Henderson Avenue News

Henderson Avenue bar The Whippersnapper bids Dallas farewell

Farewell to The Whip.

Photo courtesy of The Whippersnapper

A playful Dallas bar is closing its doors, but not permanently: The Whippersnapper, which has been a staple of the Henderson Avenue hospitality scene, will close on May 3, after nearly a decade. Well, to be more specific: "After 9 years, 3 months, and 6 days." Either way, it's not too shabby by bar standards.

In a farewell note, the owners stated that, while The Whippersnapper was closing, it would be replaced by another concept.

"While this marks the end of an era, it’s not goodbye — it’s a see-you-soon," their note said. "Stay tuned for what’s next as we embark on a new place to Boogie."

"Boogie" … a '70s bar? Disco bar? Motown bar? They do not say.

Dubbed "The Whip," the bar was part of the This and That Hospitality group (Tiny Victories, Ferris Wheelers, Double D’s) and opened at 1806 McMillan Ave., in the former Slip Inn in January 2016 with an irreverent spirit and sense of fun.

It became famous for being one of the first bars in Dallas to execute the themed pop-up takeover, in which a bar changes its name, decor, and menu to take on another temporary identity.

In the case of the Whippersnapper, their pop-ups embraced pop-culture icons such as film and TV — and CultureMap covered every one of them religiously, including Beetlejuice, Barbie, Willie Wonka, Austin Powers, Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, The Simpsons, The Office, and Friends. Themed bar takeovers have since become a regular national trend.

This is not the first establishment that This and That Hospitality is retrofitting: They're doing a similar changeover up at 2401 Henderson Ave., where they previously opened a revival of iconic Italian restaurant Sfuzzi's in 2022.

They shut down Sfuzzi in March 2025, and are replacing it with a new restaurant concept called Hendy's instead.

To mark the final chapter, the Whippersnapper will host going-away parties over the next two weekends: April 25-26, and May 2-3, with the new concept to be revealed at a later date.

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New family-run restaurant brings fresh Latin cuisine to Lakewood Dallas

Photo courtesy of My Dream Latin Cuisine

Meaty platter at My Dream Latin Cuisine.

A new family-owned restaurant called My Dream Latin Cuisine is now open in Dallas' Lakewood neighborhood.

Located at 7260 Gaston Ave., it's in the space that most recently belonged to Las Favela, and before that, Andrea’s Italian for over a decade.

The new concept is from Salvador Gamón, who hails from Zacatecas, Mexico, and has lived in Dallas since 1992. Gamón has an extensive hospitality background that spans three decades. He started his career as a dishwasher and later worked as server and kitchen manager in various local restaurants, including Matt’s Rancho Martinez, Mattito’s, Truluck’s, and Hugo’s Invitados.

As the name of this new spot suggests, it was his dream to open his own restaurant, so he partnered with his brother Hugo and niece Ivette Ipina to make it a reality.

Gamón designed a Latin American menu that reflects his cumulative experience at kitchens around the city, and the influence of his family cooking together in Mexico. The result is a diverse food offering with a focus on fresh ingredients. “Quality is first for us,” Gamón says.

Highlights of their menu include chimichurri rib eye, creamy poblano and shrimp spaghetti, chile relleno, and fire-grilled salmon. Entrees range from $16 to $26.

They also serve a variety of dishes Dallas loves, such as tacos, fajitas, quesadillas, empanadas, enchiladas, and soups and salads. They make their corn tortillas in house.

Their homemade desserts include tres leches cake, flan, churros, and cheesecake, for $9 each.

For lunch, they offer a combo special featuring crispy tacos, enchiladas, and tostadas, for $12 for two items and $14 for three items, served with Mexican rice and beans.

In terms of space, the team essentially repurposed the space that Las Favela left behind, with design elements honoring their Mexican heritage in the tables and walls, and a warm and welcoming vibe that makes diners feel right at home.

They have a bar with a soon-to-be issued alcohol license, and plenty of parking space outside. Hours are 10 am-9 pm daily (closed on Tuesday).

While they are still building their clientele, they have earned early positive reviews.

“So far, we have had only happy customers,” Gamón says. “We host a lot of families; we have something for everybody”.

dallas neighborhood lakewood latin cuisine openings tacos tex-mex