After battling Meridian ‘ignorance,’ late-night ‘fun spot’ finally opens ‘for real real’

Go ahead and slap yourself, Meridian.

You’re not dreaming.

Years after plans were unveiled, the embattled Dalton Royal finally is opening, it says.

Calling itself “Meridian’s most exciting restaurant experience,” the food-and-drink destination is taking reservations for soft-opening tables this week prior to a grand opening planned Saturday. The reservation link is at daltonroyal.com.

“We’re here to give you a dining experience,” the Dalton Royal’s website says. “But also a fun spot for Meridian that’s open late ... .”

A 6,500-square-foot “restaurant and recreational space” at 3161 E. Ustick Road, the Dalton Royal repeatedly has postponed its debut.

“Can you ACTUALLY BELIEVE we’re finally opening ... !?” owner Brian Tsai posted Tuesday on the Dalton Royal’s social media pages. “After not sleeping for three days straight, I can’t believe what is real and what isn’t anymore, either. But for real real, we’re taking reservations via our online Toast Tables system ... .

“We will be at limited capacity the rest of the week,” he added, “just to work out the kinks.”

Originally called The Oasis, the project had been proposed as a lounge, concert venue and event center. The plan was to bring nightclub energy to the busy corner of Eagle and Ustick roads. But naysayers emerged. An unconvinced Meridian City Council voted no in 2021.

Tsai plowed forward with a modified vision, providing occasional updates online.

“There’s something incredible about seeing a dream come to fruition,” he wrote on the Dalton Royal’s Facebook page in May 2022, after framing had started. “... Despite unbelievable obstacles and battling extremism, ignorance, and campaigns of intentional misinformation against our project, here we stand watching day by day as our building comes closer to completion.”

Several months later: “This is it, the final madhouse push to get everything done,” he proclaimed, admitting that a targeted New Year’s Eve grand opening would not occur.

“I can only hope that when people walk in the doors for the first time all you think is ‘wow,’ ” Tsai wrote. “And while I can’t promise an exact opening date other than ‘towards the end of January,’ I can at least promise it will be unlike anything this valley has ever seen.”

End of January? Nope, didn’t happen.

But six months later? Prepare for liftoff.

Rather than positioning itself as a beach-themed party zone with a touch-interactive dance floor, like The Oasis, The Dalton Royal hypes itself as a multipurpose entertainment destination.

Activities will include “a world tour of tropical-inspired cuisine, available into late night,” the website says. Multiple pool tables will create a “perfect hangout spot.” The Dalton Royal will offer “local musicians” and “dueling pianos.” Local comedians are part of the plan, too.

For Meridian residents interested in getting a first taste this week?

“The full menu will be available all day into late night,” Tsai wrote Tuesday. “We’ll open up our recreation area with pool tables later in the evening.”

This story was originally published July 19, 2023 at 4:46 PM.