Deep Ellum News

Old school club in Dallas' Deep Ellum shuts down after a decade

Farewell old bar.

Courtesy photo

A Dallas bar closed after a decade in Deep Ellum: Wits End, an old-school hangout in the epicenter of the neighborhood at 2724 Elm St., closed its doors on June 26.

A spokesperson said that the lease had come to an end and the landlord, Westdale Properties, would not renew; Westdale was not available for comment.

The bar was one of the last with a throwback vibe that hearkened to the Deep Ellum of old, with band stickers, graffiti, and slight medal edge - reminiscent of when Deep Ellum was a music-driven neighborhood. Wits End still hosted metal and rock bands, "Metal Monday" DJ nights, burlesque shows, and other events.

Manager Matt Adkins, a musician in bands such as Embrace the Embers, described the club as embodying an anti-Deep Ellum "scene" — rejecting whatever the buzz was and instead functioning as a neighborhood-friendly place to have a couple drinks and see a band.

Adkins and his father Jim Adkins opened the bar in 2012 in the building that was previously home to the kind of annoying club The Bone. In addition to its welcoming atmosphere, one of Wits End's big assets was its rooftop, a valuable feature in any venue, where they had a full-service bar with whiskey, cocktails, and craft beer.

Inside, you could play pool, video games, or hang with friendly bartenders.

Wits End also had distinctive design elements thanks to artist Ace Cordell, who lent his trademark Mad Max touches with recycled metalwork sculptures.

Unlike other bars such as Anvil Pub, which closed in 2021, and Pop Culture DTX, which closed in spring 2022, Wits End managed to squeak through the pandemic.

But another bar owner in Deep Ellum who asked not to be quoted by name said that there seemed to be a desire to "clean up" the area and focus more on "soft" uses such as restaurants and retail.

And there's been a theory circulating about "big plans" for that block of Elm Street. Once Wits End clears out, there'll be five empty bar spaces on that side of Elm Street alone.

"Any bets on whether this will end up a pinball arcade shot bar out of Denver, a bowling alley tequila club out of Phoenix, or an artisan BLT whiskey bar out of Chicago?" asked one regular.

Wits End went out with panache, posting a photo on their Facebook page of their building with a photoshopped banner of a Spirit Halloween store draped across the front. "Too soon?" they quipped.

Musicians and fans alike lamented the closure and the bar's personal touch. One musician recounted the time that Wits End "saved us with a last minute show when we were coming back to Texas from being on tour and I’ll never forget it," and a fan stated that it was "hands down the best venue with the best view of the Dallas skyline."

"I hate to hear this, we had so many good times at Wits End," a fan said. "Every time we go to Deep Ellum we always end up at Wits End. My hubby taking his photos, my son attending the metal concerts, and me dancing like a maniac on rooftop. You guys will definitely be missed."

closings deep-ellum

Losing some spice

Beloved neighborhood taqueria to close after 37 years in Dallas' Oak Cliff

Facebook/El Padrink

Cafeteria y Loncheria El Padrino will close its doors at the end of 2026, following 37 years serving the neighborhood.

An Oak Cliff taqueria will close its doors at the end of 2026, ending nearly 37 years serving the neighborhood. Cafeteria y Loncheria El Padrino, the brightly painted-brick gem at 408 W. Jefferson Blvd., will lose its lease at the end of December, according to Juan Contreras, son of the restaurant's owner.

Contreras confirmed to CultureMap that property managers will not renew his father's lease and have given the restaurant less than three months to vacate.

“Honestly it’s not a surprise,” Contreras says in an Instagram post. “With Bishop Arts and all the development interest around it, something was bound to happen eventually.”

The little restaurant sits at the end of a row of thrift and quinceañera dress shops, a few blocks from Bishop Avenue and the evolving Bishop Arts District.

Contreras, who shares his father's name, says the little Oak Cliff El Padrino was his dad’s first restaurant. “His dream," Contreras notes. "He’s been feeding this neighborhood since 1989.”

The family later opened a second location in Pleasant Grove.

Both restaurants are beloved for their welcoming atmosphere and unfussy, authentic Mexican fare.

"As a small business in Oak Cliff, we know what it means to be part of a community. Our neighbors are not just customers .. they are family," notes a Facebook post from the taqueria.

While handmade tortillas and tacos are staples, customers also come for antojitos — or "little cravings" — such as guacamole, menudo, pan dulce, queso, French fries, and chips. Heartier options include machacado (shredded meat) and eggs with bacon strips and cheese in the beans.

Regulars know, love, and fear the camarones a la diabla — shrimp that made a deal with the devil — with shellfish "swimming in salsa roja so picante, it’ll make your abuela say '¡Ay, Dios mío!'," says El Padrio's Facebook page. They recommend ordering a cold agua fresca de piña bien before taking a bite: "That sweet pineapple coolness is your lifesaver."

The younger Contreras, who is involved in local advocacy and community organizing, says the history of Oak Cliff — particularly the area around his father’s restaurant — illustrates the less welcome side of neighborhood revitalization.

“This has been building for years. Elected officials and interest groups sell you a beautiful picture of what a neighborhood can become," he says in his social media post. "What they leave out is that the people who stayed and kept these neighborhoods alive when nobody else wanted them are usually the ones priced out or pushed aside for ‘better’ tenants.”

The elder Contreras came to the U.S. "with nothing but his hands and the hope that his kids would have it easier than he did," says the son, "the way so many of our fathers did."

Unless something changes before the end of the year, the Oak Cliff location will continue operating throughout 2026, Contreras says. The Pleasant Grove location will remain open and unaffected, he adds.

“If you’re one of the Oak Cliff regulars or you’ve been meaning to stop by, now’s the time,” he says. “Come eat, order out, and tell your friends. Every visit means a lot to my dad right now.”

Hope is not entirely lost for the owner and local fans of his restaurant, Contreras says. The Contreras family has weathered its share of challenges and does not intend to give up on Oak Cliff easily. They just need to find an appropriate and affordable space from which to operate.

“This isn’t our first rodeo. If you know of a move-in-ready space in Oak Cliff where my dad can plug in and cook, send me a message," he says.

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