Checking out the Draft Media Sports Lounge in Dallas

by Michael Davis of Dallas Progress

Thanks to my friends at Pegasus News, I found out that the Sheraton Dallas' new high-end sports bar was open for business.

The Draft Media Sports Lounge is a great looking space to catch a game. The verdict: The food is good ... service is terrible.

I had the flat bread quesadilla which was surprisingly well seasoned and tasty. The bar is a great place to watch the game, as they have a 104-inch HDTV that makes for great viewing. There are pool tables and various seating set-ups, which can accommodate different sized groups.

However, the service was really bad. I've tried to learn from my restaurant-critic friends that you have to give a place a little slack when they first open. However, the service issues were mainly due to inattentiveness. If you have three tables, why exactly do I have to wait 20 minutes for a coke refill? No bueno. And I shouldn't have to tell you three times about my need for a refill or the check when you keep serving the table next to me? I tipped only to not be viewed as a cheapskate and for no other reason.

The service experience ended with the check folder being left on the table as she walked to a bigger (drunker) table. Newsflash: People that aren't sloshed tip as well as drunks. No "thank you" for service, no nothing ... she just dropped off the check and left. That's why I paid with cash because I knew she'd never come back ... and I was right. Conversely, I've been to Ten Sports Grill on Main and my server never missed a beat and had way more tables and people to serve.

(Side note: when I was at Ten, I thought about this post from D Magazine's Zac Crain. Why? Because in a sports bar with 100+ people, only me and one other guy were watching the Rangers game. Byrd tied the game with an HR with 2 outs in the 9th! And a grand total of two people clapped. The guy behind me with a Rangers cap to the back in stereotypical cornball fashion never peeked at the game. Probably liked the hat for the colors.)

Final verdict: At Draft Media Sports Lounge, the food is on point and the layout is fantastic. But to truly become a destination for people other than lay-up business from hotel guests, some major service training should be required. I suggest the servers work here for a week.

Pegasus News content partner - Dallas Progress

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Russ Vandeveerdonk, says:

I was there yesterday, it is huge and was full of NAVY men and firefighters there for a convention. Nice place, but hard to find unless you are staying at the Sheraton itself. Huge TV screens there. The URBAN CAFE' inside the Urban Market grocery store in downtown also now has a sports bar attached. It is also pretty nice. I am hosting an event there in September.

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3 months ago
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gorangers123, says:

I have been to Draft a few times since I work in downtown, and have loved it every time. I agree with the above post about the food, it is excellent. When it came to service, I have had a great experience every time I have been in there. Even when it was really crowded when there was a convention at the hotel, I never had to wait long on the waiters. I am really glad that the Sheraton built this Sports Bar because it is a great place for people to watch games after work in downtown. I will definitely be a frequent guest of Draft.