Last Call

Longtime Uptown restaurant and watering hole Thomas Avenue Beverage Co. closesits doors

Thomas Avenue Beverage Company was known for its Sunday brunch.
TABC was part of the Uptown scene for nearly 18 years.
Photo by Jonathan Rienstra
Letters posted by lawyers for landlord J. Elmer Turner Realtors noted that TABCand owner Russell Hayward were behind in rent and the lease had beenterminated.
Photo by Jonathan Rienstra
The lease was originally signed on January 24, 1995.
Photo by Jonathan Rienstra

Longtime Uptown restaurant and late-night spot Thomas Avenue Beverage Company has closed. Located at the corner of Thomas Avenue (natch) and Allen Street, TABC was known as much for the food as it was for when the lights went down and the place transformed into a proper bar.

According to signage posted on the window, J. Elmer Turner Realtors locked TABC and owner Russell Hayward out of the building for failure to pay rent. The notice was first sent to Hayward on December 31, 2012.

On January 24, 2013, TABC would have celebrated its 18th birthday in Uptown.

Another sign on the front door, signed by "The Owner," says that TABC is closed until further notice. Attempts to reach Hayward and TABC were not successful.

TABC’s lease dates back nearly 18 years, to January 24, 1995. The restaurant has been a mainstay in Uptown, but in recent months its late-night business has dwindled, at least from this writer’s experience.

TABC was always considered a strong option among the UT, TCU and SMU crowd — especially for those looking for an Uptown option off McKinney Avenue. Many were often alumni of Dallas’ private schools or part of HP Nation. In recent months, however, that crowd began migrating to Mason Bar, which opened in February 2012.

The last few times we stopped by TABC on the weekend, there was hardly anyone in there — a far cry from the packed throngs that used to frequent it just this summer.

Hayward also owns the recently opened Ascension Coffee in the Design District.

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Ice Rink News

Holiday restaurant pops up at CultureMap City Rink in downtown Dallas

Ashley Gongora

Hot chocolate at Rudolph's Rinkside Cafe

There's a hot new holiday restaurant now open in a cool spot in downtown Dallas: Called Rudolph's Rinkside Cafe, it's a dining pop-up located at the first-ever CultureMap City Rink, presented by Verizon, at Main Street Garden in downtown Dallas.

The cafe is a partnership between DRG Concepts, the Dallas-based restaurant group behind Wicked Butcher, Wild Salsa, and Chop House Burger; Downtown Dallas, Inc. (DDI); and CultureMap Dallas to celebrate the season with a culinary activation that serves rinkside food and drinks.

Located in the center of Main Street Garden at 1902 Main St., the ice rink will be open from November 26 through January 5, 2026. A Tree Lighting Ceremony marked the official grand opening on November 28. Rudolph's Rinkside Cafe brings DRG’s signature hospitality outdoors with a warm, inviting café serving freshly made churros, Mexican hot chocolate, tacos, nachos, and chips & queso — the perfect fare for skaters and families coming to downtown to enjoy the holidays.

“Downtown Dallas has always been at the center of our story,” says DRG Concepts CEO Nafees Alam in a statement. “With Rudolph’s Rinkside Café, we’re extending our love of downtown into an open-air fun activation of our culinary — combining food, community, and celebration in the heart of the city. Partnering with Downtown Dallas Inc. and CultureMap Dallas allows us to create an experience that’s festive, approachable, and unmistakably Dallas."

Food and drink

The full menu of food and drink at Rudolph's includes:

Sips: Eggnog, Hot Chocolate, Spiced Cider, Sodas
Snacks: Kettle Chips, Nachos, Queso
Savory Bites: Chicken Sliders, Tacos (Chicken, Beef, Breakfast)
Sweets: S'mores, Churros

An adjoining cocktail hut (for guests 21-and-up) called the Apres Chalet featuring Shiner Spirits and FLIGHT by Yuengling resides next to the rink, with outdoor lounge seating around solo stove heaters and warm string lights.

Special holiday-themed cocktails include:

Holiday Mule: Ginger mule + Shiner Moonshine + Cranberry Juice
Holiday Screwdriver: Shiner Vodka + Orange Juice + Splash Grand Marnier
Holiday Mimosa: Cranberry Juice + Lamarca
Cinnamon Cider: with Shiner Cinnamon Moonshine
Boozy Coffee or Hot Chocolate with Irish Coffee: Coffee + Jameson + Brown Sugar syrup
Peppermint Patty: Hot Chocolate + Peppermint Schnapps + Whipped cream + Peppermint Stick

Classic cocktails include a Moonshine Margarita with Shiner Moonshine, Agave Nectar, Lime, and Orange mixer; Old Fashioned with Cinnamon Shiner Corn Whiskey; Lavender Rose Collins with Shiner Vodka and Shine Gin; Espresso Martini with Shiner Vodka; and Ginger Mule, also with Shiner Vodka.

There's also wine by the glass including One White Sauvignon Blanc and One Red Cabernet Wine; beer by Yuengling including Yuengling Lager and Light Lager; plus Ready-to-Drink beverages such as Ranch20 Tequila Variety and High Noon Vodka Variety.

Beyond the rink, DRG Concepts will activate its downtown restaurants including Wicked Butcher, Wild Salsa, and Chop House Burger with limited-edition menu items, warm-up cocktails, and “show-your-skate-ticket” specials available throughout the season.

DRG Concepts will also be collecting donations for Toys for Tots at Rudolph’s Rink Side Café and at all dining locations.

Downtown Dallas, Inc. President & CEO Jennifer Scripps says that "together, we’re turning Main Street into a connected experience for Holiday 2025 — where people can skate, dine, explore, and enjoy the city’s holiday magic all in one place."

Ashley Gongora

Hot chocolate at Rudolph's Rinkside Cafe

downtown dallas holidays city rink