Deep Ellum News
Restaurant-bar to bring big wave surfing to Dallas' landlocked Deep Ellum
Goodsurf will bring surfing to a landlocked town.
Dallas has never been much of a surfing town, what with its lack of ocean or coast, but maybe that will change, thanks to a surf-themed concept coming to town. Called Goodsurf, it combines surfing with a restaurant, bar, and beer garden, and will open a location on the eastern edge of Deep Ellum at 317 S. 2nd Ave.
It's going into the space previously occupied by Sandbar Cantina, a not-dissimilar concept that combined restaurant and bar with volleyball courts, which closed in May after their lease ended.
According to a release, Goodsurf Dallas will open in early 2024.
Founded by Zach Shor, who previously worked with Topgolf, Goodsurf will feature a surf wave technology called Citywave, described as an "endless deep water stationary wave" that can get up to six feet tall.
"Surfing is one of the most inaccessible sports in the world, and Citywave breaks that barrier down for everyone in a fun and authentic way," Shor says. "The wave creates an energy that flows into the rest of the facility — it's a blast to surf and great to watch, especially with a cold drink in your hand."
Citywave was founded in Germany in 2010 by two skiing champions, and has a dozen locations in international cities such as Munich, Berlin, Madrid, Tel Aviv, Moscow, and Tokyo. This will be the second location in the U.S.; a location opened in Chelan, Washington, about three hours east of Seattle, in 2020.
Beyond the big wave, Goodsurf will offer food and beverage designed by Ring on Hook, a hospitality consultancy group behind concepts like Home Run Dugout in Katy, 12:30 Club in Nashville; and Sofia's Roman in Denver.
The menu will pull inspiration from global surf destinations, but in a down-to-earth and accessible way.
Dallas is on a huge water kick, with a big wave of lagoons and waterparks that have opened recently or are about to. If you don't have the natural geography, make it yourself.
One big question not addressed in the press release: What will happen to the sand at Sandbar Cantina? They had the whitest, softest, most finely pulverized sand out there, so cool and silky on your feet. It's hard to tell from Goodsurf's renderings whether they'll keep the sand. Keep the sand, Goodsurf! It's good sand.
Shor says that the neighborhood's history and unique culture played a role in their decision to open there.
"Deep Ellum is already the heart and soul of Dallas' entertainment scene," he says.
