Uptown News
New Uptown Dallas neighborhood bar aims to revive McKinney Avenue corner
Eastwood's Bar in Uptown Dallas, which dubbed itself the "Living Room of Uptown," has closed. Moment of silence.
But the wheels never stop turning and, in good news for Uptown regulars, there's something new moving in: Called Gaslight, it'll be a neighborhood bar with a solid craft cocktail program and a team with experience in the industry, including successful bars such as Barcadia, Tipsy Alchemist Austin, and Sidebar.
Owners include David Nguyen, who says they're hoping to have it open in mid-December.
Eastwood's opened in 2016 in the former Belly & Trumpet space at 3407 McKinney Ave. in a promising enough fashion, but the original owners sold to another mysterious group, and the business declined.
But Nguyen says he's confident in the space and their concept.
"We're going to revamp and revive it," he says. "It'll be a neighborhood bar and restaurant with good food and drink. We brought in acclaimed bartender Jesse Powell from Parliament to help us create a menu of craft cocktails that are good without being too fussy."
The menu will be a better take on bar food, with a special focus on brunch, says spokesman Adam Evers. "Thanks to Breadwinners, that area is known for brunch, and we want to have an offering, as well," he says.
In true McKinney Avenue fashion, the location has seen more than a few concepts open and close.Who remembers Uptown Pawn? Lumi Empanada? The Bowery, a hot-dog place ahead of its time?
"I don't think it's the location so much as the fact that, for one reason or another, businesses have not brought something that the area wanted," Evers says. "Our goal is to create something that's reminiscent of McKinney Avenue in its yesteryear glory from the mid-2000s. Primo's is re-opening and we feel like that area is going to see a revival."
Decor will have a a "modern steampunk" vibe, but replace "punk" with "gentleman." They have their work cut out for them, since the kitchen was not in good shape, and they're also redoing all the decking on the front patio.
"That's a very old house, and a lot of the space is outside," says marketing director Nikki Bloxton. "The good thing is that re-doing it offered an opportunity to add a firepit which will be a focal point. We liked the idea of people sitting around the fire."
"We just want a restaurant bar that a metropolitan person in the area can go in and enjoy," Bloxton says.
