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    The Basement Lounge

    4.4 (104 reviews)

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    Jesse Meraz, Owner of The Basement Lounge in Fort Worth, TX.

    Absolutely appalling experience, avoid this place at all costs. I visited The Basement Lounge at 6323 Camp Bowie in Fort Worth after a friend recommended it. What started as a quiet evening quickly turned into one of the most uncomfortable and unprofessional bar experiences I've ever had. When I arrived, the bar was empty except for my friend, the bartender, and a man at the bar who introduced himself as Jesse Meraz, claiming to be the owner. We struck up a conversation, and I mentioned I was visiting from Dallas and was a big fan of whiskey, especially Scotch. At first, he seemed friendly. Let me pause and say, the bartender was phenomenal. Friendly, knowledgeable, engaging, and clearly passionate about her job. She made great drink suggestions, stayed composed even when rowdy customers showed up, and was the best part of the entire visit. We both mentioned wanting to try the Highland Park 21. She poured me a very small tasting pour (0.5 oz), which I appreciated. Jesse immediately and loudly scolded her in front of me and several others at the bar: "Did you pour him that? Why did you pour him that? It's expensive." She calmly replied, "He wanted to taste it, I only gave him a very small pour." Jesse responded, "You should've never poured that." It was humiliating to witness. I remained quiet at first, but when he later snapped at her again, this time calling her "dumb" for adding what looked like a normal amount of coconut shavings to another drink- I had to speak up. I told Jesse, as any decent business owner should know, that reprimanding your staff in front of customers is unprofessional and demeaning. He brushed me off with a sarcastic "okay, whatever." For the next ten minutes, Jesse stood over the bartender, hovering and watching her every move. Everyone at the bar was clearly uncomfortable. The energy had completely shifted, what should have been a relaxing evening turned hostile and tense. When I asked for my check, I also told the bartender to charge me for the 0.5 oz pour. She graciously declined and offered to cover it, but Jesse chimed in again, declaring the pour cost $98, for a half-ounce. "Yes, $98 for 0.5 oz. he reinstated. I politely questioned the markup (given the bottle retails for $369 at Total Wine), but still offered to pay. Jesse just kept repeating, "She should've never poured that." I asked for the owner's contact info to formally express my concerns, and Jesse, now clearly agitated, snapped, screaming "I am the f***ing owner." As I walked out, he yelled after me, "go back to Dallas with all the other Dallas gays." I was completely stunned. The level of unprofessionalism, disrespect, and flat out bigotry was beyond anything I've ever experienced in a business, especially from someone claiming to be the owner. Talking to other customers, it turns out this wasn't the first time he's berated his staff in front of guests. I truly feel for the employees who have to work in that environment. I normally love supporting small, local businesses, but The Basement Lounge is one I cannot and will not ever recommend. No one deserves to be treated the way that bartender was. Steer clear of this place. Fort Worth deserves better! Here's a pic of the "owner"

    Ronda A.

    Ambiance is above all and off the charts! Service is so quick you don't even know you have ordered! The staff loves its customers so much they know what you want with 1 word! Jessie the owner is absolutely hands on and loves his patrons! Such a niche bar with local patrons!

    Garnie B.

    Okay, I found my bar, yes the bar you need to visit. We were looking for a bar to hang out and get a couple of drinks after late night of eating and hanging out and we stumble across this place. Well, the story goes that I was looking on Yelp for a bar, I found lots of great ratings of this place, and proceeded to follow directions using Google maps to get there. There. The funny part of the story is I drove around the parking lot several times looking for the entrance. When I was almost to my wit's end, I saw a gentleman step out of a doorway, he looked like a hipster, and I said what the heck. The heck let's go visit and see if this is the place. Well jackpot. Just look at the photos to make sure you know which door to look for and Google does map you to the right location, you just need to look for the door, and pay attention because there are no bright neon signs outside telling you this is the place. The place. I guess that's the best part of the charm is that you don't need a neon sign once you know it's there. Our bar keeps were Josh and Jesse. Now being there for the first time I was kind of wondering what specialty drinks to order, and guess what I found. The old-fashioned and the pecan smoked old fashioned. Both absolutely wonderful drinks. The bar keeps were meticulous and making sure that they prepared the old-fashions with great care and with great show. It's not a lot of seating there, but it didn't feel like you were stepping on top of each other. We were very comfortable. Very comfortable. In fact, we had great conversations with other people who were sitting at the bar. They have a fireplace. Have a nice little cove where there are couches. There are some other seatings that's kind of separated from the bar, so it is a nice place to hang out What I recommend this place, absolutely. I would say put this on your save list and do everything you can to go visit, because I know you will be back, and so will I.

    a person holding a drink
    Veronica L.

    My husband and I love this place. The ambience is great and you can actually talk without having to yell over the music. Space is cozy and perfect for date night. The drinks are amazing and strong. Service is superb every time we've been there.

    dom 1510
    Drew D.

    The coolest vibe and craft cocktails on the West side. The bartenders are friendly and excellent at mixing whatever you can dream up. This is an excellent after work destination and it is an intimate date night wind down spot.

    Oaxaca
    Natalie B.

    Great hidden gem. Lovely vibe and ambience. Service was great very attentive and nice. Drinks were good and strong. Will definitely come again

    817 Javatini
    Gabriela M.

    My husband and I came here for a night cap after our anniversary dinner and we did not regret our decision! It was our first time at the basement lounge and the service was amazing they handcrafted drinks and presented them in a very espectacular manner. The ambiance was also amazing because they played chill house music and the lights were dim with art on the walls. The lounge is pretty intimate but there's plenty of seating. We got there at a good time and we were sitting in our individual couches drinking our beverages. I got a 817 Javatini it was a sweeter tastier version of an espresso martini. My husband got a mule and an old fashioned. The old fashioned was presented in a smoky box and he fetched his drink from this smoky box. I loved this lounge, we felt very welcomed and we will definitely be returning!

    Rachel H.

    What a great hidden gem in Fort Worth! The basement lounge is a super aesthetic and great place for a date night or to chat with a friend. It's dark, moody, and quiet and is a great contrast to the loud overly boisterous sports bars of the area. The cocktails are super unique and masterful and all have complementary flavors that you won't find in most cocktails anywhere in Fort Worth. Not only are the cocktails delicious they're beautiful and so much care is put into making sure they are pleasing to all senses. They do not skimp on cheap liquor or ingredients and many cocktails have fresh herbs, flowers, and spices in them that you can visibly see and taste. Nothing is overpowering or overly sweet so no money wasted on displeasing cocktails. They also sell beautiful art from local artists and have a small retail section featuring incredible and beautiful options for your home bar (like glasses, shakers, etc). You won't find this place ordinary or boring in any way and every sip will be so exciting!

    Entrance
    Jessica H.

    If your looking for a unique bar in the middle of Ft.Worth check out the Basement Lounge. You open the door and head downstairs and walk into a quaint quiet bar. I ordered one of the drinks from their winter menu and was pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted. The bartender seemed very experienced and he gave great bar chat. I will definitely come back here for a night out.

    Charred Rosemary Gimlet
    Amanda T.

    This is one of the most charming bars in Fort Worth! The team (likely co-owners ) are attentive and engaging. The vibe, art and music are the absolute best in town. My hubby loved the smoked traditional Old Fashioned. I started with the Embrasse Moi and finished with two rounds of the charred rosemary giblets. We were on the hunt for legendary signature cocktails in Fort Worth and definitely found them here. The hunt is worth it.

    Trudy C.

    Really like this little spot. Not a fan of loud clubs or bars, but this place is small, quaint, with just the right volume of music. Like that you can actually talk to your friends while enjoying a cocktail. Dont so much like the volume when they have live music, a bit unbearable... Their drinks taste very, VERY yummy and they pour just the right amount of alcohol so that your drinks get the mood going but don't lose their flavor in alcohol. You cant go wrong with anything on the menu. Every single bourbon mix drink option is an excellent choice. Lennon the bartender is outstanding! His service and attitude create a great place to be.

    Rosemary zape bubble

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    2 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    6 months ago

    Loved the atmosphere, bartender and owner!! Our drinks were perfect!! We tried a few new drinks and will definitely go again.

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    1 year ago

    This is one of our favorites! It's has it all, great drinks, great ambiance and great company.

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    11 months ago

    Fun and simple as you chill out with a mixologist drinks. Go easy! Nice atmosphere and cool seating areas.

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Cozy hidden gem. Nice calm atmosphere. FW Tea and their Autumn drinks were delicious!

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Never disappoints. Come,relax, enjoy a craft cocktail. They are awesome. Quiet and private. A hidden gem

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    This is a great spot for relaxing after you have had a good meal. Drinks are very good and the service is excellent.

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    6 years ago

    Great spot underground. Decorated super cute, the bartenders were very nice and we enjoyed the music.

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Rude ownership, if you sit to long without buying drinks they are rude to you, I will not be back

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    3 years ago

    The ambiance was super cute and full of life! Definitely a cute spot for a nice drink and chill vibes.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - The Basement Lounge

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    The Basement Lounge - lounges - Updated September 2026

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