This place has potential to be 4 or 5 stars, and I can't wait to see what happens when it's not the new, hot sports bar in town. When the new dies off, I think it will be replaced by some pretty cool regulars. I've been on 2 nights where games weren't on and had a great time. The first night I went was just after it opened and during the world series, so of course it was packed. Our service was still great. It was a Monday so I made myself a 2 beer limit and the waitress still checked in, refilled my water, and always asked if I wanted another drink. I appreciate that. I could've changed my mind. I didn't get the grilled cheese with bbq brisket & bacon that night, but have had it since and have fantasies about covering myself in that sandwich. It's GOOD y'all. I love that the draft beer is served in mason jars, it reminds me of Stan's on Greenville. I've been a little surprised by my bill each time. Seemed a bit pricey for a few 10 oz beers. That's really my only complaint. Well, that and the bouncer wearing the velvet blazer with a rose and skull on it, but he'll learn. Everyone else working there seemed laid back and enjoying themselves. Great open air bar, tons of TVs (showing different channels), and a cool set up. I hope it does well! I'll be back to evaluate my review after a couple more visits. read more

I have never written an online review for a bar before, but I feel it is necessary here. I had the worst bar experience of my life at the Nodding Donkey. I will note that we were there to watch a Mav's game and the place was packed, but I will let you judge if this makes the following acceptable: - I asked for my tab at the end of the third quarter since there was a large group of us. An hour and a half later and after 6 different requests, I finally got my tab. - When I received my tab, the waitress had put on an automatic gratuity as well as overcharged me by 4 drinks. When I asked about it she informed me that another part of the group hadn't picked up all of their drinks so we had to pay for them. Note, this other part of the group had not been waiting for their tabs for almost two hours. - I went to get my car from the valet and was informed that it was now closed and the bar no longer had my keys. I had to go to a bar across the street to get them. - Once I had my keys, the bar across the street had no idea where my car was and I had to wonder the streets until I happened to find it. Some parts of this can be chalked up to a busy night, but after overpaying and then having to find my own car, I will not be going back here again. read more

Note: I hear this place gets too packed and crowd may not be the most interesting. My review is from opening night. Wow, just when I was about to moon annoying and bland establishments off McKinney Avenue.... the nodding donkey pumps its head to strike oil in uptown. Texas themed bar, yippppeee, comes equipped with country music, cold beer jars, BBQ/Brisket/Tex-Mex menu, and WIDE-openness. I love the open aired patio which makes you feel like you are on a boardwalk somewhere shooting bad guys. Great large T.Vs and sound system for sports. Soft opening was a blast as the owner and architect were darting around at the last minute to get the tired donkey nodding on time. I bet their first congratulatory beer tasted mighty fine. Architect was entertaining and nailed the concept of open, spacious sports bar patio. Even from the first night, you can tell the smart and attractive owner guy hired experienced waitstaff that was courteous, and awesome. The place got packed but the service never missed a beat. I'll be back soon to try the food menu. Looking in my crystal-ball mug glass o' beer....I'm predicting this saloon will be consistently busy and a great success. Don't be fooled by the dainty beer mugs, they are 16 OZ (just look for meniscus when measuring then ask when the Donkey Show starts) Opening was grand and the Rangers punched Tampa bay in the face to win the series. Yeeeessssss! read more

Amazing patio. It's a great place to plop your tushie down and relax for a few hours! The servers are super nice and its amazeballs people watching. They also have patio games out on the front side! It's a huge open bar, very airy that can be changed in a second to indoor! Flat screen TVs and incredible ambiance!! I can tell it does a decent amount of business, however I was completely unimpressed with everything else. The drinks are served in mason jars (which I loved) but super weak, I had: 2 vodka sodas, 2 screwdrivers and a rum a coke and I literally felt nothing...other than nauseas, maybe from to much juice? We ordered some chips and queso and the chips were literally dripping with grease. Gross. I love me some greasy chips and could eat them all day, but I mean dripping....ugh. We also ordered some chicken wings and to be honest, they weren't terrible, if anything maybe slightly overcooked (I know right, hard to overcook a chicken wang), but flavor was good. Anyways, I would totally give this place more chances and maybe just go late in the day and have some beers. They do have valet if you absolutely hate to look for parking around that area...which in all honesty, who doesn't. Seriously fabulous patio!! Doggies welcome too!! read more

One must give credit to the amazing ambiance created by the Nodding Donkey. Flat screen TVs everywhere you turn. An open bar that essentially only has a roof to make in an 'indoor' bar. And a easily accessibly wrap around bar that serves all their drinks in Mason Jars with handles. What's not too like? On the scale of interactive features and fun people watching, I would rate this place higher, however there seems to be a lag between an awesome atmosphere and not-so-awesome customer service. The bar service was attentive and helpful, however the table service was interesting to say the least. To offer to take our order, bring us menus, and then take our order well after 10 PM and come back 20 minutes later to tell us in an unapologetic way that the kitchen closed at 10 PM seemed a little off. Although, I will return, because I believe the bar is an exciting asset to the State and Allen area and I appreciate the indoor/outdoor foundation they've created to align well with the unpredictable Texas heat. Overall, this place can be a fun place with a lot of options ranging from giant Jenga, a bean bag toss, arcades, and live sports entertainment everywhere you turn. Just hope I will be able to eat there next time. read more

Johnny the number one bartender in this town! Every time i step into this bar and he is working i know i am at home and it will be the best experience ever. This bar thrives off his positivity and energy! Every bar needs a Johnny! read more

This place is somehow always packed (I'm talking even during the day) and so I figured it'd be worth a shot to try it out. Long story short, the service is pretty good--we had a waitress who looked exactly like Shannon Elizabeth (this doesn't have anything to do with anything, just thought I'd mention it), who was very nice and was very Texan-friendly. The clientele here is a little fratty, which I guess can't be helped. The drinks are good and cheap, and so is the bacon-wrapped jalapeno. Go if you have a game you want to watch (and a Lakers jersey to wear amongst hostile Dallas Mavs fans). read more

First time at the Nodding Donkey I went with my sis-in-law and had a great time just sitting back having a few Bloody Marys. They were the best I've had and I've been on Bourbon Street, NOLA. They were spicy with a hell of a kick. I can't remember how many we had, but we definitely stumbled out, rosy cheeked, laughing. They serve food, that smelled totally amazing, but can't tell you actually how good, but will definitely go back to try. This is a great outside patio type bar that's great to watch a game and chill out on a nice night in uptown. I'll be back... read more

1- It was a lot cooler when you could actually sit out on that lower level patio. Surprise! Inside sources say it's zoned for parking and the city made them take the seating away. BOo. 2- Don't put out a mega jenga set if your neighbors are complaining about the noise. 9:30 is too early to stop playing mega jenga. 3- You read "BBQ Brisket Grilled Cheese" and think that it MUST be good. It's not, all of their sandwiches have too much gooey bread and not enough juice on the inside. Instead of a crispy outside and a gooey inside, it's more like eating a loaf of bread soaked in canola oil. 4- It's fun to hang out here, grab some drinks and watch sports or people. Aside from my gripes, I end up here a lot. *they need to add a Porter to their on-tap beer selection, I suggest Real Ale for some Texas style goodness since they already run Fireman's 4. read more

6:43 PM I usually try to stay away from bars with overly fried foods as appetizers but, here we are. It took way too many times to get our server to attend to us. Not sure why-it wasn't full, but maybe they were short-staffed. It's happy hour so I'm getting a well drink and an appetizer. *gulp* The location is nice. Love the street view. Well of choice: gin and tonic (please make it well ) Appetz of choice: chicken wings-spicy BBQ. Hoping it's cooked well. 8:07 The verdict: The spicy BBQ wings were good! And you get maybe 10 wings for $5! I couldn't finish my order . Tonic was cool. Service could've been better. She wasn't attentive at all. Brought random drinks that weren't ordered. But I always tip well. I left her a note. If I come back it'll be just for happy hour perks and the view. read more

Happy hour specials with $3 draft beers in chilled mason jars make for the coldest beer in town & my boyfriend and I really do love coming here on weeknights for this exact reason. The half indoor/half outdoor thing provides a great environment and they do have lots of misters going when it's hot out. Plus, lots of TVs for those who love their sporting events. BUT the food here is really, really not good. I can hear you saying: "It's bar food, what do you expect"? Well... I'm sorry but I've had a lot of bar food in my life and I expect a heck of a lot more. If you're getting tex-mex (really, anything on the menu) don't expect much flavor. My first time ordering here was late night, just as the kitchen was about to close so I figured I'd give them a second chance at a different time of day but the so called "spanish rice" and black beans were cold and tasteless without any seasoning regardless of the time I ordered. The rest of the food follows suit... it's as if they don't have any spices in their kitchen or no idea how to use them. Boyfriend has had the chili and brisket & reported them both as "just OK" - this coming from a man who loves his food and rarely likes to complain but will RAVE if something tastes even remotely good. Their only shining star I've yet to find on the menu is the guacamole because they add bacon and what's not to love about bacon guac? Service is pretty good if you get a spot at the bar but service at the tables leaves a bit to be desired. If you're looking for a good boozy happy hour spot that gets pretty crowded (in a good way) then this is your place but for your own sake, plan to eat somewhere else. read more

This location is a great for game day or just wanting to grab a bite before going out. We decided to go during the World Series and it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. It was very packed but how could they not be. The service was very good for the amount of people that were there. I just didn't think the food was all that great... My mom and fiancé that it was better than me, so maybe I was just having an off day with taste. They have corn hole and a giant Jenga and Connect Four! :) who couldn't love that! Great place for the younger crowd to mingle and get a bite to eat. read more

Nice kewl spot with outdoor seating with plenty of TVs however they charge others who are out of town more for drinks versa others.

Burger was surprisingly good and so was the queso. Drinks were decently made, if not for the only other party in there besides us being overly loud and not being corrected it would be been 5/5. read more

My bro and I stopped here for some grub and to start of the night on a Thursday. It is a pretty nice sports bar with TVs everywhere, the service was a little slow, but the wait staff was pretty nice and helpful. The drinks were served in the small variety of mason jars and not very strong (cowboy and nurple), they tasted decent, but nothing too too special. We had the pulled pork sandwich and pork quesadillas. The food was run-of-the-mill sports bar food, the sandwich and waffle fries were good, but the side of rice and beans that came with the quesadillas were flat and cold (essentially inedible). Parking is non-existent so beware if you are traveling by car. read more

I liked the cowboy feel with the wooden furnishings and the little glass mugs they had for drinks. It gave a unique feel to the place. There were chairs and tables, but this was more of a standing place, and I had to weave through a lot of people to say hi to my friends. The music tended to be R&B/hip-hop stuff. Music I love dancing to, but there wasn't anywhere to dance, which was a little disappointing for me because I love dancing. The music made it also a little hard to have a conversation, but I wasn't screaming like I would be at q club. I think this place would be great for four or five friends to catch a drink before or after dinner. I was definitely pleased with my cranberry vodka. read more

This place is OK. I've been here one time & I didn't have any food though. I did have a "cowboy cocktail" & it was AMAZING! I think I had, maybe 3 or 4 drinks & I was DONE! The atmosphere is good, but loud. The servers were great too. I think I'll come back one of these days... P.S. Parking can be a pain bc in order to park on the street you have to have a parking sticker, or move your car by 5pm...I think that's only on the weekend though, but I'm not sure because I've only been there once. read more

I am very impressed by the quality of the food at Nodding Donkey. This is definitely a great spot to have a casual bite to eat. That being said, expect very slow and poor service. On average 30-45 minutes in between seeing your server. I recommend grabbing a drink at the bar before sitting down when you first get there. (-1 point, tough, but fair) The trivia here is the worst in Dallas. If the ear piercing screeches of the MC for trivia night were bad enough. Prepare for multiple rounds of listening to songs and TV shows on speakers that are so distorted that you cannot hear them sitting next to them. (-.5 points) Every place has its negatives and positives, just avoid trivia night, drinking the signature drink, and have low expectations of service for the incredible food. read more

Half outside & half inside? This is the perfect place to go for happy hour while enjoying the weather outside! They have $3 beers served in mason jars during happy hour. And to top it off there's complimentary nachos and taquitos! TVs are pretty much mounted everywhere except under the tables, so it made watching the game pretty easy too. If parking was easier, I'd be here a lot more often. read more

The good: the food is actually pretty good. Been here a few times and I enjoy their selection of food and quality. The bad: literally every server I've had (or that I can recall) does not use their mask correctly. They pull it off their face to talk or just come up to my table with their mask already pulled down. No one - not one single employee - enforces COVID restrictions like proper social distancing or wearing a mask when not at a table. Pretty disappointing because this place could easily be 5 stars if I wasn't so worried just to go there. read more

I like The Donkey. I think I 3.5 stars like it, to be more precise. Not the greatest beer selection compared to some of their neighbors, admittedly, but this is a comfortable place to sit and have a few drinks. I enjoy the open-air, "semi-patio" concept. Great for lousy weather days. Service is generally good. Food is fair-to-good. I enjoy the gimmick that is receiving my beverage in a mason jar. Trivia night is fun, and doesn't take itself too seriously. This place is in the rotation. read more

Lots of uptown douchebags blended in with semi-respectful service, depending on their mood that day. That's the experience you will get at nodding donkey. I've been many times and it's pretty consistently inconsistent (if that makes sense :)) The fries are great, the grilled cheese is delicious but gets soggy quick, and the salads are an expensive joke. Basically, don't get the salad. But you're at a bar with fried food and beer so you shouldn't get a salad anyway. There isn't much beer on tap and they have an interesting and strange selection of liquor that seems to change every time a new rep visits the bar. You basically have to ask if they have a lot of liquor that the other bars in the area carry. Get a donkey punch at least once and chill on the outskirts of the restaurant while watching your sporting event when it's nice out. Don't expect great service and you'll be a-okay. read more

This was my first time at The Nodding Donkey and my experience was amazing the Bartender and Manager Alexis and Johnny were spot on with service and attention to detail, definitely will be coming back! read more

Terrible experience. Went there for happy hour with friends. After the bill got split up nothing was changed to happy hour pricing and everything was rang up at full price. I was charged for items that were not ordered. I confronted the waitress but she insisted on this was the only way she could ring it in the system. Two days later after checking my bank statement the waitress decided to create her own tip amount instead of the one I left her. Overall FRAUD, and I will be contacting the owner as well as my bank. STAY CLEAR OF THIS BAR, many other great ones in the area. read more

The Donkey is a decent place to go grab a drink. I've noticed this place is real crowded for happy hour, and then for day drinking on a Sat/Sun. Once the clock strikes 10pm on a weekend night, it turns into a ghost town. At least, when I have been there. For me, I like it when the douchery clears out. They have good drinks, different beers on tap then you are used to, and pretty good food. Some of the old menu from State and Allen seems to be there, including a pulled pork sandwich (although it isn't the same...see my previous reviews). They have a good brisket queso that is pretty delicious. The prices are reasonable and although it is outside, it doesn't get too hot in the summer time. read more

This was a fun bar that definitely brings something different to the Uptown bar scene. Very casual. Not "trendy" or pretentious at all. It's a great spring or fall location because of how open-air it is. It was a nice night when I went, and there were people spilling out onto the tiered patio in all directions. I also noticed a few people playing corn hole on the two sets of corn hole boards they have on one part of the patio. I went there for an organized happy hour, so we all got 2 drink tickets. I exchanged my drink tickets for two mason jars of "donkey punch" (hehe), which was some sort of Long Island Iced Tea-inspired drink. It didn't really pack the punch I was expecting, but seeing as it was served in that huge jar, I guess it's probably a good thing it wasn't stronger! The waitresses were very attentive and quick to bring drink orders, which was pretty amazing since the place was packed shoulder to shoulder. In all, this is a pretty chill bar that would be great for sipping drinks on the patio in the sun or watching a game. I rarely make it over to bars in Uptown, but the next time I do, I'll remember this place. read more

I've been to Nodding Donkey twice and really enjoyed it both times. It's very different from most bars I've been to (particularly in Uptown). I love that mixed drinks are served in mason jars and beers come in cans (they do have some on tap), it helps create a very homey feeling. The other interesting thing to Nodding Donkey is that the building is not enclosed by four walls. Rather, two walls have garage doors that can be opened or closed depending on the weather/temperature. When I visited a couple nights ago the weather outside was in the 40's and I was afraid it was going to be too cold inside, however, with the doors shut the temperature was just fine. There were also fire pits lit outside that people on the patio were huddled around for warmth, making it possible for people to enjoy sitting outside in cool weather. There are plenty of TVs making this bar great for sports watching, and to be honest the past couple of times I have enjoyed people watching just as much. The biggest downside to this bar is finding parking, but you can say that about any bar in the Uptown area. I did discover a valet at the Nodding Donkey last time I was there, so I might have to try that next time I go. And rest assured, I will definitely be visiting again! read more

Even though it's in the middle of douchetown, wait I mean uptown, ah nevermind, I meant douchetown, the Nodding Donkey is pretty cool. I go there for Geeks Who Drink trivia every Tuesday and I've never really had a bad experience there. As far as drinks go there, you have a pretty good selection of trash beers like PBR in a a can and several mason jar options. They also have a lot of mixed drinks that you won't find anywhere else. I haven't tried them, but the name Donkey Punch always seems to make me curious. The staff is always prompt here. Sometimes way too prompt (but that's not a bad thing). You'll have them reading your mind and sneaking up behind you to ask if you want another drink, chips and salsa, or a sexual innuendo drink. Of course, the answer is always yes to all three. In that order. The only reason this isn't 5 stars is because of two reasons that everyone already knows about this side of douchetown: (1) The parking sucks. As in no parking. As in, be prepared to drive around for a while looking for a random spot down a side street. (2) The douches flock here like the swallows of capistrano. If baseball is on, you'll be sure to see at least 1 Yankees fan decked out in pinstripes. I haven't been there on a Sunday for football, but I bet Giants and Patriots fans frequent here as well. read more

The vibe and location are cool but that's the only thing like-able about this place. The food was disgusting and the infamous "donkey balls" aren't good at all. I didn't think it was possible to mess up fried cheese but apparently it is. These weren't cooked all the way and they made me sick all night. If you want to come here, watch a game, and have a few beers then go for it but that's all this place is good for. read more

Meh ... yes Meh... they serve your beer or mixed drink via mason jar.. which is so overrated and it's been done before - why not be creative? One thing is that they serve can beers - which isn't bad - seem like we were in our back yard for beers. Food is average - seem like the due microwaved chips, cheese and topped it off with whatever he could find. They have a drink called "Donkey punch" - over splash with sweet and sour - very very sweet - I thought I was drinking something from state fair... coolaid maybe? I think it was cooldaid with splash of rum or vodka. I maybe back just to have beer - on the positive note- when the weather is great - they open the "zipper plastic doors" and it's really nice but when weather isn't good .. seems like we are camping and it seemed like we were in a huge gazebo read more

Overpriced drinks and really slow service. Their valet returned my car with a big dent in the door (not the restaurant's fault but terrible valet is a factor I can't ignore). I can't say I was impressed by anything the Donkey had to offer and I likely won't return. My Dallas Blonde beer was $8 where everywhere else averages $5-$6. No thanks. read more

Dont bother with this place anymore. Not the same and filled with rude ass, intolerant,unpleasant, entitled workers. Ordered tacos, from their menu...they bring me tortillas with nothing on them and told me its my fault because I didn't specify. Really??!! Too stupid to even run a menu. Place is garbage, dont waste your money. You'll get nothing, like empty tortillas, except attitude for their inability to know how the service industry works read more

I've been to the new location off of Greenville, but I prefer this one. It's always packed and the service is still fairly fast and friendly. The bartenders are on top of their drink orders and still take time to visit. I'm beginning to think friendly bartending is a lost art, but not at Nodding Donkey. Food is good, but not fantastic. Gamedays are packed so come early to stake out your territory. read more

Great place to catch a football match. World cup watch parties here are amazing plus they have great food and a ton of great beers on tap.

Love the $16 domestic beer buckets on the weekend! read more

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Hot food, cold drinks, great happy hour and a bangin' Texas atmosphere! I love Nodding Donkey and visit any chance I have. This is one of my favorite neighborhood bars and you can't go wrong with anything on the drink or food menu. Some of my favorites: - Summer Beers (crisp, refreshing, light) - Silver Bowl (filling, flavorful, delish!) - Deep Eddy Cocktails (SOOO good!) - Texas Cobb (unique flavors, love the jicama) - Armadillo Wrap (chicken-ey heaven) - Donkey Punch (don't ask questions, just do it) read more

This place was fun! Me and my s.i.l got here around 7:30-8:00.. Just in time to grab a seat at the bar. We were waited on in seconds of sitting down.. how nice! :) The bartenders were awesome and friendly.. Joking around with everyone and having a good ol' time... Tried the Donkey Punch, it was sweet and fruity, but didn't have that "punch" I was hoping for... then I tried their Bloody Mary... holy cow was it good.. Nice and spicy with a good kick.. I had about 4 or 5... Price was fair $5.00 for Donkey Punch and $6 for the bloody marys.... By the end of the night I was calling them Bloody Martys for some reason ;x lol The crowd was cool, fun, laid back.. I'm not a sports fan so forgive me for not knowing...They had a basketball "game" on where the players did slam dunks and different tricks...It was fun watching and had the crowd up in roars when someone did a trick...and even when the satellite lost signal for a sec..boos and hollers could be heard miles away lol.... I loved the set up of the place.. Half inside, half outside... Would be awesome on a spring/summer afternoon with friends sippin on bloody martys ;] Ooo and Saw a few patrons playing some beanbag toss game on the street..looked totally fun! Also, I have to come back for their food.. Sitting next to me, several times, were couples coming in to catch a bite to eat...Everytime they brought something out my mouth would start watering...I stated several times "omg that smells amazing!" So if you're looking for a fun place to have a few drinks, watch a game, or just hanging out with friends this is a great place to go. ;] read more

Happy hour is amazing! Got two drinks for $8! The purple nurples are so good! However, do not get food here. It is not good... the wings tasted like rubber. read more

Uptown=blah This place=thumbs up despite its location The bartender recognizing us from his old place of employment=four thumbs up (if possible) Yes, I was a complete lady and tried the Donkey Punch (twice). No shame there. The food actually looked and smelled great which means I am going to make a return cameo to try it. Plus, upon ordering other drinks I noticed the plentiful amount of alcohol the bar serves in the "jars". No complaints here. read more

I admit that I'm skeptical about most things Uptown. I really didn't want to come here, but was not so gently persuaded by a friend to stop by for a beer. I think it was right about 100 degrees that afternoon. Which is a temperature I'd generally consider a bit too toasty for sitting outside. This had me concerned since they had their outside walls completely opened. Surprisingly, it was quite comfortable "inside." They have a decent range of draft beers which they will serve to you in something akin to a Mason jar. Don't worry, this delivery vehicle for your brew is just as efficient as your humdrum pint glass. They also had a fair range of canned beers from what I saw. This, for some reason, made me happy. Their food menu looked tempting but I had already eaten. From a glance around, the food I saw looked good and certainly smelled good. The crowd definitely had its uptown elements. However, the nice thing about some of the places south of McKinney Ave. is that there is some indefinable element that makes them more laid back than what you'd expect. For my experience, this held true for the Nodding Donkey. Maybe it was the mix of country and classic rock music or maybe it was the outdoors feeling but it definitely had pleasant and relaxed vibe. I sat at the bar and the bartenders had good service. I didn't feel neglected or hovered over. I will definitely be stopping by again-I need to give their happy hour a test... read more