Famous Old Texas Clubs

[Bullaholic]

Down thru the years, mostly younger, I have frequented a few Texas "watering holes" and "clubs" many of which no longer exist---but the memories are fond...


The Armadillo- Austin, TX circa 1965

The Cellar- Ft. Worth- circa 1967

Reo Palm Isle- Longview, TX circa 70's?

(Not Texas) The Cotton Club- Baton Rouge, LA, circa 1967

White Elephant Saloon- Ft. Worth

[bobcat1]

The Barn and The Corral in Graham
Little Brothers and The Wildcatter in Wichita Falls

[RoyceTTU]

The Crazy Lemon - Brownwood :clap:

[Eagle 1]

The Broken Spoke in Austin.
Llano use to have one, but I dont remember the name.

Of course Luchenbach.

[DUKE22]

COWPOKES - Lubbock Texas wow what a place.

[STANG RED]

Gruene Hall - Gruene TX
close the thread now.

[RoyceTTU]

My favorite bar at the promise land (TTU) was Bleachers. I loved that place and it loved me.

I spent one weekend at the Dixie Chicken and the Promonad(sorry for spelling) down in College Station and it was pretty cool. Thank goodness TTU beat the Ags in a thriller that evening so I didn't have to listen to Whoop all night. It was either 2002 or 2003, can't remember.

Outside of Texas, the Corona club in Acuna was a great bar. I loved it.

About a month ago we drank atop the Reata in FW and it was a pretty cool atmosphere. We topped the night off at the Flying Saucer.

[RoyceTTU]

Originally posted by STANG RED
Gruene Hall - Gruene TX
close the thread now.

I've been there once. It was fun but there were too many people in there. Couldn't move and forget about dancing.

[RoyceTTU]

Originally posted by DUKE22
COWPOKES - Lubbock Texas wow what a place.

LOL, i think that closed a couple of years before I went to college. I've heard great stories.

[PPHSfan]

The Old Top Rail in Dallas used to be a meat factory.

Cowboy's in Arlington used to have a great house band.

Billy Bob's still has good bands once in a while. Saw Merle Haggard there last year.

[Bullaholic]

Originally posted by PPHSfan
The Old Top Rail in Dallas used to be a meat factory.

Cowboy's in Arlington used to have a great house band.

Billy Bob's still has good bands once in a while. Saw Merle Haggard there last year.

My uncle told me about the Old Top Rail---he said it was like Mingus on Saturday night with a lot more people...

[Eagle 1]

Originally posted by PPHSfan
The Old Top Rail in Dallas used to be a meat factory.



I remember my mom, dad, aunts and uncles would go there a lot back in the day. I think I still have some pictures from back then.

[Txbroadcaster]

The Reo in Longview is still open as far as I know

[LH Panther Mom]

Coldwater Country Club - Lubbock TX - Wednesday night special was $.10 Lone Star and $.50 blue margaritas (Crash and Burn :D )


Fat Dawgs - Lubbock TX - small place, but had some great bands play there


Oh yeah - Coldwater had some incredible shows, also. :)

[Necked]

The Chicken Ranch - La Grange :devil:

[bobcat1]

Originally posted by RoyceTTU
About a month ago we drank atop the Reata in FW and it was a pretty cool atmosphere. We topped the night off at the Flying Saucer. Did you get the Mushrooms at Reatas? Best I ever had.:2thumbsup

[FB-fanatic]

Priddy Dance Hall Priddy, Tx


West Fraternal Auditorium West, Tx

Went to West Auditorium in '81 after a Baylor/TAMU football game with one guy and seven girls from San Angelo... wandered off and met a wonderful girl... and 26 years later, were still happily together.

[turbostud]

The Electric Company on the Sherman/Denison city line on Hwy 75 and Calhouns right before it.
Saw Pantera in 1987 or 1988 at Electric Company before they were really hardcore and were more of a glam metal band.

[Antec]

The Split Rail-Austin back in the mid 70s

Skyline-North Lamar in Austin back in the mid 70s

Continental Club in Austin (Still Open)

Fools Gold in Houston back in the late 70s (off Westimer)

Rockefeller (Houston)

Rockin W- Outside of Lockhart

Silver Wings outside of Brenham

The Western Club-Navasota

Elvira's-Bay City

Armadillo Ballroom-Brazoria (Still Open)

Cowboy Junction (El Campo-Where I used to DJ at )

Elvira's (Bay City)

Dessau Hall in Austin (Still Open)

[coach]

Originally posted by STANG RED
Gruene Hall - Gruene TX
close the thread now.

:clap:

The Dixie Chicken- College Station

The Sport Shack- Nacogdoches, TX

[OldBison75]

Years ago the Lakeview Club in Bryan was the place to go.

Reo Palm Isle in Longview was a cool place too.

And way back, the VFW Hall in Navasota had many of the top country and western bands and the coldest beer.

[PPHSfan]

Originally posted by turbostud
The Electric Company on the Sherman/Denison city line on Hwy 75 and Calhouns right before it.
Saw Pantera in 1987 or 1988 at Electric Company before they were really hardcore and were more of a glam metal band.

Calhouns used to be a cool little dive.

[Old Dog]

Eagle 1, could you be thinking of the "Ramblin Rose" in Llano?

[big daddy russ]

Schroeder Hall; Schroeder, TX--Second-oldest dance hall in Texas.

The Pavilion at Garner State Park; Concan, TX--I'd nominate it as a famous old "club" here in Texas.

Gilley's; Pasadena, TX--If only for its role the movies. My mom and dad met there.

Floores Country Store; Helotes, TX

Yellow Rose; Corpus Christi, TX

What's the big one in San Antonio? Can't remember the name and don't even know if it's still there.

[buckeyebob]

Reo Palm Isle is located in Longview, Texas. The establishment can trace its beginnings to Mattie's Ballroom, a dance hall between Longview and Kilgore. Mattie Castleberry established Mattie's Ballroom in the East Texas woods in 1935. Born in oil-boom days, Mattie's Ballroom was an instant success. The boom brought big money to depression-era East Texas towns, leading to the rapid growth of dance halls and clubs such as Mattie's Ballroom, which catered largely to oilfield workers.
In December 1951 Sherman Sparks, along with his partner Glynn Keeling, purchased the Palm Isle. Sparks had owned a small club named the Reo in Kilgore, but the establishment burned down. In order to commemorate his former club and establish its connection to the Palm Isle, Sparks renamed the venue the Reo Palm Isle.
Over the years the Reo Palm Isle has provided a venue for many stars and ascending stars, including Elvis Presley, Jim Reeves, Ray Price, Waylon Jennings, David Frizzell, Boots Randolph, Loretta Lynn, Shelly West, Jerry Lee Lewis, Kenny Sarrett, Frenchie Burke, Willie Nelson, Joe Stampley, Jackie Ward, Johnny Paycheck, Alabama, Boxcar Willie, Hank Williams Jr., Ronnie Milsap, Lee Greenwood, Ricky Skaggs, Delbert McClinton, David Allen Coe, and Mickey Gilley. The club's 3,000-square-foot dance floor has been lauded as the largest in East Texas. Other features include pool tables, a mechanical bull, and a restaurant. Reo Palm Isle was rated the best dance hall in Texas Monthly magazine in 1976 and one of the state's top ten clubs in Texas Highways. It is still there but only a shell of it's former glory. It was a hell of a place and the downfall of many a young boy.

[waterboy]

The Reo Palm Isle is NOT the same as it was in its heyday. I think it's a Tejano bar now. I do remember the Reo back in the day. I've seen a few big name stars play there.

[Bullaholic]

Originally posted by buckeyebob
Reo Palm Isle is located in Longview, Texas. The establishment can trace its beginnings to Mattie's Ballroom, a dance hall between Longview and Kilgore. Mattie Castleberry established Mattie's Ballroom in the East Texas woods in 1935. Born in oil-boom days, Mattie's Ballroom was an instant success. The boom brought big money to depression-era East Texas towns, leading to the rapid growth of dance halls and clubs such as Mattie's Ballroom, which catered largely to oilfield workers.
In December 1951 Sherman Sparks, along with his partner Glynn Keeling, purchased the Palm Isle. Sparks had owned a small club named the Reo in Kilgore, but the establishment burned down. In order to commemorate his former club and establish its connection to the Palm Isle, Sparks renamed the venue the Reo Palm Isle.
Over the years the Reo Palm Isle has provided a venue for many stars and ascending stars, including Elvis Presley, Jim Reeves, Ray Price, Waylon Jennings, David Frizzell, Boots Randolph, Loretta Lynn, Shelly West, Jerry Lee Lewis, Kenny Sarrett, Frenchie Burke, Willie Nelson, Joe Stampley, Jackie Ward, Johnny Paycheck, Alabama, Boxcar Willie, Hank Williams Jr., Ronnie Milsap, Lee Greenwood, Ricky Skaggs, Delbert McClinton, David Allen Coe, and Mickey Gilley. The club's 3,000-square-foot dance floor has been lauded as the largest in East Texas. Other features include pool tables, a mechanical bull, and a restaurant. Reo Palm Isle was rated the best dance hall in Texas Monthly magazine in 1976 and one of the state's top ten clubs in Texas Highways. It is still there but only a shell of it's former glory. It was a hell of a place and the downfall of many a young boy.

Good stuff, buckeye---I went to the Reo once during it's "heydays", and it was quite a place.

[BwdLion73]

Originally posted by Old Dog
Eagle 1, could you be thinking of the "Ramblin Rose" in Llano?

Ahh....plastic chairs and beer sticky floors. Ramblin Rose brought them in from all around.

[slingshot]

The Ramblin' Rose... Llano, TX. Got into plenty of trouble there back in the day.

[Eagle 1]

Originally posted by Old Dog
Eagle 1, could you be thinking of the "Ramblin Rose" in Llano?

Yep, the Ramblin Rose, that's the one.

Priddy Dance, been there done that quiet a few times too.


Well the Honky Tonks in Texas were my natural second home. Where you tip your hat to the ladies and the Rose of San Antone....I grew up on music that we call western swing, it don't matter who's in Austin... Bob Wills is still the King...


Ok, flashbacks....sorry about that. :D

[Maroon87]

Orange Grove Rifle Club

[Reds fan]

Colonial CC
Houston CC
River Oaks CC
Oak Hills CC

:D

[Fletch]

The "Longhorn Ballroom" in East Dallas was a happening place in the late 60's, especially in the afternoon when the husbands were at work...............

[PPHSfan]

There used to be a place called nine acres back in the day, that was BYOB. I can't remember where in DFW it actually was.

[dog40]

Tin Hall - Cypress, Texas

Grew up in the North Houston area in the early 80's

Lots of fun dancing upstairs.

[Fletch]

Originally posted by PPHSfan
There used to be a place called nine acres back in the day, that was BYOB. I can't remember where in DFW it actually was.

I remember it also. We went several times and they even had a "Smokeless Acres" for the non smokers. Pretty sure it was in the Grapevine area.

Good music.

['Necks 2013-14]

Vrazel's ballroom in Danbury.
The Ramblin' Rose just outside of Brazoria(is now a church!!). Cheers in downtown Freeport and The Mine Company-also Freeport but both of these are no more!:(

[carter08]

Can't believe Anderson Fair hasn't been mentioned.

[coach]

Originally posted by carter08
Can't believe Anderson Fair hasn't been mentioned.

i cant believe you posted...where have you been?

[buckeyebob]

Does the Armadillo Club qualify?

[mwrams]

The Trio in Mingus,
Gran Faloon Saloon in Mineral Wells

[LH_Tuff]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
Gilley's; Pasadena, TX

This.

[buckeyebob]

Originally posted by Fletch
I remember it also. We went several times and they even had a "Smokeless Acres" for the non smokers. Pretty sure it was in the Grapevine area.

Good music.

There is something totally un-American about a smokeless bar...total oxymoron!

[bigcat8]

the oak -seguin,tx
borski's-

[LIONS#1]

Ones I have been to:
Mother Earth Club-Austin
Armadillo-Austin
Shoal Creek Saloon-Austin
Luckenbach Dance Hall-Luckenbach
Bo-diddles Club-Brownwood
Timbers Club-Brownwood
The River Club-Comanche
London Hall-London
Gruene Hall-Gruene
Tin Hall-Cypress
Gilley's-Pasadena
Nesadale Club-Pasadena
Twin Sisiers Dance Hall-Blanco
Ricks Cabaret-Houston:D :D

[Antec]

Bill Mraz Ballroom-Houston-Burned down a few years ago


I might of mentioned Dancetown USA in North Houston off I 45

Pyramid Club in Wharton

Pan American Balllroom (Still open ioutside of El Campp)


Fairchild (Old hall burned down-between Needville and Rosenberg)


Mustang Club in Rosenberg (think its still open)-on Hwy 36

[duckhunter]

Cat Spring's Social Club

aka Crossroad's Tavern

located in Cat Spring's, Texas

[STANG RED]

Texas Hall of Fame in College Station was great 30 years ago. Dont know if its still open though, or if it's still any good, if it is.

[coach]

D&R's in Fairfield lol