Opening News

Atlanta speakeasy with pizza, cigars, and secret password hits The Colony

They should make the password be "cigars." Nobody would ever guess.

Photo courtesy of Red Phone Booth

A speakeasy bar concept from Atlanta, Georgia, is coming to Texas, with the first location opening in the Dallas area. Called Red Phone Booth, it'll open at Grandscape, the mixed-use development in the Colony.

A release says that it'll open in The Grotto, Grandscape's entertainment and dining hub, in late 2021.

Red Phone Booth is a lounge founded in Atlanta, known for its 1920s Prohibition atmosphere. The name is key: The only way you gain entry is by dialing a secret phone number on a rotary phone in an antique London red phone booth. #exclusive

They serve:

food, including Neapolitan-style pizza
craft cocktails using fresh-squeezed juices
cigars, which they elevate via a walk-in humidor and a high-tech air filtration system

First launched in downtown Atlanta in 2016, Red Phone Booth is in expansion mode. They have a location in Nashville, plus one set to open in Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood this summer, followed by two franchise locations in Florida later in 2020.

The Grandscape location with be a 4700-square-foot space across from Quartino, an Italian restaurant and wine bar. If you've been there, you know what we're talking about.

But their more meaningful neighbor is the Cigars International retail store, also on the property, with whom they'll form a symbiotic relationship. Cigar enthusiasts can buy a cigar, then mosey on over to Red Booth (after dialing the secret phone number on the rotary phone in the antique London red phone booth, that is) and light up their cigar on-site.

They're investing time, money, and effort to combat the smoke with these high-tech tools:

a fresh Air Makeup system - a 100 percent fresh outdoor air system accompanied by seven 2,500 cfm air purifiers to replace and scrub the air in the venue approximately every three minutes.
Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization, a cutting-edge air purification available that breaks down and render viruses inactive. They say that this technology is used at the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins.

Red Phone Booth founder Stephen de Haan says in a release that they were impressed by the passion and enthusiasm of the Grandscape team as well as its collection of boutiques, shops, dining, and entertainment.

"We are extremely excited for guests to turn back time 100 years to the roaring 20s and enjoy our award winning prohibition experience," de Haan says.

Developed by Nebraska Furniture Mart, Grandscape will comprise three million-plus square feet of retail, entertainment, dining, residential, office, and attractions. Construction is underway on the first phase of the 95-acre lifestyle center and includes Galaxy Theatres, Andretti Indoor Karting & Games, Nebraska Furniture Mart, and Scheels sports store.

openings

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