Coronavirus News
Master list of every Dallas restaurant and bar that closed in 2020
It's a gloomy CultureMap tradition to do an annual list of restaurant closures although it's usually framed as more as an homage to what came and went.
But the 2020 version is more brutal than usual, since so many restaurants and bars closed due to COVID-19. Of all the fields to suffer during the virus, the food and beverage industry suffered the worst.
In alphabetical order, here's the list:
Ascension Coffee - Local chain closed their Thanksgiving Tower location in downtown Dallas on August 10, and the Willow Bend location in Plano in May.
Barbec's - Breakfast favorite closed after suffering a devastating fire in October.
Barnes & Noble - One-of-a-kind bookstore-cafe in Plano closed in March, due to the coronavirus.
Bartaco - Upscale taco chain based in Connecticut closed its two DFW locations, at Preston Center in Dallas, and at West Bend in Fort Worth.
Beauty Bar - Dallas dance club debuted on Henderson Avenue a decade ago before moving to Deep Ellum, which it never really survived.
Black Swan Saloon — November closure of bar from acclaimed bartender Gabe Sanchez was a major loss for Deep Ellum.
Boi Na Braza - Las Colinas location of this locally-owned Brazilian steakhouse closed in May after two years.
Bolsa - Landmark farm-to-table Oak Cliff restaurant closed in January, but the space has been revived as Encina by chef Matt Balke.
Bullion - Downtown fine-dining spot was done in by the pandemic. They hung on with Bullion To Go, but that closed as of December 31. They hope to reopen the restaurant in 2021.
Burger Street - The Mockingbird Lane location of this small chain made a big dent when it closed in February after 26 years.
Cafe Express - Houston-bred chain withdrew from North Texas when it closed its final DFW location on Lovers Lane in June.
Cafe Izmir - Local Mediterranean concept closed its downtown Dallas location in August.
California Pizza Kitchen - Iconic pizza chain from the West Coast closed its Preston Center location in June, after nearly 30 years.
Cantina Laredo - Two notable locations of this longtime Tex-Mex chain closed: Preston-Royal, which closed on December 20, a victim of both COVID-19 and the 2019 tornado; and Fort Worth, which closed in June.
Captain Nemo's - Sub shop in Irving closed due to the virus, after 47-plus years in business.
Casa Komali - Upscale Mexican eatery which served as a platform for many gifted chefs closed in January. Originally founded by chef Abraham Salum, it changed owners in 2016.
Cheese and Chutney - Oak Cliff boutique specializing in two food groups, cheese and chutney, closed in January after nearly three years.
Chicken Scratch/The Foundry - This restaurant-combo-live music venue that closed in May was a pioneer in West Dallas, and a pioneer in fried chicken, which went on to become a huge trend.
Coconut Thai Grill in Carrollton closed due to landlord issues.
Common Table - Pioneering craft beer temple in Uptown was facing a lease renewal when it decided to close in January.
Cool River Cafe — Southwest restaurant and cigar bar in Irving closed in May after 20-plus years. It had a major bar scene and was a favored hangout during the annual Byron Nelson golf tournament.
Christie's - Uptown's quintessential sports bar for decades and one of the neighborhood's most enduring watering holes closed in July.
Crossroads Diner — home to chef Tom Fleming's sticky buns, the breakfast and lunch spot closed in November.
Dallas Comedy House - Revered spot in Deep Ellum which hosted performances by and classes for comedians closed in August.
Da Mario - Upscale Italian restaurant at The Star in Frisco closed in May.
Daphne’s Mediterranean - California chain took over Austin-based Noon Mediterranean (formerly Verts Kebap), then shuttered all its Texas locations in July, including two in DFW.
Dakota’s Steakhouse — Subterranean downtown steakhouse that was home to many culinary rock stars closed in May after 36 years.
Digg's Tacos - Taco concept founded by members of the Cousin's BBQ chain closed its two Dallas-area locations in May.
Eastbound And Down Ice House - Ross Avenue bar with the Smokey & the Bandit theme closed in the fall.
Eastside Social - Greenville Ave bar from Laurel Concepts, the same California company that opened Laurel Tavern, seemed doomed from the get-go.
El Fenix - Two high-profile locations of this Tex-Mex chain closed: The one on Lemmon Avenue closed on September 25 after 60 years, and the Oak Cliff location on Colorado Boulevard, which was built in 1948, closed in July.
Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck - Cool Asian restaurant atop Reunion Tower from celebrity chef closed in May due to the coronavirus; it had occupied the city's most distinctive dining room since 2009.
Flying Saucer Addison - closed after 25 years. Only three DFW locations of this beer chain are left.
Foxyco - Design District restaurant from chef Jon Stevens closed in the spring; location is now home to Oak Lawn favorite Bellini's Cafe.
Friend & Foe - Charming board game cafe in Plano closed in late October.
Grassroots Kitchen - Oak Cliff mom-and-pop restaurant with chef-driven food closed in February.
Green Truck Cafe - Cute Lewisville cafe with actual green truck inside closed in November.
Grill on the Alley - Galleria Dallas restaurant closed in the spring; it was the only Texas location of this long-standing California-based chain. A message on their website recommends diners visit Public 972, its sibling restaurant in Addison.
Gung Ho - Short-lived "Chinese" restaurant on Greenville Ave from Elias Pope quietly closed over the summer.
Hattie's - Oak Cliff longtimer closed in February after 18 years; the restaurant never quite recovered after chef Estevan Galindo passed away in 2017.
Highland Park Cafeteria — Beloved cafeteria closed in May, after nearly a century in business, first on Knox Street, then at Casa Linda Plaza.
Houston's — Addison location of this uber-popular chain closed in June, likely due to the coronavirus. (The Dallas location at Preston Center, called Hillstone, is still open.)
Ivy Kitchen - Restaurant at Look Cinemas in North Dallas closed in March; it had previously been a Nick & Sam's.
The Keeper - High-end Plano seafood restaurant from the FrontBurner restaurant group closed in August.
Kobe Steaks — Addison hibachi-style restaurant closed on October 2, after 40 years.
Laurel Tavern - Burger joint on Greenville Avenue had a rocky start, even before COVID-19; it finally shuttered in May.
Lizard Lounge — Goth HQ near Deep Ellum closed in May.
The Lot - Family-friendly spot off Santa Fe Trail closed in the spring due to the virus.
Macellaio - Casual charcuterie-driven Bishop Arts restaurant will close at the end of 2020; the space will become the new home to its acclaimed sibling, Lucia.
Mercy Wine Bar - Addison original closed after 17 years, due to COVID-19, parking, and construction woes.
Mille Lire — Italian newcomer in the Oak Lawn neighborhood never recovered from untimely death of chef-owner Brian Ellard, and closed in June.
Nazca Kitchen — Popular Latin-American spot at Walnut Hill and US-75 closed in August after eight years.
Neighborhood Services. Preston Royal location of popular concept from chef Nick Badovinus shuttered in May; it was in the intersection badly hit by the October 2019 tornado.
Nosh Bistro - Latest revival at Northwest Highway and Hillcrest from chef Avner Samuel didn't even last a year. The space is now home to a Primo's MX, the Tex-Mex concept from Mehrdad Moayedi/Refined Hospitality.
Off-Site Kitchen - Burger restaurant in Trinity Groves from chef Nick Badovinus closed in May.
Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom - Chicago-style chain closed its only two Dallas restaurants, one at Mockingbird Station and the other in Cedar Hill, in February.
Paul Martin's - California chain co-founded by Paul Fleming (the "P.F." in P.F. Chang's) closed its only Dallas location in August, due to the virus.
Pearl Cup Coffee - Local coffee house chain closed its Richardson location in October, leaving University Park and Preston Hollow.
Peggy Sue BBQ — University Park standby for 31 years sputtered out after it was sold by original owners to an operator who was never able to get it up and running.
Penne Pomodoro - Italian restaurant had been in the heart of Lakewood for 11 years when it closed in July, with the final nail being the coronavirus.
Perfect Union Pizza Company - Nick Badovinus' return to pizza got crushed by the virus; the Highland Park space is now home to his lobster roll concept, Yo! Lobster.
The Poké Point Poke place in Carrollton closed in December.
Punch Bowl Social - After lengthy management upheaval, this Colorado-based dining and entertainment chain filed for bankruptcy in December and shuttered a number of locations including Deep Ellum.
Remington's Seafood Grill - Addison restaurant known for great seafood closed in June after 42 years, due to the financial hardships of COVID-19; it had been open since 1979.
Ross & Hall - Deeply troubled Ross Avenue bar that took over Little Woody's space closed in May.
Salaryman — Ramen jewel from Justin Holt closed after the chef was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in early October.
Sassetta - Tim Headington's great pizza entry in Design District closed very quietly in March. In good news, it will resurface once again in the former Americano space at the Joule Dallas hotel.
Savor — Gastropub at Klyde Warren Park closed on August 23, along with Relish, its companion burger stand, due to the virus.
Snap Kitchen - "Healthy" chain from Austin closed 14 stores in Texas in November — including six in Dallas-Fort Worth. Two remain open: 4115 Skillman St. in Dallas and 2828 W. Seventh St. in Fort Worth.
Start - "Healthy" fast-food chain shut down in May after eight years, with the virus being the cause.
Stonedeck Pizza Pub - Deep Ellum pizzeria closed in January after six years of slinging pies.
Taco Cabana - This chain closed 19 locations in January, but the location on Greenville Ave was a legend of sorts, due mostly to the "Tango" frogs on its roof.
Tacos Mariachi - Acclaimed Greenville Avenue taqueria from chef Jesus Carmona closed in March. (He has since opened Chimichurri, an Argentinian restaurant in Bishop Arts, in the former Tillman's space.)
Taco Stop - Design District taqueria known for giving away coats during the winter closed in August after nine years; the owner blamed reduced foot traffic.
TGI Friday's - Chain closed its high-profile location in Dallas' West End in April; it had been there since 1992.
Tomo Sushi - Doting little sushi restaurant in Frisco closed in May.
Top Pot - Doughnut chain pulled out of Dallas, closing three locations - North Dallas, Greenville Ave., and City Line in Richardson - in October.
Trinity Groves - Phil Romano's "incubator" saw numerous closures in 2020 including Luck Kitchen which closed in January, Chino Chinatown which closed in February, Amberjax Fish Market & Grille which closed July 27, and The Hall Bar & Grill which closed July 31. The concept is no longer an incubator, and will instead be all Phil concepts.
Water Grill - California-based upscale seafood concept that opened on McKinney Avenue in 2017 closed suddenly in February after three years.
Wheelhouse — Tim Headington brewpub in Design District adjacent to his pizzeria Sassetta was brought down by the virus and closed in March.
