Ruby Rodeo, a neon-draped cocktail bar and live-music room on the Denton Square, quietly soft-opened last Friday and is riding toward a grand opening next Friday. The upstairs venue leans into modern-Western style, disco-tinted lighting and a compact lineup of flatbreads, bruschetta and chicken wings, paired with a small stable of signature cocktails. Owners say the plan is to bring late-night foot traffic back around the courthouse block, with a sister restaurant set to operate on the floor below. Early soft-service nights through the first week of April have served as a low-key shakedown cruise for the menu and staffing ahead of the bigger debut.
What to expect
The bar is running a tight menu of bar bites alongside a cocktail list that includes a Raspberry-Champagne Pink Pony and a chocolate Old-Fashioned dubbed the Rancher's Nightcap, according to Community Impact. The outlet reports Ruby Rodeo held a soft opening on April 3 and mapped out additional soft-service nights leading up to its live-music grand opening. Co-owner Victor Garcia told the paper the team expects to host live acts roughly twice a week, giving Denton a fresh upstairs listening room to fold into its nightlife rotation.
Location and contact
Ruby Rodeo operates from a storefront on the Denton Square, with contact details and hiring information posted on its official site. The venue's site pitches the concept as where "boots meet disco ball" and lists a phone number for reservations and staffing inquiries, per Ruby Rodeo.
Owners and downtown support
Public filings place the project at 122 N. Locust under Mister Red LLC, with Mike Church and Victor Garcia listed as applicants in city documents, according to City of Denton records. Committee notes outline facade and accessibility work and cite a projected project cost of roughly $102,137, along with a $50,000 grant request tied to the rehab. That backing helped clear the way for building upgrades that now house the Ruby Rodeo bar upstairs and the planned restaurant buildout below.
Downstairs plans and next steps
Downstairs, the owners are developing Red: Italian, which is advertising a May opening and a rotating seasonal menu on its website, per Red: Italian. Community Impact identifies Denise Fullmer as the executive chef and notes the team expects the restaurant to follow Ruby Rodeo's launch. Together, the two stories are set up to deliver a late-night cocktail room upstairs and full dinners below.
For the grand opening next Friday, the crew is lining up a DJ and at least one live act, with the early April soft nights serving as a final dress rehearsal. If the initial bookings and signature drinks connect, Ruby Rodeo and its downstairs counterpart could give the Square a fresh late-night pulse this year.
