Taco News

Dallas taqueria with bowls at cool Deep Ellum location closes

Bowls & Tacos opening team at the location back in 2016.

Photo courtesy of Thunderbird

Deep Ellum restaurant Bowls & Tacos closed on February 24, after a valiant effort to stay afloat.

Owner Sam Wynne announced the closure on Facebook, with a plea to his restaurant industry friends to find homes for some of his employees.

"It's official, I just worked my last Saturday shift at Bowls & Tacos," Wynne said. "We fought hard, but good food made and served by a good crew with free parking in Deep Ellum can only get you so far. If anyone needs good people, I’ve got a handful of folks looking for a new gig. If you have a position that needs filling, holler at me, and I’ll see if I’ve got the right person for you."

Wynne opened Bowls & Tacos as his second concept in Deep Ellum, as a sibling to Braindead Brewing, the brewery-restaurant he owns with Jeff Fryman and brewer Andrew Huerter.

With bowls and tacos, Bowls & Tacos featured two trendy food groups that were seemingly a winning combo. In addition, it occupied one of the coolest buildings in Deep Ellum: a vintage Gulf station at 3400 Commerce St., at the corner of Canton Street.

But the location was also a bit off the beaten path, situated more between Deep Ellum and Expo Park than in Deep Ellum proper, and probably not walking distance for most Deep Ellum visitors.

Wynne tried new things at the taqueria including Sugar Fang Vegan Bakery, a bakery that makes entirely vegan products, which he introduced in November 2018. The bakery operated out of the Bowls & Tacos space.

Its isolated location may have also led to a bout of vandalism it recently endured, with three break-ins occurring within a month. One incident trashed the location so bad, with broken glass and other damage, that the bakery had to close for a weekend in mid-February.

In his Facebook post, he said that venture will continue. "Sugar Fang Vegan Bakery is going to live on, but most likely through BrainDead," he said. However, until they're able to figure out space requirements, the bakery will be on temporary hold, according to a post on Sugar Fang's page.

"We've decided to merge our little bakery with Braindead Brewing, but this will take some time, so we appreciate everyone's understanding and patience," the post says. "We apologize for not informing everyone sooner, but this was all very sudden. We will announce via social media when we are officially back up and running."

He thanked his partners in the venture, Jeff and Alecia Spence Fryman, and "of course also our many regulars. I swear 60 precent of our business was the same 20 people," he said. "I’m sorry you have to find a new place now."

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Deep Ellum News

Mexican 'vibe' restaurant from California to open in Deep Ellum Dallas

Mama Por Dios

A buzzy concept from California is coming to Dallas: Mama Por Dios, a Mexican restaurant chain known for its vibe, will open its first location in Texas in Deep Ellum in the Epic development at 2525 Elm St., taking over the former La Neta space, which shuttered in May.

According to a spokesperson, the restaurant will open in early to mid-January.

Mama Por Dios was founded in Southern California in 2020 by chef Misael Guerrero, who famously got his start selling Mexican sushi out of his garage.

Since those early days, he's gone on to form a restaurant empire called Emme Group, with concepts that include Los Amores de Julia, El Rincon de Los Dolidos, and Culichi Town, a lower-priced chain known for Sinaloa-style Mexican sushi & seafood, which has a local presence: It opened a location in Mesquite in 2022.

Mama Por Dios — which translates to "Mother of God" — describes itself as modern Mexican, offering a unique blend of steakhouse, sushi bar, and seafood. The menu includes favorites like tacos and enchiladas, alongside luxe dishes like lobster with spaghetti, lobster enchiladas, and a surf & turf featuring a lobster tail balanced atop a skirt steak. Prices range from $18 for birria tacos to $48 for a bacon-wrapped filet mignon with mashed potatoes and asparagus.

But they also have a showy side that includes flamboyant presentations such as the bacon-wrapped shrimp which come strung on clothespins; or the trompito al pastor, served on a personal spit, as well as servers who walk around with shots while dancing with patrons.

There's a Gold Burger for $65 featuring Prime beef on a brioche bun garnished with 24k gold leaf, and a similarly gilded tomahawk steak for $400 that brings to mind the good old days of Salt Bae. Decor is swanky with low lighting, and there'll be a serious brunch offering on weekends.

Cocktails such as the Al Agua Pato — served in a mini bathtub with a rubber ducky — are made for Instagram. They offer margarita and mezcalita flights with flavors such as mango, tamarindo, and strawberry, and intriguing sips like Carajillo, a Spanish cocktail with Licor 43, espresso, and 43 different fruit, citrus, aromatic, and herbal ingredients.

There’s also a $20 per-person minimum spend, and the menu comes with a warning that everything is cooked to order — meaning some dishes may take 30 to 40 minutes. For many diners, waiting will surely be part of the experience.

deep-ellum tex-mex openings