It says it in the name: Tina’s Continental is teeny. This 800-square-foot martini bar just opened on Elm Street, in Dallas’ historic Continental Gin building.
Plenty of superlatives can be used for this brand-new spot. Tina’s Continental is one of the most exciting new restaurants or bars to open in 2023, we said a few months ago. It’s also one of the smallest. It takes up residence in one of Dallas’ oldest buildings, constructed in 1888.
And it shares a foyer with Tatsu, one of Dallas’ finest restaurants — and also one of the smallest.
Tina’s can be accessed from the front of the Continental Gin building, next to Tatsu, or from a big yellow door inside Fiction Coffee, its next-door neighbor.
The bar is inspired by the Lincoln Continental car, late 1970s model. The bar is washed in yellows and moody blues.
“The design is super classic, with real clean lines,” co-owner Elias Pope told The Dallas Morning News a few months ago.
He and partner Sameer Patel are opening a second restaurant at the Continental Gin building, a casual steakhouse called Let’s Ask Keith. The two name their concepts after people in their lives. Keith is Pope’s dad. Tina is the nickname of Patel’s sister.
They also operate HG Sply Co., Leela’s Pizza & Wine, Standard Service, Hero by HG and a newly acquired Rockwall steakhouse named Culpepper. And the company recently opened a Leela’s in Uptown Dallas, near Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse.
Back to Tina’s: The menu focuses on martinis, with the option to build your own or choose one from the menu. Some are throwbacks, like the Appletini or the Grasshopper. Me? I’ll start with the Moody Bleu, a martini with blue cheese-washed vodka, dry vermouth and olive brine.
Tina’s Continental is at 3309 Elm St., Suite 115 (in the Continental Gin building), Dallas. Open 4-11 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.
