Rodeo Cold bar moseys into East Dallas with '70s Texas twang

There's a yee-haw dive bar coming to old east Dallas from a team of seasoned players: Called Rodeo Cold, it's at 3826 Ross Ave., in the former Eastbound & Down space, where it's anticipated to open in late December.

Rodeo Cold is a sibling of Green Light Social, the Austin-born nightlife venue which opened off Good Latimer Freeway in 2021 from owners Robert Dummond and Ian Fletcher, who've partnered with Ian’s brother Eric Fletcher.

While Green Light Social is a lively destination, Rodeo Cold will be smaller in scale, Ian says -- a place that can serve as a local hangout for residents who occupy the many new apartment buildings that have cropped up along Ross Avenue.

"We're in walking distance for a lot of people and we want to be a neighborhood bar that's respectful to the area and embraces the neighborhood," Ian says.

“We love the area," Eric says, "We are in between Good Latimer, Knox Henderson, Greenville, and Deep Ellum — this is a sweet spot for us."

Their vision is a bar with a late '70s/early '80s vibe plus a little Texas Western color thrown in — inspired by Eric and Ian’s dad, Stan, who worked at the first Chili’s on Greenville Avenue in the 1970s. The name comes from an expression Stan used often, referring to temperate of a beer sitting in an ice chest all day while the rodeo is ongoing. (Although they are busy on Instagram creating a myth by posting various definitions of "rodeo cold" such as "A street smart sharp dressed cowboy, tough, or roustabout that knows how to handle himself when things go south.")

They'll have a basic menu designed by Green Light Social Chef Luis Ayala, with American classics such as steak fingers with gravy, Texas chili, burgers, hot dogs, and Frito pies.

"Our focus is the comforting aspect of food, but with Wagyu meat and fresh ingredients," Drummond says. "We are also having a little State Fair-style fun with dishes like corn nuggets, corn dogs, and deep-fried oatmeal cream pie."

They'll round out the menu with healthier options like salads and veggie plates.

The bar menu will include carbonated frozen drinks such as a prickly pear margarita and The Porchlight, a boozy sweet tea-based drink served in a frosted jug and lit from the bottom for an Instagrammable effect. They'll also feature one of the staples at Green Light Social: ready-to-drink cocktails such as a Paloma in a Jarritos grapefruit bottle, and Ranch Water in a Topo Chico bottle, as well as RTD specials such as spiked Doctor Pepper and Big Red.

Their goal is to be an inclusive bar that offers a range of options for the very diverse neighborhood, says manager JR Teamah, who relocated from Austin to open the new place.

"Bringing awesome customer service is what we are looking to do, we value ourselves in throwing a daytime party, in a fun atmosphere," Teamah says.

They'll open in phases, sarating with the 2,000-square-feet interior and large backyard, followed by an additional turfed-out outdoor area, with a stage and mini amphitheater for entertainment. Diversions will include sports on TV and a game area with ping pong and bean bags, plus chili cookoffs and other events down the road.