Bar News

Deep Ellum hipster honky-tonk opens second outlet outside Dallas

Honky-tonk on the move.

Photo courtesy of Mama Tried

A honky-tonk in quotes from Deep Ellum is opening a second location, this one in an entertainment zone to the west.

Mama Tried, the Nashville-style honky-tonk from veteran bar owner Brooke Humphries, will open a location at the Toyota Music Factory in Irving.

According to a release, it'll open in August, occupying a corner space next to the performance stage in Texas Lottery Plaza. It'll be open for lunch, happy hour, dinner, late-night dining, and Sunday brunch, with Southern cuisine and comfort food.

Humphries says in a statement that she's thrilled to be joining the ranks at Toyota Music Factory, calling it a "natural fit" for the second location.

She opened the first Mama Tried in 2018 as a combination restaurant-bar, dance hall, and live music venue spotlighting classic country, dance party, no pop country, outlaw country, bluegrass, and Kentucky bluegrass. She and her team invested much sweat equity transforming the location at 215 Henry St. at the corner of Canton Street into a funky-cool bar with accompanying outdoor space.

Humphries says that Mama Tried is "a good time if you enjoy good ol' country music."

"I'm real proud of it," she says. "There's nothing like it around here, and country is all I listen to these days, so I'm stoked."

Humphries has the golden touch with a diverse portfolio of bars and restaurants that includes trailblazing bars, such as Barcadia and Beauty Bar; her dance bar in East Dallas, It'll Do Club; her coffee shop, Mudsmith; and her fun American concept, Pints & Quarts, located at the Centrum in Oak Lawn.

Noah Lazes, president and CEO of ARK Group, the developer at Toyota Music Factory, says Mama Tried is a fine addition to their lineup.

"Brooke's knowledge and experience in the DFW bar, restaurant, and music scene is second to none," Lazes says. "New involvement of smart, local creative operators like Brooke is a big feather in our cap, as they add even more diversification to the already massive offering of entertainment and restaurant concepts at the Toyota Music Factory."

Mama Tried joins two other local concepts on the venue's plaza. Frisco Cajun restaurant Green Gator opened in March; Reservoir, a gastropub from Fort Worth, opened a location in April.

The entertainment and dining destination has a concert venue, an Alamo Drafthouse Cinema multiplex movie theater, and many restaurants and bars.

nightlife

Ramen News

Dallas' acclaimed Ten Ramen to open in Cru Wine spot in West Village

Ten Ramen

A highly acclaimed ramen spot is coming to Dallas' West Village: Ten Ramen, one of Dallas' most celebrated ramen spots, will open a location in the former Cru Food & Wine Bar space at 3699 McKinney Ave. #107.

According to a release, Ten Ramen will open in spring 2026.

In related news, the concept was acquired by Vandelay Companies (Hudson House, Jack & Harry's, East Hamption Sandwich Co., El Molino), led by CEO Hunter Pond, who counts himself a big Ten Ramen fan.

“I’ve been a longtime fan of who is arguably one of Texas’ most respected chefs — founder and creator Teiichi Sakurai — and what Ten Ramen embodies,” says Pond.

Vandelay also owns Tei An, the award-winning authentic Japanese restaurant and Ten Ramen sibling which Sakurai opened at One Arts Plaza in 2008.

Ten Ramen debuted in March 2015 at the Sylvan | Thirty mixed-use project in West Dallas — a pioneering concept at the time, and one that quickly earned a devoted following with its tiny 10-seat setup and uncompromisingly authentic flavors.

Back then, it was a ground-breaking concept for Dallas and is still one of the most beloved ramen spots in the city. Diners flocked to wait in long lines for its menu of Mazemen, Shoyu, Tonkotsu, and Lobster Ramen — recipes that will remain intact, Pond says.

“We haven’t touched the recipes, they’re perfect just as they are,” he says. “After many months under our ownership already, it remains clear that the magic is in the food, the service, and the experience. Our goal with this new location is simple: bring what we feel is the best ramen in Dallas to more people, in a space that feels both fresh and familiar.”

Ooooooh, so Vandelay has owned it for many months. Well well well.

“When the opportunity came to bring this incredible concept into our family of restaurants, I jumped at it," Pond says.

He's the one shepherding it into the West Village — a location he says will give more diners the chance to experience the concept.

The location has an impressive track record: Cru Wine Bar closed in August 2025 after an unparalleled 23 years at that address.

The new 1,480-square-foot space will be a fresh take on the Ten Ramen experience, with a full-service bar that seats 7, and an intimate dining room seating 28 — versus the impromptu stand-up situation at Sylvan Thirty.

Their goal is to make a space that feels approachable and lively while staying true to the dishes that made Ten Ramen a local favorite.

openings