Fort Worth Advice

LDR

I'm heading to Fort Worth in ten days.  Any restaurant advice?  We'll be staying near the Bass Performance Hall.

Proser

What kind of food? Do you have a car?

CowtownEgger

Reata is a nice steakhouse. Of course you have Ruth Chris, Del Friscos and Texas de Brazil all within walking distance. Bobs is down by the Omni. Lots of others around there as well. If you dont mind driving a short ways you have W 7th with lots of options or even the Stockyards. Coopers bbq is near the Stockyards.

LDR

We'll try just about any place, and don't mind paying for something that's good.  We will have a car.  We're in Fort Worth for a few days, and then we're in Dallas for one night, watching the Stars play.  Then it's a quick trip to Waco and back to Arkansas.  We always hit Uncle Julio's along the way.  We go to Pappadeaux occasionally, but it seems a bit greasy as often as not.

LDR

What's a good breakfast place?  The hotels usually have something similar to breakfast foods, but diets aren't observed while we're on vacation, and I could eat breakfast three or four times a day.

Lmidkiff

Try Joe T Garcia's. Cash only and usually a wait but a great dining experience. Pappadeauxs Cajun Seafood is always great as well.

theyolksonyou

pappadeauxs is a chain. No chains on vacation, it's a rule.

CowtownEgger

Breakfast

Torchys Tacos
Old South Pancake House
Paris Coffee Shop

LDR

Right, but Pappadeaux can get a pass - the only kind of fish I can get in Arkansas is catfish.  Well, maybe that's a slight exaggeration.

We did try Chamberlains Fish Market Grill once.  It was good and the desserts were very good. I was over full, but considered getting a second dessert to go.

Proser

The rooftop of Reata is a nice place for a drink. Dinner there is usually good. I prefer Ruth Chris steakhouse but Del Friscos is a Ft Worth mainstay

We always take out if town guest to Joe T Garcias for Marquita's and nachos just for the experience, there is better Mexican food to be had

H3 is close to Joe T and a decent steak house in the stockyards


Grace is on Main Street not far from Bass and is excellent but $$$

Nonna Tata on west magnolia is a great little Italian food place BYOB

Lots of BBQ available, it is Ft Worth

Proser

+1 for Paris Coffee Shop and Old South Pancake House

LDR

Proser said:

+1 for Paris Coffee Shop and Old South Pancake House

Those both look great.  Thanks for the recommendations.  I like going to new places.

Navymom

For casual, burgers Fred's or Rodeo Goat.

Proser

Love me some Rodeo Goat burgers

jlsm

Many years ago, my husband worked for the Star-Telegram. When the paper won its first Pulitzer, the managing editor took everyone to Joe T's for dinner. The entire paper came down with food poisoning. Tough meeting deadlines for the next few days. That said, I enjoyed many meals there when I lived in FW.

KennyLee

Joe T's is great on the patio for atmosphere with margaritas and love the chicken fajitas, but my favorite Tex-Mex is El Rancho Grande just a block or two away.  BOTH blow Uncle Julio's away.

Del Frisco's for steak downtown and the original Railhead Smokehouse just across from downtown on the south side of 30 on Montgomery Street for BBQ.  I used to go to Angelo's BBQ which is just west of downtown, but haven't been there in years.    

Mickey

KennyLee said:

Joe T's is great on the patio for atmosphere with margaritas and love the chicken fajitas, but my favorite Tex-Mex is El Rancho Grande just a block or two away.  Del Frisco's for steak downtown and the original Railhead Smokehouse just across from downtown on the south side of 30 on Montgomery Street for BBQ.  I used to go to Angelo's BBQ which is just west of downtown, but haven't been there in years.    

Angelo's is still open? Used to go there 35/40 years ago. Peanut's on the floor and the biggest iced mugs of beer. Used to love that place. Always to much beer to remember the food.

KennyLee

@Mickey Still open as far as I know.  Haven't been there in probably 3-4 years, although I was at an office across the street from it about a year ago for some work stuff and everything looked the same.  Their website is up, so I'm assuming it's still going strong.  I remember the cold beer too and the only thing they sold was Budweiser.

KennyLee

Oh, and I'll echo what @Proser and @CowtownEgger said about breakfast at Old South Pancake House on University just south of 30 and Paris Coffee Shop south of downtown by the medical district. 

bclarksicle

Go to AF+B

PNWFoodie

I was wondering this myself as I'm coming in for Salado next month. Can anyone offer input into Old South's chicken fried steak?

Proser

@PNWFoodie I have never tried the chicken fried steak at Old South but highly recommend the one at Tillman's Roadhouse

PNWFoodie

@Proser Thanks for the tip, but I see they are not open for breakfast. I'm getting in to DFW at 5:30 am and will need breakfast rather than lunch. Can't be having lunch in prep for the meet and greet at Salado. Maybe for lunch on Sunday...

Proser

Old West Cafe in South Arlington is not far out of our way and has a good cfs for breakfast. Opens at 6

stlcharcoal

I was just in Ft Worth for a week at Bell Helicopter's Training Center.

I went to the "Stockyards" to look around--kind of a tourist trap, but it was interesting to see.  I ate at the H3 Ranch.  It was good, but not great.  Stop in some of the high end shops and see $1000 cowboy hats and $5000 boots made out of rhino, elephant, etc.

A lot of the guys at Bell recommended a place call Hard Eight Steakhouse.  There were 2-3 locations, but I never made it there.

The water gardens in downtown Ft. Worth were cool too.......make sure to stop for a bathroom break BEFORE you go there or it will be agony.

Highlight of my trip (besides the flying @ Bell) was the US Mint on the northside of Ft Worth near Alliance airport.  It's a self guided tour, so I expected to see some pictures, money samples, and a gift shop like three Federal Reserves I've toured.  NOPE.....it's a elevated platform over the ENTIRE facility with one of those speaker wands.  You see EVERY part of the process and can spend as much time there as you want.  I was absolutely fascinating to watch the machines.  The exhibits outside on the history of money making were also great.  All free, but leave you cell phone, camera, etc in the car. 

The last night I was there, I took a drive up to Denton to visit Tom @ CGS......got a wok setup for my large.  Then I hit IKEA and loaded up as much stuff for the kids as I could get in my suitcase (not easy with the wok.)  The next morning, I also took the obligatory pictures in Dealey Plaza before getting on my SWA flight home.

Chowman

If you can get to Coopers BBQ, they have beef ribs only on the weekend, either Friday or Saturday , so call them first maybe

TN_Sister_State

Head over to Bobs steakhouse and let my cousin serve you up one of their many scotches. You cant go wrong, great food and a scotch connoisseur guiding you along. 

RedSkip

+1 Reata:  Buffalo Ribeye Blackend - Medium Rare; Calf Fries, Tamales

"The Rig" which is further down I-35 is good and cheap, better than you'd expect too.  Not fancy at all, but good steaks for the price.

Lmidkiff

+ 1 for Old West Cafe!!!

Angus1978

@stlcharcoal - I don't care for Hard 8....Pecan Lodge and Coopers are better   I think you were okay missing it.......   don't get me wrong though...the atmosphere at Hard 8 is great.....but the food is dry every time I have been

gmbbs

I'm not a fan of Hard eight either, too strong smoke on the meat. also very easy to over buy! A neat experience to take out-of-towners tho.

I am a fan of Railhead, pretty good Que, and Ice cold schooners of Shiner for $2. And when I say ice cold, I mean the beer turns slushy, and the schooner is too cold to hold in your hand for too long! You can get a schooner of beer to drink while you wait in the line, and there is usually a line.

Angelos is also highly regarded, as is Joe T's, altho I havent been to either,.

Enjoy!