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Billy Bob's Texas
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- DJ, Live
- Best Nights:
- Thu, Fri, Sat
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Yes
22 reviews for Billy Bob's Texas
Visiting Texas for the first time? Never been further south than Ohio and looking to experience what all this "everything is bigger in Texas" business is all about? Billy Bob's would be the place to go.
Live Country concerts, dozens of bars, arcades, live rodeo, indoor smoking (they don't let that fly up in Chicago so I was a little surprised to see it), two steppin' (prob the Southern equivalent of grinding at a club up North). This place seems to have everything, and then they DOUBLED it. The only thing that didn't make sense about a place so huge is why the dance floor is so small. It's impossible not to knock into a dozen other couples on a trip around the dance floor. Nobody seemed to mind so it must be expected.
The concert I saw (Aaron Watson) wasn't packed by any means but he and his band put on a great show. One thing I appreciated was the ease you could get a drink. In Chicago it takes plenty of visible cash, slick crowd maneuvering and incredible luck to get a round of drinks in under ten minutes. Here? Takes about as long as you can walk up, tell 'em what you want and pay. Thumbs up on the sheer number of bars you can order from. Def will come back next time I'm in Texas!
So, I was in Fort Worth, TX for my job's annual Sales Conference. Dinner arrangements for one of our nights there were to go to "Billy Bob's."
I am not going to speak too much about the food because, since there was a large group of us, it was buffet styled items created for feeding the masses. Keep in mind, I was raised in the health conscious state of California and my father is Chinese... so I am definitely accustomed to heaps of vegetables as part of each and every single meal. So, it was a little strange for me to have Mashed Potatoes and Macaroni & Cheese served as my "veggies." Other than that, all I remember is an overdose of meat, bread, and meat... and meat... and... uh... meat. Did I mention meat? I am sure dinners ordered in a fashion other than buffet are much better.
We were catered to in a small little side room that included a Cowboy Skit/Comedy show from some of the hired actors. Not great... but amusing enough for a visiting Californian. When we finished eating, they turned us loose to check the rest of the place out. All I could say was... whoa.
The place is incredibly HUGE. I was speechless to find the following all under the same roof:
- Two Fast Food Kiosks (Think Burgers & Fries items)
- Two Live Stages
- Four Bar Stands (Large 4-sided bar counters)
- An Arcade (at least 8 pool tables)
- The Largest Dance Floor I have ever seen
- A Full Rodeo Stadium
- A Gift Shop
All of the items mentioned above were large enough to function as their own establishments!
As I looked around, I also noticed that a lot of big name country stars were being advertised as well as local bands to play on the live stages pretty frequently.
To be quite honest, I saw the meaning of "Everything is bigger in Texas" that night. With the football season approaching, I tried to imagine what it would be like to be a mid-20's white-boy who grew up in Texas, was a fan of Country/Western stuff, and fan of the Dallas Cowboys... man... Monday nights and weekends would rule!!!
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Any red blooded Texan who's worth a darn has been to Billy Bob's and if your lucky woke up the next morning from your drunken stupor to tell about it! I went to a Hank Williams Jr. concert here years ago, and was molested 6 times (5 of which I slightly enjoyed) ended up with a pocket full of phone numbers, but couldn't remember which number when with which Cowboy so I threw them all away! Cowboys should give out business cards with their picture so I can remember who's who!
Billy Bob's has become a little too commercialized, over the years, and while I'm all for families having a nice fun place to go - I can't imagine taking my kids to a bar, even if they do have a gift shop, its really NOT a place for kids at night.
I also enjoy seeing the pack of Asian people who somehow stumbled in and are looking around, half scared and half amused, and I know as soon as they can they will blog about the experience!
Do all there is to do, go to the rodeo, party all night but whatever you do DONT forget to get your picture taken on the bull!
p.s. For all the out of town tourist...please take note.
It is NOT cool to stop off at the Western Wear store before coming to a Texas honky tonk and buying what you THINK will make you look country, and make you fit in, or score favor with the ladies - just because your wearing new $300 boots DONT MEAN YOU INSTANTLY KNOW HOW TO DANCE!!! If your flopping and hopping around - expect to get beat up. Its just that simple.
Also note, not all Texans wear 10 gallon hats, and NO ONE but assholes (and Dog The Bounty Hunter) wears silver tip cowboy boots, and if you dare wear one of those string bow ties - expect to get your ass kicked!
Fellas - just FYI - A little secret us women know - is that the BIGGER the belt buckle - the smaller the.. WHAT!!!!! (( and you thought we didnt know your trying to over compensate! We've always known!!))
So here's a tip for the Texas tourist. If you just can't resist and must wear Cowboy gear.... Just get yourself a nice pair of (heavily starched) tight Wranglers, and some (not too flashy) Justin or Tony boots, a shirt of some kind and call it a day. You have no real need for a cowboy hat, and if you go cheap you'll just look stupid, if your from the Northeast (Yankee) your accent will instantly cause your hat to look wrong, so just skip it.
Dont go too over the top ok this is NOT your big audition for Hee Haw or Nashville Star.
Believe it or not, us Texans do not go around strapped with 6 guns and spitting chew and looking for a shoot out at high noon! Despite what you've seen in the Westerns! Despite what you've heard in Willie Nelson songs.
Us Texans can always spot a tourist - your the ones who obsessively yell YEEEEEEE HAAAAAAWW, and suddenly say YA'LL all the time, try to talk with a drawl that sounds more like you have a learning disability and speech impediment, and of course you all dress up like your going to clown college ---- for Cowboys!! Urrghh..
Welcome to Texas and YA'LL enjoy Billy Bobs!
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If you are in the mood for something country or western, Billy Bob's is the place to be. However, I'm not sure what this place is because it is filled with all kinds of stuff: a giftshop, a casino, bars, video games, a few dance floors, and a stage where you can see the band.
Usually I'm not a huge fan of country stuff despite the fact that I grew up in Texas, however, what made this place interesting were the glittery saddle hanging up on the ceiling, and the couples two-stepping to the music that I had no idea what the song was all about. Some of them glided on the dance floor, some would swing around and it didn't seem uncommon to bump into the other couples on the dance floor.
Overall, it was a unique experience. I think next time when my friends and I come here, we are definitely gonna step out in our daisy dukes with our cowboy hats and boots!
NOTE: Just because you CAN take your kids in somewhere does not mean you SHOULD. Yes, any age can go into Billy Bob's. It's a Fort Worth landmark. But it's a honky tonk...a bar...c'mon people have a brain cell. I'm drunk. That half-naked stripper girl is drunk. That guy starting the fight is drunk. The band up on the stage is drunk. You--dancing on the dance floor with your kids to inappropriate music upset that all the drunk people are bumping into you--can get way on over it and take your inbred hobo children out to the car and drive back to your hotel. Bring them during the day when the rodeo is going on then LEAVE. *gets off soap box*
Ahem--the review. I like Billy Bob's. I go here once a year. I drink a beer. (I'm not really drunk). I play slug bug replaing the Volkswagon Beetle with girls wearing either mini-skirts or short-shorts with cowboy boots (my arm STILL hurts). I dance a few songs. I look at overpriced merchandise. I laugh at sleezy girls who ride the mechanical bull sans proper underpinnings and integrity.
It's a good time. It probably is only 3 stars but I had my fun goggles on.
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Very large country bar with room for large venue's of well known stars.
Frequent concerts on the weekend. Large dance floor, ample seating, full rodeo, take your photo with a fake bull. Nice gift shop.
Fun place and good music. Cover bands through the week.
did not see this place at night, but can only imagine the craziness that must ensue. it IS the biggest honky tonk in the world, afterall.
highlights include:
-a pretty fabulous giftshop, chock full of cowboy hats, boots, all things TX
-an indoor bull riding ring...in the honky tonk!
-the biggest dance floor ive ever seen (i can only imagine the line dancing!!)
-a bedazzled saddle hanging from the ceiling
-the wall of fame w/cement handprints (fun!)
i have no doubt that this place is a blast. if only we could have seen it at night!
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I really wanted to have an Urban Cowboy experience. Okay, I'm not Debra Winger (meaning I don't have a horsey laugh and wear tank tops with no bra and ride a mechanical bull all sexy-like) BUT I thought maybe there'd be a brooding John Travolta I could sidle up to and say, "So are you a real cowboy?"
Um, this did not happen. Probably because it is no longer 1979 and I wasn't at the original Gilley's and quite frankly, Billy Bob's was a little more Disney and lot less honky-tonk than I would like it to be. Too clean, too many attractions, just too darn big. I wanted sawdust on the floor, a smoky haze, a couple drunken fights to break out in the parking lot over a lady's honor. And I paid almost five bucks for a beer. Say whaaaat?
I went to Billy Bob's to see Loretta Lynn. I kinda wished I had shelled out the big bucks and gotten tickets for seating. As it was, general admission was standing and off to the sides. Not the best. And there were some angry drunks. Whee! I had to squint to see Loretta sweat under those hot lights.
I did enjoy watching people-watching on the dance floor. And a young lady bought me a Red-Headed Slut shot because we both had red hair. Good to know this scores free alcohol. I don't think I'll ever frequent Billy Bob's, but it does offer a wide spectrum of people. It just makes me long for the simpler, dirtier times of mechanical bull riding. When did honky tonks get so sanitized?
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Heard from numerous people that this was the Mecca of all Country Bars. Really wasn't all that impressed, maybe because everyone had talked it up so much, or maybe because San Diego has spoiled me to where I am used to bars having huge crowds on the slow nights (Tues-Thurs). They have a bull rink, gift store, restaurant, 2 dance floors, and multiple bars. I guess what threw me off was that it reminded me so much of Dave and Busters, except this place was country. The staff was awesome, and the Doormen were really good at what they do. Watched them kick out multiple minors for drinking. I would say if you want to come here to dance and meet people stick to the weekend when the big names come in to jam!
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I can't believe there are just 9 other reviews - we checked out this place after attending the rodeo and there seemed to be thousands of people. Apparently cowboys and cowgirls don't yelp all that much!
My wife and I had no idea what to expect but we figured what the heck since it was free with our rodeo ticket. Everyone was friendly and there was no attitude. We wandered around the place as the tourists we were - checking out the dance floor, bar areas, casino area, bull ring, bbq restaurant, and concert venue. We had never heard of the guy who was playing that night, but hey, we know almost notihng about country western music. In any case, it was still awesome.
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Worlds largest Honky Tonk. What else can I say. There are 16 bars inside, a mechanical bull and several dance floors. My wife and I saw a really good band here. This is something everyone should come and see when they're in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
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Best place in Texas to see a concert.
I went to Billy Bob's for a Kevin Fowler concert a few years ago, but right when I walked through that door I was thrown for a loop. I realized I had been there 15 years earlier for a birthday party. WHOA.
Anyway, the concert area is intimate, but if you didn't pay specifically for the concert, you can still get a good view from the dance floor...which brings me to, arguably, the best part of the night. Being noobs, my friend and I stood on the sidelines awkwardly watching everyone else have fun, until two older gentlemen came and literally swept us off our feet, and taught us how to two-step in two seconds flat! A ton of fun. My only real complaint is the drive down there, because really, the only other thing I go to Forth Worth for is the Kimbell.
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Worlds largest Honky-Tonk!
They are really strict on fake ID's here, so if you are in college and underage as I was, go in as your actual age. But don't forget your ID because no matter how old you look they will NOT let you in without one.
I really like country music, so I really like billy bob's.
I thought the BBQ was good too, although overpriced. They have a two-step area which can be HILARIOUS if you have never seen two stepping. There is a rodeo arena inside the building, but no mechanical bull.
This place attracts all sorts, from real hicky cowboys to country music fans to random people from all walks of life. Billy bob's is worth seeing if you are in the area, and they have really great country artists in a much smaller venue than they usually play at.
Minus one star for no mechanical bull.
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It is like a little kid's birthday party mated with a super cool honky tonk bar and concert venue. What a cool concept! Is there anything you can't do in that place?
Arcade, check, lots and lots of alcohol, check, dance floor, check, bull riding arena, check, concert stage and seating, check, slot machines, check, bright flashy lights, check, gift shop, check, wall of fame, check, etc, etc, etc. I feel like I could go on for hours.
One look at their wall of fame shows you the cool amount of musicians that make their stop through there. We stopped in 15 minutes until 6pm (which is when it closes down for an hour to prep for concerts), so we didn't get to experience any of the above mentioned coolness. But does it matter? With a line up like that, how could you go wrong?
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This place has a lot of fun stuff for everyone. The country dancing is a free-for-all. I learnt to two-step here! Mostly friendly crowd. great for groups!
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The Honky Tonk Bar of All Honky Tonk Bars.
I am an out of towner and this was the experience I was looking for. In this one huge location I saw a bull riding competition, played blackjack, and watched a Jason Aldean concert. Texas is cool.
Also on another note. I have never scene so many blond haired girls in my life. I swear it is like 80 percent not joke, so it that is you thing, go for it.
good stuff
If you're not from the South and you want to feel like a Texan, go to Billy Bob's. There are all kinds of things going on here, but the phrase that kept running through my mind was said best by Reese Witherspoon in Sweet Home Alabama: "You have a baby...in a bar". Last night, there was a birthday party for some 10 year olds. Because of the party, the line for food was ridiculously long and not moving, so I actually left and went to Sonic up the street, ate there for about half the price and then came back for a beer.
Billy Bob's is complete with indoor rodeo, bar, BBQ, line dancing, arcade and gift shop. I have to admit that I had a fun time, but as a tourist, I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to get there.
You're going to laugh. You might as well get it out of your system now. But I love Billy Bob's - partly because of its Texas-size grandeur, partly because of the celebrity hand prints adorning its walls, and partly because of the bejeweled saddle rack serving as disco ball on the dance floor. It's a fun place to get a cowboy hat (check), dance (check), listen to live music (check), drink (check), play video games (check) and examine some musical memorabilia (check). In the heart of the historic Fort Worth Stockyards, I would expect it to celebrate the city's past and present with equal oomph, and it certainly does. Not exactly the place you'd want to have your wedding, but from birthday party to Friday night outings, the $2 to $5 cover charge we paid is worth it.
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It was an interesting experience walking in here. First was the strange $1 they charge you at the door and then you get carded. All in all, it reminded me of some cowboy version of D&Bs. I was here in the day on New Year's Eve so the place was pretty empty. Shot a round of pool and played that horse-racing arcade game that I never win. It certainly is nothing like you see out in California.
The only country place I been to. Extremely large with multiple bars, kinda touristy. Girls will wait by the dance floor to be asked to dance. You don't see that too often these days. I also watched a live rodeo--you can sit pretty close. People frequently like to take souvenir pictures on the bull.
Heard about it but was reluctant to go because I'm far from honky-tonk. But I went a couple weeks ago because legendary bluesman B.B. King was performing there. He put on a great show, filling the gaps between songs and solos with stories and jokes, often involving his age and medication for erectile dysfunction (I kid you not). Anyhow, it was a nice venue, and the people definitely seemed to be having a genuinely good time there. Will go again once I purchase a cowboy hat, boots, and complete my transformation into a Texan.
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