A Look At How Much The Top Bars In Dallas Earned In July 2016.

Texans like to spend copious amounts of their income participating in the Great American Pastime. We know this, because as Reddit user BadLemur once pointed out, the Texas Comptroller keeps tabs on that sort of thing and makes all that info public record. Any establishment in the state that holds a Mixed Beverage license must report all sales revenue generated from the sale of liquor, beer and wine at their establishments on a monthly basis. The comptroller, in turn, puts all that info into a conveniently downloadable spreadsheet each month. As of July, there were 1,168 establishments in Dallas proper that held such a license. Below we’ve gone ahead and done you the solid of listing out the top 20 Dallas establishments in terms of alcohol sales for the month of July 2016.

This month, a judge ruled in favor of a group of Texas brewers led by Dallas’ Peticolas, Granbury’s Revolver and Austin’s Live Oak Brewing, who have been challenging a 2013 law that prevented them from profiting off their distribution rights.

The ruling effectively ends the state’s three-tiered system of alcohol regulation — an archaic system that kept production, distribution and retail separate in order to curb infiltration by organized crime bosses — and returns rights back to brewers.

“This has been a long time coming,” said Peticolas Brewing owner Michael Peticolas via press release. “I’m proud to have my constitutional rights returned to me.”

Needless to say, if the ruling stands up to the state’s appeal, it will have a big impact on the craft brewing community, as profits from distribution rights are typically reinvested back into their breweries to help keep up with increased demand.

On the other hand, Grapevine Craft Brewery has decided to stop distributing their product altogether. Soon, the only place to get their beer will be at the brewery itself.

Meanwhile, another of the lawsuit’s parties, Revolver Brewing sold a majority interest in its company to MillerCoors.

In other regulation news, TABC recently launched a new smartphone app that will allow citizens to send in complaints more easily. The state currently monitors over 128,000 active permits, relying on members of the community to help keep tabs on establishments violating laws. For instance, TABC received 4,588 complaints last year, mostly via email and telephone calls.

Needless to say, it would behoove Dallas bars looking to crack into the following Top 20 list of the month’s top-selling watering holes to really be on their best behavior moving forward.

Dallas Establishments With Top Gross Alcohol Sales For July 2016.

1. HAPPIEST HOUR, LLC: $681,796.87
2. CLUTCH BAR AND RESTAURANT: $562,290.90
3. SALC, INC. (Hilton Anatole): $533,996.87
4. BABY DOLLS TOPLESS SALOON: $504,173.88
5. MKTRR 1 BEVERAGE LLC (Katy Trail Ice House): $500,225.97
6. DALLAS REGENCY CORPORATION (Hyatt Regency): $491,297.91
7. OMNI DALLAS CONVENTION CENTER: $471,326.87
8. THE RUSTIC: $470,437.91
9. KUNG FU SALOON: $464,161.94
10. ESCAPADE 2001 DALLAS: $459,521.94
11. COWBOY’S RED RIVER: $445,238.96
12. TOPGOLF USA: $411,650.90
13. HG SPLY CO: $408,257.91
14. DRAGONFLY: $398,435.97
15. HOSPITALITY INTERNATIONAL INC (Ritz Carlton): $371,525.97
16. NICK & SAM’S STEAK & FISH HOUSE: $368,568.96
17. LEVY RESTAURANTS AT BBVA COMPASS (Dallas Market Center): $336,567.91
18. ROUNDUP SALOON: $324,236.87
19. HOUSE OF BLUES DALLAS RESTAURAUNT: $323,321.94
20. CITIZEN: $314,245.97

Total alcohol sales in Dallas in July 2016: $60,153,972.65
Last month’s total: $60,598,183.25

Cover image by Ashley Gongora.
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