Dallas is still one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country, with new residents moving to the area in droves. While many new residents may flock to suburbs like Plano and Las Colinas, some people still want the full city experience.

Located just north of Downtown Dallas, Lower Greenville is the neighborhood that’s part entertainment district and part friendly community. It’s the more residential but equally fun and trendy alternative to Uptown or Deep Ellum.

A Fun, Quirky Location

Lower Greenville neighborhood of Dallas

Lower Greenville is one of the oldest neighborhoods in modern Dallas. Greenville Avenue was one of the city’s main roads in the early 20th century, providing access to residential neighborhoods from downtown. Before the construction of the North Central Expressway (US 75), Greenville Avenue was one of the busiest north-south routes.

Lower Greenville, especially at the intersection of Greenville Avenue and Goodwin Avenue, has been a gathering spot for people since at least the 1930s. Shortly after the invention of the automobile, Lower Greenville became the main drag for cruising up and down the street. People stopped at the boutiques and restaurants to see and be seen. It was one of the big entertainment districts for partying in the 1980s and 1990s. But today, it’s a neighborhood with a lot of character with the ideal blend of entertainment, dining, shopping, and residential areas.

Located just south of Southern Methodist University and just east of Uptown, Lower Greenville is a self-contained neighborhood that feels like home. But it also has easy access to other hot spots in town, so you’ll never have to go far to explore the city.

Quick and Easy Commutes

DART photo by Shutterstock

The North Central Expressway provides easy access to other neighborhoods in the city. Lower Greenville is a fun neighborhood in itself, but it’s close to many of the city’s most desirable neighborhoods too.

Lower Greenville is only about three miles away from Downtown Dallas, making it an easy commute. Because Dallas traffic can sometimes be a nightmare, even a drive of three miles can take a half-hour or more when there’s an accident. But when you live in Lower Greenville, you can take Greenville Avenue from Downtown as an alternate route.

The recent construction of Mockingbird Station near Lower Greenville means those who love using public transit can use DART’s light-rail system to get around the city and bypass traffic altogether.

Lower Greenville is also located only about five miles southwest of hospitals like UT Southwestern and Parkland Hospital in the Medical District. It’s also just a couple miles from other popular neighborhoods like North Dallas and the Park Cities area. 

The Hottest Hangouts in the City

Outdoor seating in Lower Greenville

Hands down, the quintessential spot in Lower Greenville is the Granada Theater. It opened in 1946 as a movie theater and has been renovated to look like it did in its heyday. Today, it’s one of the best spots in the city to see indie bands like Toro Y Moi and tribute bands covering acts like Weezer and Rage Against the Machine.

The Truck Yard is a fun collection of food trucks and tables for dining. You can enjoy locally brewed beer, live music, and a super laid-back vibe. The cheesesteak food truck is a regular staple you won’t want to miss. Dogs are welcome too. 

If you want the typical pub experience, The Old Monk is a place to get both a cocktail and a fabulous brunch. Drinks are unique, like the Rumchata mint hot chocolate or a blood orange margarita. Like the rest of Lower Greenville, this place is chill and unpretentious.

With a great selection of new vinyl, Good Records is one of the only record stores in Dallas. It’s also a regular stop for in-store performances by touring musicians passing through town.

What It’s Like to Live Here

Home in Lower Greenville

View homes for sale in Lower Greenville

This is the kind of place that’s just a bit offbeat. You won’t find cookie-cutter developments or many homeowners associations here. Instead, you’ll find colorfully painted bungalows and Craftsman homes, with lots of neighbors and visitors milling about on the city sidewalks. 

Current home prices range from the low $100s to nearly $1.3 million, but the median sales price is in the low $500s. There’s a variety of home styles, from condos and townhouses to single-family homes, built anywhere from 1903 to this year. 

Lower Greenville is still a neighborhood where you can enjoy a couple drinks and walk back home. You have to be the kind of person who doesn’t mind a little bit of rowdy behavior, especially on weekends. The neighborhood’s residents are very close-knit, though, and the public-private partnership now requires businesses open past midnight to apply for special permits.

This is also the neighborhood where people stay for a while. According to D Magazine, the average household lives in Lower Greenville for slightly more than 14 years. That’s a good tenure in a city known for its relatively transient population. 

There isn’t a lot of parking, both because it’s so walkable and because it’s an older, well-established neighborhood. Rather than fight for a parking space when you come hang out here, why not move in?