Find The Best Small Music Venues in Fort Worth, TX

Fort Worth, Texas, is famous for its great music scene, and many people call it Cowtown for its Western vibe. In addition to country-western, you can find great places for alternative, rock, and jazz music. Listening to some new artists is an outstanding way to spend an evening with friends, and the area offers plenty of places to choose from. Here are some of the best music venues in Fort Worth. View our new inventory today, or If you have any questions give us a call at (817) 663-7404.

The Magnolia Motor Lounge

The Magnolia Motor Lounge hosts live music often, and past acts include Dylan Stewart, Raised Right Men, Zac Stokes, Heart of the City, Cut Throat Finches, Jacob Furr, and Hollow Ends. This intimate country bar and restaurant is a great place to meet new friends and check out some great artists.

If you want dinner while you watch the show, the menu offers homemade sandwiches, salads, burgers, hot dogs, and more. The Dip Sticks have hand-breaded, fried bacon with Magnolia sauce, and the Garage Queso has beer-braised pulled pork, queso, pico de gallo, grilled onions, and grilled jalapeños. The sausage and cheese bites have grilled brisket sausage, American cheese, pepper jack cheese, and Cheddar cheese. Vegetarian patties are available with all the burger and sandwich options, and you can order your favorite with a lettuce wrap or without a bun.

The Magnolia Custom burger comes with hand-breaded, fried bacon, pepper jack cheese, a soft fried egg, ham, and grilled mushrooms. With the Mag Melt, you’ll get a jalapeño cornbread bun, grilled onions, spicy magnolia sauce, Provolone cheese, and bacon. If you’re in the mood for a hot dog, try the Junk Yard. It comes with a hand-battered, deep-fried all-beef frank, chili, queso, grilled onions, mustard, and jalapeños.

The Chop Shop salad has iceberg and romaine lettuce, fried bacon, mushrooms, carrots, red onions, and tomato. You can also enjoy a side of fried okra or fried green beans. You can buy tickets for the artist you’re interested in online, and the Magnolia Motor Lounge is open every day from 11-2 a.m.

Billy Bob’s Texas

This club opened in 1981 in a building that used to be an open-air barn for cattle. It covers 100,000 square feet and holds up to 6,000 guests. People call it the world’s largest honky-tonk, and it includes a professional bull riding arena that often hosts rodeos, 30 bar stations, and a dance floor. You can get a photo with a realistic stuffed bull, and country line dancing lessons are available. The Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music called it the Country Music Club of the Year 12 times.

Visitors can see a video about the club’s history narrated by George Strait, and each performer leaves a concrete impression of their hands on Billy Bob’s Wall of Fame. The Guitar Bar also has 75 guitars autographed by these stars.

Visitors can see how their hands match up with those of entertainers like Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson, Ringo Starr, Men At Work, Steppenwolf, REO Speedwagon, The Doobie Brothers, Styx, KC and the Sunshine Band, Pat Benatar, ZZ Top, Ray Charles, and Bob Hope. There are more than a dozen pool tables, and the Honky Tonk Kitchen serves burgers, ribs, tacos, and more.

The Jack and Jalapeño burger comes with pepper jack cheese, fried jalapeños, and chipotle mustard. With the Cowboy Cubano sandwich, you’ll get smoked pulled pork, ham, pickles, Swiss cheese, and chipotle mustard. The BBQ Taco Salad is a taco bowl with black beans, pico de gallo, corn, avocado, Cheddar cheese, cilantro lime vinaigrette dressing, and any barbecue meat you choose.

Billy Bob’s gift store offers a variety of unique souvenirs and Western gifts, including T-shirts, glasses, mugs, baseball caps, magnets, pens, bottle openers, belt buckles, and even a guitar pick. You can buy recordings of past shows as well. Billy Bob’s is open Monday through Wednesday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, you can visit from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Then, they open again at 6 p.m. and host guests all night. On Sunday, they open at noon.

Lil’ Red’s Longhorn Saloon

The Longhorn Saloon started in 1910, and it thrived until the 1960s, when meat packing plants in the area closed. It reopened in the 1970s, and today the proprietor is Craig “Lil’ Red” Copeland. Lil’ Red’s has a unique collection of vintage beer and rodeo, tobacco, and concert memorabilia. The walls have photos of country music’s most famous stars, and it’s a popular tourist stop in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards area. Texas Monthly called it “Honky-tonk nirvana.”

The store offers shirts, face masks, sweatshirts, country music, mugs, shot glasses, and more. Past acts include Landon Dodd and the Dancehall Drifters, the Randy Tateravitch Band, Lisa Layne, Billy Mata, Weldon Henson, Monte Good, and Dale Watson and his Lone Stars. Lil Red’s Longhorn Saloon is open every day from 11-2 a.m.

Lola’s Saloon

Image via Flickr by nffcnnr

Lola’s Saloon is a popular dive bar in Fort Worth’s booming Cultural District. It holds about 300 people, and the stage is only a few feet off the ground for an intimate atmosphere. There’s also an outdoor patio called Lola’s Full Frontal Bar that often hosts solo or acoustic acts. The decor includes vintage signs and thrift store artifacts. Lola’s Back Side is a back deck with another bar, and it’s a popular place for private parties.

For a larger show with a more family-friendly atmosphere, check out Lola’s Trailer Park next door. It has a large outdoor dining area and an outdoor stage. Fort Worth Weekly called Lola’s the city’s Best Live Music Venue for 10 years in a row. Past performers include Ginny Mac, Victor Trevino Jr., Alex Bellin, Playtown, Cold War Kids, Fleet Foxes, The Toadies, Devil Doll, Dr. Dog, The Sword, and Octopus Project. Lola’s is open on weekdays from 2 p.m.-2 a.m., and it opens at noon on weekends.

When you visit these great music venues, you can experience Fort Worth’s amazing culture, meet new people, and enjoy your favorite music. If we missed any of the best places for great live music in the area, let us know which ones you prefer at Hiley Mazda of Fort Worth.