Hi, everyone.

My name’s Ava, and I’m the daughter of the owners of Swamp Cafe.

First off, our whole family would like to give our love and appreciation to Sam and everyone who has supported us in the last week. More than anything, thank you for everything you have done already. Chef David has loved talking to all of you.

While the support has meant more than you know, it crushes me to say that Swamp Cafe has been in danger of closing.

The restaurant faces $12,000 in rent and more than $10,000 in utility fees, food costs, and additional overhead costs—bills that we have been struggling to pay for the past year. We owe just as much, if not more, in loans.

In 2025, we averaged barely 3 transactions per day. Rent, utility, and food prices have gone up considerably. We haven’t been able to afford employees for the last year and a half, and it’s often only Chef David running the entire place by himself. It has been a struggle to stay open for a while.

Every single donation will go directly towards paying the rent and additional fees to make sure Swamp Cafe can stay alive.

I truly believe that Swamp Cafe is worth saving. I’ve seen my parents invest all their energy into the restaurant, helping others, and being a part of the local community. My dad has been dedicated to making Cajun food accessible and sourcing only 100% Halal meat, which is partly why food costs have been so expensive. We’ve built everything as a family, held local events, and made unbreakable bonds with our regulars. We’ve helped provide a taste of Louisiana, of our home. My parents have reached their 60s, and this—simply cooking good food for good people—is still their dream.

Again, thank you all for the support you have shown us already. Even as little as $5 can help us, but sharing the link with others is also deeply appreciated.

If you are in the DFW area, come down and let my dad fix you some fresh beignets and gumbo. Thank you all for helping us keep the store and our dream alive! Laissez les bon temps rouler!

FAQ

How will Swamp Cafe receive the money, and who is the organizer?

This fundraiser is organized by David Cui, the owner of Swamp Cafe. All funds raised are transferred directly into the restaurant’s official business bank account and will be used solely for Swamp Cafe’s operation.

What will the money raised from donations go toward?

Just two weeks ago in January, we faced the very real possibility of losing our restaurant for good due to outstanding late rent payments. Our doors were locked off and we were not able to access the restaurant.

So, first and foremost, the money raised will go toward paying the $12,000 in outstanding late rent fees the restaurant is currently facing. It will also help us cover the rest of our immediate bills to survive through February:

This brings our total urgent expenses to $22,200.

Paying these costs will directly and immediately allow us to keep the lights on and keep the restaurant running.

Any additional funds raised will help cover other necessary operating expenses such as packaging, equipment costs, website bills, printing, and numerous basic repairs that we have needed, but have not been able to afford.

What’s next?

We are incredibly thankful for the support from our community—it has meant more to us than you can even imagine. Our immediate goal is to pay off these late fees and stabilize the restaurant, but our biggest longterm challenge is making sure this momentum can last, and we can still stay open in the coming months or years. We are committed to continuing to serve our community, improve our restaurant, work hard to keep Swamp Cafe alive, and, of course, help serve up a little taste of home for anyone passing through.

Our family is sending endless love and blessings to the community. We can’t thank you enough.

ABOUT SWAMP CAFE

Swamp Café, located at the Northwest quadrant of the Dallas North Tollway and Trinity Mills, is run by David Cui, a chef with over 30 years of experience. Originally from Shanghai, he was a chef and restaurateur for 28 years in New Orleans before moving to the DFW area about 10 years ago. Chef David wants to make delicious Cajun food accessible for all people. The store is the only Halal Cajun restaurant in all of DFW. His Louisiana roots shine within this little Cajun joint that offers the requisite po’boys, etouffee, gumbo and beignets. Swamp Cafe is located on 17721 Dallas Pkwy #104, Dallas, TX 75287. You can stay updated through the Instagram, @swamp.cafe!