Deep Ellum News

Dallas dance bar decamps from Henderson Avenue to new Deep Ellum digs

The Henderson Avenue location had a cool retro-mod vibe.

Courtesy photo

The stage is set for popular dance club Beauty Bar to reopen in Deep Ellum, with a party slated for April 13.

The bar is relocating from its longtime Henderson Avenue address to 2805 Main St., next door to Stirr, in the former Zen Dessert & Bistro Bar space, which has inexplicably sat vacant since 2014.

Beauty Bar owner Brooke Humphries was an early Henderson Avenue settler, first opening her massively successful Barcadia game-themed bar, followed by the more cozy Beauty Bar across the street, with a cool retro-mod decor that included old-school hairdryer chairs, a wink to the name.

It'll all be torn down to make way for a new townhome development that takes up the entire block from Glencoe Street to McMillan Avenue. The new development came at the behest of neighbors, who wanted fewer bars in the area.

The new Deep Ellum location represents a larger, more playful space than its old digs on Henderson. Party-ready people will be greeted by a spacious bar with a sparkling bar top flanking the wall. Bartenders will serve up drinks against a backdrop of bright, bold colors that pepper the walls with playful patterns.

An adjoining patio facing Main Street will be wrapped with the original railing recycled from the patio on the original Henderson Avenue location. Eye-popping barstools reprise the disco nights of Beauty Bar's past.

The main attraction is the dance floor, which now occupies a separate back room. The floor is covered in a permanent glitter coating that sparkles and shines under three disco balls and beams of light bolting across the room.

A new DJ booth comes equipped with state-of-the-art gear and an all-new sound system.

DJ Blake Ward, who has created memorable nights across Dallas with his disco-themed pop-up parties, will give them a regular residency at the new bar, replacing his longtime Saturday night Glamorama event.

The club will play more underground music from emerging producers with a variety of genre nights already planned across seven nights a week.

"Beauty Bar is an everyone bar, and it’s fun because of that," Ward says. “The diversity of our community is what makes it so special."

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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 was 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 on this place. It changed my life."

A native of Michoacán, Mexico, who moved to Dallas when he nine years old, Garcia 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 bravas and intriguing vegetarian items such as a portobello steak and 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".Spanish Garden

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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