Las Vegas News

Vegas celeb hotspot Drai's expands to Dallas with Design District spinoff

Drai's Dallas straight from Vegas.

Courtesy rendering

An over-the-top concept from Las Vegas dripping with celebrity cachet is coming to Dallas: Drai's Group will open Drai's Dallas, a restaurant-lounge-and-membership club concept that originated on the Las Vegas Strip in Dallas' Design District.

According to a release, it'll debut in late 2024.

Drai's was founded in Los Angeles in 1993 by Victor Drai. He opened Drai’s Restaurant and After hours in Las Vegas in 1997 then Drai’s Nightclub and Beachclub in 2016.

In addition to food and drink, the venue also hosts performers such as The Weeknd and Chris Brown.

Overseeing Drai's execution in Dallas will be GAP Concepts, headed by Veeral Rathod and Obi Ibeto, whose portfolio includes local hotspots Lyla, PostScript HTX, and XOXO Dining Room.

Drai’s Dallas will offer a precisely curated French-inspired dining experience coupled with cabaret style entertainment.

Victor's son Dustin, and Drai's Group VP of Entertainment, graduated from SMU and says in a statement that he fell in love with the vibrancy of the city.

"I always told myself that one day I would be back," Dustin says. "I’ve been friends with Obi for years and I knew he would be the best partner to bring a concept from Las Vegas and infuse it with the authenticity Dallas is known for."

"With Dallas’ unmatched hospitality scene, sense of community and culture, we look forward to bringing a taste of Las Vegas to Dallas," Dustin says.

Design
Envisioned by Victor Drai, design will take a cue from the Drai’s After Hours in Las Vegas, embodying the signature look and feel that brand devotees love and adore with rich hues, tufted lounge furniture and signature decor. Architect Arnie Martinez Jr. and designer Christy Coleman of Leo A Daly will work alongside Drai to create the design.

Upon entering the newly built 15,000 square foot complex, guests will discover an upscale supper club with French-inspired cuisine. At the center of the dining room, a stunning performance stage will spotlight cabaret-style live entertainment. With Frank Sinatra as its muse, the venue will feel like a beloved classic yet completely state-of-the-art with contemporary touches. The four corners of the room will be adorned with a palm motif, and floral-inspired stadium-seating will lead to unparalleled views of the stage. The Supper Club will be the ultimate date night in Dallas, featuring sultry entertainment and an inspired cocktail program.

A private members lounge will offer small bites and classic cocktails within an intimate speakeasy-style lounge, showcasing Drai’s signature crimson color palette. Members will immediately recognize the iconic design elements from the original Drai’s After Hours lounge in Las Vegas. Drai’s Dallas will offer a limited number of Founding Memberships that offer a suite of VIP benefits for the upcoming Drai’s Dallas as well as Drai’s Las Vegas, including priority reservations and special invite-only events.

"I've always been fascinated by the intersection of food, music, and culture," said Victor Drai. "With Drai's Dallas, I wanted to create a space where people could come together to enjoy all three in a way that's never been done before."

For concept information, design renderings and membership applications, please visit www.draisdallas.com.

trends nightlife openings

Where to Drink

Where to drink in Dallas right now: 5 best new happy hours

Whiskey Cake

Whiskey Cake has cocktails, food, and the inevitable hand with a manicure.

Maybe because it's fall or maybe because we're just lucky, but it's an especially rich time right now for happy hour offerings, with five spots that have either just debuted new happy hours (or are about to debut). There's a chef take at a restaurant-bar on Greenville Avenue; a fun music bar in Bishop Arts; a chance to sneak into a upscale steakhouse in a Dallas high-rise; and a restaurant-bar overlooking a tranquil golf course in Frisco.

Here's five hot new happy hours for our latest installment of Where to Drink:

Quarter Acre
Greenville Avenue restaurant has a new “Garden Hour” happy hour program Tuesday-Friday from 5-6:30 pm on the patio or at the bar, featuring snacks, three for $11, such as the Watermelon Bite, Crispy Pork Belly with avocado whip and sour lime, Half Shell Oyster with kiwi bubbles and rosé mignonette, and Mushroom Croquette with goat cheese. Select cocktails are $8 including the Front Deck Spritz with Aperol, passionfruit, and bubbles; and Bumble Bee’s Knees with Ford’s Gin, honey, and lemon. Three bottles of wine are $40: Pierre Sparr “Brut” Cremant d’Alsace, Mahua Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2022, or Black Cottage Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2021.

Revelers Hall
New Orleans-style bar in Bishop Arts has a new summer happy hour Monday-Friday from 4-7 pm, with good deals: half-price food, $6 wines, $5 well drinks, and $4 beers. They also have live music daily, featuring a variety of genres including jazz, bebop, Cumbia, and Latin jazz. Plus indoor and outdoor seating, and now is the time of year for that.

Ryder Cup Grille
Restaurant-bar at the Omni PGA Frisco Resort — one of 13 restaurants and bars at the resort — has a new happy hour with postcard-worthy views overlooking the Fields Ranch golf courses. It's an early one, running Monday-Friday from 2-5 pm and includes some domestic beers for $6, house wines for $10, and Ranch Water for $13. Food specials include Parmesan fries ($7), a guacamole and salsa flight ($9), chicken tenders with Buffalo sauce, Deep Ellum blue cheese dressing, and ranch ($11), nachos with brisket and refried beans ($12), and Cobb salad ($12).

SER Steak & Spirits
Steakhouse on the 27th floor of the Hilton Anatole has a Social Hour Tuesday-Thursday from 5-6:30 pm with $10 cocktails, $10 wines by the glass. A new bar menu features oysters, beef tartare, and gochujang chicken, priced from $9 to $23. They also have two new cocktails: Fall Berry Bush with tequila, Chambord, lime, rosemary, and sage; and a boozy lemonade with vodka, lavender, dill, lemon juice, and soda water.

Whiskey Cake
A new $7 Social Hour begins September 26, and runs Monday-Friday 3-6 pm with cocktails like the Old Fashioned, Margarita, Daiquiri, and a CYOM (create your own martini) with vodka or gin, clean or dirty, wet or dry, shaken or stirred, with a twist of lemon or olives, all for $7. House wines are also $7 and beers are $5. A menu of bar bites includes Wagyu corn dogs, BBQ spiced pork rinds, and blue cheese kettle chips.

cocktails nightlife Where to Drink