However, I don't think it makes a difference what time of day it is or whether you're going there to drink or not. I think it is off limits all the time.
You best believe it.
Ain't no thinking, pondering, wondering, or conjecture. Simply possessing a weapon (handgun, club, or illegal knife) in a 51% location is a FELONY! 10 years/10,000 dollar fine. No more guns, voting, etc. Societal pariah. All the baggage contained. Of course there is a defense to PROSECUTION clause, assuming the premises lacked proper notification by means of posting.
There is a general understanding that long guns are included in this prohibition, though I don't know of any particular statute off the top of my head. Anyone walks into my joint with a rifle or shotgun best get the drop on me, or I'm HIGHLY likely to light 'em up if'n I have the opportunity. Not because of machismo, but because I assume they are there to rob the joint or kill one or all of us. (I am uncannily tuned to the sound of any of our doors opening.)
The classification is determined by the sales reported to the state. These are broken down by liquor, beer, wine (14% tax) and food/merchandise (standard 8.25% sales tax.) This is reported, and all relevant taxes to be payed by the 20th of every month. The classification might be determined quarterly, though I don't know. Every place I have worked in the last 18 years has been firmly in one camp or the other. If you are in a grey area, I would assume you either are a new business entity, or are unsure of your business model. Could happen, but seems unlikely.
I have been surprised by exactly two locations that the TABC website doesn't consider a bar, one here in Dallas the other in Mineral Wells. Casual observation gave both the stank of a bar, but sales reported to the state said otherwise. Unless you are sure, DO NOT RISK IT!
On this similar frequent point of questioning, I often see asked on this site if the "bar area" of a restaurant is different than the dining area. While this is the case in other states (Oklahoma comes to mind), odds are good that this is prolly not the case in Texas. If it were, drinks from the permitted/licensed portion of the business would not be allowed in the other areas of said business. Getting a liquor license/permit is a fairly specific and expensive affair, and square footage/included premises are submitted with the application. Heck, my boss was looking to open another joint, and was two parking spaces shy to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy ('cause you want enough spaces for folks who have been drinking to have a car handy), so he couldn't open the place.
The only instance that would stand out is in the case of a mall/strip mall that had a bar as one of the included businesses. But, in keeping with the Alcoholic Beverage Code, drinks would not be allowed outside of the premises (building or PORTION of a building, in this case.) I.E. one is not allowed to take their drink to from the licensed/permitted tenancy into either the office next door, or into the public area of an enclosed mall.
I will, as custom dictates, state the following: Though I frequently camp, shoot, and occasionally have a drink or two with a lawyer (while concurrent, the drinking happens after the shooting and the packing up of whatever guns are not stashed in our respective tents), I myself am not a lawyer, barrister, magistrate et. al. and am simply stating my understanding of the law as I have read and interpreted it as an armed citizen, gun owner and bar manager.
It must have worked out because they have a second date 
