Dallas Fort Worth Urban Forum

WFAA is reporting that Reunion Tower has a new restaurant, called Crown Block. It is based in Las Vegas. For the first time, the restaurant level in the tower *won't* spin around. Those behind Crown Block will also be operating the event space on the other floor, which can still spin around if those renting the event space would like. Reunion hasn't had a restaurant since Wolfgang Puck's Five Sixty closed when the pandemic started.

https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local ... 7edb27381f

itsjrd1964 wrote:WFAA is reporting that Reunion Tower has a new restaurant, called Crown Block. It is based in Las Vegas. For the first time, the restaurant level in the tower *won't* spin around. Those behind Crown Block will also be operating the event space on the other floor, which can still spin around if those renting the event space would like. Reunion hasn't had a restaurant since Wolfgang Puck's Five Sixty closed when the pandemic started.

https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local ... 7edb27381f

Just seems like a terrible place to get a restaurant going. Has anything done exceptionally well in this location?

Tnexster wrote:

itsjrd1964 wrote:WFAA is reporting that Reunion Tower has a new restaurant, called Crown Block. It is based in Las Vegas. For the first time, the restaurant level in the tower *won't* spin around. Those behind Crown Block will also be operating the event space on the other floor, which can still spin around if those renting the event space would like. Reunion hasn't had a restaurant since Wolfgang Puck's Five Sixty closed when the pandemic started.

https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local ... 7edb27381f

Just seems like a terrible place to get a restaurant going. Has anything done exceptionally well in this location?

Wolfgang Puck Five Sixty was open for almost 12 years, so that is somewhat successful.

The question is how long the restaurant supported itself or how long was money being pumped to keep it alive?

I expect restaurants in this spot have been supported by catering outside of the actual building to make the numbers work. Not to deny that many restaurants do this since offsite food service is a big business that can seriously supplement a restaurant's in-house dining room profits. Wolfgang Puck is the caterer that runs Union Station and the other Reunion Hotel events spaces, so I imagine this place worked for so long cause Wolfgang Puck was running it as an arm of their catering business for the hotel.

The new operators will have to stand on their own. Before, it was Wolfgang Puck thought it was an Avanti location, right?

There haven't been many brands that put their name on this space cause it's a very hard place to make work even with the rotation turned off. It was a place built for a gimmick, and as the '80s have faded is hard to keep people going through the trouble to visit when it is easier to roll up to Uptown or Trinity Groves and get a decent fine dining experience without having to get to the top of a massive tower surrounded by highways and massive empty parking lots.

cowboyeagle05 wrote:There haven't been many brands that put their name on this space cause it's a very hard place to make work even with the rotation turned off. It was a place built for a gimmick, and as the '80s have faded is hard to keep people going through the trouble to visit when it is easier to roll up to Uptown or Trinity Groves and get a decent fine dining experience without having to get to the top of a massive tower surrounded by highways and massive empty parking lots.

this 100%

it's not an easy location to get to whatsoever

Yeah, I still forget how to tell someone to get to the tower if they ask me while they are visiting Dallas. I have been once myself, and touristy types will mention it occasionally. Still, I would honestly recommend Bishop Arts or grabbing a bite in Deep Ellum before I would ever recommend going to this tower.

I feel the same way. If people want a good view, then I definitely recommend Trinity Groves, the rooftop at the Canopy hotel, or the Canvas hotel.

McDonald's opens US's first small-format location that's optimized for delivery and mobile orders

It is oriented toward app orders and kiosk orders, as well as having a drive-thru and delivery (apparently no inside sit-down service). The article says it's McD's first of this small-format type--and is located in White Settlement.

https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonal ... rs-2022-12

Bojangles announces locations and opening dates for first 4 DFW restaurants

* Euless is the first DFW location planned to open, this spring
* Lancaster is planned next, also this spring
* Frisco's first will break ground later this month, and open by this summer
* Another one in Frisco will be on Eldorado Pkwy., but no construction/opening timeline was listed.

Apparently there were plans for locations in Garland, Richardson, and Mesquite which were reported in 2021. Those never materialized. By the tone of the article headline, more Bojangles may come along in north TX later on.

https://www.audacy.com/jackontheweb/lat ... es-for-dfw

San Martín seems to be opening another bakery/restaurant in Addison on Belt Line this year apparently. Just an FYI. Remodeling an existing spot.

CTroyMathis wrote:San Martín seems to be opening another bakery/restaurant in Addison on Belt Line this year apparently. Just an FYI. Remodeling an existing spot.

I'm assuming you heard about this through word of mouth?

I see no TDLR filing, no permitting/zoning requests with the city of Addison, and no press releases yet.

It's on TDLR right now, but, you have to go under "Dallas" instead of "Addison" because, you know, not all these people excel with their submissions. But, yes, I heard it from Guatemala friends awhile back.

As a matter of fact, maybe it's in Dallas and they are calling it Addison? I never looked at the addy, I didn't have a chance to look into it earlier.

Yeah, it's Dallas city limits. They did it right it seems. https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/TABS/Search/ ... 2023013552

CTroyMathis wrote:As a matter of fact, maybe it's in Dallas and they are calling it Addison? I never looked at the addy, I didn't have a chance to look into it earlier.

Makes sense.

The borders are kind of a mess, so all of the adjacent areas are considered "Addison" to many folks, lol.

It looks to be the old Coal Vines space in front of the old LOOK Theatre

I love that place

tamtagon wrote:I love that place

Ditto, had lunch there recently and it was fantastic, was also busy.

Bakery items at San Martin are quite good!

Hampton Social due for 1520 Main apparently. The former Iron Cactus.

https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/TABS/Search/ ... 2023025616

As of this post, no info available below yet.
https://www.thehamptonsocial.com/
https://www.parkerhospitality.com/
https://www.weareharrison.com/projects/

I'll make you all a lobster roll for 1/4th the price they charge.

Ate at the new Black Tap Craft Burgers and Beer in Victory Park last night. I believe it opened a couple weeks ago. Cool vibe and very good burgers. They have some pretty wild looking shakes but I was too full to get one. Not inexpensive, but worth a try.

https://blacktap.com/location/dallas/

Canadian doughnut king Tim Hortons to open 2 locations in Dallas-Fort Worth

One will be on 121 in Coppell, the other in Denton on University. The Coppell location should be open by the end of this year.

https://dallas.culturemap.com/news/rest ... ll-denton/

itsjrd1964 wrote:Canadian doughnut king Tim Hortons to open 2 locations in Dallas-Fort Worth

One will be on 121 in Coppell, the other in Denton on University. The Coppell location should be open by the end of this year.

Makes sense -- that's halfway to Canada.