Ships Lounge: It's Back, and Better than Ever

One of our favorite places to hang out and have a beer is Ships Lounge--a legendary dive-bar off of lowest Greenville and Ross that has been a Dallas staple for decades (it holds the disputed title of oldest bar in Dallas). We'd go, we'd bring cash, we'd listen to their amazing jukebox, we'd drink really cheap beer, and we'd enjoy the nostalgia that St. Patty's decorations from the mid-1990s evoked. Then, Ships closed. First, it was just for a month for "light renovations." Then it was for longer. A lot longer. We followed the halting purchase / re-opening attempts that local media reported on. We didn't have a lot of hope that it would open ever again. Then, a few months ago, it did. Ships is back!

Now, things aren't EXACTLY the same as they were before. Before a tear comes to your eye, four important points: (1) Pam is still serving behind the bar, (2) the blue anchor door was found and returned, (3) the old front windows (with well-worn sailing scenes) are now safely installed as hallway decor inside, and (4) the jukebox still belts out 50s and 60s hits, just like before. Without any of those things, Ships wouldn't really be Ships. But some changes/improvements were also made. Ships now accepts credit cards, serves draft beer, and has a back room, modern bathrooms, and even a second floor! While not everyone is excited by the changes, we don't really mind. The beer is cold, the place is still a hole-in-the-wall dive bar, and the company is always interesting. We've taken several friends, and they all love it.

For all of you Ships purists out there--sure, the St. Patty's decorations are largely gone, it's no longer "byoa" (bring your own alcohol), Wednesday chili-dog night may be a thing of the past, and the place looks a little different than it did before. But a little bit of change is good for all of us. We're just thankful that Ships is open again, and appears to be on solid footing for years to come.