Lee Harvey's

"If you’re in Dallas and looking for a quintessential dive bar, Lee Harvey’s is it." – Condé Nast Traveler

Personally, If I owned a Dallas bar, I don't think I’d name it in a manner that reminded patrons of a national tragedy that occurred a mere 1.5 miles away. It seems like a huge downer.

But the owner of the esteemed Lee Harvey's swears that critics have it all wrong. "It’s not Lee Harvey Oswald. We leave that open for interpretation. We like to walk up to the line but not step over it," he shared in a June 2015 Thrillist article. You gotta admire the deflection. That excuse is as flimsy as single-ply toilet paper, but at least it's an out.

With that said, it doesn't seem like the local clientele minds too much. Open since 2003, Lee Harvey's has garnered plenty of praise. It’s on the Dallas Observer "100 Best Bars We Can't Live Without In 2023" list. Condé Nast Traveler has raved about it. D Magazine says, "... it’s comfortable in the way great dive bars are supposed to be comfortable." The cred is there.

It also checks a laundry list of boxes. Wood paneling? Check. Vintage bar signs? Check. Juke box? Check. Dog-friendly? Check. There's even an outdoor fire pit that's perfect for warming up if the rail whiskey doesn't do the job. Maybe the biggest surprise is that Lee Harvey's offers a 12 oz Angus beef ribeye with fries for $18.99. That's pretty fancy for this kind of place.

Another curveball: Lee Harvey's Dive In opened in the summer of 2022 across the street, offering access to a pool for a small admission fee. It does look refreshing on a hot day, but I'd probably advise against dipping your head in that one.

They say that any publicity is good publicity. Is that true? In the case of Lee Harvey's, maybe it is. After all, it made the list of the best dives in Dallas with a bullet.