The 7,700-square-foot restaurant comes from This and That Concepts, which also owns High Fives, Tiny Victories, Ferris Wheelers and the Whippersnapper. This and That is hoping to find a balance between catering to AAC-goers and enticing Dallasites looking for another patio where they can sip cocktails and eat burgers.
"This was the selling point for us, honestly," This and That's Brandon Hays said of the breezy new patio, with ample table and lounge seating and a full bar. "There's so much energy around the arena — we want to create this whole pep rally on the patio situation."
Inside the bar, with its entire front wall made of windows, you'll find a large bar, table and lounge-type seating and a to-go window that opens right onto the street. Eventually, Hays says, Dibs will sell snacks like churros, snow cones and frozen bananas through the window to passers-by.
On the food menu, Dibs keeps it simple: burgers, wings, sandwiches and shareable dishes like nachos, fried pretzels, guacamole and queso. Many dishes are meant to be prepared — and consumed — quickly.
"We're not fully catering to the arena, but we’ve got to be able to feed them, too," Hays says. "There are 100 events a year at the AAC, and when those happen, people want to eat and drink quickly."
To that end, you'll find numerous TV screens all over Dibs, which almost give it a sports bar vibe but without jerseys hanging on the walls or announcers drowning out conversation.
"We stayed away from sports memorabilia and over-tchotchke-ing the place," Hays says. "It’s still just us trying to have a good time."
Dibs has a small beer menu and wine by the bottle or glass, along with a cocktail menu of mostly sweet-leaning cocktails like the Gin Diesel ($13), made with Aviation gin, Italicus, lime, simple syrup and lavender bitters. Dallas, in its fervent adoration of all things Moscow mule, is likely to fawn over the strawberry mule ($10), a salmon-colored cocktail made with Bacardi Cuatro, strawberry, lime, simple syrup, ginger beer and mint.
Dibs will open for happy hour and dinner to start but will eventually add weekend brunch, Hays says. The bar will also host DJs on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
The Gin Diesel ($13), made with Aviation gin, Italicus, lime, simple syrup and lavender bitters
Beth Rankin
Dibs is aiming higher than just catching AAC overflow, but it's hard to argue against the convenience — or appeal — of sipping a strawberry mule on the patio before or after a night at the AAC. Either way, Dibs brings another new element to Victory Park, a neighborhood that seems to finally be coming into its own.
Dibs on Victory, 2401 Victory Park Lane (Victory Park).
