We're going to miss the fish tacos at La Tiki Paisa.
Lauren Drewes Daniels
Audio By Carbonatix
If we can all get past the allergies, patio season is among us, which means many of our favorite local restaurants survived the slowest months of the year. But not all of them.
Last month, we lost eight (or more) local restaurants that lasted anywhere from eight months to more than 50 years.
We hope the legit izakaya, long-time chicken spot, beloved Deep Ellum bar, acclaimed local tasting menu and others can pass their torches to the next wave of small businesses we can rave about.
Until then, these are the Dallas restaurants that closed in February.
Biggest Restaurants Closings, February 2026
- Mr. Max Izakaya
800 N. Coit Road (Richardson)
Facebook user Mike Perry said he couldn’t believe this wasn’t a hit because it was one of the top 10% of Asian restaurants in Dallas, and we have to agree. Mr. Max was one of the only true izakaya experiences in Dallas, and lucky for us all, the Irving location will still be open. Just make sure you have a reservation. The line starts early, and it’s only open for dinner. - Rudy’s Chicken
3115 S. Lancaster Road
Rudy’s has been serving some of the city’s favorite chicken since 1975. The line that spilled onto Lancaster Road was telling enough as to how much this spot will be missed.
Lauren Drewes Daniels
- Pour House Dallas
1300 W. Davis St.
Pour House Dallas (PhD) is another locally owned spot that is biting the dust this month. This staple for catching any sporting event poured its last brew on Saturday, Feb. 28. - Sauvage
1914 Commerce St.
Sauvage was the conclusion to Amy and Casey La Rue’s restaurant saga in Dallas. First was Carte Blanche, the bakery by day and fine-dining restaurant by night. When that closed, the bakery side was reborn through La Rue Doughnut. The dining side was brought to life last fall as Sauvage, and now it’s closing after barely eight months. There is still time to get in there. Reservations are available until Saturday, March 21. They set a very high bar for dining in Dallas, and it’s a shame to see them close, but luckily, we still have their doughnuts. That is a saving grace. - Panther Island Brewing
501 N. Main St. (Fort Worth)
The craft brewing scene has been struggling to stay above water ever since Gen Z made being sober cool. So despite being Cowtown’s favorite brewery, Panther Island Brewing closed after 11 years. It didn’t offer any specific reason for the closure, but the reports don’t lie. - La Tiki Paisa
5801 E. Northwest Highway
You mean to tell us you didn’t know about the best damn fish tacos Dallas had to offer? Damn. This spot inside the Half Price Books on Northwest highway will be missed, but at least the bakery and cafe, La Casita, is still going strong. - Maht Gaek Plano
151 W. Spring Creek Parkway
According to D Magazine, Maht Gaek’s Plano location closed rather dishonestly last month. They stated it was for plumbing issues, but it was actually because the restaurant scored 29 out of 100 on its health inspection score. The score is telling enough, and without getting into the nitty-gritty, there was a concerning lack of handwashing, no cleaning schedule for the kitchen and foam sealant holding the exterior of a pot together. - Dot’s Hophouse and Courtyard
2645 Commerce St.
After a decade in Deep Ellum, this staple watering hole is closing. There wasn’t a specific reason as to why it closed, other than it was time, but ongoing issues in the neighborhood are a strong possibility, as is the objective truth that our local restaurants are suffering while people spend $29 on below-average chicken tenders.
