Up Your Alley.

The Cedars' Industry Alley Sets Itself Apart As A Safe Haven For Bar Rats.

Good news for all you low-key, bar-going people: Your new favorite bar just opened its doors.

Industry Alley, a new spot from Charlie Papaceno, the revered former co-owner of the Windmill Lounge, formally opened for business yesterday in The Cedars. And, really, it's the perfect bar for those times when we don’t want to be in a neighborhood packed to the brim with other drunks like ourselves.

Yes, one of the most important features of the bar is indeed its location. The bar is nestled in that neighborhood south of I-30, back past South Side Ballroom and across the interstate from the Dallas Farmers Market.

The Cedars isn't really a destination 'hood, no. It doesn't have the infrastructure of Deep Ellum or Lower Greenville. It doesn't boast the slew of restaurants, bars or boutiques that so many of our favorite areas do. So, listen, if you go to a bar because of its immediate vicinity to your favorite concert venue, restaurant or most importantly your home, you probably won't find yourself at Industry Alley too often. But, on the other hand, those same restrictions never held the Windmill Lounge back from becoming a favorite in Dallas, and it won't hurt this place, either.

Because Industry Alley, above all, is a bar-goers bar. And that's what makes it a destination unto itself.

This is a drinker's bar, through and through — and it doesn’t matter whether you’re drinking a Bug Light or a boulevardier.

There's no kitschy cocktail menu, though. And, as of now, there isn't any food.

So, wait, what is there?

Well, besides a roster that features some of the more impressive veteran bartenders from Dallas, there's an amazing patio with great wall art. There's a comfy barroom with a nook in the back that holds some comfy couches. There's a game room with two pool tables, as well as a handful of pinball machines and arcade games.

It's a perfectly balanced concept for anyone who regularly finds themselves in a bar. Grabbing a drink with co-workers for happy hour? Go ahead and enjoy the patio. A couple tallboys in and feeling competitive? Challenge your friend to a high-stakes game of pool. Wanna sit in a dark area and enjoy a stiff drink? Get all cozied up by the bar.

It's worth the Uber is what I'm saying.