Diners at Winsome Prime in Trinity Groves can enjoy live music in the lounge.
The Real Food Tour / The Real Food Tour
If you hear the words “dinner and a show” and immediately think of dinner and a movie, well, think again. Think bigger. Think “dinner and an unforgettable experience.” Think: supper clubs. But not the supper clubs of yesteryear — rather, this is a new evolution of supper clubs, ones that feature aerial performers, comedy shows, speakeasies within restaurants and more. It’s dinner with a side of escapism.
The concept of a supper club isn’t new. The idea originated during Prohibition, when the desire to canoodle and drink alcohol in secret turned into all-night affairs full of music, dancing and dining. In North Texas, one of the first to debut was Grand Prairie’s Bagdad Supper Club, which opened in 1928 with the largest dance floor in the Southwest. During its heyday, there was room for 450 diners, and the stage hosted numerous notable performers.
Of course, the appeal of dinner and a show didn’t end when the Bagdad closed. Dallas has been home to a variety of supper club-style spots over the years. You may remember Sambuca, a nightclub and restaurant that debuted in Deep Ellum in 1991, relocated to Uptown in 2004, and then eventually closed in 2018 after a mess of building issues and lawsuits were filed against the building’s owners. A couple of other venues have also come and gone — most recently, downtown’s Don’t Tell Supper Club, and the Clover Club in Uptown. But what’s old is new again, and there are several local establishments (already thriving or coming soon) that blur the lines between dining and entertainment for a longer, more interactive experience. And these spots are fully embracing the idea of go bold or go home.
Sand to the Beach is a popular cocktails at Winsome Prime.
The Real Food Tour / The Real Food Tour
Restaurant News
Diners also love Winsome Prime’s chili-glazed shrimp appetizer.
The Real Food Tour / The Real Food Tour
‘Dine, mingle and entertain’
“Our concept is predicated on several themes: dine, mingle and entertain,” says Rob Wright, co-owner of the Trinity Groves restaurant-slash-club Winsome Prime. In addition to the main dining room, “we boast a private speakeasy and separate lounge with nightly live music and eclectic DJs, [where] patrons can dine and vibe in a relaxed setting.”
Head to The Star District in Frisco for “elevated experiential dining” at The Glen, complete with a wide-ranging menu.
Courtesy The Glen
The curated interiors feel luxurious, while the drinks, decor and music selections reference the post-Prohibition era. Black-and-white images of pop culture icons like Frank Sinatra feel at home next to images of Martha Stewart and Snoop Dog; cocktails boast names such as Bonnie & Clyde, A Star is Born and My Last Two Dollars (named for the hit song by blues artist Johnnie Taylor, a former resident of West Dallas). In the lounge, the full menu is served — options range from classic steaks and lobster tail to sushi and vegan dishes — and savored to the sounds of live jazz, neo soul and R&B. “We find our customer base prefers an all-in approach, where they may enjoy a nice dinner and take in entertainment simultaneously,” Wright says.
Post-meal, Winsome Prime’s speakeasy beckons. The lighting is low, with an ambience enhanced by a fireplace, and plush seating invites guests to sip and stay awhile. For a late-night snack, order from the menu of small bites. A DJ spins on select nights; on other evenings, a specialty mix designed just for the speakeasy plays.
Further north, in Frisco, The Glen brings big supper club-style energy to The Star, billing itself as “elevated experiential dining.” That means an occasion that goes beyond a great meal, says Derek Simms, who co-owns the establishment with his wife, Sheree. “It’s about crafting an atmosphere where people feel transported, like they’ve stepped into something a little out of the ordinary,” he notes. “We want guests to walk in and feel a shift in mood, in energy, in how they engage with the night. The lighting, the music, the food, the details on the plate — they all work together to create a full experience. It’s not just dinner; it’s something you remember.”
Aerial artists perform high-flying entertainment at The Glen in Frisco.
Courtesy The Glen
To that end, The Glen is rich, moody, theatrical. The interior is full of lush textures, dramatic florals, ,deep jewel tones and statement lighting. And while the extravagant dishes are certainly a highlight (depending on when you dine, you can nosh on anything from garlic and herb lamb chops and lobster pasta, to oyster flights and lemon-ricotta pancakes), there’s often even more on the menu: fire performers on the patio, aerialists suspended above the crowd, high-energy DJs.
“These moments are unexpected and thrilling,” says Simms. “It’s about layering in surprise and delight in a way that keeps guests fully immersed and present throughout the evening” — or the afternoon; Cirque du Champagne Brunch is a Sunday staple at The Glen, which gets its name from the painting titled “The Monarch of the Glen.” Simms shares, “There’s something timeless and powerful about that image, and we loved the idea of drawing from it. A glen is an ethereal, tucked-away place. … That’s the feeling we wanted the name to evoke.” That painting also inspired the name of the on-site whiskey and cigar lounge, The Monarch Stag, which features a rare collection of whiskeys and bourbons.
The Glen’s champagne cocktail is as luxe to look at as the restaurant’s design.
Courtesy The Glen
There are also new dinner-and-a-show spots headed to Dallas. Delilah, a sexy supper club concept with locations in Las Vegas, West Hollywood and Miami, is opening a location in the Design District. The Roaring ’20s, art deco-style venue will have three private rooms, a private wine cellar, and three stages that will host burlesque performers, live bands and more. The menu will include the restaurant’s Famous Chicken Tenders as well as a large tomahawk steak (the 48-ounce cut at the Vegas restaurant is $350). Of note: Delilah enforces a no-photo policy for diners, so you needn’t worry about social media influencers posing with their food. The restaurant was initially slated to open in 2024, but it’s since been pushed to sometime this year.
And in Uptown, The Oxford Rose was scheduled to open this past spring, but hasn’t as of press time. The restaurant’s website promises a variety of nightly entertainment options, from comedians to acoustic sets, along with dinner, creating an “immersive” experience for each guest.
Blink and you’ll miss it 
Pull up a chair at Nikki Greek Bistro & Lounge on Lovers Lane for mahjong play and live music.
Kathy Tran
The menu at Nikki Greek Bistro & Bar has traditional Greek cuisine with a twist.
Kathy Tran
Rather than center an entire concept around the supper club model, several other Dallas-area establishments are experimenting with limited or one-night-only entertainment. The subterranean speakeasy Bourbon & Banter recently held a three-course dinner paired with a murder mystery, which was very much a dinner-and-a- show sort of event. Catbird, Asian Mint and Nikki Greek Bistro & Lounge all have periodic dinners paired with mahjong lessons or open play. Nikki has also made entertainment part of the restaurant’s concept from the beginning, offering live music sets for late-night diners.
While the idea of blending dinner with entertainment isn’t a new one, it’s clearly making a comeback in the Dallas restaurant scene. Whether it’s permanent or fleeting, only time will tell. Until then, though, when a little whimsy and escape from the everyday are on the table, we’re here for it.