Cali style pub food

Cali gastropub gives Dallas' Greenville Avenue a new burger to chew on

Dallas will soon sink its teeth into this.

Photo courtesy of Laurel Tavern

A California gastropub known for its burgers is coming to Dallas. Oh, you mean Eureka? No. Called Laurel Tavern, it will go into the space at 1920 Greenville Ave. previously occupied by Clark Food & Wine, with an opening set for the fall. Clark Food & Wine closed at the end of 2016.

Laurel Tavern comes from a restaurant outfit called ACME Hospitality Group, led by William Shamlian, Michael Leko, Mark Leddy, and Jonny Valenti, with a portfolio of casual restaurants and sports bars such as Beelman's Pub in downtown L.A., and Forman's Whiskey Tavern in Toluca Lake.

They opened the first Laurel Tavern in Studio City, in the San Fernando Valley area north of Los Angeles, in 2008, then opened a second branch south of Los Angeles in Hermosa Beach in 2016. They describe it as having "the best burger in the Valley."

The Greenville Avenue branch will be similar to the other two locations with a focus on quality food, handcrafted cocktails, craft beers on tap, and wines by the glass.

The menu for Greenville Avenue is being created by executive chef Roger Hayot, a longtime veteran of the Southern California restaurant scene who had his own restaurant in the late '80s called Authentic Cafe. While the Dallas menu is still being finalized, it will definitely feature small plates, salads, and sandwiches.

Two things that will definitely be on the Dallas menu include a pair of burgers: the Jalapeno Burger with chipotle sauce, jalapenos, poblano, pepper jack, and onion rings; and the Laurel Burger with honey mustard, avocado, pickled red onion, and shredded lettuce.

But they're yet not committing to a full recreation of the menu from Studio City. Will Dallas have their hot pretzels? Their pork belly skewers? Their French dip sandwich? Their kale-Caesar salad? Let's start agitating for all the things.

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Bar News

Rodeo Dallas bar takes party to Uptown Dallas at new location

Rodeo

Rodeo bar is open in Uptown

A bar with Deep Ellum roots is expanding to Uptown Dallas: Called Rodeo Dallas, it'll open at 2922 N. Hall St. in the space previously occupied by Palms Bar. According to co-owner Joseph "JD" Ybanez, it'll open on November 28.

The first Rodeo location in Dallas opened in 2023 at 2724 Elm St. from Ybanez and partner Josh Reagan, a pair of hospitality veterans whose prior venues include Longshots in Dallas, plus two locations of Varsity Tavern, in Fort Worth and in Tempe.

Ybanez' first bar was Trophy Ranch in Fort Worth which had a mechanical bull. "That's where I learned how popular it was," he says. (He also became familiar with Fort Worth's bar scene and went on to open a Rodeo spinoff in 2024.)

In August 2025, the Deep Ellum location became the focal point of neighborhood concerns about crime and was closed via an order from the Dallas city attorney. Ybanez says the city is scapegoating Rodeo for other problems in the neighborhood, and that the Deep Ellum location isn't going anywhere.

“This is not a relocation,” he says. “We maintain an ongoing legal dispute with our landlord Asana Partners regarding the re-opening of our Deep Ellum establishment. The Uptown location represents an expansion of the brand.”

Prior to opening Rodeo in Deep Ellum, they opened a bar in Tempe in 2018 called Rodeo Ranch which served as a template for the concept, featuring an "adult playground" with mechanical bull, bottle service, girls in bikinis, DJs, dancing, and light show.

According to Ybanez, visitors to the Uptown location can expect to take these factors to the next level.

“The Uptown space offers an expansive back patio,” Ybanez says. “This area will feature a massive video wall, optimizing it for communal sports viewing. Furthermore, we have executed a comprehensive refinement of our food menu, which we are confident will elevate the guest experience."

The menu is rendered by Donde Los Tacos, the highly regarded Mexican taqueria in Oak Clifff, with $3 and $4 tacos, like trompo, barbacoa, and suadero. The Uptown location will also serve brunch with dishes such as chilaquiles.

"We have meticulously preserved the core of the Rodeo experience: the unparalleled atmosphere and vibes, our commitment to genuine hospitality, the homegrown character of the brand, and the inclusive spirit that welcomes every member of the community," Ybanez says.

uptown openings