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DFW board game cafes and tabletop spots: Where to roll dice

Board game culture in DFW is strong. Here's where to play.

• Madness Games & Comics (Plano) — massive game library, weekly events, Magic: The Gathering tournaments. Free to browse, games for sale. Source: madnessgames.com
• Collected Comics & Games (Fort Worth) — Fort Worth's best. Game nights weekly. Source: collectedfw.com
• Cidercade (Deep Ellum) — 180+ arcade games, $12 unlimited play, BYOB. Not board games but adjacent. Source: cidercade.com

DFW bowling alleys ranked: From dive to boutique

Bowling in DFW covers the full spectrum. Here's the breakdown.

• Bowlounge (Design District, Dallas) — craft cocktails, small plates, curated playlists. $7-12/game. The Design District crowd. Source: bowlounge.com
• Pinstack (Plano, West Plano) — bowling + laser tag + arcade + climbing wall. $7-10/game. Great for groups. Source: pinstackbowl.com
• Main Event (multiple) — bowling + everything else. $6-9/game. Family-friendly. Source: mainevent.com

DFW escape rooms ranked: I've done 20+ and here are the best

My friend group is obsessed with escape rooms. We've done over 20 across DFW. Here's the ranking.

• Escape Expert (Plano) — most immersive sets in DFW. "The Asylum" room is genuinely scary. $30/person. Source: escapeexpert.com
• Riddle Room (Frisco/McKinney) — creative puzzles, great customer service. $28-35/person. Source: riddleroom.com
• Dark Hour Haunted House (Plano) — not technically an escape room but their seasonal escape experiences are intense. Source: darkhourhauntedhouse.com

A Fort Worth painter has work in the Smithsonian AND the Whitney and nobody in DFW seems to care

Sedrick Huckaby lives and works in Fort Worth. His paintings are in the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Those are two of the most important art institutions in the country.

Live music this week in DFW: Free and cheap shows April 1-7

Here's what's happening on DFW stages this week.

• The Rustic (Uptown) — live Texas country/Americana nightly. No cover most nights. Source: therustic.com
• Truck Yard (Lower Greenville) — live bands Thu-Sun, no cover. Source: truckyarddallas.com
• AllGood Cafe (Deep Ellum) — Sunday open mic, free. Source: allgoodcafe.com

RoboCop was filmed in Dallas and nobody ever talks about it. What other movies have DFW connections?

I was watching RoboCop for the millionth time and my girlfriend goes "wait is that Dallas City Hall?" YES IT IS. The entire movie was shot in Dallas even though it's set in Detroit. You can spot downtown buildings, the convention center, all of it.

What to do this weekend in DFW: April 4-6 edition

Here's what's happening this weekend across the metroplex.

• Alamo Drafthouse Terror Tuesday (Richardson) — horror movie night. $10. Source: drafthouse.com
• First Friday on Magnolia Ave (Fort Worth) — shops open late, live music, food specials. Free.
• Deep Ellum Art Walk — free gallery openings, street performers, live music. Source: deepellumtexas.com

The Kimbell in Fort Worth is one of the best art museums in the COUNTRY and half of Dallas doesn't even know it exists

I'm going to say something that might start a fight: The Fort Worth Cultural District is better than anything on the Dallas side. Come at me.

I started doing open mics in Dallas 6 months ago. The comedy scene here is way deeper than I expected.

So I did the thing everyone says they want to do — I signed up for an open mic at Dallas Comedy Club on a Wednesday night. Hands shaking, material written on my phone, absolutely terrified. Bombed my first set.

I've seen 100+ shows in DFW. The venue matters more than the artist. Fight me.

Hot take but I genuinely believe this. A B-tier band at The Kessler is a better night than an A-tier band at American Airlines Center. Here's my venue ranking after years of going out in this city.

I go to the movies 3x a week in DFW. Here are the theaters worth your time and the ones scamming you.

I have AMC A-List AND an Alamo season pass. Yes I have a problem. But I've been to every theater in this city and I have strong opinions.

DFW couples bucket list: 50 things to do before you leave the metroplex

My partner and I made this list when we moved here. We're at 37/50 after 3 years. How many have you done?

Dating over 40 in DFW: It's a different world and here's what I've learned

Divorced at 42. Started dating again after 18 years off the market. DFW dating after 40 is its own universe.

• Apps still work but the pool is different. More divorced parents, more people who know exactly what they want.
• Schedule coordination is 10x harder. Kids, careers, aging parents. Finding a free Saturday night takes military planning.
• First dates are shorter. Nobody over 40 has 4 hours for a maybe. Coffee or one drink. Done.

Best proposal spots in DFW: Where to pop the question

Helping a friend plan and we went down a rabbit hole. Here are the best spots.

• Dallas Arboretum — specifically the Jonsson Color Garden. Timing it during Dallas Blooms (March-April) with the tulips is peak proposal energy.
• Japanese Garden at Fort Worth Botanic Garden — serene, intimate, beautiful year-round. $12 entry.
• Reunion Tower — the GeO-Deck at sunset. Classic Dallas skyline backdrop.

Relationship deal breakers that are unique to DFW — am I crazy?

Some of these are universal, some are definitely a DFW thing. Tell me if I'm being unreasonable.

DFW divorce support: Resources and communities that actually help

Going through it right now. Instead of venting (I'll do that in therapy), I want to share the resources I've found in DFW for anyone else in this situation.

• Texas is a no-fault divorce state. You don't need to prove wrongdoing. Source: Texas Family Code Section 6.001.
• Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas — free legal help if you qualify. Source: lanwt.org, (888) 529-5277
• Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program — free consultations for low-income. Source: dallasbar.org/dvap

How I met my partner in DFW without dating apps — it's still possible

I know this reads like a Hallmark movie but I met my partner at a Kroger in Lake Highlands and we've been together 2 years.

• Sports leagues — Dallas Social Sports, Players Sport & Social. You see the same people weekly. Friendship turns into something else naturally.
• Gym classes — not "hitting on people at the gym." Actual group classes. Orange Theory, F45, CrossFit boxes — same crew shows up at the same time.
• Farmers markets — Dallas Farmers Market on weekends, Clearfork in Fort Worth. The vibe is approachable.

Best group date spots in DFW for double dates or friend groups

Sometimes you need a spot that works for 4-8 people without needing a reservation 3 weeks out.

• Cidercade (Deep Ellum) — $12/person unlimited arcade games. BYOB. The best value hangout in DFW.
• Topgolf (multiple) — divisive but it works for groups. $25-50/hr per bay. Split it.
• Pinstack (Plano) — bowling, laser tag, arcade, food. All-in-one group date.

Long distance while one of us is in DFW: Is it worth it?

My partner got a job offer in Austin. I can't leave DFW because of my job (in-person, no remote option) and my family is here.

• 3-3.5 hour drive each way
• $60-80 in gas round trip
• Or $120-250 flights (DAL to AUS on Southwest)

Am I wrong? My partner wants to move to the suburbs and I want to stay in Dallas proper

We've been together 4 years, living in an apartment in Knox-Henderson. We're ready to buy.

• More house for the money (400K gets you 2500 sqft vs 1200 sqft inside the loop)
• Better schools (thinking long term)
• Safer neighborhoods

Best second and third date ideas in DFW when you want to go deeper

First date went well. Now you need to keep the momentum without repeating yourself.

• Dallas Museum of Art — free admission, hours of conversation starters, then walk to Klyde Warren for food trucks. Total cost: $0-20.
• Fort Worth Stockyards rodeo — $15-25 tickets, Fri/Sat nights. Totally unique. You'll have stories.
• Katy Trail walk + dinner in Knox-Henderson — walk first, see if the conversation flows, then reward yourselves with food.

DFW dating red flags: Things I wish someone told me

After 3 years of dating in DFW, here are the red flags that are specific to this area. Take from it what you will.

• "Just moved to Dallas for work" + every photo is at a rooftop bar = here for 18 months, max
• Lists their job as "entrepreneur" but lives in a Plano apartment with 3 roommates
• Every photo is at AT&T Stadium, TopGolf, or a lake house they don't own

Moved to DFW for my partner and I'm struggling — anyone else?

Throwaway because my partner knows my main.

• I work remote so I don't have a built-in social circle here
• My partner works 50+ hours and has their own friend group from work
• I don't know anyone here. Like, zero people.

Making friends as an adult in DFW: What actually worked for me

Moved to DFW at 28 knowing zero people. Two years later I have a solid crew. Here's what actually worked and what didn't.

• Trying to convert coworkers into real friends (works sometimes, usually doesn't)
• Facebook groups (too passive, nobody actually meets up)
• Cold approaching at bars (this isn't a romcom)

Best first date spots in DFW by vibe: The definitive list

Where you go on a first date matters. Here's the right spot for every energy.

• Houndstooth Coffee (Sylvan Ave) — great space, good drinks, easy to end early if it's not working
• Magnolian Pour (Magnolia Ave, FW) — Fort Worth's answer. Cozy, walkable area.
• Midnight Rambler (basement of The Joule, downtown Dallas) — speakeasy vibes, impressive without trying too hard