The bars, restaurants and clubs in Dallas run the gamut of styles (be that musically, gastronomically or sartorially), which is hardly surprising from the city where both the frozen margarita and spicy Tex-Mex were invented. You'll also find cowboy boots, big hats, country ballads, barbecues and massive sides of steak.

Being adjacent to the Deep South, there is plenty of jazz, blues, rock 'n' roll, heavy metal and piano bars, as well as international cuisine, vegetarian food, huge sandwiches, burgers and ribs. With over 5,000 restaurants, Dallas claims to have four times as many eateries per person as New York.

The main areas to explore in and near Downtown are: Victory Plaza, the new US$3 billion complex on the north end of Downtown, with Ghostbar (www.n9negroup.com) among its white-hot nightspots; and the booming uptown district on McKinney Avenue, also just north of Downtown and near Greenville Avenue.

A club labelled as ‘private' may well simply be in a ‘dry' part of town and so nominal membership is required to allow them a ‘liquor' licence. Most bars are open until 0200, with the minimum drinking age being 21 years.

The weekly Dallas Observer (www.dallasobserver.com), the weekend entertainment sections in the Dallas Morning News (www.dallasnews.com) and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (www.star-telegram.com) all provide listings information on nightlife in Dallas.

Bars: Greenville Avenue's contrast in bar styles is shown by the sophisticated cocktail atmosphere of Mick's (located at 2825) and ironically - since Mick is usually a name associated with Ireland - the darts-throwing, raucous, Irish-owned ambience at The Dubliner (located at 2818; www.dallasdubliner.com). Pubs are often spots that offer good eating as much as drinking. The Old Monk, 2847 North Henderson Avenue (www.oldmonkdallas.com), (voted Best Beer Joint by The Dallas Observer in 2007) is a few minutes from Downtown and offers simple, wholesome dishes, such as steamed mussels and fish and chips. The bar scene has become especially lively at Uptown cocktail lounges such as Urban Oasis, a lounge at the luxurious Hotel ZaZa, 2332 Leonard Street (www.hotelzazadallas.com); and Downtown at cool cocktail settings like that at Fuse, 1512 Commerce Street (www.fusedallas.com), posh Purgatory, 2208 Main Street (www.purgatorydallas.com), and the sleek Living Room Bar, with music, a cool terrace and a wall of cowboy and horse art, off the lobby at the W Hotel, 2440 Victory Park Lane.

Clubs: As well as nightclubs, Dallas has quite a tradition of ‘Gentlemen's Clubs', which can range from the cabaret style of Cabaret Royale, 10723 Composite Avenue (www.cabaretroyaledallas.com) to the Million Dollar Saloon, 6848 Greenville Avenue (www.milliondollar.com), with happy hour, sports broadcasts on big-screen TVs, full dinner menu, cigar selection and wine lists. The dance scene thrives at such places as Obar, 1602 Main Street (www.obar.com), an exclusive nightspot with speciality drinks, VIP table and bottle service, guest star DJs from the East and West coasts, valet parking, a fabulous outdoor patio and glitzy style; Club One, 3025 Main Street, singles bar and home to dancing divas and unisex bathrooms; and Lizard Lounge, 2424 Swiss Avenue (www.thelizardlounge.com), with varied music styles and star DJs.

Live Music: Many ordinary bars have live music and the Deep Ellum is a good area to head for. Don't be fooled by the names of some venues: Gilley's, 1135 South Lamar Street (www.gilleysdallas.com), is home to country music shows; and Trees, 2709 Elm Street (www.treesdallas.com), is one of the oldest live music venues with a rock ‘n' roll penchant in a warehouse-style interior. The favourite pick for jazz, Latin beats and world music is Sambuca, 2120 McKinney Avenue (www.sambucarestaurant.com).