East Dallas Fave

Beloved East Dallas Vietnamese restaurant reopens with spiffy remodel

Gotta love those Mai's rolls.

Photo courtesy of Mai's

After a break for remodeling, a longtime East Dallas restaurant is back. Mai's Vietnamese, an old-time favorite that's been around for 35 years, will reopen on November 6, with its signature rolls and clay pots but a spanking new interior.

The new interior is the result of a comprehensive remodel, and was spurred after the property at 4812 Bryan St. was purchased by a new landlord. It was first acquired by Perry Guest, then sold to Blackwood Developments, which is developing the area including upgrading the restaurants. Jade Garden, the rather sad Chinese restaurant that was next door, closed in 2016.

But Mai's had enough of a following that it was deemed worth saving.

"They're making this a nicer neighborhood," says Hannah Huynh, Mai's co-owner. "They fixed the outside, so we redid the inside with a cosmetic makeover."

This part of East Dallas is undergoing a massive upheaval, with funky old houses being replaced with five-story apartment buildings and Uptown-style townhomes. Perry Guest CEO Grant Guest put in a good word for Mai's, urging Blackwood to keep the restaurant.

"I love Mai's, they're hip without being hip, and I don't want to go without those egg rolls," Guest says.

It was Hannah's aunt Mai who first opened the restaurant in 1982; she's now retired. When she stepped away in the '90s, Mai's had some rocky times with consistency, but righted itself and continues to draw a loyal following for its egg rolls and its selection of clay pots, filled with steaming jasmine rice, and topped with a variety of options such as spicy yellow curry with mixed vegetables and tofu.

The restaurant closed on October 12 and originally planned to re-open on October 26. But construction delays pushed the re-opening date back, Huynh says.

"Our construction is almost done today," she says. "We have to clean it up and set up our furniture. We were originally going to try to re-open on Saturday, but we're closed on Sunday, so we decided to give ourselves the extra day to make it right."

The space is now smaller inside, but they'll be opening a patio in the spring. Patios are hip.

closings

Quonset Hut News

Familiar names take over Quonset hut for new Far-Out Dallas bar

Yelp

Wriggly Tin is now Far-Out Dallas

There's a new Dallas restaurant and bar coming to everyone's favorite Quonset hut: Called Far-Out, it'll take over the space at 1906 E. Haskell Ave. in East Dallas that was previously home to Wriggly Tin, with a grand opening slated for 2025.

Founders Caroline and James Lee are calling it Far-Out & La Hermana Cerveceria and promise that a culinary adventure awaits.

"After months of creative brainstorming and a bit of furniture rearranging, we are thrilled to announce an exciting new pioneering concept that will open its doors in 2025," the duo says. "Introducing Far-Out & La Hermana Cerveceria, a dynamic new restaurant and brewery born from the collaboration of industry veterans."

The team includes some beloved East Dallas names:

Marc Cassel of The Green Room and 20 Feet Seafood Joint
Christopher Jeffers of Bolsa and Smoke
Stephanie Houston, the trailblazing first Latina Production distillery owner in America

Also joining the team is Bar Director Adam Mercado, whose resume includes stints at Billy Can Can and Brass Ram.

Marcado will crafting a unique beverage program, with support from mixologist Brian McCullough. Together, they will create what the founders call "unforgettable drink experiences to complement our delicious culinary offerings."

Wriggly Tin opened in November 2023 as an ultra-hip pizza and craft beer spot inside a renovated Quonset hut near Dallas' Fair Park — a former Cajun fried turkey place which they gave doting makeover with custom plaster walls and art objects from around the world. They replaced one whole side of the hut with glass for sunsets and created a spacious outdoor patio in front.

They earned two nomination in CultureMap's 2024 Tastemaker Awards, one for Best Bar and another for Best Patio.

Alas, the original founders, who'd previously owned Small Brewpub in Oak Cliff, parted ways shortly after it opened. And the bar closed down in September 2024, for what they called "internal changes."

Now the hut is back: The new Far-Out bar is already up and running a few days a week. In the coming days, they will offer updates and sneak peeks as they gear up for the opening of their kitchen.

openings