Here's a look at new Dallas/Fort Worth eateries, drinking spots, hotels, conference areas, private rooms, and other spaces to open for events this winter. The new and renovated venues are available for corporate parties, weddings, fund-raisers, outdoor functions, business dinners, teambuilding activities, conferences, meetings, and more.
Main Event in Lewisville completed a major renovation in July, with enhancements including remodeled spaces, new audiovisual-equipped party rooms, a 216-inch TV, new dining options, and an expanded bar. The entertainment venue offers an array of fun, from bowling and laser tag to more than 100 interactive and virtual video games. Measuring 58,378 square feet, the facility can hold events for as many as 1,400 guests, and six private rooms are available for smaller groups.
Ferris Wheelers opened in September in the Design District. The fun, casual venue features a 50-foot Ferris wheel (hence the name), an expansive patio, lawn games, and a concert-ready stage. While the 3,000-square-foot interior of the restaurant can seat 96 guests, the 7,000-square-foot outdoor area has space for 500. Pitmaster Doug Pickering’s backyard-barbecue menu includes smoked meats of all kinds, as well as classic sides like cole slaw and potato salad. The bar serves wine, craft beer, and creative cocktails.
Toyota Music Factory, a 16.7-acre, $200-million entertainment and dining complex, opened in Las Colinas in September. The 453,000-square-foot facility includes 25 restaurant and entertainment concepts. The centerpiece is the Pavilion, a 115,300-square-foot indoor/outdoor multipurpose concert venue that can convert from a 2,500-seat theater into a 4,000-seat theater or an 8,000-person open-air amphitheater. The 50,00-square-foot Texas Lottery Plaza is also available to rent for events, and other on-site outlets include Alamo Drafthouse movie theater, Grimaldi’s Coal Brick Oven Pizza, the upscale Violet Room, Yard House restaurant and bar, and Thirsty Lion Gastropub.
The Dallas Arboretum debuted a new space, A Tasteful Place, in October. Specifically designed to promote garden-to-table cuisine, the building offers 180-degree views of the arboretum’s grounds and lagoon, a high-tech demo kitchen, an in-house broadcast video system with live camera feeds, and a sound system with voice lift capabilities. The venue is equipped to hold traditional events as well as cooking classes and demonstrations. Measuring 3,600 square feet, it seats as many as 120 guests for banquets or 200 theater-style, or holds 150 for receptions. In-season vegetables, herbs and flowers grow in the surrounding gardens.
Bottled Blonde Dallas opened in October in Deep Ellum, offering a concept that’s a cross between a classic Italian kitchen and a German biergarten. The 10,000-square-foot, open-air restaurant seats as many as 500 guests and features more than 50 HDTVs and 20-foot projectors. The from-scratch menu spans options from fresh pizza and pasta to sandwiches and brunch items.
Suited for large events, Longhorn Ballroom completed a major renovation in September. Since 1950, the venue has offered an authentic western vibe, and recent updates to the event space include rebuilding its iconic sign, restoring historical elements, and updating the facility overall. The 23,000-square-foot venue in Cedars can accommodate as many as 2,550 people for a reception or 1,200 guests for banquets. Its two-acre outdoor space can be used for music, food, or art festivals, or tented for social or corporate events. Food and beverage needs are handled by Spice of Life Catering. Projectors, screens, and a PA system are available for events.
Newly opened in November 1 in Fort Worth, the 4 Eleven brings new life to a restored warehouse on South Main Street that dates back to the 1920s. The 18,000-square-foot multi-tenant space includes an event venue, a florist, a home furnishings store, and a gourmet popsicle maker, among other local businesses. The event venue can accommodate as many as 420 guests for cocktail-style events, and a flexible floorplan allows for a variety of setups. Additional rentable spaces include a garden patio, a brick-walled courtyard, and a small private room.
Al Biernat’s opened a new location in North Dallas in October, bringing an ambiance that is at once upscale, modern, and energetic. The menu offers elevated steak house options like chateaubriand, wagyu short rib, North Dakota buffalo, and ahi tuna, and an extensive wine list features more than 700 varieties. In total, the venue measures 12,500 square feet and seats 375 guests, including a 600-square-foot private dining room that seats 54, a 500-square-foot private dining room that seats 50, and a 225-square-foot private dining room that seats 16. These event spaces include amenities such as fireplaces, floor-to-ceiling windows, flat-screen TVs, drop-down screens, and projectors.
The CityLine Entertainment District welcomed a new hotel, Aloft Richardson, in September. The 148-room property includes 2,700 square feet of meeting space: the 2,300-square-foot Exchange room holds 200 guests theater-style or 125 classroom-style, while the 400-square-foot Tactic Boardroom seats 18 conference-style or 20 classroom-style. Audiovisual capabilities include LCD projectors, complimentary Wi-Fi access, a built-in sound system, and a 75-inch LCD TV. A patio is also available for use during receptions and events, and catering is provided in-house.
In September, Bar Stellar opened in Knox Henderson. Specializing in craft cocktails, the menu also offers beer, wine, and snack-size dishes like ceviche, lobster mac 'n' cheese, and sliders. The cocktail den was designed to lend itself to social media photo opportunities; a dramatic black and white mural graces the exterior wall, and the interior includes decorative elements reminiscent of the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel. With 2,100 square feet of space inside and an additional 550 square feet outside on the patio, the venue can accommodate 190 guests for cocktail-style events.
