First Look: HIDE Bar, Previously in Deep Ellum, Reopens on Greenville Avenue

HIDE Bar opened in Deep Ellum in 2017 and quickly became a staple, earning many accolades including best new bar from the Observer. It closed in June 2020 during the pandemic and has since resurfaced in another entertainment district: Lower Greenville.

HIDE has taken over the spot that was Eastside Social, a bar and retro arcade. Prior to that, it was the Afghan restaurant Nora, which has since relocated to the Bishop Arts District.

And like the old spot, HIDE 2.0 has a fantastic rooftop patio and the same double cheeseburgers. Admittedly, after seeing photos of that old burger and then learning that it’s only $7 on the Happy Hour menu, compared with $15 on the lunch and dinner menu, we wish we’d timed our visit better. (Happy Hour is 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. Monday through Friday). The burger is a blend of brisket and chuck with American cheese, beer onions and garlic aioli on a brioche bun – add fries for just a buck. The happy hour menu also includes big bowls of garlic rosemary popcorn for $5.

Alas, we showed up for lunch on a Thursday. With its large, plush booths and bright, open space, the downstairs dining room at this new spot is larger and a bit more refined than the previous location. A horseshoe bar sits in the middle of the dining room, and there are some tables outside on the sidewalk in front.

Five golf-ball-sized fried pimento cheese balls were a tasty start ($11). They’re gooey with a pop of heat from bits of jalapeños inside, and they’re served with a side of ranch dressing. Other starters that looked tempting were the TX Egg Rolls ($13), made with chicken and Monterey Jack cheese.

We opted for a fried chicken sandwich instead of a burger ($15). This tall, voluptuous sandwich comes with a mound of slaw that has a great balance of sweet and sour, adding a lot of flavor and texture. Pickles and a housemade Rooster Sauce add more punch, and the chicken was well-seasoned.

We got dirty tots for $3 more as a side that came with a sauce similar to poutine, with bits of bacon, shredded cheddar and jalapeños.

There’s also a pizza section on the menu, with some classics like pepperoni, and not-so-classics like a chicken and hot honey, chicken bacon ranch and a cheeseburger pizza (all $25).

We also had the California Greens ($14) salad loaded with avocado, dates, almonds, goat cheese, corn, and tomatoes and served with a citrus vinaigrette. It was a lovely, fresh salad.

And since we ordered a salad, we deserved to finish off the meal with a well-sauced bread pudding made with bourbon, pears and tangy cranberries.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t check out the rooftop on this visit; it doesn’t open until 3 p.m. When the weather is nice we imagine it’s a great place to hang out, perched up high among the trees with no noisy highways nearby.

HIDE opens at 8 a.m. every day for breakfast, with pancakes, a breakfast plate ($13), granola and yogurt ($12), tacos and a ribeye scramble ($17) among other dishes.

HIDE, 1928 Greenville Ave. 8 a.m. – Midnight Monday – Sunday; Rooftop hours 5 p.m. to Midnight Monday – Thursday; 3 p.m. – Midnight Friday; 11 a.m. – Midnight Saturday and Sunday