We never thought we would be able to say, “Let’s go surfing today” in Dallas and mean it, but a new spot on the outskirts of Deep Ellum has made it possible.
Goodsurf is a long-anticipated restaurant and bar with a Citywave wave pool for patrons to test their surfing skills, plus pickleball courts in case you get tired of wiping out on the waves. Arguably one of the best perks: a decent amount of free parking.
Naturally, the thrill-seeker and glutton for punishment that I am, I decided to give it a go. It is important to note that the extent of my experience “surfing” is when I got on a boogie board — entirely too confident in my abilities — and attempted to conquer Surf Rider in Hurricane Harbor when I was 8 years old. I immediately ate the bottom of the pool and threw in the towel.
A grand comeback was in order. So, I signed up for a surfing time. Each time slot is 30 minutes long, which provides ample time for beginners to at least learn how to stay upright for a few seconds. Surfing sessions start at $40 per 30 minutes.
After signing up and reporting to the surfing station beside the wave pool, patrons can choose from a selection of full-sized surfboards, and swimming shirts and wetsuits if you want to avoid swimsuit slips. Also, beginners are strongly encouraged to wear helmets, which are not at all dorky-looking.
The Goodsurf website touted a beginner-friendly experience, and it certainly is. There are instructors on either side of the pool who help you position the board and coach you through every step of the process. A safety bar can be put across the pool for you to hold onto, sort of like training wheels. I was eternally grateful for this feature because it helps you get a feel for the rushing water and find your center on the board without immediately wiping out.
My first attempt with the safety bar lasted about 10 seconds at best and ended with me sitting at the back of the pool, one earring missing and wondering why I quite literally signed myself up for public embarrassment.
After a second, slightly better attempt with the safety bar, the instructors removed the training wheels and let me fly … immediately off the board and into the rushing water.
With the encouragement of the instructors and the motivation by proxy of humiliation that a little girl about one-third my age was absolutely smoking me, I got the hang of it and was able to stay upright and move back and forth across the wave for about a minute. Then, of course, I wiped out with little grace.
After my 30 minutes, I headed to the outdoor dining area to grab some grub and watch others surf.
The Goodsurf Goodmenu
The menu is small but the dishes are varied, offering vegan and gluten-free options. My party ordered the Double Smashburger, the Loco Moco, the Crispy Chicken Sandwich, the Caesar salad and the Chicken and Waffle Cone.The Crispy Chicken Sandwich is a must. Topped with coleslaw and pickles and fried to crispy perfection, it was particularly tasty after the beating the wave pool gave me. The Loco Moco, loaded with rice and mushroom-gravy-smothered beef patties, is good for refueling after hitting the waves. It comes topped with a sunny-side-up egg, and one of the staff members threatened to take our food away if we did not break the yolk over the bowl. I’m with her on this one: You don’t deserve the Loco Moco if you don’t eat it right.
The drink menu offers cocktails, mocktails and THC-infused drinks, and while the drinks are Instagrammable and refreshing, the prices are a bit steep for what you get (well, I'm from Denton, where $12–15 for a drink is nearly unheard of). Nonetheless, I was impressed by the variety of drink types.
The space feels community-oriented, especially since the outdoor dining area faces the wave pool so you can cheer on the surfers. The people-watching is almost as enjoyable as the surfing, and I was lucky enough to be there when a few professional surfers were hitting the waves.
“I love surfing these Citywaves,” Ben Benson, a professional surfer from Bali, said. “It really brings everybody together. Everyone’s super supportive of each other. It doesn’t matter your skill level.”
Goodsurf is impressive in many ways, especially the care that the team working the wave pool takes while coaching newbies like myself. While the experience can rack up a bill rather quickly, it is worth trying if you have the expendable cash and want to try something new.
Goodsurf, 317 S. Second Ave., Deep Ellum.
