Old East Dallas is getting a new spot to linger over cocktails and small bites, as Ritual, a cocktail-forward lounge, gets ready to open on Jan. 22. The bar is moving into the former Alice space at 1623 N. Hall St., keeping the location’s female-forward design while pivoting hard toward “small bites, late nights” and an evening-focused crowd instead of daytime diners.
According to The Dallas Morning News, Ritual will take over the old Alice address at 1623 N. Hall St. with an opening targeted for Jan. 22. Operator Justin Kalhoff will stay involved while first-time bar owners Chris Evans and Cole Howard join the project. Consultant Paul Ramon has put together a cocktail list that stretches from a clear cosmopolitan to a Carajillo that uses Biscoff cookie-infused coffee liqueur. Guests can also expect a vodka drink topped with matcha cold foam, classics such as a gin and tonic and whiskey sour, and four alcohol-free cocktails.
The food program is built to match the drinks, with snacks and shareable plates like beef tartare, savory cheese eclairs and fries, plus larger options that include a New York strip, a lobster roll and a truffle grilled cheese.
Bar Team And Drinks
Ramon also bartends at Mamani, a one-MICHELIN-star restaurant. The MICHELIN Guide lists Mamani with one star, which gives Ritual’s cocktail program some serious pedigree. The team says that does not mean the bar will lean fussy or overly formal. Instead, they are aiming for approachable late-night pours alongside more experimental builds and booze-free options. The menu is being designed to work for both the pre-dinner crowd and night owls looking for a final stop.
Ross Avenue Context
Ritual’s arrival lines up with the ongoing reinvention of Ross Avenue as a dining and nightlife stretch, a shift that local coverage has linked to projects from operators such as Justin Kallhoff and Brian Rutt. Advocate Magazine has highlighted a run of openings and relaunches that have pumped new energy and foot traffic into the area.
For Ritual’s team, many of whom have experience across North Texas bars and restaurants, the Hall Street location offers a built-in neighborhood base along with visitors headed to nearby late-night spots.
Owners plan for Ritual to open on Jan. 22 and operate evenings seven days a week, serving cocktails, nonalcoholic options and a late-night small-plates menu. If everything lands on schedule, Ross Avenue will effectively gain another lounge where the drinks are the star well into the night.
