Skip to main content
Breaking
City Council Approves New Downtown Development ProjectSevere Thunderstorm Warning Issued for Dallas-Fort Worth AreaCity Council Approves New Downtown Development ProjectSevere Thunderstorm Warning Issued for Dallas-Fort Worth Area

Bishop Arts District

Oak Cliff's most walkable neighborhood — wood-fired pizza, craft cocktails, artisan pies, vintage boutiques, the Kessler Theater, and local makers, all along a walkable strip of Bishop Avenue.

Dining & BarsKessler TheaterShoppingOak Cliff

Featured in Bishop Arts

Performing Arts

The Kessler Theater

123 N. Cooper St, Oak Cliff (Bishop Arts), TX 75208

A restored 1940s movie house on Cooper Street that smells like the 1940s movie house was meant to smell — popcorn, old wood, and the particular funk of a room that's been loved by a neighborhood for eighty years. Holds about 400, the acoustics are sharper than any room that size has a right to be, and the bookings skew toward acts smart enough to know a 400-seat listening room beats a 4,000-seat arena if the room's right — Jason Isbell plays here, but so does the songwriter nobody's heard of yet, and both nights feel like the same show. The building used to be a single-screen neighborhood cinema. It still feels like one — you walk in from the street, somebody hands you a beer, you find a seat and stay put. Bishop Arts is outside the door and treats the Kessler the way a neighborhood treats its own theater, which means the pre-show dinner is the easy part and the parking is the hard part. Bring a jacket; the A/C runs the way it did in 1942. Get there early, stay late, you'll be fine.

Dining & Shopping

Bishop Arts District

Bishop Ave & Jefferson Blvd, Dallas, TX 75208

A few square blocks on either side of Bishop Avenue that somehow escaped Dallas's talent for turning everything into generic strip malls. Independent restaurants, boutiques, galleries, and bars that actually have personalities — the kind of place where the bartender knows your name after the second visit. Started as a resistance to the development happening everywhere else in the city, and it's still that. Come hungry, leave with something you didn't know you needed, and don't be surprised when you end up on the patio of one of the wine bars until last call.

Kessler Theater — Upcoming Shows

See All on TheKessler.org →
Aug
1

Sean McConnell with special guest Ashton Naylor

Kessler Theater$34
Aug
7

Blood Brothers (feat. Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia) with special guest Alastair Greene

Kessler Theater$30
Aug
9

POSTPONED - Olivia O'Brien Presents: The PIXIE Tour with special guest Sophie Cates

Kessler Theater$22
Aug
14

Comedy at The Kessler: Linda Stogner, Flo Hernandez, Dez O'Neal, CAIN, & Corey Cherry, Jr

Kessler Theater$25
Aug
21

Hard Night's Day with special guest Big Mike Richardson

Kessler Theater$20
Aug
23

Bruce Robison with special guest Matt Hillyer

Kessler Theater$28
Aug
28

Fink with special guest Maggie Koerner

Kessler Theater$22
Sep
11

Dale Watson with special guest India Ramey

Kessler Theater$40

About Bishop Arts

What is Bishop Arts?

Bishop Arts District is a walkable neighborhood in Oak Cliff centered on Bishop Avenue between 8th Street and 12th Street. Once a forgotten corner of Dallas, it has transformed into one of the city's most beloved dining and retail destinations.

The district is known for its independent restaurants, craft cocktail bars, vintage shops, and artisan makers — all within a few blocks. It draws a diverse crowd and has maintained a distinctly local feel even as it has grown in popularity. The nearby Kessler Theater adds a performing arts dimension to the neighborhood.

Things to Do

  • Eat — Cane Rosso pizza, Pecan Lodge BBQ, Lucia for Italian
  • Drink — Humble Bar cocktails, Threshold Brewing for craft beer
  • Live Music — Kessler Theater for the singer-songwriter touring through Dallas; Texas Theatre for film nights and the occasional set in a 1930s Art Deco balcony; Lakewood-side rooms like The Balcony Club if you want jazz in a bar that doesn't care about being seen
  • Shop — Wild Detective, Dee's Doodles, Erin Archive
  • Sweets — Emporium Pies (inventive artisan pies)
  • Arts — Kessler Theater for live music, theater, and comedy
  • Weekend — Bishop Arts Market for local vendors and makers

Nearby Neighborhoods

Oak Cliff — The Oak Cliff neighborhood page has been merged into Bishop Arts. Texas Theatre events and more Oak Cliff content are available here.

In an Emergency, Always Dial 911

For immediate police, fire, or medical response — do not rely on this page for emergencies.