Top Knots Are Out

Uchi Dallas hacks Top Knot to make room for new restaurant-bar

New things are coming to the space above Uchi Dallas.

Photo courtesy of Uchi

The restaurant concept on top of Uchi Dallas is getting a reboot. Top Knot will close on January 14 after one final brunch, and reopen as another new thing called Tyson Cole's Uchiba. Although it seems likely that most people will end up just calling it Uchiba.

Uchiba combines "Uchi," which means house in Japanese, and "Ba," the word for bar. The name sets the tone for the extension of the Uchi space downstairs to the bar and food destination upstairs.

Cole says in a release that the change-up is inspired by his recent travels.

"We've noticed how our guests love to meet at the bar at Uchi, have drinks and share a few small dishes," he says. "My recent travels to Japan inspired me to explore some new possibilities with a bar concept that incorporates elements of Uchi yet expands that into cocktail experience."

Alongside Cole is current Uchi chef de cuisine Alex Astranti, who will help realize the Uchiba concept. Astranti took over the kitchen at Top Knot in March 2017, and will lead the culinary direction for Uchiba in addition to his duties as chef de cuisine for Uchi.

"Our guiding vision for our restaurant group Hai is to always be searching, expanding, and thinking about things in new ways to create unforgettable dining for our guests. Uchiba is a realization of our mission and allows us to keep pushing ourselves in that way," Cole says, offering still more words about this refresh.

Top Knot opened in February 2016 as a new concept to the Uchi family with a more casual profile and a menu that featured buns and hand rolls and salads. The dish most commonly mentioned was the fried chicken on a biscuit, which people love to talk about but which doesn't seem to be enough to keep a concept afloat.

The updated space will add a sushi bar and yakitori grill. Familiar menu items from Uchi will appear on the Uchiba menu, alongside new offerings. Full food and cocktail menus will be announced in the coming weeks in advance of opening.

Uchiba will continue Hai's Uncommon Ramen series, as well as Sunday brunch, and adopt a sake social happy hour like the one at Uchi.

Uchi has three locations in Austin; Houston; and Dallas, which opened in 2015. The company also owns Uchiko, featuring "Japanese farmhouse cuisine," in Austin, and will open an Uchi in Denver in 2018.

closings

Margaritas & fajitas

Dallas Mexican favorite El Molino to debut new location at Preston Royal

Photo by Samantha Marie Photography

Enchilada plate at El Molino.

A Dallas Mexican restaurant that quickly built a following for its wood-fired fajitas and flaming margaritas is expanding with a second high-profile location. El Molino, from Vandelay Companies, will open Monday, August 10 in Preston Royal Shopping Center.

According to a release, the new restaurant will take over the former Anchor Sushi Bar space at 6025 Royal Ln., Ste. 250.

The opening comes about 10 months after El Molino debuted in Snider Plaza, where it introduced a menu centered on wood-fired fajitas in a cozy, upscale atmosphere. It earned much acclaim and even garnered a nomination for Best New Restaurant in the 2026 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards.

According to the release, the new restaurant spans 6,000 square feet - significantly larger than the 83-seat original - and will feature an expanded menu while maintaining the neighborhood feel of the Snider Plaza location.

Entrees, chips, queso, and margs at El Molino.Photo by Samantha Marie Photography

At the heart of the menu is still El Molino's wood-fired fajita program, with options including USDA Prime tenderloin, grilled chicken, jumbo tiger shrimp, marinated prime ribeye, and combination platters.

Other dishes include queso, elote corn chowder, fresh tuna nachos, tacos, enchiladas, salads, and entrées such as the Las Vegas Ribeye, Crispy Shrimp Brochette, Filet Mignon Famosa, and Grilled Sonora Quail.

The beverage program includes the restaurant's signature Flaming Margarita, frozen margaritas in flavors such as passion fruit, pineapple jalapeño, cherry vanilla, and mango, plus handcrafted cocktails and sipping tequilas.

El Molino Flaming margaritas are a must.Photo by Samantha Marie Photography

According to the release, the Preston Hollow location will also offer a daily happy hour from 3-6 pm at the bar with discounted frozen flaming margaritas, house margaritas, and sangria.

“The response to El Molino since its debut has exceeded our expectations, making Preston Hollow a natural next step for the brand,” says Hunter Pond, founder, chairman, and CEO of Vandelay Companies, in the release. “This larger location allows us to welcome even more guests while building upon the food, hospitality and overall experience that have made the Snider Plaza restaurant so successful.”

El Molino The Preston-Royal location will take over the former Anchor Sushi Bar space.Photo by Samantha Marie Photography

Pond also addressed the closure of Anchor Sushi Bar and why El Molina made sense to take over its spot.

“We intentionally opened Anchor Bar in two very different footprints to determine the best long-term model for the brand,” said Hunter Pond, founder, chairman, and CEO of Vandelay Companies, in a statement. “What we learned is that Anchor is at its best in a more intimate setting, like our Knox location, and that's the format we'll continue to expand. A larger footprint is much better suited for a high-energy Tex-Mex concept like El Molino, making Preston Royal the ideal home for its next chapter.”

Once it opens August 10, the Preston Hollow location of El Molina will be open for lunch and dinner, 11 am-9 pm Sunday-Wednesday and 11 am-10 pm Thursday-Saturday.

mexican cuisine preston hollow snider plaza preston royal openings