Enchilada Time

Upscale Dallas Tex-Mex restaurant joins lineup at Victory Park

Add quesadillas to the menu at Victory Park.

Photo courtesy of Mesero

Victory Park has signed on another new restaurant, and it's a biggie: Mesero, the Tex-Mex concept from restaurateur Mico Rodriguez. He'll open a flagship location at Victory Park, serving reimagined Tex-Mex and Mexican dishes, as well as American classics, with an opening set for early 2018.

In addition, a branch of Orangetheory Fitness will also open at Victory Park, bringing its scientifically backed, group personal training workout to Victory in the fall.

Mesero currently has four branches around Dallas, beginning with the original Mr. Mesero on McKinney Avenue, plus locations on Henderson Avenue, Inwood Village, and Prestonwood; another is set to open in Plano at the Legacy West complex. Rodriguez founded the chain after parting ways with Mi Cocina, the other successful Tex-Mex chain he helped spawn.

There are currently a dozen branches of Orangetheory Fitness in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including Preston Hollow, Plano, and Rockwall.

Victory Park is undergoing a redevelopment by owner Estein USA and retail partner Trademark Property Co. They're adding 85,000 square feet of new retail space, and making key district enhancements to evolve Victory Park into a more authentic, walkable, and soulful urban neighborhood.

Both Mesero and Orangetheory Fitness will be located in a new mixed-used building under construction at Victory Park Lane and High Market Street. The building, which is nearing completion, will also be home to two other 2017 openings: Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas – Victory Park and The 23, a new 285-unit mixed-use apartment community by LMC, as well as 20,000 square feet of new retail space.

Victory Park vice president Lance Fair says in a release that these new tenants give a more concrete glimpse of the new vision for the district.

"Everything we are doing — the tenant lineup, local food and beverage talent, the public art program, down to the smallest detail — is designed to contribute to a refreshing, authentic vibe that will make Victory a vibrant destination for visitors to rediscover," he says.

Mesero joins a slew of other new restaurants and bars: There's the restaurant and bar from the owners of High Fives, So & So's, and The Standard Pour; a bar and tavern by Brooke Humphries of Barcadia, Beauty Bar, Mudsmith, It’ll Do Club, and Pints & Quarts fame; a restaurant-entertainment concept in Victory Plaza from Humphries and Elias Pope (HG Sply Co.); and three concepts from Tristan Simon's new venture, Rebees, including a saloon, a retail store, and workspace with a cafe.

Victory Park recently unveiled an 8-foot steel sculpture of a hand making a V, by California-based artist Nathan Mabry. Called Heavy Handed (Symbol), it's the first in a series of Instagram-worthy public art installations planned for Victory, including a large sculpture by Las Vegas artist Tim Bavington coming in the next few months.

Other redevelopment initiatives to date have included reworked streetscapes, sidewalks, and storefronts; district identity markers; wayfinding elements; public space amenities; two-way traffic conversion on Houston Street and Victory Avenue; and a dedicated bike lane extending the Katy Trail. Additional parking and valet options, as well as lighting and technology upgrades, will also roll out in 2017.

openings downtown

Henderson Avenue News

Dallas bar High Fives will close on Henderson Avenue after 10 years

High Fives/Facebook

undefined

A nightlife staple on Dallas' Henderson Avenue is closing: High Fives, the bar located at 1804 McMillan Ave., will close in early January, after more than 10 years.

According to a release, the actual closing date will be tied to the Texas Tech Red Raiders' game schedule in January.

"To all our neighbors, the Red Raider faithful, and everyone who has made High Fives their home—we are saying goodbye by raising our hands high for one last High Five," says owner Phil Schanbaum. "This establishment was built on community, spirited rivalry, and countless memories. We are deeply thankful to every single patron and, especially, to all of our incredible staff who were the heart and soul of this place."

High Fives opened in mid-2015, part of the portfolio of This & That Hospitality, the company Schanbaum founded with partner Brandon Hays, next door to its sibling bar The Whippersnapper (which was rebranded into a concept called Boogies in October 2025.)

Schanbaum says that they're unsure of what will go in the High Fives space after it closes — but that the closure "paves the way for the ongoing evolution of Henderson Avenue."

The property is owned by Acadia Realty, the New York-based company that is partnered with Dallas development firm Ignite-Rebees on a 161,000-square-foot, creative, mixed-use development currently underway on Henderson Avenue between Glencoe Street and McMillan Avenue at the eastern end of Henderson Avenue.

High Fives' closure is part of that plan to transform the quarter-mile stretch into a walkable destination featuring restaurants, retail, and office space.

"To Henderson Avenue, we look forward to further expansion and to making this street even better. We are excited for the neighborhood's renaissance, which will bring new experiences, retail, and dining concepts to the area," Schanbaum says.

Moving target
The actual closing date will depend on the outcome of the season for Texas Tech's football team the Red Raiders.

"The final chapter for High Fives will be written alongside the almighty Texas Tech Red Raiders. The bar's ultimate closure is tied directly to the team's success," the release says.

The next game day is on January 1, when doors open at 10 am.

If the Red Raiders advance past the game on January 1, High Fives will remain open for subsequent Texas Tech game days until the team's run ends. Meanwhile hours in December will be Thursdays & Fridays from 8 pm-2 am, and Saturdays: from 2 pm– 2 am.