Harry Hines Blvd Bars

Harry Hines Blvd. Bars
Dallas - 1977

They just don't make bars like this anymore.

They date to the 1940's . . . long before I-35 (Stemmons Freeway) was built. Back then, the highway from Dallas to Denton was U.S. 77, also known as Harry Hines Blvd. These bars were originally on the outskirts of town, not exactly an elegant area, even then.

Of the 4 bars, only Club Schmitz (1946, the nice one in the bunch, and family-run) has survived. And it is definitely worth a visit.

Dallas Restaurant Reviews

The Jackson Lounge, a Harry Hines classic. A "beer bar", from before you could buy liquor by the drink in Texas. Check out the details ... the Jackson Lounge sign on the roof where Kitty added her name, the "pole sign" out front, the peeling paint, the sagging awning, the neon "BAR". On rainy days, the parking lot would be full -- mostly pickup trucks and old cars belonging to construction workers who couldn't work in the rain. They stopped here to while away the day, drinking beer and shooting pool.

The Hut, just off Harry Hines on Northwest Highway. Notice the bottom of the front door -- no step, no foundation. The Hut was reputedly the last dirt-floor bar north of the Trinity. See the patched and sagging roof. The double front door says "THE.... HUT". There was no doubt what you were about to step into.

The Crowbar. Another joint just off Hines. No stranger to the occasional fight. Rumor was that when you stepped inside on a Saturday night, they checked you for a gun or a knife. If you didn't have one .... they loaned you one. (Okay, that's just a joke!)
Cooled by a large window air conditioner near the elegant entrance.

Club Schmitz. Amazingly, Club Schmitz is still there. And God bless the Schmitz family, because over the 60 years, they haven't changed a thing. This bar & grill is so tame, I'd take my mother there (and have). Also my wife, kids, boss, and honored guests. It's got the atmosphere of old Harry Hines but the clientele of "Cheers". A few years ago, my kid said that it looked like something out of an old movie. The other bars are gone now, and Club Schmitz won't last forever, either. But if you want to step back in time, this is the place. Good burgers, cold beer, great folks! And cheap. Click here for my review.

(Photos by me - 1977)