Back to school is starting and it’s time to celebrate with local breweries and bars in Near Southside Fort Worth! Whether you are a Horned Frog returning to Fort Worth to start the college semester or a parent with kids who are starting 3rd grade, this guide will sure have you planned and packed with nights out for the rest of the year!

Funky Picnic Brewery & Café

Address: 401 Bryan Ave Suite 117, Fort Worth, TX 76104

Built upon a shared love of beer, food, and the great outdoors, Funky Picnic Brewery & Café encourages you to always seek adventure – whether it’s trying a challenging hike or a brand new craft beer style. Here, we see beer as a path to creativity and community, which is why we work with local artists and producers to furnish the funky industrial, earthy interior of our family-friendly Fort Worth brewery with specialty beer.

So what’s on tap? We believe in mastering classic styles as well as off-the-wall ideas, serving up a constantly rotating lineup of brews. Available beers could include La Raza, a Mexican Lager, and Coasters, a German Pilsner. And because no brewpub is complete without food, we have a full kitchen offering house-made sandwiches, burgers, appetizers, and desserts.

Entertainment is something we love here at Funky Picnic! Drag shows, trivia night, and open mic comedy Tuesdays are just some of the regular events we hold year-round and you DON’T want to miss it! Check the Events tab to view upcoming events to reserve your spot!

Make sure to follow our Instagram @funkypicnicbrewery to keep up to date about our beer releases, food specials, and any announcements!

Game Theory Restaurant + Bar

Address: 804 S Main St, Fort Worth, TX 76104

Game Theory was built on the belief that everyone should be able to enjoy board game night all year long. The company’s mission is to make each customer’s experience effortless through the serving of scratch kitchen food and craft beverages, staffing a qualified team, and providing a large game library with options for everyone. NOTE: Game library fee is $2/ person!

Enjoy dishes such as their popcorn chicken, a fan favorite, to their extra crispy or pan-seared shrimp tacos. And don’t get me started on their rosemary truffle fries- they’re incredible! Drinks range from their cocktails like Panther City, their Vodka Gimlet, to a classic Margarita, and even shooters, with a coconut rum one called “Funky Town.” On weekends, the restaurant opens at 11am to serve a brunch menu with options such as their bagel flight and chicken & waffles. Drinks at brunch include classics like the Mimosa Carafe and a not-so-typical Cabo Sunrise with pineapple and lime.

“Grab a friend, do not pass go, and get your game on.”

Amphibian Stage

Address: 120 S Main St, Fort Worth, TX 76104

Founded by three alumni of TCU’s Department of Theatre, Amphibian Stage is a non-profit theatre company with the goal to produce innovative theatre to inspire new ideas and increase the audience’s understanding of the world around them. With categories such as the “Main Stage” (live theatre), “National Theatre Live” (movie/show), and Stand-Up Comedy, Amphibian Stage is sure to have an entertainment genre you and your friends will love!

Amphibian Stage is currently in their 21st season and are widely recognized for producing stylistically and thematically varied scripts, challenging us to think about our surroundings just a little bit differently than we did before. Make sure to grab tickets to The Hollow, a theatre production based upon the stories of Washington Irving.

 Locust Cider Fort Worth

Address: 710 S Main St Suite 100, Fort Worth, TX 76104

 Founded in 2015 by brothers Jason and Patrick Spears, Locust Cider started in Washington with a specialization in modern ciders. Locust Cider is a hard cider production space and taproom serving hard ciders and a food menu with a large variety of flatbread pizzas. To keep spirits high, retro video games are also available to play!

Although the brothers loved delivering traditional dry ciders to their consumers, they also have a thirst for innovation. With flavor combinations like Smoked Blueberry and Dates & Brown Sugar, Locust Cider provides consumers with the perfect testing grounds to try these flavors in their taprooms. Other cider options can include “Old Pressed Apple” to “Watermelon.”

To make your visit even better, you can leave knowing you are supporting a good cause. A portion of proceeds from all their cans and club are donated to the Hydrocephalus Association, an important and personal cause to Jason Spear who has a daughter with this condition.

Rahr & Sons Brewing

Address: 701 Galveston Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76104

The Rahr family started making beer in America in 1847 after William and Natalie Rahr immigrated from Germany to Wisconsin, eventually opening up the first lager brewery in WI called the Eagle Brewery. 160 years later, William’s great-grandson and namesake felt the pull to brew and opened Rahr & Sons Brewing Co. in Fort Worth in 2004.

Upon entering the brewery, line up to grab a pint of beer before visiting the gift shop or picnic tables. Beers include their original Rahr beer to options such as the “Paleta de Mango,” a mango chile beer with lime, or the “Iron Thistle,” a Scottish Ale. If you’re hungry, no worries! Rahr Brewery has teamed up with some family-owned restaurants and food trucks in Fort Worth to bring you great food to pair with your beer.

With a strong arts community here in North Texas, Rahr Brewery found this opportunity to highlight the culture and support artists’ work! You may be lucky enough to witness live performing musicians, vendors, and artists showcase their goods!

Liberty Lounge

Address: 515 S Jennings Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76104

Liberty Lounge, or as their staff calls it, “A Bar With A Heart,” is a comfortable neighborhood bar with delicious, affordable drinks and friendly faces from their staff. Liberty Lounge believes in supporting their community in any way they can, and this shows with their events. With events such as their Queer Singles Mixer and their Lowdown Art & Craft Showcase, it is clear Liberty Lofts is there to make everyone feel at home! Additionally, there’s a pool table, patio, and tons of board games and books for everyone to feel entertained.

Stop by Liberty Lounge to enjoy some drinks with friends! You won’t miss it with the beautifully commissioned mural art piece on the side of the building! This masterpiece features retro lines with the phrase “Wild Brave & Free” to act as a welcome sign to the community.

 Main at South Side

Address: 1002 S Main St, Fort Worth, TX 76104

Main at South Side, or MASS, is a music venue with a bar and record store inside! (The perfect trinity!) The venue is smaller with a unique, bar containing a light-up sign with the word “MASS.” The record store is placed in the back to check out before and after the show. Shows feature a variety of artists from around the country, including the artist City of Sound, a band from LA that recently performed a sold-out show in August this year. There is a wide selection of beers offered here and even their own separate parking lot for visitors! 

Make sure to check this place out on a night out to not only jam out to the rocking music but to support musicians and grab a few beers!

 Hop Fusion Ale Works

Address: 200 E Broadway Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76104

 At HopFusion Ale Works, founders Macy Moore and Matt Hill fused the concepts of innovation and art into this brewery, offering events, such as karaoke, trivia, and live music to liven up the atmosphere! The founders created this space with the belief that craft beer should be an experience to be held with community and friends!

Like Funky Picnic, founders Macy and Matt started their journey as home brewers. Macy ended up favoring the art of light-bodied ales while Matt favored the art of darker-bodied ales and barleywines.

 Available year-round, HopFusion offers beers such as the Feisty Blonde, a honey vanilla blonde ale, and Fur Slippers, an Imperial Milk Stout. To make it even better, any of their core beers are available to go in six packs!

Soma Winery

Address: 201 S Main St, Fort Worth, TX 76104

Soma Winery, a term used to abbreviate their location name of South Main, is a sophisticated and relaxed wine bar started by brothers Brian and Amit Vink! (BTW-Soma is also the god of wine.) The winery has plenty of natural light, highlighting the industrial feel to the space and making visitors feel at ease. Despite wineries being known for being more “boujee,” this place is unique in that people can attend as an everyday place to drink wine and hang out without having to be an expert in the field.

Soma Winery serves products from local wineries as well as merges different styles of wines together. The Altered Dimension Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling are favorites of the owners among the barracks of bottles.

Hopefully, in the near future, Soma Winery can reach their goal of creating wine on-site for their consumers! Until then, it’s a tasting room to be enjoyed by all!

Pinky’s Champagne Room & Velvet Jazz Lounge

Address: 615 S Jennings Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76104

With a rotating sparkling bubbly menu, as well as a full bar focused on quality crafted spirits, Pinky’s Champagne Room & Velvet Jazz Lounge is sure to make for a great night out. Their rotating sparkling menu features the "ones you know" and some hand-picked surprises.  Regarding booze, there is a section of the menu with their personal take on classics with an experienced and knowledgeable staff that can mix up your favorites.

This place has a wide variety of seating options: circular booths that create a space to hang out and talk, bar seating, and tables near the bands to be closer to the live action. Pinky’s has whatever your preference is to have a good time!

Live music is the heart and soul of this place, with performances by local musicians and an emphasis on jazz. The best part is that there’s NO cover and NO reservations, so get there fast! 

Nights out are a BLAST, but make sure to always drink responsibly and get home safely. The Funky Picnic Staff sure wishes you the best of luck with the start of this next season. Cheers to the beginning of school and supporting local businesses in Fort Worth!