1210 W. Hickory St., Denton
Denton’s “finest dive bar” is located mere feet from the University of North Texas. Cool Beans is one of many that make up the Fry Street lineup, which is just a beer pong throw away from campus. While the lax, divey atmosphere and cheap drink assortment are enough to satisfy any college crowd, its bar food puts the Cool Beans on another level. Greasy favorites like the veggie chili-topped Cool Beans Burger or Mac and Grilled Cheese are best paired with a classic Adios MF pitcher. On top of its regular menu, Cool Beans also offers a weekly Sunday brunch for the perfect weekend hangover cure.
Bigger sometimes is better, and Lucky Lou's in Denton proves it. Cheap and plentiful drink specials also help.
Samantha Thornfelt
1207 W. Hickory St., Denton
Lucky Lou’s is one of the more spacious Fry Street joints fit for large numbers of late-night social butterflies. Complete with several plasma screens, pool tables, foosball, darts and more, Lou’s offers more than enough entertainment for the college crowd. As one of Denton’s original craft beer bars, the space boasts a 25+ tap variety and 50+ bottle and canned beer options — a young hophead’s heaven. The bar also attracts crowds with plenty of college savings-friendly specials, including $5 Tuesday pint nights, $4 frozen margs and more. Its 3,000-square-foot pet-friendly patio offers a welcoming outdoor space to mingle with friends, furry or otherwise.
Live music, a great outdoor space and relaxed atmosphere draw students to Harvest House.
Courtesy of Harvest House
331 E. Hickory St., Denton
If you’re searching for something outside of Denton’s Fry Street scene, look no further than 6 minutes down the road. Harvest House is a bit further from the university, but that's to its benefit. The bar’s warm, laidback design more closely aligns with a campus coffee shop than a dive bar, giving it a more relaxed vibe for those not wanting to party too hardy. In addition to its wide variety of cocktails, coffee, smoothies and more, Harvest House has a great outdoor space for Denton’s thriving music scene. Harvest House is perfect for students looking to use alcohol as a study tool, discover new local acts or just have a low-key night out.
University of Texas at Arlington, Texas Christian University
The Pub
3019 S. University Drive, Fort Worth
The Pub, aka the university “shithouse,” is a 10-minute walk for TCU students in need of a down-to-earth drink. Beyond its purple door lies a bar proud of its no-frills attitude, with a chalkboard proudly commemorating a one-word, one-star review: “Filthy.” Since 1981, The Pub has offered Horned Frogs a lot by changing very little. The Pub’s rotating daily specials, pool table and welcoming atmosphere make it a go-to place for weekend tailgates and regular Fort Worth nights out on the town.
Caves Lounge
900 W. Division St., Arlington
UTA students have an unapologetic dive of their own at Caves Lounge. The bar partly gets its name from its dark interior, which includes a full-service bar with more than 80 beers to choose from, a space for local music acts and the most eclectic jukebox in the area. Caves is also home to an impressive outdoor space better fit for guests wanting a glimpse at the light of day. What the lounge lacks in food options it makes up for in drink variety, with a list of daily specials, including $2 Wednesday wells.
Hooligan’s Pub
310 E. Abram St., No. 150, Arlington
Hooligan’s Pub is a cute and cozy pub that brings a laid-back elegance to the Arlington area. The pub’s menu is meant for drinkers of all varieties, with a selection of 25 draft beers and numerous specialty cocktails. The classic Irish pub-like interior is just a 3-minute drive from UTA, making it the place to be for game watching or school night nightcaps. To mix things up, the pub frequently offers new daily specials, themed monthly events and even a few tasting events for the more sophisticated student.
