If your going in for a stiff drink this is the place for you. Expect to stand - not enough tables to sit.
If your going for dinner with a small group and expect great Italian food, you will like this place as well. Vegetarians stay away, they have maybe two options on the menu and their salads. (I'm a vegetarian and I ordered the caprese salad... tomatoes were not fresh. Stay away from this salad)
If you are going with a large group for dinner.. stay away! Long wait, drinks aren't filled, orders are missed and they just don't have the room for everyone to sit! The music is blaring and everyone has to yell. We asked them to turn it down a few times and that didn't happen. We brought a bottle of wine for our friends birthday and we were scolded at the door. "DO NOT OPEN THAT IN HERE" we explained it was a gift and we didn't plan to open (and couldn't we didn't have an opener!).. and we were yelled at again.. DO NOT OPEN IT OR THERE WILL BE BIG TROUBLE. They were acting like we already opened it? Calm down.
Oh and the homeless  man out front in the lounge chair making himself a cocktail was a nice touch. He was friendly.. but really?
My search for the best burger in Dallas/Ft. Worth led me to The Loon. Â I must say even after being told they had great hamburgers I was still a bit skeptical due to my burger snobery....but WOW was I wrong! I ordered the Loon Burger (I guess that's what it's called) medium with everything except cheese - then I took everything off. Â I like to taste meat, not salad. Â The moment I wrapped my fingers around the thin sesame seed bun and my fingers made an indention in the bread, I knew that this was going to be a wonderfully cooked burger; but the question was "how's it going to taste?" Â As I bit down into the 8oz patty the flavors exploded in my mouth! Â This is definitely not one of these burger joints that rest upon the laurels of just good meat; fancy restaurants...get over yourselves, Â burgers need at least some salt. Â This burger was seasoned perfectly! Although, it was not cooked medium as requested rather medium well, this burger was still awesome cooked to medium well. Â The juices still poured from the meat every time I picked it up. The establishment was very quaint and dark. Â It was small and comfortable. Â I would have never found the place. No fancy sign out front. The wait staff was awesome and very attentive and friendly. I don't normally do this, but this burger deserves a ranking of 10 on the Lisa Burg-o-meter. I really hope the rumor that it's shutting down is not true....that would be a total burger injustice!
Review Source:Can only reiterate what others have said--I enjoy this dive because it's very walkable for me. The drinks are just as stiff as promised, so driving afterwards would be extremely unwise. Doubt I'd make a huge effort to come here if it were out of the way.
I will say this place is MARKEDLY different during the week than the weekend. Weekend = total meat market. Week day = older crowd, very chill.
Food was average, but I've heard others rave about it. Let's split the difference and say it's probably slightly better-than-average pub food?
What a shame because I used to like this place. Â The bar itself is fine, in fact it is generally a whole hell of a lot of fun. Â It is cozy and a lively spot. Â But unfortunately some of the customers ruined my experience this last time. Â Like I said it is a cozy bar, so when it get full it can be hard to move around. Â Not just once but several times as I tried to get to the bar several of the customers got upset and feisty with me. Â I wasn't raised to be rude and you always say excuse me when trying to wiggle your way through a crowd, but to get indigent at me for saying these things and trying to squeeze by and not bump you, F that. Â Now they were probably intoxicated and I would have written it off it had occurred once or twice but that wasn't the case.
Review Source:If you ever find yourself saying "Self, we need to get our buzz on, ASAP!": Â Take yourself over to The Loon. Â Actually, call a taxi to take you there and grab one afterwards. Â No one should drive within 6 hours of drinking at The Loon, kinda like pilots aren't allowed to drink 12 hours before a flight.
Review Source:A dive. You've been warned. So if you are into dives, you'll love this place.
Cheap drinks, drunk people, not enough place to sit so you stand in passage ways, people bump into you and spill you/their drinks on you (or them, if you're lucky).
When I tried the bathroom, a daring act if there is, both restrooms were occupied, with a queue of on for the boys, no one for the girls. Unusual situation, you will agree with me ladies. Then a guy emerges from the ladies' and drunkenly defend himself. He swore to me that the pee on the seat was not his, definitly someone else's. Classy.
I was once a casual patron of this bar but after one extremely disrespectful experience from a bartender I will never go back.
The bartender, who shall remain nameless, wears a ball cap and a full beard. Â He took an aggressive approach with me threatening to stop serving me $3.50 beers if I didn't tip him. Â I had only had 2 prior to that order, and the first one I had tipped him on, which I suppose he chose to forget.
Coming from a former manager of a restaurant, you should never speak to a paying customer in such a manner. Â It is completely at the customers discretion on how or if they tip and should never be challanged by wait staff, especially over something as minor as a $3.50 can of beer.
Upon my questioning of the bartender as to why he chose to speak to me in such a way, he chose to signal for the bouncer as if I was the one who was out of line, which was laughable. Â When I turned to see if the bouncer was approaching, the bouncer wasn't even paying attention to him. Â Nice bluff for the bartender towards a paying customer who had absolutely no right to be treated in such a way. Â
Also, during the night this certain bartender was extremely rude to a waitress over how she placed glasses in the dishwasher... another classy act from this man.
The following day when I chose to touch base with the owner via telephone to discuss the situation of the previous night, the girl who answered the phone was just as rude and condesending as to why I was calling because she was "Busy." Â
I feel sorry for the people who choose to work at this place because they have lost the  understanding of what Customer Service truly is.  I also hope that the owner doesn't allow this type of behavior from his staff but from what I have found out by speaking with staff is that he is rarely around.  By the looks of it this staff is taking complete advantage of it.
I will never go back to this place and neither will my friends who use to give the place a good amount of business. Â I advise you do the same.
The Loon is the bar you go to if you are in the mood to get speech slurring drunk! They have the strongest drinks in town. This place is not much of a looker; they don't even have windows. However, it's a nice bar with good food and drinks. They have a pool table, but it always seems to be occupied... I think I've only played once while here and I've visited about 5 times. No big deal though... you go there for the strong drinks not the entertainment. My favorite time to visit is in the winter or a rainy day when you want to hide from the rest of the world.
Review Source:The Loon reminds me of Cheers -- the bar where everybody knows your name. Â
Okay, nobody knows my name here. Â But that's my fault for not going as often as I can. Â There's just something about this long-standing establishment that makes you feel comfortable and at home. Â It's casual, draws a pretty mixed crowd, and has a nice, laid-back vibe. Â The fact that I still recognize the bouncer from years ago is somewhat telling, I think. Â
The Loon's an awesome place if you want to get your money's worth for drinks. Â The bartenders are always super generous with the liquor and I usually get a killer buzz after only one mixed drink. Â The bar food is delicious too. Â I recommend the pizza if you need some food to soak up the alcohol; better than the pizza at many pizza joints.
White People, Unite!!
My heat hurts. Wow. I'm 37. Over the last 8 years, I've tried and tried to look past the racism that pervades the staff at this place. I'm a proud, full-blooded American, who's parents emigrated from India. The previous experience I had at The Loon, 8 months ago, scarred me. It put the wheels in motion for my wife and I to move away from Dallas. A truly racist experience, in 2012. My mind was/is still boggled. Before that day, I was happy to bring my out of town friends there. Wow. Talk about being made to be felt inferior. That ownership/management deserve kudos. Way to make the non-whites feel out of place. The memories I have from The Loon are then things I'll tell me children about when we talk about being outsiders, "way back when, when people were still racist and didn't know what made this country great." Yeah, I said this.
Btw, the food is excellent. The drinks are stiff. The staff is racist.
This is not my first outing to the Loon..I was introduced to this establishment while visiting Dallas looking for a place to live before I even moved here. Â Stuck in the middle of Uptown I'd say this is probably the least Uptown thing around. Â I tend to think Uptown is slightly pretentious but this bar is not...it has such a mix of people, young and older, hip and not, wearing clothes and some with thier hoo-has hanging out...to each his own...? Â
Upon arrival I tried ordering a beer and the waitress snaps that they don't have much beer, they are known for their drinks. Â I ordered a beer anyway. Why? Â It's always the same, I don't have to worry if you made it correctly or how I like it. Â A friend tried ordering an Old Fashion and she said they didn't have those here. Â Known for thier drinks...but not that one. Â Ha.
The bar just got increasingly louder as the night went on as the place filled up and the music pumped. Â We had about 8 people and I just couldn't hear anything anyone was saying.
Yes, the Loon has strong drinks....but their best secret isn't the pour, it's the FOOD. It's phenomenal, without the pretentious, wanna-be trendy cool Dallas restaurant vibe.
Of course they have "bar food" menu items - pizza, wings, nachos, a DAMN good burger....but, if you want the really good stuff, order off the menu. Check out the Specialty Board, or ask one of the wonderful waitstaff what's in the kitchen that day.
Grilled Pork Chop, Stuffed Chicken Breast, Grilled Tilapia - with fresh grilled veggies, pasta, or my favorite - the huge, and perfectly fluffy every time, baked potatoes. The Greek salad alone is big enough to be a meal. Add the grilled chicken, and you're definitely entree sized.
AND - Â If you're there a night they have lasagna, you must have it. Ignore your no carb rule, or the voice telling you there's no way the Loon has decent lasagna. Order it - immediately. It's big enough to share, but it's SO good, you're going to wish you had your own.
People always talk about the drinks. I've heard some actually complain the drinks are too strong. (Do what??!!) SO - drink slower, don't drink more than you can handle, or stay at the places that charge you double for the watered down version.
Order any of the Loon's specials, all you'll be talking about is how your meal was slap your mama good.
Remember when you were in college and you didn't care about what the bar looked like, or felt like, or smelled like, but you knew you could get a stiff drink? That's here.
It's next to a Subway (gross), across from the good stuff in town. But it's crowded! Maybe it's cause we went in at 11pm, but we couldn't find a seat! Managed to get a drink though, and (as mentioned in several other reviews) that drink was amazing. They definitely don't skimp on the alcohol content.
I'm not sure if I'll be back, but if college bars are your thing, go here. Maybe if I were just turning 21, and wanted to get laid and not remember it in the morning, then it would be cool. But I'm not 21, I have a real job, and my parents didn't send me to SMU with their credit card so I could buy rounds of drinks and act like I'm the one who's rich. :)
If you like strong drinks, college kids, and rowdy times, go here! Actually, the drink was good. I'd say stop in for a drink, but it wouldn't be a fun place to hang around all night.
The loon will never fail me or anyone else that seeks a stiff drink.
Every review has addressed what makes it stand out so I'd avoid repeating what has been said.
I'm all about their great drinks and never tried their food. It comes off as divey but not the crowd. Some people actually dress well but it's always too loud and packed for anyone to pay attention to clothing.
As a sooner grad, come here OU/TX weekend and you'd see the fine selection of girls you'd ever find anywhere else. I kid you not
I clearly can't make up my mind about this place, as this is my third review, but it lost a star due to the crotchety staff on my most recent trip. I realize they probably deal with a lot of drunk idiots due to the strength of their drinks, but I was being neither.
That being said, our particular waitress Sharon was very nice (though she seemed to be the only one, as the other three staff members seemed to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed). Also I very much enjoyed the music, which is a big plus.
Anyway, hopefully the staff issues are addressed and I can do yet another update to my Loon reviews. It's just unpleasant to be snapped at repeatedly when you're out trying to have a good time. This is the South, y'all. If I wanted that sort of treatment I'd live in Philadelphia.
We hit up the Loon in between destinations on Friday night, and the place was packed! Â It was pretty dive, but I enjoyed the lively environment. Â I got a tequila sunrise... but it was pretty much straight up booze. I mean, the next night I could still taste the tequila in my mouth, yiiikes.
The Loon is definitely a good place to go if you want to get shwasted off of cheap alcohol. We didn't hang here for too long, but it was a fitting place to figure out what our plan of action was for the rest of the night will getting a drink!
How The Loon hasn't set itself on fire from the fumes coming off someone's breathe after having a cocktail here... Complete mystery.
Fantastically dark, divey, windowless bar in the heart of Uptown. It's been around for years in it's unassuming space with no sign out front. The only way you could get into The Loon is if someone brought you: very mobster.
Nowadays, on weekends the douchebags invade, and females are more likely to be hit on then left alone to drink in peace in a dark corner. However, during daylight hours and off week nights, The Loon is reminiscent of days of yesteryear: before guys started paying $300 for jeans and before girls started carrying purses bigger than they are.
Great bar to go to if you need an alcoholiday that is not on a Friday or Saturday night.
Hands down the strongest drinks in Dallas. Â It's always crowded. Â The times I've gone there, it is douchebag heaven, with obnoxiously drunk college girls fighting off older men.
I think to myself, "I'm getting too old for this shit!" (drunk college crowd) but then I have a drink and all is tolerable. Â :-) Â If you're with good company, just get one of these jet-fueled drinks (I had some sort of vodka concoction, I honestly can't remember, LOL!) and you're guaranteed a good time. Just try not to let your beer/vodka goggles run your night.
What can I say about the Loon? This place is a must stop for me on all my outings to Dallas. I would compare it to Detours here in Austin, divey with a sense of homey if that makes sense.
You will be elbow to elbow with people. Your drinks will be extra stiff. You will spill prob 1 or 2 drinks. And you will love every minute of it. lol
Pretty mixed crowd, from Frat D-Bag, to old dad who puts the ring in the pocket and prowls, to someone who looks like he just got off grease lightning set (yes we saw you there, change it up) haha But always, I mean ALWAYS, a fun time.
The surrounding area might not be the prettiest, and you prob will pass by it a couple times before you see for first timers. But definitely check it out, its worth it, TRUST me!
Oh, The Loon. We've shared many *forgettable* nights together - and I mean that in the sincerest way. You pour the stiffest drinks at the cheapest prices. My girls and I could always rely on you to get us nicely buzzed well before the night began; and we knew we could come back to you full circle for one final pow-wow.
But upon our most recent reunion, after a few years and some maturity, I came to realize a few things: Yes, you still serve the most poisonous drinks, and you're still dirt cheap ... but ...
... this is where the creepsters and rejects come to die. "Was it always like this?" I asked Melody L. "Uh, yeah. You just had your beer goggles on or were too busy dancing." So watch out girls. If you come here, you're literally asking for it. Especially if you sit at the bar.
Let me paint a picture for ya...
Guy 1: Snaggletoothed freak
Guy 2: "Newman from Seinfeld? Is that you?"
Guy 3: Ripped his tag off his coat with his mouth and spit it in my gf's purse. Fuh-reak.
In summery: The Loon can be 3 stars if you visit early enough (or arrive already tanked), but show up tardy for the party and sober, and you'll be in for quite the opposite experience.
So I made the rookie mistake of ordering a drink instead of a beer at the Loon. This is Loon 101 as they are known for super stiff drinks. 2 drinks were more than enough and I headed home.
The Loon is still the good time I remember it to be. Great 360 bar, fantastic people watching, friendly clientele and just a good time. It's really a place where EVERYONE talks to everyone. The bartenders are a little standoffish but so what. It's so noisy in there you don't want to linger in convo with them anyway.
In summary:
Great dive, strong and cheap drinks, great people to swap stories with. Come as you are, no need for uber prep time before coming out here.
They don't make bars like this anymore, at least where I come from. Circular bar for optimal people watching. Check. Strong drinks and befuddled patrons. Check. In a strip mall. You bet.
Will this bar change the world? Probably not. But when my friend Nikki got up to use the restroom, I started talking to the guy next to me. Turns out he and I went to rivaling high schools in upstate New York. The world is a small place, my friends.
And now for some loon trivia:
The loon is the official state bird of Minnesota.
Mercer, Wisconsin promotes itself as the "Loon Capital of the World."
Why does this place have a line? Why is it located in a sketchy strip center? Why is it called The Loon? These are all questions that you are bound to have when you start your night at The Loon. By the end of the night, the questions shift to: Why did I order that final round of ridiculously strong drinks? Why am I so drunk? Why is this place closing up at 2 am when the night is still young? and Why did I ever question the sketchiness of this place and whether it was worth it to wait in line when I was on the outside? Why is it called The Loon?
That pretty much sums up a night at the Loon. The place is a blast.
Loon, if you weren't so darn close to my casa, I don't think I would visit very often. But considering the fact that I can walk home or use my extra change to cab it, I'll keep my affair with you going for a while longer.
I don't like you on the weekends, but I do wanna make out during the week. And only when I don't have anything to do the next morning, because I rarely wake up without feeling like pooh after our rendezvous. I'm not one to push through crowds and stand all night long, so let's keep our relationship on a Sunday through Wednesday schedule, got it? Nothing beats moseying over to you on a Monday night to catch a game and grab a canned beer.
Most of your bartenders are the sweetest (Justin, Mandy, Amy...), but others are a little rough around the edges (Stephanie); that's okay though, it's what gives you that special Loon attitude.
And keep your chef around because he cooks up some pretty tasty food. That hot dog is gigantic, your soft tacos are the bomb and mmm...nachos. Never tried that pork chop you always have on your specials board but I hear it's pretty fekking tasty.
I know you often get celebs to visit, but don't forget about your regulars like me. Just because I've seen Jason Kidd, the Wilson brothers and Turk from Scrubs in there doesn't mean anything...they're in there because they know they won't be bothered. Just like me, when I come to you to sneak away in a dark corner for Seven Minutes of Heaven.
See you in a few hours, my Loon lover.
Vodka kisses and tequila hugs,
Nikki
If I'm looking to tie one on and forget my day (and possibly my name), this is the place I hit. Â The Loon has the strongest drinks in Uptown, hands down. Â Order a drink, take a sip, and hello, I'm drunk! Â My vodka tonics are usually 95% vodka, splash of tonic, and a lime or two to distract me from my worries. Â It is a bit of a dive bar and can get extremely crowded, but what fun is an empty bar? Â I much prefer to drink in a location where I can randomly rub against people (hot men, please) and not have my intentions questioned. Â Even if they are, in fact, questionable. :) Â
If you get there early enough, you may be able to snag a seat or a pool table. Â And, if you're lucky, you may be subjected to a few local celebrity sightings. Â Ever seen a 7' man drunk? Â I have! Â Good times, indeed. Â Service is a bit hit-or-miss, but after a few adult beverages, you won't notice.
3.75 stars. Â There is only one defensible reason that you come to the Loon - they pour the strongest drinks in Dallas, Texas. Â Any night of mine that prominently involved the Loon also involved at least one member of the party worshipping the toilet gods later on in the evening.
Like many places in Uptown, the crowd dresses a bit too nicely for what really is a glorified dive bar. Â The music selection borders on unredeemable. Â The food is unremarkable and unmemorable. Â There is an inordinate amount of douchebags that frequent this place. Â
Yet, the saving grace is that every bartender in here will make you a ridiculously strong drink. Â I've never been disappointed; indeed, the only place that consistently makes drinks as strong as the Loon that I've encountered is the Russia House in Washington, DC. Â I should probably note at this time that I've reviewed well over 100 bars on Yelp that span the nation. Â I should probably drink less alcohol.
In any event, if you don't expect anything more than strong drinks, you'll enjoy the Loon. Â It's definitely worth a visit if you happen to be in Uptown.
This bar is greatness! I've been going here for years, but after a hiatus, I returned this weekend to find the place absolutely packed. I managed to get an awesome bartender though, who was really on top of her game and didn't make me wait long for service - just because she was working her ass off. She also got mouthy with this douchebag, which made me like her even more.
Like everyone else has said, the drinks are strong, which is good, because the non-happy hour mixed drink price is $6.50. I do prefer this place during the after work hours, just because on the weekends it can be way too crowded.
There were also a fair number of douchebags in there last Friday, which isn't the Loon's fault, but the non-douches should be given a head's up.
Still, love this bar man!
Wow, don't drink your normal 3 or 4 drinks here and expect to make it home ;)
I love dive bars, and my first time going to the Loon was great. Met some cool people, some cute girls, and watched sports on their plasma TV.
Can't say anything about their bar food, but I've heard it's great.
The alcohol is poured liberally here, so go easy on your drinks. Or just stick to beer ;)
My only complaint-- and a minor one-- is that it's too light inside for truly world class dive bar.
I know. Â I miss you guys too. Â Stupid job search taking up all my time.
Anywho, The Loon. Â The Loon now holds a special place in my heart, and my vomited DNA holds a special place in the cracks of the parking lot. Â
I blame the trauma of watching the VP debate and Palin's utter stupidity for leading me to believe I could drink about 2 gallons of alcohol and somehow remain coherent. Â But a bottle of RED wine, a margarita, and a hella-strong vodka tonic later, I was apparently attempting to date rape my boyfriend in the midst of the poor patrons of The Loon. Â
The Loon's true colors are what give it four stars, and its naughty habit of allowing me to order 2 rounds when I was clearly nearing unconciousness is what kept it from five. Â The next day, I actually got a good, sober look at The Loon when I went to pick up my purse, which I'd apparently left at our table when I stumbled outside for....what really drunk people do. Â
Somehow, someway, I retrieved my stuff with not a thing stolen. Â I can't even leave my bag for a 5 minute romp on the dance floor at the Black Finn without someone taking it. Â
Point: The Loon is a tiny, dark place for people to just be drunk (but not Sarah-drunk). Â No one cares what you wear, and I love places where I could sit at the bar without fear that someone named Tad or Brock will follow me to the bathroom and attempt to bribe me into an "encounter." Â
Plus, if you leave your crap just laying around, a nice patron will bring it to the bar for you to pick up the next day.
A friend of my shrink talked me into going here a few weeks back. Â I guess she had an inside track into my state of mind after dumping the last beau.
Yes, I needed liquid adult refreshment....and fast...after saying goodbye to the last cheap bastard in my life. Â And, The Loon delivers with stiff libations that can cure any post, semi, sort-of, in-your-dreams, type of relationship.
After three martinis chased by a couple of Singapore Slings, my friend Marna nearly had to nearly wipe my ass off the floor. (Pardon my French.)
I would highly recommend the Loon as the perfect cure to your next failed relationship.
(However, the Loon fails miserably on the Ferrari Enzo sightings index ... zero. Â Sigh.)
Thanks for meeting me here at this fine Olive Garden (P.S. Thanks for the suggestion, Dirk E). There's something I have to tell you and it is very difficult to get out...
I'm leaving you, Loon. I have had it with your flippant ways. One day you're cool, and the next you're not. One day I go in and our friends are there having a good time drinking from your lovely fountain. The next day I come and see you giving your sauces to anyone and everyone! Honestly, I don't even know you anymore.
Dive? Not so much anymore. You let everyone and their mom get a piece of you. The once best hidden secret is now a fave on the list of well... everyone and their mom. And I do mean their moms.
You've changed. You used to be so welcoming, but now I have to fight to even get a sip from you. Now you have lines waiting for people to get in. There's even a somewhat VIP second door. WTF?
I'm sorry to say that I'm ending our relationship. We're just too different now. In the words of The Righteous Brothers...
"You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips. And there's no tenderness like before in your fingertips. You're trying hard not to show it baby but baby, baby I know it.
You've lost that loving feeling. Ohhh that loving feeling. You've lost that loving feeling, now it's gone, gone, goooone."
How could I forget the Loon on my dives list?
BAD UPTOWNER! BAD!
The Loon is stinky, it's ugly, it's in a hideous shopping center, and it's possibly the the best bar in Uptown. Oh there's pretension, don't you worry about that! If you're looking for the pretty people. you've still come to the right part of town . . . just know that this is where the pretty people get so drunk that they don't care what sort of mistakes they make. (I'm betting this statement has just up'd their sales ten fold)
"Cheap" drinks (for uptown)
"Strong" drinks (for ANYWHERE, hell I've had weaker Jameson Rocks in Dublin...)
"Pretty" people (not for uptown, but for everywhere else in Dallas)
Cheers!
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