Off the Record

Really cool laid back spot in Deep Ellum with some great drinks & music. I’m only giving it 4 stars because the bathroom was way too small for the size of this place. Would definitely go back when I’m in DE again. Fun.

I didn’t get her name, but the bartender with the light blue hair was very friendly & helpful! The Old Fashioned is not a go-​to for me, but my boyfriend said that hers was the best he had ever had. Great service & great drinks, check it out!

Eventually someone had to combine two of my favorite things: a record shop and a bar. And in Deep Ellum, this magical combination has been made so.
I was here on a Friday night where I rifled through the vinyl and hopped over to the bar for a drink. I ended up not purchasing anything because lugging around an LP for the rest of night was not my idea of a fun night out. But this concept definitely works really well for some day-​drinking on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Grab a peer, pick up an album, all in a good time.
The service was good at the bar – I was tended to quickly. There’s a lot of options, but I was boring and got a PBR, which was 4.25 – not astronomical, but still more than I was expecting. Oklahoma spoiled me with $ 3 PBR, I guess.
Either way, it’s a cool spot to hang at!

Four stars until I go back on a night when they have the DJ spinning :)
Went this past Thursday for their crate dating event. The turnout was so small! It was just my group of friends and another group of friends. That’s ok though! We still enjoyed this bar. The bartender did mention that some nights the turnout is 40 people and other nights it’s not. Basically hit or miss. It’s super chill and the bartender (I don’t know his name) but he was great. Really personable and funny!
I don’t drink but I had an OJ while my friend had a beer on tap and I didn’t hear her complain! Cool concept and I will def be going back either to chill with the girls during the weekday or to socialize with the weekend crowd.
I’m big on going to places with a diverse crowd because that’s where I’m most comfortable, and this place was exactly that. I’ll be back OTR! I may have found my chill spot

One of my deep Ellum favorites. Never too crowded, and awesome cherry-​on-​top to have the selection of records (I believe provided by Good Records on Greenville). Nice patio in the back, only fall back is their bathrooms are itty bitty! I love this bar though and enjoy going back often.

Great atmosphere here with music played at a reasonable volume for even those approaching 40. They were out of 11 of their at-​1^st-​glance-​impressive 24-​strong tap wall of craft beer but they still get high marks for overall atmosphere & laid back Deep Ellum vibe.

This is one of the coolest places I have ever been… and the concept is so simple.
Take a really chill bar with local beers and some even chiller music and mix that with a record store that has a very eclectic selection of vinyl…
…and thus you have Off the Record.
Stumbled upon this place while exploring the Deep Ellum district in Dallas… which by the way… is a really cool little area. Anywho, I decided first to check the vinyl section. It had a wide array of vinyl ranging from classic rock to folk rock and everything in between. I decided to buy a Sufjan Stevens album and proceeded to the bar to have a beer.
OTR had a full bar and nice selection of domestic and local craft beers. The prices were very fair and the service was friendly and prompt. I do plan on returning to Dallas and this will be on the list of places to revisit!

A great nook in the center of Deep Ellum. It can be hit or miss, sometimes it’s chill and a great place to have a pint and browse through their eclectic collection of new vinyl but other times they have some crazy DJ and it gets a bit over the top.

Nice little bar in the heart of Deep Ellum not a lot of seating, expect to stand and dance. But what they lack in seating they make up in awesome music hence the name. Some Drinks are a little over priced lone star is 4.75, Saint Arnolds lawnmower 6 bucks. But premium beer like El chignon and any Community beer is 6 as well so just get the good stuff here. I only drink beer so that just my opinion on the beer. I really liked the place definitely will be coming back.

Just imagine being at a bar with drinks & a DJ, typical, right?! Now imagine while listening to the tunes blasting through the speakers while having drinks, then you come across some vinyl of old & new music. Yes, this is exactly what this place is, a place where you can party & purchase vintage records. That’s pretty much self-​explanatory.

I like the concept, I think. I want to see some record players though! I sifted through the crates of records. noting some Kanye but no Peter Paul and Mary. It made me want a record player again and something to store all of the records I would then buy and Peter, Paul, and Mary was probably the most played in my household growing up. (:
Plenty on tap but they taps were down. Plenty in bottles too. I settled for a dos equis. Bartender was super nice. I asked if they had any OTR stickers and they didn’t so she gave me a coozy and let me use the ATM at dada next door (the businesses had a shared door).
The bar was filled but not much business. It was around 6pm on a Saturday during the outdoor market. I like the concept so hope they have busier times indicating they are here to stay.

Sat at the bar for 15 minutes on a slow day and no one acknowledged us. Additionally, the CO2 was out and half of the beers weren’t functioning. Bad first impression.

This place is amazing!!! Nurel (not sure if if that’s spelled right) but he was amazing. The drinks were great and the company was even better. Boyfriend and I just moved here and trying to figure out fun places. The cocktails are great!!! Super excited to find a place that knows how to make good drinks!!! We will be back for sure!!!

This place is awesome! The guy who collects your empty glasses is awesome. Class act, never seen such a hard dedicated worker!

If you’re looking for a place where you can sit, talk, mingle with friends, this is definitely a great place to try out. They don’t blast the music like other places where you have to shout across the table. It has a rustic feel, and two rows of music records located in the back. You will not find any vintage vinyls, they only have new ones. Records prices vary and thought they’re a bit pricey for some.
There is a patio in the back with some tables and TVs. Awesome to go in and out of the patio if weather permits. Their draft selection varies with some local brewery flavors. I love they have a wide selection of drinks and beers they promote seasonally. This is a great place in Deep Ellum. But if you’re looking for food, they don’t offer any.
I went on a Friday and they had a local musician playing an acoustic set. It didn’t get too loud and loved the atmosphere it gave to the place! I don’t really have too many complaints about the service. There are no cocktail waitresses so you’ll have to order at the bar, but what I liked about this place, is that it did not get too busy (when I went between 9 – 11 pm.) and they’ll serve your drinks right away.

A little surprised by how small the record selection was here (just two rows of records). The bar was cool and there was plenty of seating but I’m pretty sure something was wrong with their heat when we came last week because it was almost colder inside the bar than it was outside and everyone (including the bartender) was bundled up in jackets and sweatshirts.
They have a great special on Thursday where cocktails are half-​priced, which is neat and so I had the bartender make something new for me and it was only $ 4!
Friendly service and cool concept, but I’m not sure I would make a special trip back to this bar just for two extra rows of records.

Expensive drinks… Tucked in off the drag in DE… parking can be found on the streets and the side of the bldg… but the décor in here… AWESOME. Shares a door with Wits End and it a totally different vibe. Saw the Sarah Jaffe DJ Show and tables were easy to share with people… nice setting… candles adorn the walls. Check it out!

The «new» smell of «Off the Record», almost toxic, a mix of wood, varnish and maybe even vinyl might have accounted for the
lack of patrons on a Sunday night.
With such a clean well designed outfit, and good liquor specials like $ 3 Jameson’s I’d expect a busier bar. If it were me Id adjust the lighting by dimming the bar area and turn up some track lighting in the «record section» which almost seemed like an after thought in the corner in the dark.
The records are really nice. A mix of current and of some time ago, all in excellent condition comes at a price — records start around $ 17 and creep up to $ 25 fast.
This bar is part of the Club Dada guys, which is next door, and very loud when bands are playing and especially when the
side door opens. That’s not a lot of fun.

Very decent beer selection, cute little place with a nice patio. The records are from Good Records and the prices and selection reflect that! I love the concept, and didn’t find it confusing at all. (To be fair, it is perhaps a little unusual.) I may be biased since I had heard of this place previously, but when perusing the records, you can see that they’re all sealed and many with heftier price tags (some upwards of $ 35), so it would never cross my mind to ask if I could play one? Plus I can’t imagine the bartenders having time for that. But in any case: big fan of spreading the vinyl love.
No food service, but you’re allowed to bring food in.
We came on a Sunday afternoon when the crowd was small-​to-​medium, mostly on the patio. Great vibe, friendly bartender, and if you’re not in the patio mood, the inside is nice and dark for the proper bar atmosphere. Not a huge place, just the right size. I certainly wouldn’t mind popping in again!

Really great addition to Deep Ellum. Craft beer and vinyl — what’s not to love? Upon first entrance, I was a big fan of this place. With an open space for socialize and killer industrial details, it has a great feel. The bar is attractive and occupies a nice size of the west wall — big, but not in the way.
As one would expect, the music is excellent. Great mix of all genres that fit the tone of the bar. Best of all, they resist playing the music obnoxiously loud so everyone can talk. Flipping through the collection of records is also a good source of entertainment.
One thing they do need to clarify is the role of the records. I’ve had several friends — rightfully so — expect to be able to select a record and have it played. Well, it doesn’t work like that. They’re for browsing and buying, but not playing DJ. It’d be cool for them to hold an event where that actually happens, but for now, it’s a point of confusion.
It’s so close to a 5* review, but it clearly has those ‘new place kinks’ that need to be worked out. They seem to run out of beers or don’t have the beers on the menu, the concept is a bit confusing, and the patio needs some work (though it looks like that’s the plan).
Overall, awesome spot with the potential to be even awesome-​er. Go there and skim some vinyl. Just don’t spill your beer on it.
+2* — Great space and atmosphere.
+1* — Great selection of beers at moderate prices.
+1* — Very fair prices on the cocktails — and some nice twists on classics.