The First JOEY Restaurant Arrives in NorthPark Center, A New York-Style Martini Bar With Bagels Opens on Ross, and More Dallas Restaurant News

The Dallas dining scene is forever evolving. To help you stay in the know, we’ve gathered the buzziest openings, the unfortunate closures, and any other food news we might find fitting. The Dallas Dish is your weekly helping of need-to-know North Texas restaurant news — and will hopefully point you in the direction of your next great reservation.

The Latest Dallas Restaurant News to Know

An upscale martini and tequila lounge is opening in East Dallas this week.

Founded by Brian Rutt, Justin Kallhoff, and Jonathan Rosenberg (co-owners of the nearby Pan-Asian concept Alice), Columbian Country Club opens in the former Bar and Garden space on Ross Avenue on Friday, December 22. The New York-style martini and tequila lounge is inspired by the original Columbian Country Club, a historic Jewish country club that opened in Dallas in 1891 and closed in 2008. Designed by Wallace Johnson Studio, the new space features salvaged decor from the original club, along with “elegant carpet, dimmed lighting, plush seating, and timeless decor meant to transport guests to an era of opulence.”

A live pianist is often on hand to complement martinis, cocktails, and small bites. A DJ will follow on Thursday through Saturday evenings and an old-school dance floor will be available. As for the drink menu, a few highlights include The CC Martini with vodka or gin, vermouth, and orange bitters, an espresso martini, apple martini, The Pink Lady with gin, apple, lemon, and pomegranate, and the Columbian Margarita — made with Aguasol Repo, Grand Marnier, and passionfruit caviar.

A menu of small bites includes caviar, Cobb Deviled Eggs (the historic club was known for its Cobb salad), a classic club sandwich called Nonnie’s Doozie, and parmesan bagels. The new spot will be open until 2 am on Thursday through Saturday.

A new dinner theater experience opens at Toyota Music Factory.

From the owner of Sambuca jazz bar (Kim Forsythe), The Rayleigh Underground has opened at Irving’s Toyota Music Factory. It’s an immersive dinner theater experience that “blends ancient amphitheater design inspiration with modern technology.” The 38,000-square-foot venue is located beneath Live Nation Pavilion’s lawn and features indoor/outdoor dining spaces on two levels, six bars, and three private dining spaces. Live performances such as concerts, comedy shows, and speakers will take place at the venue along with a Pacific Rim-inspired dining experience.

The menu features bao buns, salads, soups, steak, fish, and appetizers like kimchi flatbread, crab rangoon dip, and tuna tartare. For drinks, guests will also find cocktails with Thai, Hawaiian, East Indian, and more flavors. A few highlights include a Thai Strawberry Basil Lemonade, Boba Fizz, Violet Empress, and Japanese Highball.

The first Dallas location of a Canadian dining concept debuts at NorthPark Center in January.

Opening on January 18, 2024, JOEY is the first of three new Dallas locations from the Canadian hospitality group, Joey Restaurants. NorthPark Center is getting the company’s flagship location, which will take over the former Seasons 52 space. It’s a modern American concept serving globally-inspired cuisine such as steak, sushi, bowls, and burgers. Signature items include the JOEY Classic Steak, Seared Salmon Sushi, and Sake-Glazed Chilean Sea Bass.