’Tis the season to be extra, and no better place than in Dallas bars and restaurants wrapped in holiday cheer. The city is buzzing with Yuletide shimmer, from coastal Christmas retreats and boathouses where naughty meets nice to alpine-inspired escapes that whisk you away to champagne-soaked chalets.
Celebrate the 12 days of Christmas with these holiday pop-ups serving festive on the rocks and snacks to match.
St. Henry’s Winter Wonderland
St. Henry’s Winter Wonderland returns to the Henry’s rooftop, dazzling guests with hundreds of lights overhead. The magical hideaway honors the spirit of giving with a $7 admission fee that benefits the North Texas Food Bank through Sunday, January 4. Inside, diners can indulge in jumbo lump crab cake, filet mignon, and braised short rib. There are plenty of bubbles and wine flowing, but the sparkling cocktails steal the show, from bourbon-spiked Nog on the Rooftop to a Spiced Pear Cosmopolitan. 2301 N. Akard St., Dallas, thehenryrestaurant.com
A Very Merry Village at The Village
Starting Friday, November 28 and lasting through Saturday, December 27, the second floor of the Village Country Club unwraps A Very Merry Village, a gilded holiday extravaganza. The space has holiday photo ops at every corner with gold, silver, and white ornaments and snowflakes glistening from the ceiling. The North Pole-approved beverage menu features Santa’s Ho Ho-Horchata and Mrs. Claus Cranberry Spritz. Holiday bites range from Grinch Roast Beef Sliders to Hot Cheetos Fried Mac and Cheese Bites. Stop by for photos by the 50-foot Christmas tree on Main Street or take part in Holiday Carol-oke. 5670 Village Glen Dr. Dallas, verymerryvillage.com
Bad Santa’s Boathouse at Big Daddy’s Cantina
Channel your inner Billy Bob Thornton on Lake Grapevine with the debut of Bad Santa’s Boathouse. The brand-new experience, running through Tuesday, December 30, revels in holiday mischief with 90-minute reservations for $15 that include a cocktail. The ticketed spectacle is a naughty-list playground, complete with snow machines, igloos, tinsel trees, lake views, sliders, cranberry brie, and plenty of cocktails to keep Santa checking his list, and your ID, twice. 2500 Oak Grove Park Rd., Grapevine, eventbrite.com
Holiday House at Leela’s Wine Bar
Leela’s Wine Bar is a year-round home for immersive pop-ups, but it turns into an all-out festive escape during the holidays. Each location has its own theme: Lower Greenville sparkles with classic Christmas nostalgia with glittering tinsel, plaids, deep reds and velvety greens; Trophy Club transforms into a cozy alpine retreat; and Uptown goes pretty in pink with twinkling lights, nutcrackers, and pearls. The holiday menu brings winter flair with pomegranate whipped feta and a lineup of Merry Little Cocktails. Get jolly with the Flight Before Christmas espresso martini flight or the Oh, Sip-Mas Tree, a tabletop Christmas tree adorned with four Ornamint hibiscus gin cocktails. Multiple locations, leelas.com
Hot Frosty at Crush
Dubbed the neon playground of Oak Lawn, Crush is making the naughty list with its holiday-maximalist pop-up, Hot Frosty. The LGBTQIA+ bar is decked from floor to ceiling in ‘90s- and 2000s-coded Christmas decor. Through Sunday, December 28, the cocktail menu gets a merry makeover that includes a Sugar Cookie cocktail garnished with a Little Debbie Christmas tree and Rum Rum Rudolph, served by Santa’s little helpers. The party doesn’t stop at the bar. Along with the mechanical willy, DJs, and arcade games, Hot Frosty is keeping things busy with holiday programming, including Merry Swiftmas, a Taylor Swift-dedicated dance party. 2914 Oak Lawn Ave., Dallas, crushdtx.com
Suburban Yacht Club
Christmas goes coastal at Suburban Yacht Club’s holiday pop-up. Through New Year’s Eve, the waterside cantina is spreading holiday cheer with a light-filled makeover, glowing lanterns, photo booth, and decked-out cocktails like Sleigh My Name, a tequila drink served in a bikini-clad Mrs. Claus cup. A beach-ready Santa comes filled with bourbon in the Kringle All The Way. For bites, enjoy ’Tis The Season tamales and Sugar & Spice churros. Stop by weekdays between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. for a holly-jolly happy hour. 5872 State Hwy. 121, Plano, suburbanyachtclub.com
Tipsy Elf
This holiday takeover is the ultimate Dallas Christmas pop-up. Dedicated to keeping Dallasites tipsy, Tipsy Elf runs through Sunday, December 21, bringing festive chaos to Bishop Arts’ Casablanca. The adults-only, mischievous rendezvous features over-the-top decor, DJs, private karaoke rooms, and Drag Bingo with Mrs. Claus every Wednesday. Partygoers can explore multiple themed bars with sips including Red Elf District’s Mistletoe Margarita and Tipsy Navidad’s Elfonso’s Holiday Remedio, hot Mexican ponche. With rooms like Santa’s Twerkshop, the party draws a crowd. Purchase a Tipsy Elf Fast Pass and skip the line. 308 N. Bishop Ave., Dallas, thetipsyelfcocktailbar.com
Winter Village at the Adolphus
The Adolphus is home to Dallas’ most sought-after holiday tea at the French Room. After dark, the celebration moves upstairs. The hotel’s rooftop pool has transformed into a snow-dusted mountaintop retreat, with the radiant Dallas skyline glowing in the background. Open Tuesday through Saturday, until January 31, the Winter Village features luxuriously snug chalets stocked with Veuve Clicquot, cabanas, crackling fire pits, and an iceless alpine curling lane. The menu offers boozy takes on classic holiday drinks, including an 818 Reposado-spiked hot chocolate, plus coastal bites, savory comforts, and grazing plates. 1321 Commerce St., Dallas, adolphus.com
Tinsel Town Tavern at The Stix Ice House
The Stix Ice House is a 14-acre McKinney watering hole that boasts one of Dallas-Fort Worth’s most epic patios. For the holidays, Tinsel Town Tavern is taking over. The whimsical Christmas revamp includes a fully lit exterior, a plethora of tinsel, and the return of the cult-favorite frozen salted caramel espresso martini. From hot cocoa bombs and torched beverages to pictures with Santa, an ugly sweater contest, and snowball fights, there’s fun for the whole family. 301 Eldorado Pkwy., Unit 100, McKinney, thestixicehouse.com
Holiday Wonderland at Chelsea Corner
Holiday Wonderland returns to Chelsea Corner on Wednesday, November 26, reimagining the McKinney Avenue gastropub into a magical setting with flocked trees, ornament garlands, and warm, gleaming lights. The holiday cocktail menu gets spirited with a Santa Spritz, Winter White Margarita, Mistletoe Manhattan, and Christmas Cookie Martini Santa himself couldn’t resist. Located across from Highland Park Carriage Rides, Holiday Wonderland makes for the perfect nightcap during date night or group outing. Stop by on Tuesdays for holiday movie screenings. 4830 McKinney Ave., Dallas, chelseacornerdallas.com
Blitzen’s Bar
Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa is giving Frisco a brand new holiday bar this season: Blitzen’s Bar. The pop-up sits inside the resort’s Lounge by Topgolf and runs through Sunday, January 11. Expect garland and ornaments overhead, fringe-lined walls, golf simulators, and featured treats like the Reindeer Fuel nut and pretzel mix and Santa’s Secret Cookie Stash cookie tray. Netflix’s Drink Masters judge and mixologist Julie Reiner created eight seasonal cocktails and a mocktail for the occasion, including signatures the Blitzen, Espresso-ho Ho Martini, and Naughty or Spice. 3255 PGA Parkway, Frisco, omnihotels.com
Winter Wonderland Bubbles at Hotel Vin
Grapevine, Texas’ Christmas capital, gets even merrier with Hotel Vin’s Winter Wonderland Bubbles. Igloo-like domes wrapped in winter magic offer a warm, al fresco dining surrounded by colorful Christmas lights at the hotel’s WineYard Grille + Bar. Through February, parties of up to eight can enjoy a 90-minute experience that includes Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut champagne, Swiss Alps fondue served with sourdough, roasted potatoes, Granny Smith apples, chicken sausage, pretzel bites, and potato chips. 215 E. Dallas Rd., Grapevine, opentable.com/r/wineyard-grille-and-bar-grapevine
