17 Best Speakeasies, Bars, and Lounges In Fort Worth

Speakeasys took root during Prohibition, serving the thirsty masses with bootleg liquors and bathtub gin, while the country was officially “dry”. A hundred years later, and that hidden, secretive, backroom ambience is still sought after. Some local speakeasys are far from secret ― just walk right in and enjoy the dim light, throwback appeal, and classy cocktails. At others, you just need to know where they are and how to gain entrance. Here’s where to find the best speakeasy vibes in town.

Amber Room

Wishbone & Flynt opened, with its own speakeasy, known as Amber Room. The retro-inspired lounge serves up both classic and new cocktails crafted by true mixologists. Enter through a large gold door dotted with several doorknobs and handles located near the restaurant bar, or head around back to the Bryan Avenue side of the building to enter through an unmarked wooden door.

Ampersand  

The Artisan Circle location of this popular coffee shop leads a double life after dark. Friendly coffee shop by day, hidden lounge with a DJ stand by night. It offers up a full nightclub scene with flashing lights and a heavy beat, behind an unassuming door. The other two locations, one at DFW and the other across from TCU, don’t have an alter ego ― they just serve craft coffee.

Atlas Cocktail Bar

The Fort Worth location is at 314 South Main Street. The other is in Dallas’ Bishop Arts. The cocktail menu for world-travelers includes a Cuban daiquiri, a French Sidecar, and an Italian Aperol Spritz. The atmosphere is decidedly upscale, with seating vignettes, a lovely bar, and warm woods. Plus, on occasion, the back room bar, which is hidden behind a bookshelf, is open, serving a rare assortment not on the regular menu.

Blackland Distilling

Fort Worth-based Blackland Distilling has a full line-up of spirits ― from bourbon and gin to rye and vodka ― this small batch distillery crafts them all in the Foundry District. The added bonus is its sultry tasting room. The snug and stylish cocktail lounge is dimly lit, but sparkly with chandeliers and a U-shaped bar backed by a ceiling-height bottle wall. If it’s your first visit, I suggest starting with a tasting flight.

The Basement Lounge

Located in Ridglea, this underground retreat is found at 6323 Camp Bowie Blvd, Suite 125. Look for a fluorescent sign emblazoned with TBL above the stairway. The Basement Lounge’s subterranean location gives a modern,  rustic speakeasy vibe. Signature cocktails are pretty and creative, like the one they call the Gin Cleanse ― a blend of gin, aloe vera juice, mint, lime, and cucumber.

Bodega

One of Fort Worth’s best, worst-kept secrets, Bodega has been a draw in Artisan Circle for years now. From the front, it appears to be like many small neighborhood grocery stores ― a snug bodega. But those in the know simply make a small purchase and use the code on their receipt to walk through the freezer door leading to the hidden speakeasy. It’s a moment much like Dorothy entering Oz, full of color and life. Bodega is a vast club with live bands, dart boards, pool tables, and a dance floor, serving up everything from mules to Manhattans and mezcals.

Cave Society

This is the hidden wine bar located in the basement at Grapevine’s Hotel Vin (which is expanding soon). Wine caves are historic spaces around Europe. They took root in caves because that’s where the wine was stored anyway. It’s a members’ wine club, but a few seats are reserved each night for non-members, making reservations a must. There is a 16-bottle self-serve pouring station, filled with rare and limited-release bottles.

Copa (Opening Soon)

Polanco Mexican Cuisine opened recently in The Tower downtown. For pre-dinner and after-dinner drinks, the first-floor Polanco Bar is filled with live music and many seating options. The basement level is still being constructed. Owner Allen Novoa says the Copa Speakeasy should open there within a month or two, adding another nightlife option to downtown.

Curfew Bar

This is an underground disco, with a dark interior and pops of neon, and a Zoltar machine (like the one from the classic movie Big). Décor includes disco balls dangling over the dance floor. It’s quirky to the max and even serves pizza until late. This speakeasy is located in downtown at the base of The Tower.

Dirty Laundry

By Drew Boatman, who also owns Rusty Nickle, Towne’s Coffee, and Bodega ― Dirty Laundry, sits at 1005 Foch Street. The menu, or in this case, Laundry List, has fun cocktails on spin cycle like the Chai Pod, the Grass Stain, and the Clean Linen. You enter a laundromat and look for the machine that is “out of order” to enter.

Magnum Speakeasy

Hotel Vin in Grapevine has another speakeasy concept in addition to Cave Society. It’s called Magnum Speakeasy ― a hidden 18-seat private oasis. This is a prohibition-era speakeasy. You can access it through a concealed entrance behind a retro phone booth. If you’re under 30, you might need to look up what a phone booth is. Ask for Dealer’s Choice and let our expert bartenders prepare a unique cocktail based on your favorite flavors and spirits.

Proper on Magnolia

This one is a proper bar serving proper cocktails. Proper has an eclectic throw-back ambience. There’s even a little courtyard to enjoy out back. You’ll find old school classic cocktails alongside new creations. I always learn something new. And, on Green Fairy Thursdays, Proper actually sets up an absinthe drip. Proper is a little gem hidden in plain sight along Magnolia Avenue.

Scat Jazz Lounge

Fort Worth’s favorite (and only)  jazz lounge brings the speakeasy vibes to downtown. Enjoy local, regional, and national talent weekly ― just like one of the great jazz age clubs, with a Sazerac, sidecar, or champagne cocktail in hand. The entrance is even tucked down a side alley of the F. W. Woolworth Building. Look for the dramatic neon arrow pointing the way.

The Sterling

A newer craft cocktail lounge deserves a mention. Here you’ll find modern twists and classic cocktail recipes in a swanky space. With its blue glow and eclectic artwork, The Sterling is a lounge that makes you want to stay a while. DJs pump up the volume on the weekends, too.

Stewart’s Croquet & Cocktails

Behind a bookshelf at Tim Love’s new Croquet-themed restaurant (next door to his Gemelle Italian), you’ll find a private a hidden karaoke room bathed in blue light. This “country club for the people” is swank and upscale, with lawn sports at the ready, caviar service, a martini cart, and a cozy little karaoke suite to boot.

 Thompson’s Bookstore 

Another downtown Fort Worth speakeasy was one of the first on the scene. Thompson’s Bookstore has a lovely front bar, the kind you find in Paris, where a famous writer might have written an epic novel. “As you ascend the stairs to this clandestine sanctuary, you’ll be transported to a bygone time of secret rendezvous and bootlegging adventures.” The speakeasy has been transformed in recent years and is a real showstopper.

The Usual

This Magnolia Avenue mainstay was one of the early upscale cocktail bars in town. While a lot has changed around them, the classy cocktail lounge remains. It’s known for its expert mixology and modern interior. Creative and fanciful cocktails include the Rose on Rose on Rose ― with Old Tom Gin, rose liqueur, Aperol, and rosemary.