Marlowe Brings a Late-Night Lounge to Uptown Dallas
Uptown Dallas has plenty of places to eat and a few places to dance, but the hours in between have been thin. Marlowe is built for them. The lounge is now open at 2912 McKinney Avenue, Wednesday through Saturday from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., and it’s meant to read differently at 7 than it does at 1.
The address will be familiar to Uptown regulars. It was most recently Theory Nightclub. The team’s motto is “The Evening Is Our Craft,” a bigger promise than most bars make, and it falls to Alon Abramov, the Dallas hospitality entrepreneur behind the project, to back it up. Thomas Menaitreau, who has worked in Michelin-recognized kitchens, handles day-to-day operations as operating partner and general manager.
You enter under a grand arch, and curved walls and sculpted alcoves divide the room into smaller pockets. Duncan Design Group drew on Art Deco and cinematic design: marble and antique mirror along the bar, brass detailing, velvet seating. The stage sits at the center of the room rather than in a corner, and the lighting changes as the night goes on. An enclosed glass-and-brass patio, built in a repeating arch the team calls birdcage-inspired, extends the space.
Then there’s the penguin, which turns up across Marlowe’s branding. Abramov and his wife, Cara, often take their son to the Dallas Zoo, where he loves the penguins, and Abramov kept coming back to the animal while he built the concept. A bird that looks dressed for black tie and behaves as if it’s in on the joke is, as it happens, a fair description of the room.
Beverage director Kyle Buckelew, who previously worked at Delilah Dallas, runs a list that respects the classics and then wanders off. The Sub Zero Martini is the anchor, built with Belvedere vodka, bianco and dry vermouth, and umami and orange bitters. The Espresso Dulce, with salted caramel vodka, dulce de leche and Demerara, riffs on a drink Dick Bradsell first shook up around 1983 at the Soho Brasserie in London. Breakfast Club makes a brown butter-washed rum taste like common sense, with crème de banane, maple orgeat and lime. Tokyo Hi-Fi goes stranger, pairing toasted sesame-infused Japanese whisky with toasted rice.
The group drinks have a long pedigree. Punch reached England by the 1630s and was built for the table, ladled from one shared bowl. Marlowe’s versions are Something to Take the Edge Off, a dirty vodka martini service for up to four with Caesar salad and fries, and Spill the Tea, which turns the High Tea cocktail into a tea service for the table.
Chef Vidal Cantu comes over from Gemma, the Henderson Avenue bistro with a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and cooks without seed oils across the entire menu. Start with the mini bourekas, $30, filled with potato and finished with caviar and brown butter aioli. The Lil’ Schnitz is a wink at schnitzel: crispy, thinly sliced chicken breast with three sauces. Chicken or beef skewers, $22, come off a hot charcoal grill. For something more serious there’s cappelletti in brodo with braised short rib, and a yellowfin tuna crudo with watermelon gazpacho. Tiramisu, $10, is the last word.
The kitchen also commissioned ceramic pieces from Marcello Andres, a Dallas ceramic artist who works out of a studio in the city. Music programming director Garrett Swain, known locally as DJ Zillamatic, shapes the sound so it rises with the lighting and the crowd. It’s an Uptown bet that people still want a night that unfolds, and that they’ll stay for all of it. You can reserve a table at Marlowe and follow the room on Instagram to see what’s on each night.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Marlowe located?
Marlowe is at 2912 McKinney Avenue, Dallas, TX 75204, in the Uptown neighborhood.
What are Marlowe’s hours?
Marlowe is open Wednesday through Saturday from 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. It is closed Sunday through Tuesday.
How do I make a reservation at Marlowe?
Reservations are available through Marlowe’s website at marlowelounge.com, which links to its online reservation system. A public phone number has not been listed, so the website is the best way to book.
Is Marlowe a restaurant or a bar?
Marlowe is an evening lounge that blends the two. It serves cocktails, a menu of light bites and a late-night atmosphere built around music and performance.
Is Marlowe’s food made without seed oils?
Yes. Marlowe’s entire culinary menu is prepared without seed oils.
What are Marlowe’s signature cocktails?
Signature drinks include Breakfast Club, Stacy’s Mom, Tokyo Hi-Fi, Espresso Dulce and the Sub Zero Martini. Large-format options include Something to Take the Edge Off and Spill the Tea.
Does Marlowe have live music?
Yes. Music is central to the experience, with performance-driven moments led by music programming director Garrett Swain and a stage at the center of the room.
Is there a dress code at Marlowe?
Marlowe’s website includes a dress code page, so check marlowelounge.com for the current policy before you go.
Where can I park near Marlowe?
Marlowe has not published parking details. Ride-share is a practical option on McKinney Avenue, especially late at night, and the website is the place to confirm current arrangements.
What is Marlowe’s official website?
Marlowe’s official website is marlowelounge.com, and the lounge is on Instagram at @marlowelounge.