Bye Little Guys

Ambitious party bar from Houston flees its Dallas roost

Ross Avenue loses a watering hole.

Photo courtesy of Little Woodrow's Dallas

After a somewhat tumultuous tenure, Little Woodrow's, the Houston import, is closing its branch in Dallas. Owner Danny Evans confirmed that the closure would be effective immediately.

The bar opened in September 2016 in a renovated vintage building on Ross Avenue with craft beer, a killer patio, and a good reputation from Houston. But the bar's fortunes were undermined by a couple of unfortunate incidents, as well as a Ross Avenue not yet fully developed.

Houstonians know Little Woodrow's for its multitude of taps dedicated to craft beer, and multitude of TVs for the watching of sports. Evans founded the chain in 1995; branches have since opened in Austin, San Antonio, and Katy, each unique, but with certain commonalities.

The closure was abrupt — on May 21, the day before the closure, the restaurant's Facebook page was still promoting a Memorial Day event.

"We had fantastic customers and great employees in Dallas and really felt at home in the city," Evans says. "We started off extraordinarily strong, but then we had two unfortunate circumstances. The first was the complete fabrication of a no-tattoo policy. People were under the impression that you couldn't come to Little Woodrow's if you had tattoos, and that was not true."

Little Woodrow's was also the victim of a late-night robbery and shooting, part of a string of robberies plaguing area businesses.

But more significantly, the bar was probably ahead of its time settling in what is still a fairly undeveloped area.

"In the coming year, I think Ross Avenue, with all the developments and apartments coming, will blossom, but we may have gone in a little early," Evans says. "We've done that before at other locations, and it turned out well. But right now, the crowd at Ross wasn't as good as we needed it to be to stay open."

Even without an announcement, Evans has received overtures from new potential tenants, from chef-driven restaurants to more traditional bars, eager to step into what is a beautifully renovated and turnkey space, and he's not ruling out trying Dallas one more time.

"It's sad, since this is the first time we've had to do this — we have 15 thriving locations — but sometimes the circumstances get you," he says.

craft-beer nightlife closings

Putting into Plano

New Plano restaurant Sip'Stroke tees up golf with chef-driven fare

Saffron salmon skewers, one of the featured seafood offerings on Chef Madan Oli’s menu at Sip’Stroke.

Photo courtesy of Sip'Stroke.

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It's tee time for a new restaurant featuring a private Full Swing golf simulator and an indoor putt-putt course in Plano: Called Sip’Stroke, the new "eatertainment" spot is opening Saturday, August 1 at 5969 Dallas Pkwy.

The concept comes from Kushal Raj Bastakoti, a cityscape artist and interior designer from Nepal who moved to Dallas in 2013 to attend the University of North Texas. Bastakoti also owns Skyline Lounge in downtown Dallas, which opened earlier this year, and is a franchisee of the Asian beverage and dessert chain Feng Cha Café.

He says he chose the location due to the rapid growth of businesses and residences in the nearby Legacy area.

“At Sip’Stroke we created a space that is entirely unique — it feels like you're on a 9-hole golf course, but paired with exceptional dining,” he says.

Although built around golf, the restaurant is also chef-driven. Bastakoti recruited chef Madan Oli, who launched his culinary career in Copenhagen, where he developed a focus on high-quality ingredients, thoughtful preparation, and presentation.

“My goal is to bring people together through modern American cuisine with bold flavors and global inspiration,” says Oli. “Every dish is crafted with care, balance, and a true passion for hospitality.”

$Sip\u2019Stroke$ At Sip’Stroke, you can catch the game, play a round of putt-putt, and enjoy a high-end meal.Photo courtesy of Sip'Stroke.

Oli designed a menu featuring shared boards, fresh seafood, premium steaks, elevated bar staples, and desserts. Highlights include prime ribeye frites, saffron salmon, maple leaf duck breast, Cabernet-braised short ribs, Wagyu sliders, and a selection of tacos and wings, with prices ranging from $20 to $35.

The full bar serves classic and signature cocktails, along with shots, wine, beer, and zero-proof drinks.

The venue includes a private golf simulator that accommodates up to eight guests, a custom nine-hole mini-golf course integrated into the dining room, seating for 60 indoors, and an additional 15 seats on the patio.

While Sip’Stroke has been operating with limited hours during a soft opening over the past several days, regular business hours begin Saturday, August 1, from 12 noon to 12 midnight daily. A grand opening celebration is planned for late August.

A second Sip’Stroke location is also in the works next to Skyline Lounge at 2012 Commerce St. in downtown Dallas and is expected to open before the end of the year. The owners say restoring the historic 100-year-old building has taken longer than anticipated.

eatertainment golf plano