Joel Morales, who runs The Peak Inn in East Dallas as well as Adair’s Saloon in Deep Ellum, said the Peak Inn was “shaken,” with 3 inches of water in the building from front to back. Morales hopes it won’t close at all, “but probably one day,” he said. Adair’s was OK, he said, but it was rough for a while. “If it rains moderately hard, it usually comes on the downhill slope at the back door. But we also have a sump pump and sandbags, so it was covered. A little water started to get into the front door, which I’ve only seen twice in 20-plus years.” Tracy Miller, chef-owner at the Local restaurant on Elm Street, said the restaurant’s front entrance was flooded Monday morning. The water receded quickly, but leaves and dirt still littered the front wooden floor of the dining room. At Expo Park, Shad Kvetko of the Las Almas Rotas bar said he and his business partner were assessing the flood damage. Some water got in but not enough to close the restaurant. But nearby, the dining room at Tarantino’s Cicchetti Bar and Record Lounge on Parry Avenue had about 6 inches of water, but it had all receded by about 10 a.m., owner Peter Tarantino said. Tarantino said he will have to replace all the carpets and rugs in the living room area and that some of the trays have been damaged, but the furniture may be salvageable. “Hopefully by Thursday we’ll be able to open the bar with some snacks,” he said. “I don’t give up easily.” He adds that the infrastructure in the area needs work and the buildings are old. Tarantino lives in an apartment nearby and said he initially couldn’t walk away. “Exhibition Avenue turned into a river,” he said. “I couldn’t leave my apartment. I looked out the window, and it was just a flowing river. Same thing in Parry Avenue.” Tarantino has been on a “roller coaster” since signing a lease for the restaurant in 2019, he said. Delayed to open in 2020 due to the pandemic, it finally opened in 2021. The restaurant was then hit by plumbing, labor, staff members falling ill with COVID-19 and inflation. The restaurant had recently closed temporarily because construction at the Music Hall in Fair Park led to fewer meals. “I’m trying to open my doors again and then this happens. It’s just one monster after another,” Tarantino said. “The restaurant industry needs a break. I’ve seen more chaos in the last two years than in my entire life.” On Cedar Springs Road, Alexandre’s Bar declared a “severe weather emergency.” An Instagram post said: “With entrance to Oak Lawn impassable, only local workers allowed to work today if safe. This means our kitchen will not be open today. We will monitor the current weather situation and keep you updated. Please don’t drive unless you have to and never cross moving or even small inches of water on the road.” In Oak Cliff, Xaman Cafe posted a video on Instagram of employees mopping up water from the floor and walking out the front door and said it would be “closed until further notice” and wait for the rain to subside. Freelance writer Amanda Albee contributed to this report.
