Neighborhood Guide

The Cedars, just south of downtown Dallas.

Directly south of downtown, separated by I-30 but connected by DART, streetcar, and a flat street grid. Roughly 580 acres along South Ervay, Botham Jean Boulevard, and South Harwood — Dallas’s first residential neighborhood, now home to some of the new construction apartments in Dallas.

The Cedars neighborhood near The Marcus — South Dallas street scene
Since 1870

A storied neighborhood, coming back.

Dallas’s first true residential neighborhood. Development began in the 1870s after the railroads. By the 1880s it was home to the city’s most prominent families — the Sanger brothers built Victorian mansions, and Herbert Marcus Sr. lived here when Stanley was born in 1905. City Park, established 1876, was the gathering place.

Decline came with factories pushing south, wealthy families moving to Highland Park, and I-30 severing the Cedars from downtown in the 1960s. Revival began in the 1980s with Bennett Miller converting blighted buildings into artist lofts. Jack Matthews’ South Side on Lamar in 2000 was the watershed. More than $200M has been invested over two decades.

Stanley Marcus mural at 2120 South Ervay — a block north of The Marcus, painted on the building that connects the neighborhood where he was born in 1905 to the downtown store that made Dallas famous.

“Born in the Cedars. Built Dallas.”

Dining, Drinks & Entertainment

Within walking distance.

A James Beard-nominated bánh mì shop. A 50-year-old dive bar. A rooftop pool. Everything under a half mile from the front door of The Marcus.

Restaurants, Bars & Entertainment
  • 0.1 mi
    Dulce Nina Latin icehouse — cocktails, live music, outdoor space.
  • 0.1 mi
    Cedars Village Market / Ollie’s Kitchen 24/7 market. Kitchen until 3:30 AM weekends. Coffee bar upstairs.
  • 0.3 mi
    Opening Bell Coffee Specialty coffee and live acoustic music in the South Side on Lamar basement.
  • 0.3 mi
    ZaLat Pizza Open until 4 AM weekends.
  • 0.3 mi
    Poor David’s Pub Intimate live music for decades.
  • 0.3 mi
    Mike’s Gemini Twin Dive bar — pool, darts, gourmet hot dogs.
  • 0.3 mi
    Seegars Deli Sandwiches and fresh bread. Opened 2026.
  • 0.3 mi
    The Fivee Bistro & Bar 1319 Botham Jean Blvd.
  • 0.4 mi
    Four Corners Brewing Taproom, beer garden, and event space.
  • 0.4 mi
    Lee Harvey’s Best Bar in Dallas — burgers, live music, big patio.
  • 0.4 mi
    Off the Bone Barbeque Award-winning Black-owned BBQ.
  • 0.4 mi
    Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Dine-in cinema with Vetted Well bar and karaoke.
  • 0.4 mi
    The Cedars Social Midcentury modern cocktail bar.
  • 0.4 mi
    Gallery Rooftop at CANVAS Hotel Infinity pool with skyline views.
  • 0.4 mi
    Mac’s Southside Trivia, sports, ZaLat on site.
  • 0.4 mi
    Baby Back Shak Memphis-style BBQ.
  • 0.5 mi
    Sandwich Hag / chimlanh James Beard-nominated bánh mì and Vietnamese coffee.
  • 0.5 mi
    Taco Enzo & Hamilton’s at Lorenzo Hotel 1011 S Akard.
  • 0.5 mi
    Gilley’s Dallas 92K SF complex. 3,200-cap ballroom. National acts.
Dallas Farmers Market · 0.8 mi

Weekend anchor.
  • Hurtado Barbecue
  • Ka-Tip Thai
  • BellaTrino’s Neapolitan Pizzeria
  • La 57 Bakery
  • Taqueria La Ventana
  • Rex’s Seafood
  • Nammi
  • Saturday outdoor farmers market
Live Music

Music venues.

From 5,000-capacity ballrooms to 80-seat acoustic rooms — the Cedars has hosted national acts for decades.

Stages & listening rooms
  • 0.9 mi
    Longhorn Ballroom Restored 1950s landmark. Up to 5,000 guests.
  • 0.5 mi
    Gilley’s South Side Ballroom 27K SF touring stage.
  • 0.3 mi
    Poor David’s Pub Intimate live music.
  • 0.3 mi
    Opening Bell Coffee Best acoustic venue in Dallas.
Parks & Outdoors

Green space.

Parks & trails
  • 0.2 mi
    Cedars Dog Park Fenced off-leash park.
  • 0.3 mi
    Old City Park Dallas’s oldest park — 22 acres, established 1876.
  • 0.8 mi
    Santa Fe Trestle Trail 1.86-mile hike-and-bike trail along the Trinity.
  • 0.8 mi
    Pioneer Plaza 49 bronze longhorn steers.
  • 0.9 mi
    Trinity Skyline Trail 4.6 miles along the Trinity River.
  • New
    Halperin Park Opening spring 2026 — 5.5-acre deck park over I-35E.
Transit

Getting around.

DART Cedars Station, about 0.5 miles east, serves the Red and Blue lines. The Dallas Streetcar connects to Bishop Arts. The street grid is flat, and most neighborhood venues are a 10–20 minute walk.

Downtown Dallas
1.2 mi · ~4 min · 1 DART stop
Deep Ellum
1.5 mi · ~5 min
Farmers Market
0.8 mi · walkable
Medical District
2.5 mi · ~8 min
Design District
3 mi · ~10 min
Bishop Arts
2 mi · Streetcar
Uptown
3.5 mi · DART to Cityplace
Love Field
7 mi · ~15 min
DFW Airport
25 mi · ~30 min

Full commute details

Schools

Nearby schools.

Dallas ISD: James S. Hogg Elementary, Hector P. Garcia Middle, and W.H. Adamson High. El Centro College Downtown is about two miles away.

Development

$10B+ in the pipeline.

Halperin Park opens spring 2026 (5.5 acres). Convention center expansion: $3.7B, demolition underway, spring 2029. Matthews acquired the 1.98M SF Sears building at 1600 Roe (pre-planning). Hunt Realty’s $5B Reunion District is announced, not broken ground.

Next Step

Live the Cedars.

Pick a floor plan, drive by the building, or see how your commute works from 2020 S Ervay.

View Floor Plans Schedule a Tour Commute Details