Uptown Bar Opens
Sexy Uptown Dallas bar opens quietly with cool tricks
A new lounge in Uptown Dallas is popping the cork and will celebrate its soft opening on November 6. Called Citizen, it brings something this block of Fairmount Street does not have: bottle service and cava.
"We'll be opening at 8 pm tonight, and we'll have a full bar, along with champagne and our signature cocktails," says co-owner Imran Sheikh.
Citizen comes from an entrepreneurial trio whose portfolio has included fashion, nightclubs, and craft-beer bars. Sheikh is a London native who opened Aftershock London in Preston Center in 2013; he is also involved in the lifestyle sites Need and Foremost. He's partnered with Asim Sheikh, a hospitality veteran who was behind Zouk, among other nightspots, and Mark Hearl, co-owner of Common Table next door.
Working with Dallas-based Coeval Studio, the team has executed a total redesign that includes some singular features.
"You'd be amazed at the makeover; we started with 10 rooms of yellow walls," Sheikh says. "One unique thing we have is our built-in photo booth, with instant sharing, which has become very prevalent these days. We also have a custom-built chandelier that has a special secret button that releases C02, so it creates a dramatic effect."
It's not just a bar. Eventually they'll serve a tapas-style menu with sharable plates, designed by Rodman Shields from Common Table. But no food this weekend, according to Sheikh.
"We won't roll out the food until next week," he says.
They'll be programming live music and other entertainment options such as burlesque. They'll also do unique happy hour called "5 for $5 at 5," which stands for five cocktails, priced at $5, for five days a week.
"We're going to make it modular," Sheikh says. "There's so many bars that end up being a one-trick pony. We like the idea of feeling like a nightclub but also like you're coming into someone’s house."