Idle Rye’s Former Space Has a New Beer-Fueled Oyster Bar

A new Deep Ellum bar quietly opened over the weekend in Idle Rye’s former space.

Bitter End just debuted at 2826 Elm Street, replacing the former “new American” eatery, which closed back in November. Bitter End’s owners bought Idle Rye’s name and intellectual property, but decided not to resurrect the restaurant, opting instead to revamp the space as a neighborhood bar and eatery with a completely new menu. Diners will find vibrantly colored pop art in the space and a soon-to-be-installed raw bar for oysters. The space seats 100 indoors and another 60 on a large patio and has more than 20 TVs for game watching.

In addition to oysters, Bitter End serves up pub fare like wings, fish ‘n’ chips, po’ boys, and build-your-own burgers, alongside charcuterie boards, lobster-infused avocado dip, and salads and soups like roasted tomato basil. Drinks include a giant beer list of 55 local brews between the dozen drafts and several dozen cans, signature cocktails, and an “approachable” wine list with sparkling options for oyster pairings. Part-owner Torry Cray came from a notable bar background, having helped open Deep Ellum’s ever-popular Stirr and more recently serving as a food and beverage manager at the Statler Hotel where she was tasked with launching the project’s handful of bars and eateries.

Bitter End is currently in soft opening phase with a grand opening scheduled for the end of this month. Its current hours of operation are Sunday through Thursday 5 p.m. to 12 a.m., Friday and Saturday until 2 a.m. Daily happy hour is from 5 to 7 p.m.