Igloo News

Rooftop bubble bars with igloos return to Dallas for Christmas holiday

Cozy igloos let you imbibe under the winter sky.

Adolphus

Dallas' coolest holiday bar phenomenon is back: Rooftop "bubble bars" featuring cozy igloos are returning, with installations at three Dallas-area hotels.

Rooftop igloo bars are a trend that first bubbled up in Dallas in 2019, then surged in 2020 during the cautious pandemic days, when people were trying to find ways to be social during coronavirus times, before blossoming into their own full-blown sizzling-hot thing.

Also referred to as garden igloos, these "bubbles" are like plastic caves, like a geodesic dome, where you can hang out and imbibe under the winter sky, protected by your bubble from the elements.

Three locations have set the stage for bubble bars in 2021, including two in downtown Dallas and the other in Historic Downtown Grapevine, as follows:

Waterproof Lounge
Waterproof, the rooftop bar on the 19th floor of the Statler Dallas hotel in downtown Dallas, pioneered the rooftop igloo bar in Dallas in 2019, and brings it back for 2021 with a thematic twist.

Dubbed "Winterproof," the installation will observe a ski lodge theme: The bartenders will be "ski instructors" and the waitresses will be "ski bunnies," while the interior will have a ski-lodge-like decor.

The igloos, called Snow Clouds, come in two sizes — one large and three not-as-large — as follows:

Large Snow Cloud can accommodate a party of eight. Nicknamed "Cloud 19," it starts at $500 for two hours.
Small Snow Clouds fit two to four people and begin at $300 for two hours.

The igloos must be reserved in advance, and there's a two-hour minimum. Make reservations here.

Miracle on Commerce
Illuminated igloos return to The Adolphus hotel in downtown Dallas, who are transforming their rooftop into a winter wonderland, with cozy cabins, illuminated igloos, warm boozy cocktails, and tableside smores, as part of the hotel's much larger annual celebration of the holidays.

The igloos debuted November 17 and will be available through January 30.

Their poolside cabanas are now poolside "cabins" with miniature hearths, and they have 8 igloos ready for groups to reserve. They'll also bring back their miniature curling rink, for that Winter Olympics vibe.

Igloos and cabins are available by reservation only, Wednesday-Saturday nights, with two seatings:

Early (4-7:30 pm)

Small Cabins (2 - 4 people) - $200 rental comes with one bottle of Sparkling Wine
Large Cabins (2 - 8 people) - $350 rental comes with two bottles of Sparkling Wine
Igloo (2 - 4 people) - $300 rental comes with a bottle of Premium Sparkling Wine

Late (8 pm to "late")

Small Cabins (2 - 4 people) - $300 rental comes with one bottle of Sparkling Wine
Large Cabins (2 - 8 people) - $450 rental comes with two bottles of Sparkling Wine
Igloo (2 - 4 people) - $400 rental comes with a bottle of Premium Sparkling Wine

A special holiday menu will include spirited holiday cocktails such as the Honey Bear Eggnog and Kentucky Hot Coco, plus bite-sized snacks such as Merry Mac & Cheese Balls and Señor Santo’s Tamale Bites.

Additional seating areas are open on a first-come, first-serve basis. So you can come and watch other people having fun inside their igloos. Maybe stand right outside and gaze in longingly.

Hotel Vin
The 120-room boutique hotel in downtown Grapevine that's home to Bacchus Kitchen + Bar and Harvest Hall brings back their rooftop "bubbles," located on the Rioja Rooftop Terrace, the hotel's fourth-floor terrace bar.

They'll debut on November 26.

They have eight bubbles total. Each seats up to 6-8 guests. They come with blankets and heaters to keep your party warm, and if you want service, you press a button and the bubbles light up to alert hotel staff.

This year, they've formalized with three official options:

Happy Hour Bubble, 4-5 pm. Bring your bubble to our bubbles for a one-hour experience to enjoy drinks and fondue! We get you started with a bottle of Seguras Viudas Heredad Cava. $100
Two-Hour Bar Bubble, 5:30 or 8 pm. Same as the happy hour bubble, just more time to enjoy your bubble.
Full Dining Bubble, 5:30 or 8 pm. Seasonally inspired three-course dinner, comes with a bottle of wine. Dinner is $150 per person, with a minimum of 4 guests.

You can make your reservation online at www.opentable.com/r/rioja-rooftop-bar-grapevine.

holidays

Closure News

Deep Ellum sushi tops 5 surprising restaurant closures in Dallas

Deep Sushi

In the cyclical world of Dallas restaurants, January is often a time for closures — not only because it's the beginning of a new year but also because the post-holiday lull, with all its New Year's resolutions and diets and dry spells, can make January a challenging month for business.

These five closures all come as a surprise: from a longtime location of a bakery chain to a BBQ startup to a veteran vegan spot. Two closures involve restaurants that have been open in Dallas — one in the Park Cities, the other in Deep Ellum — for decades.

Here are five sad closings that just occurred around Dallas:

Bread Winners Cafe & Bakery
Revered local cafe chain closed its location in Plano at 4021 Preston Rd. after 20 years. In a post on Instagram, the bakery said that their lease had come to an end, and they closed on December 24. The chain has three other locations: NorthPark Center, Allen, and the original on McKinney Avenue in Uptown Dallas.

Casa del Vegano
Popular vegan Mexican restaurant on Jefferson Avenue in Oak Cliff closed on January 2, after five years. On their Instagram post, they said that they fought hard to stay alive. "We pushed, adjusted, sacrificed, and held on as long as we could. Unfortunately, after falling two months behind and facing heavy fees and penalties, we reached a point where we could no longer continue," they said. They may offer some of their dishes at their more casual sister restaurant, Vegan Food House, also in Oak Cliff.

Deep Sushi
Longtime sushi restaurant in Deep Ellum has closed after 30 years — impressive for any restaurant, but especially in Deep Ellum. A notice on their website says "closed until further notice," but a spokesperson for the ownership confirmed that it has closed for good. Deep Sushi opened in 1996, just as the neighborhood was shifting from an underground rock nexus into a broader entertainment zone with restaurants and bars. It was founded by a group of physicians with sushi savvy, at a time when there were only a handful of sushi spots in the city. They engaged Tetsuji Yamaguchi, who had his own eponymous restaurant on Inwood Road, to consult on the menu, and for a few years, it was one of the hottest destinations in town.

New York Sub
Park Cities sandwich shop that's been open at 3411 Asbury St. across the street from SMU since 1974, is closing at the end of February. According to an Instagram post, owners Andrew and Edith Kelley were in the middle of negotiating another 10-year lease when their landlord sold the building. "While the new owners have been kind, we simply can’t make the new financial terms work," their post says. Their goal is to find a new location nearby or else find someone who wants to take over the shop.

Tejas Brisket Co.
Fast-casual BBQ takeout spot in East Dallas is closing its storefront at 1318 N. Peak St. Owners Tifany Swulius and Antonio Guevara gave it their all, including adding breakfast tacos, but to no avail. In a Facebook post, they said they were no longer able to continue to operate a storefront with their current hours -- not even after a tout in November in TX Monthly. They'll maintain a catering operation, and meanwhile will keep serving brisket until they run out, which they predict will be on or around January 16.

deep-ellum closings