A vibey new cocktail bar that brings together decades of bar expertise will soon open its doors in East Dallas. Called Ritual, it will open at 1623 N. Hall St., taking over the space formerly occupied by the restaurant Alice.
The sophisticated new lounge is a collaboration between Justin Kalhoff, a self-described Dallas hospitality veteran who’s spent nearly 20 years behind the bar at local watering holes like The Standard Pour and Black Swan Saloon, and Chris Evans, formerly of Green Light Social. Cole Howard, former manager of Hendy’s on Henderson and partner in Komodo Dallas, is also involved in the project.
The trio tapped Dallas-based bar consultant Paul Ramon, who was named a Top 50 World Class U.S. Bartender in 2022, to develop the menu for Ritual, which will focus on “elevating classic profiles with modern textures,” according to a release. To that end, drinkers can look forward to cocktails like the Two Tone, finished with matcha cold foam; and a Carajillo infused with the familiar warm spice flavor of a Biscoff cookie.
The menu will also boast a full list of non-alcoholic “Elixirs,” in an effort to emphasize “intentionality and inclusivity.”
Though Ritual will mostly focus on its cocktail program, it will also serve a menu of “complementary” small plates to go alongside, in keeping with its philosophy of “late night, small bites.”
The lineup of dishes on offer ranges from smoked beets in hibiscus dressing to savory eclairs topped with a parmesan crisp. More indulgent dishes, like carbonara made with maple-infused guanciale, will also be on the menu.
“Our goal is for Ritual to be a staple in the greater Dallas community’s hospitality experiences, whether it’s for happy hour, dinner, drinks after work, or late nights,” Kalhoff says in the release.
To transform the space formerly known as Alice into Ritual, the restaurant’s dining room was opened up to bring in more natural light to accentuate its features, including an exposed brick wall. A rendering of the bar posted to its Instagram account shows moody, dimly lit interiors, with a tiled bar, plus warm lighting throughout to accentuate the earthy tones used throughout the space. A neon sign mounted to a large mirror and hung behind the bar reminds patrons to “stop and smell the roses.”
It’s also likely that Ritual’s bathroom will soon become a top selfie destination in East Dallas. The partners tapped artist Leah Kirsch to design a graffiti-style mural of 10 motivational quotes — including “You’re her, act like it” and “Be your own muse” — that are painted in a repeating pattern all over the bathroom. (Kirsch is also the mind behind that aforementioned neon sign, commissioned especially for Ritual.)
Ritual is expected to open sometime in January. When it does, it will operate from 4 pm-2 am daily.