campisi’s

The Campisi name is well known in Dallas (and across the US thanks to Courtney’s work with Playboy and Corky’s reality show) and for a good reason … they make a damn good pizza.

The Downtown location’s happy hour is quite a deal: drastically discounted drinks and free pizza.  Who would turn this deal down?  We decided to take a nice walk from my friend’s place instead of desperately looking for a place to park (which I’d recommend) and it proved to be the best idea we’ve had in a while - NONE of us should have been driving after our happy hour at Campisi’s!

The wait staff was incredibly helpful and Sarah, the bartender, was good for a couple jokes and played along with our silly bar games.  Service was snappy and they made sure that we got as much pizza as wanted before it was confiscated by the kitchen.

Most of the people at happy hour were the Downtown crowd just grabbing a quick drink and a bite and the others who just finished work.  None of the happy hour goers strayed outside of their groups, but everyone was fun to watch.

Since you can’t beat this deal, take part - who knows, you may see one of the famous family members while noshing.

Drink strength: 3.5 
Overall: 3.8

Campisi’s Downtown
www.campisis.us
1520 Elm St, Ste 111 | (214)752-0141

Specials:
Monday-Friday | 5-7 p.m. | $2.50 domestics, house wine, $3 wells, and all other drinks discounted, also - FREE PIZZA

You down with O.E.P.?

Let’s just start with this:  they have a penguin mascot costume that anyone can wear.  Does this bar not already sound like the best place ever?

Hidden a couple doors down from City Tavern and above Dr. Bell’s, all you can see from the street is the door and a sign that reads, “NO COVER, PENGUIN FREE”.  Simply navigate the needless ropes that govern the nonexistent line, ascend the stairs, and you’ve arrived.  The walls are “industrial chic” and the bar is commandingly large for the space with corrugated steel paneling on the front and nets on the ceiling strewn with bras and starfish.  There is just enough patio to sit comfortably with a few friends and watch the madness of downtown below.  There is a pool table, plenty of flatscreen TVs, video games (no Big Buck Hunter, though), and a basketball hoop above the bar.

Tim, the “Emperor” as dubbed by his business card, lives up to the name; he’s badass!  This guy knows how to make a bar fun and keep it real (yes, cliche, but it fits here) - he even played “one eyed basketball” with us … and provided the eye patch!  Just don’t ask him where he got the bar’s name.

Their bar specials are the things fun nights are made of: a shot and a big boy for $10.  We had an Irish whiskey that was pretty darn smooth followed up with a Shiner for me and then my usual poison, a vodka water.

Still to come is a full menu of what Tim promises to be great food - I can’t wait to try it!  This bar has so much potential and I’m greatly looking forward to spending more time at the penguin.

Drink strength: 4 Overall: 4.5

O.E. Penguin  1404 1/2 Main St. 
(214)744-1393

Specials: Monday-Saturday (until 11 p.m.) & Sunday (all day) | $3 wells, domestic bottles, and select drafts

ALWAYS AVAILABLE:  $10 waddles: a tall boy (25 oz. draft beer - all but Blue Moon) and shot (Crown and down) - pictured on right with Cody from Surf’s Up, the bar’s alcoholic of a stuffed animal

A Pearl of a Place

After a bite and a few drinks at Angry Dog, our group ventured into The Pearl on Commerce. “Jazzed” about the band we heard walking in the door, we all ordered large (and a bit too ambitious) drinks, grabbed, a table, and listened.

The 20-person brass band was upbeat and just what we needed on a Tuesday night. Though a bit loud, it is what we should have expected from a jazz club. There was a woman singing that had an incredibly soulful voice and indulged us once more after a request.

The drinks … oh, the drinks … make sure you don’t order wells. I had maybe one of the worst dirty martinis of my life - I didn’t finish it (and for me, that is a huge deal). We all switched to the deal of the day after only one drink: $1 Pearl cans.

Many aren’t aware, even if they’ve been, that there are two more levels to the Pearl. After the concert ended, we made our way upstairs for a round of pool. This place is quite a bit of fun and very interesting … the crowd is incredibly varied - sometimes there are bratty kids like us and sometimes there are biker dudes.

Drink strength: 3.5 
Overall: 4.5

Pearl At Commerce
www.pearlatcommerce.com
2038 Commerce Street | Dallas, TX 75201-4425 
(214) 655-8824

Specials:
Monday-Friday | 4-8 p.m. | $3 wells and domestic longnecks
Monday | $3 flavored martinis
Tuesday | $2 domestic longnecks, $1 Pearl cans
Wednesday | $2 Pearl “fresco” margaritas
Thursday | $4 Eurpoean drafts (Affligem, Kronenborg, Widmer Heffe)

press box grill

I am writing while at the bar … this is the first review I’ve written in the moment.  Thanks to their free WiFi, it’s a cinch.  This is one of the more relaxing reviews I’ve done.  Case and point: my sister and I are kicking our feet up after long days at our respective offices; she’s opening her mail and I’m writing this review.  This place is certainly a no-pressure zone - and being downtown, that’s a blessing.

Parking is somewhat tough to find but if you do, meters aren’t active so you get to park fo’ free.  WOOHOO, more money to spend on drinks.

We just ordered our meal:  supreme queso blanco and house salad with sun-dried tomato vinegarette dressing - I’ll report back and let you know how they are.  It took us a while to get our order in because the wait staff isn’t extremely attentive; but they get the job done.

As for the drinks you order … make sure they have what you want before you order.  My friend ordered three differed beers and they didn’t have the first 2.  It’s all about expectation vs. delivery.

If you’re here to watch a game, you’re in for a good view; there are flat screens all over the bar and restaurant with various news shows and games on.  AND if you go to the bathroom, you don’t have to worry about missing anything; there are TVs in the bathrooms!  If your game of choice isn’t on, just ask and they’ll change it for you.

(P.S. the food was good.)

Drink strength:  3.0 
Overall:  3.9

Press Box Grill
www.pressboxgrill.com
1623 Main Street (at Elm and Ervay) | (214) 747-8226

jorge’s tex mex

While I love to tell you how great bars are, I also love to tell you which ones not to waste your time on.  I had high hopes for Jorge’s because, let’s face it, I like that they spell George with a J (should out to my Cuban friend, Dr. J!).  Sadly, my experience here wasn’t great.

When we walked in we were sold on choosing Jorge’s over The Screen Door because I spotted the word “bottomless” on the brunch menu.  So my sister and I ordered a quick meal before heading to the Winspear.  I ordered the bottomless mimosa and, while it arrive in a cool, stemless champagne glass, it had ice in it … ICE IN A MIMOSA!  I could have overlooked the ice if it tasted a little better; it tasted like it was made with cheap orange juice.

Our meal was just OK and the service was pretty bad.  Everyone was friendly and attentive enough … when we saw them.  The staff seemed to be too enthralled in the lumberjack competition on ESPN to be bothered with customers.  We actually had to walk up to the bar to get our check.

A third guest joined us late and ordered the mimosa and was told only after she got it that it would be regular price since she hadn’t ordered a meal.  I understand rules but sometimes you have to learn to break them in the name of customer service.

Don’t waste your time on this mediocre restaurant when you have such great choices all around you in One Arts Plaza - life is too short to drink bad drinks and eat bad food!

Drink strength: 2
Overall: 2

Jorge’s Tex Mex Cafe
www.jorges.com
1722 Routh St (in One Arts Plaza)
(214) 720-2211

Specials:
Monday-Friday | 2-6 p.m. | $5 house margaritas, $6 wells and select wines by the glass
Saturday & Sunday | $6 bottomless mimosas (with purchase of entree)

ravenna

I am always a bit reticent to head into the traffic-packed cement jungle that is downtown Dallas, but I am quite glad I braved the traffic on this Wednesday evening.  Since I didn’t have to go too far into the mess, I was glad to spend some time at Ravenna.

Ravenna is a pretty darn authentic Italian restaurant nestled on the corner of Main and Field.  The feel of the restaurant is cozy and the staff is all incredibly friendly and helpful.  Our time at Ravenna was really enjoyable and the drinks and food made it even better.

The happy hour crowd appears to be mostly regulars sitting at the bar but this place gets really packed later.  People will wait for the downtown clubs to open or let them in and grab a slice and a martini at Ravenna to pass the time.

Milan, the proprietor, was incredibly attentive and entertaining.  He sat with our table and regaled us with with his journey from Chicago to Dallas while we sipped our potent and delicious ginger martinis (a Milan creation).  Ravenna is so focused on customer service that they will stay open until everyone leaves (and they deliver pizzas late late late!).

Go for the drinks, stay for the food.

Drink strength: 4

Ravenna Italian Restaurant
www.ravennadallas.com
1301 Main Street | Dallas, TX 75202
(214) 744-9333

Specials:
Monday-Friday | 5-7 p.m. | $1 slice of pizza with purchase of $3 Brooklyn pint
Monday-Friday | 2-7, 11 p.m. - 1 a.m. | $3 wells and domestics, $3.50 margaritas, $5 signature martinis