Cedars Backyard turns shipping container into Art Bar
Innovative restaurateur and marketing executive Jeffrey Yarbrough is still putting his unique stamp on Dallas. His newest business ventures are located in the area known as The Cedars. The Cedars Social is east of the Deep Ellum neighborhood where Yarbrough first found fame in the 1990’s with Concept Noveau. Four trendy nightclubs: Art Bar, Blind Lemon, Club Clearview and Red, flourished under one roof in the ‘90s.
In 1998, Yarbrough received national acclaim for opening the popular Liberty Noodle pan-Asian noodle house on Lower Greenville. Along with Chef Annie Wong, he even wrote the “Complete Idiot’s Guide to Asian Cooking.”
Last year Yarbrough purchased Cedars Social at 1326 South Lamar Street, next door to the Dallas Police Headquarters and across from Gilley’s. This year, new executive chef Justin Box has been revamping the menu. 
Cedars Social’s eclectic offerings now range from delicious Southern fried chicken with collard greens, sweet potato casserole and biscuit to German-style pork schnitzel with red cabbage, and tasty pumpkin taquitos.
The Cedars Social bar specializes in craft cocktails, many of them with an old-fashioned look and taste. At a recent event, mixologist Mike Strudivant served these creative cocktails with exotic names like Peat and Peaches, Green Eggs & Hami, and Ten Minutes ‘Till Midnight.
The Cedars Backyard is owned by Jeffrey Yarbrough and Chad Boyle. The concept is a first of its kind in Dallas, using a shipping container as a bar. Guests can enjoy one of the 15 beers on tap. They will also have a variety of tap cocktails or traditional well cocktails, while enjoying a great view of the Dallas skyline. The Cedars Backyard provides a kitschy trailer park vibe, more Airstream than Winnebago.
“I love bringing new ideas to the Dallas consumer,” says Jeffrey Yarbrough. “Recycling a giant shipping container and making it a piece of art in the middle of downtown seemed like a natural fit for me.”
Joe Duncan’s Mod Pod Solutions manufactured the shipping container for The Cedars Backyard locally. Duncan is also the owner of the top-notch Bakers Ribs BBQ and The Original Fried Pie Shop.
“We wanted to have an affordable place to hang out, drink beer, and socialize – all in a cool environment,” says Chad Boyle, co-owner of The Cedars Backyard.
The Cedars Backyard’s grand opening is Friday, November 4, starting with a 5:30 p.m. beer toast. Live music will play until 7:30 p.m. Guests are invited to enjoy “Day 1 $1 Drinks” all night to celebrate the new bar. Parking is free in the lot next door for guests heading to Cedars Social or Cedars Backyard.
