Mex-Mex News
Upscale Mexican restaurant Jako Cocina to open in Uptown Dallas
Jako Cocina is opening in Uptown.
A polished Mexican restaurant is expanding to Uptown Dallas: Jākö Cocina Y Agave, which first arrived on the DFW scene in 2024, will open at 3301 McKinney Ave. #200, in the high-profile space previously occupied by the Quarter Bar, now closed.
This will be a second Jākö, following the original at The Grandscape in The Colony. According to co-founder Adafel Acosta, they'll open Uptown in mid-November.
"We're excited to debut a new Jākö Cocina Y Agave in such a dynamic location," Acosta says. "We always had the intention of expanding and are looking forward to sharing our unforgettable food and drink with diners in Dallas."
The unforgettable food and drink features authentic Mexican flavors with a South American twist by executive chef José Caballero, a native of Venezuela who previously worked at Michelin-starred restaurants. The menu combines familiar dishes such as birria and enchiladas with a modern take on Mexican gastronomy.
Ceviches are a big theme, such as their Ceviche Mixto, with whitefish and shrimp in a "leche de tigre" citrus marinade. There are upscale starters such as beef-stuffed empanadas, or croquettes with Iberian ham; tacos filled with barbacoa, fried snapper, and pollo al carbon; and the masterpiece picanha a la parilla — Allen Bros. Prime beef with truffle cilantro potatoes.
"Even though we describe the menu as 'elevated Mexican cuisine,' we have a pronounced Caribbean influence," Acosta says.
Cocktails feature a striking visual presentation, with an emphasis on tequila and mezcal, including margaritas in many varieties.
"The Uptown location will keep to the core of what we've done at The Colony that has worked out so well," Acosta says. "The major difference will be that the McKinney Avenue space is smaller, at about 3,200 square feet, so we will not have the division between lounge and restaurant we've had at The Colony. Instead, it will be a 100-percent restaurant environment."
There is one thing Uptown will have that The Colony does not: a patio.
"The space comes with a courtyard, and we are thrilled to have an amenity like that in Uptown," Acosta says.
The Quarter Bar was not in great shape (it supposedly was closing temporarily in January for a remodel which apparently never took place), and Acosta and company have been entrenched in renovation, infusing the space with Jākö's Caribbean-style vibe, evoking the resort town of Tulum. One note: For now, they are taking only the ground floor of the two-story structure; the disposition of the second floor space is still TBD.
One other new feature will be hours: Unlike The Colony, which is open for dinner and brunch only, Jākö in Uptown will serve lunch.
Prior to launching Jākö, Acosta worked for 25 years in the hospitality industry, mostly in hotels such as Virgin. He was part of the group that founded 3ntourage Hospitality, which has a revolving cast of players who've launched multiple concepts around Dallas over the years.
"Thankfully, Jākö has been successful," Acosta says. "This was a beautiful concept put together between two friends, with a goal that everyone else would love the concept, too."
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