4 p.m.–4 a.m.) isn’t for everyone (hint: If you don’t know what a “bear” is, you probably don’t want to go). Dallas EagleĪs Dallas’s favorite bear club, Dallas Eagle (2515 Inwood Rd., 214/357-4375, Sun.–Thurs. Drinks are fairly priced and often on special, so it remains affordable to down a couple longnecks before embarking on a beginners line dance lesson (held weekly). While the Rainbow Lounge across the street pumps it up with beat-heavy dance music, here the dance floor is filled with two-steppers and line-dancers sashaying to the likes of George Strait and Randy Travis.
It looks dark and dive-y from the outside, but inside, Club Reflection (604 Jennings Ave., 817/870-8867, daily 2 p.m.–2 a.m.) is a friendly, cute GLBT country-and-western establishment, replete with rustic decor and aw-shucks bartenders who smile sweetly under their Stetsons. Joe’s is the smaller bar attached to the main club that features dancers and karaoke nights as well as a quieter place to drink. Hip-hop Fridays and Sensual Saturdays are big nights, as are nights when female DJ C Wade spins (Dallas is a bit behind the times when it comes DJ diversity). 2 p.m.–4 a.m.) is a former leather ’n’ Levi’s bar that has reinvented itself as a dance club popular with the African American community, as well as a prime go-to spot for special event fundraisers. Former Pussycat Doll Kaya Jones gave a live performance in the fall of 2012, and of all the bars in Dallas, Adam Lambert made BJs his stop when his tour swung through in 2010. With its preponderance of waifish male dancers, chiseled bartenders, and special appearances by, er, certain types of film stars, this place is about as subtle as a disco ball, but continues to up the ante with big-name guest DJs and the occasional pop star. 4 p.m.–2 a.m.) is the good kind of trouble. It’s sort of an unwritten rule that any club whose name consists merely of initials is probably trouble, but BJs (3215 N. Here’s a helpful guide to the best LGBT bars and clubs for all interests. The Dallas Fort Worth area has a vibrant gay and lesbian nightlife scene. Photo © Robert Hensley, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.