Deep Ellum Dining News

Appetizing details emerge on new cocktail and beer bar going into Deep Ellum

Dot’s Hop House has appointed Nick Wells as chef.

Photo courtesy of Dot's Hop House

Winning the prize for the cutest name, Dot's Hop House & Cocktail Courtyard, the craft beer bar and beer garden opening in Deep Ellum, has appointed a chef: Nick Wells.

Dot's is the coming-soon concept from a quartet of guys who've carved out a reputation for craft beer excellence in Denton at spots such as Lucky Lou's, EastSide Denton, and the highly respected craft beer emporium Oak Street Draft House.

Owners Lou Delaney, Jeff Brightwell, and brothers John and Paul Williams are University of North Texas guys who'd been thinking about doing a project in Dallas, when the timing and location for Dot's magically came together.

Chef Wells has appropriate experience, having most recently worked as chef at the Common Table. Prior to that he was executive sous chef at Savor, the restaurant at Klyde Warren Park.

Dot's managing partner Jeff Brightwell says that they found Wells via chef Rodman Shields.

"Our friend, Rodman, who is executive chef at the Common Table, consulted on our menu and while doing so introduced us to Nick," Brightwell says. "We got to know him and, after tasting his food, swapping tattoo stories, and slugging some Bushmills, it felt like the perfect fit."

They're describing the food as American fare "with a Texas flair."

Wells says he and the Dot's team clicked. "I like how they want to support the local Deep Ellum community and Dallas as a whole," he says.

Dot's will take over the former Dallas Comedy House spot and will specialize in craft beer, good food, and, best of all, a 10,000-square-foot beer garden that's accessible from both Main and Commerce streets, in a prime location across from the Bomb Factory. There'll be a full bar with up to 99 beers on tap, including a strong focus on Texas brews.

The kitchen will be open daily at lunch and dinner, with a special late-night menu beginning at 11 pm and lasting until 1 am. They'll also eventually add weekend brunch.

Opening date is tentatively slated for September.

Deep Ellum News

Longtime craft beer bar in Dallas' Deep Ellum to close after 10 years

Dot's

Dot's Hop House duck fat fries.

A venerable craft beer bar and restaurant in Dallas' Deep Ellum is closing: Dot's Hop House & Cocktail Courtyard, which had been open at 2645 Commerce St. for a decade, will turn out the lights on Sunday, February 1.

In a post announcing the closure, the owners said it had been "a fun run for the last 10 years," but that their "time in Deep Ellum is coming to an end."

Co-founder Jeff Brightwell was unavailable for comment, but shuttering the location after 10 years would suggest that the bar has reached the end of its lease. Asana Partners, one of the dominant landlords in Deep Ellum, has owned the property since 2017.

The neighborhood has changed significantly in the past decade, with other craft beer purveyors such as Braindead Brewing and Deep Ellum Brewing having closed. There is also ongoing construction on Commerce Street — part of a two-year project to transform the street from one-way to two-way that has negatively impacted businesses, and which is not expected to be completed until late 2026.

Dot's opened in January 2016 from a team who'd had a hand in Denton craft beer spots such as Lucky Lou's and Oak Street Draft House. It featured 99 beers on tap, at a time when the craft beer trend was on the upswing — along with a full bar and a menu that surpassed regular bar food. Their signature dish became their duck fat cheese fries, an over-the-top rendition of loaded fries cooked in duck fat, smothered with smoked cheddar, queso blanco, candied bacon, and jalapenos.

They also had an extensive brunch offering, served both Saturday and Sunday from 11 am-3 pm that included migas, chicken biscuit sandwich, omelets, decadent stuffed French toast, and a "sandwich" made from two waffles filled with Brie cheese.

A key part of Dot's appeal was its a 10,000-square-foot beer garden, constructed within the building's footprint, creating a unique outdoor space that was ahead of its time, especially in Deep Ellum.

The bar was a personal expression for co-founder Jeff Brightwell, who visioned an urban oasis, and who named the bar for his mother (Dot was her nickname).

According to their post they'll be open this week from Thursday-Sunday or until the food is gone.

craft-beer deep-ellum closings