Axe News

Newest amusement for Dallas' crazy fun Deep Ellum: axe-throwing bar

Bury the hatchet — right in the middle of that target.

Photo courtesy of Whiskey Hatchet

There's another axe-throwing concept coming to Dallas, in the ever-evolving neighborhood of Deep Ellum.

Called Whiskey Hatchet, it's a bar-combination-axe-throwing place that will open on the southern edge, in a warehouse at 2801 Virgil St., south of Canton Street.

A spokesperson confirms that the bar will open, with an estimated date of late spring or early summer.

Whiskey Hatchet is a spin-off of an axe-throwing bar in Florida called Chops + Hops Axe Throwing Lodge, which opened in Fort Lauderdale in 2019.

Chops + Hops was founded by a trio of entrepreneurs, Clay Rusch, Ryan Lavernia, and Chase Walton, who had seen other axe-throwing places around the country and felt like they could bring something extra.

They opened as the first full liquor axe-throwing bar in Florida as well as one of the first nationwide. They also added a strong hospitality component to the genre. Walton has a food-and-beverage background, and that can be seen in their focus on craft cocktails and craft beer.

Cocktails include an Old-Fashioned made with "flamed" lemon; the Drunk Uncle with ginger whiskey, elderflower, muddled cucumber, mint, and lemon; an espresso martini; and frozen drinks such as the FUBAR, with rum and watermelon.

At their Florida location, they also offer a rotating selection of food trucks, live music, and pop-up shops for local artisans.

Their axe-throwing sessions fold in interactive games and competitions.

Sessions at Chops + Hops run 90 minutes long and range from $25-40 per person, depending on day and time. Cocktails average out at about $10.

But they don't charge cover, and you don't have to throw axes to enjoy the bar.

Rusch says that the Deep Ellum location will offer everything Chops does, "but bigger and better," he says.

They re-named it Whiskey Hatchet as part of an initiative to take the concept nationwide, and are working on other locations to be announced in the spring.

The bar will join other entertaining concepts in Deep Ellum such as Punch Bowl Social, which combines eating and drinking with bowling, and Upstairs Circus, which combines drinking with making crafts projects.

A number of axe-throwing places have sprung up in DFW in the past three years including Bad Axe in East Dallas, Flying Axe Factory in Fort Worth, Stumpy's Hatchet House in Irving, and Dallas Axe Throwing in Richardson.

deep-ellum

Deep Ellum News

Ex-Deep Ellum speakeasy paves way for spiffy new Dallas restaurant-bar

Scarlet Lounge & Kitchen

In sad news, a Dallas speakeasy has closed. In happy news, there's a swanky new restaurant and bar in its place: Called Scarlet Lounge & Kitchen, it recently opened at 2618 Elm St., in the Deep Ellum space that was home for more than a decade to Truth & Alibi, which closed in August after 11 years.

Scarlet Lounge & Kitchen is from Victor García, who is very familiar with the location: He built a career at Truth & Alibi, starting as a dishwasher 10 years ago, and climbing the ranks to become bartender at the pioneering bar that helped usher in Dallas' great speakeasy era of 2021-2022.

Garcia had already been looking for a location to open his own restaurant and lounge, when he learned that Truth & Alibi owners Chris and Mark Beardon were going to close their Deep Ellum concept.

“I took care of the place as if it were mine," Garcia says. "It is home to me, so this was the perfect opportunity for me to bring my dream to life. Every time I come here, it reminds me of the first day I stepped into this place. It changed my life."

A native of Michoacán, Mexico, who moved to Dallas when he nine years old, Garcia also previously worked at the now-closed Avenu Lounge.

At Scarlet Lounge & Kitchen, he's kept some of the key elements of the former space, such as the layout and chandeliers. But he's also added brighter elements that help transition the space from sophisticated and welcoming restaurant into a lounge and nightclub after 10 pm, with thematic events, DJs on weekends, burlesque on Wednesdays, and Sunday socials.

For food, he partnered with chef Mike Church to build a menu that provides a highly creative fusion of Spanish and American cuisine with Latin elements. There are "diablo" deviled eggs, Spanish risotto, ceviche, and an elote "dip" with all the good parts of the Mexican corn dish fashioned into a dip.

Entrees include flank steak with chimichurri sauce and Latin-braised chicken with olives, peppers, onions, and tomatoes with penne pasta. There are tapas-style dishes such as papas fritas, and intriguing vegetarian items such as a portobello steak, or beet tostadas layered with goat cheese, apple, and pistachio. Dessert includes a clever tres leches carrot cake.

Prices are reasonable, ranging from $8-$16 for appetizers and $18-$24 for entrees.

Scarlet Garden cocktail Spanish Garden cocktail served in a "bird cage".Scarlet Lounge

The creativity also shows in the cocktails, where bartender Hector Santana (Tipsy Alchemist, Snowbird) serves innovative drinks with theatrical Instagram-friendly presentations. These include a tequila Reposado and pineapple Piña para la Niña cocktail and a drink called Spanish Garden, containing rum, passion fruit, and strawberry, served with frozen fruits in a lighted bird cage, with nitrogen that creates a wall of smoke.

They've also kept some Truth & Alibi favorites such as the 12am Alibi, Fushia Fusion, Lies and Secrets and Black Bourbon Smash.

They've kept the late-night hours on weekends, open Friday-Sunday from 5 pm to 2 am, and Tuesday-Thursday 5 pm-10 pm. They host a generous happy hour from 5-7 pm with 20% off food and drink specials, and unlike most places in the area, they offer complimentary valet during restaurant hours.

Beyond the creative food, drink, and atmosphere, Garcia is laser-focused on customer service — on good hospitality.

"People walk by and come check us out," Garcia says. "Once there are here, we do our best as an entire team to offer the best service. We are very happy that customers that try us all leave with a positive experience. That is our main focus."

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