Texas is home to another destination that made it into the top 150 areas for nightlife in the U.S.: Austin’s South Congress District.
DALLAS — Dallas’ historic Deep Ellum neighborhood has long been known as the hub of the city’s music, arts scene and nightlife, and a new study suggests it could be recognized as a national tourist destination.
Deep Ellum ranked among the top 10 nightlife destinations in the country, coming in at No. 9, in a survey of 3,000 travelers conducted by photo book company Mixbook, who asked respondents to help determine the top 150 areas in the U.S. for nightlife.
“Deep Ellum comes alive at night with a multitude of live music venues, bars and clubs. The neighborhood is a nightlife hub, drawing enthusiastic crowds to enjoy diverse music and vibrant street life. The neighborhood is dynamic and energetic, reflecting the vibrant life of this vibrant cultural hub,” Mixbook writes.
Texas is home to another destination that made it into the top 150 nightlife areas in the U.S.: Austin’s South Congress neighborhood, known for its coffee shops, music venues and boutiques, coming in at No. 58.
According to the survey, the top 10 nightlife destinations in the United States are:
- Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada
- French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana
- Kailua-Kona, Big Island of Hawaii
- Soho in Manhattan, New York
- Downtown Anchorage, Alaska
- Savannah Historic District, Georgia
- Old Colorado City in Colorado Springs
- Downtown Nashville, Tennessee
- Deep Ellum in Dallas
- Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii
Deep Ellum’s music scene has a long history: According to the Deep Ellum Texas website, Deep Ellum was a hotbed of early jazz and blues musicians in the 1920s, featuring such musicians as Blind Lemon Jefferson, Robert Johnson, Huddie “Leadbelly” Leadbetter, Texas Bill Day, Blind Willie Johnson, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Alex Moore, Bessie Smith and many others.
After World War II and through the 1950s, the rise of the automobile led to the removal of the Houston Texas Central Railroad tracks and the construction of the Central Expressway, causing many of the area’s businesses to close. By the 1970s, few of the original businesses remained.
The neighborhood was revitalized in the ’80s, becoming home to local bands like the Old 97s, the Toadies, Tripping Daisies and the New Bohemians, while music venues like Trees, Club Dada and Deep Ellum Live opened in the ’90s. Other popular venues in the neighborhood include the nearly 100-year-old Sons of Hermann Hall, Adair’s Saloon, The Bomb Factory, Ruins, Three Links, Reno’s, the intimate AllGood Cafe and jazz and blues spot The Free Man.
Deep Ellum was designated a Cultural District by the State of Texas in 2020. The Deep Ellum Historic District covers the area bounded by the DART Green Line to the north, South Hall Street to the south, I-345 to the west, and I-30 to the east.
The Deep Ellum Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2023 to commemorate Deep Ellum’s 150th anniversary.
