Imagine getting beamed aboard an alien spaceship only to be greeted with ice cream and an immersive symphony of sound that reaches deep into your soul. The spacecraft part may be pure fiction, but the sci-fi vibes of Shyboy are quite real. Located at 1313 Main Street beneath the Drakestone in Downtown, Dallas’s first hi-fi bar invites guests underground—literally and figuratively.
Drawing inspiration from Tokyo’s post-World War II “jazz kissas” and the hi-fi listening bars that have popped up around the world in the decades since, Shyboy invites music lovers to experience music as it was meant to be heard—with crystal clear perfection.
Rather than focusing on a single style, music at Shyboy spans every imaginable genre worldwide, from top hits to the deepest cuts. The dress code is equally eclectic, with the website encouraging anything from blue jeans to ball gowns to vintage tees, a.k.a. anything that makes you want to dance.
With a focus on a state-of-the-art OJAS sound system designed by Devon Turbull, the 21-and-up nightlife spot emerges from a collaboration between beverage industry vets, architects, design specialists, and sound pros. Acoustician Ethan Bourdeau acoustically tuned the entire space to ensure the ultimate sound experience.
Shyboy’s two main spaces occupy former bank vaults and feature dramatic, minimalist design elements and ethereal lighting, mostly in deep reds, greens, and blues that envelop each. Custom-made speaker systems (some towering above those grooving to the beats) and amplifiers ensure that each melodic note and bass line is felt, as well as heard. Or, step through the massive safe door into the Vault, a smaller listening lounge that you can rent for private parties and events, intimate performances, art exhibits, and educational sessions.
Cocktails start at only $13, which falls on the lower end of cocktail prices Downtown. Beers are only $6 and wines by the glass are $11. The main bar has a dedicated cocktail menu, which includes a Lychee Sour, made with Weber Ranch Vodka, lychee, lemon, and optional egg white.
The Blue Room features its own cocktail menu, so pop in there for Japanese-inspired highballs, including the Shyboy, a simple creation made with Suntory Whisky Toki, soda, and lemon peel. Or, opt for an $11 frozen such as the Leo’s Tail, made with Aretta Reposado, allspice dram, apple cide, calamansi (a southeast Asian citrus), and honey.
Beyond booze, the bartenders serve sweet swirls of soft-serve ice cream with rotating flavors. For March, it’s a sesame seed-matcha swirl, available in the main bar.
To celebrate the grand opening, Shyboy will not charge cover through the end of the month, even though most nights are always free and entry is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Organizers have packed the calendar with guest DJs and music experts sharing their favorite tracks during the venue’s inaugural weekend through Sunday, March 8.
Put your dancing shoes on. Shyboy is now open Wednesday and Sunday, 5 p.m. to midnight, and until 2 a.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Shyboy, 1313 Main St., Dallas, shyboyhifi.com
