Justin Fourton grew up going to his grandfather’s ranch in Abilene — a place called Pecan Lodge. The old man taught him how to build a fire, how to manage a smoker, and how to wait. That last part turns out to be the most important. Good barbecue is a function of patience more than almost anything else, and the brisket that comes out of Pecan Lodge in Deep Ellum is eighteen hours of patience made edible.
Continue readingFiled under Steven Doyle
Deep Ellum has a proper English pub now, and the timing could not be better. Queens Head Pub opened Tuesday at 2713 Elm Street — the former Green Room space — and it is the second concept from Eric Bradford and Deep Ellum Collective, the group that launched The Terrace event space last September. Bradford has been part of the Deep Ellum fabric for decades, going back to the Bomb Factory era, and Queens Head is his most ambitious project in the neighborhood to date.
Continue readingFiled under Steven Doyle
The address is 2701 Main Street in Deep Ellum. The name on the door is Revolver Taco Lounge. Walk past the taco counter, past the dining room, through the kitchen, and into the back room, and you will find a different restaurant entirely — one of the finest in Texas, run by a chef who has been a James Beard finalist, operating inside a taqueria because that is how Regino Rojas has always chosen to do things: on his own terms, in his own space, without asking anyone’s permission or seeking anyone’s approval.
Continue readingFiled under Steven Doyle
In a neighborhood known for reinvention, LOCAL has taken a different approach: it has stayed. Not static, but steady rooted in both its food and its setting inside the historic Boyd Hotel, a structure that predates nearly everything around it.
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Ruins in Deep Ellum is a place that doesn’t stray far from its purpose: tacos, cocktails, and a space to disappear into for a while. The menu centers on tacos rooted in Mexican tradition but twisted just enough to keep things interesting. There’s no attempt here to be a pan-Latin fusion spot or a comfort-food haven—Ruins keeps its offerings tight, deliberate, and built for flavor.
Continue readingFiled under Steven Doyle
In Deep Ellum—a neighborhood long defined by amplified guitars, brass sections, and late-night movement—The Free Man Cajun Café & Lounge has operated since 2011 as both restaurant and working music room. Its model is deliberate: Gulf Coast cooking executed with technical discipline, paired with a nightly performance schedule that rarely leaves the stage dark.
The culinary identity is firmly Cajun and Creole, grounded in classic technique rather than novelty. The kitchen builds depth the right way—through roux development, layered aromatics, and calibrated heat. Gumbo arrives dark and structured, its body signaling time and attention rather than thickening shortcuts. Jambalaya carries a smoky backbone, the rice properly infused instead of superficially seasoned. Crawfish Étouffée leans into butter and spice, while Red Beans and Rice delivers the slow-cooked comfort that defines the genre.
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by Steven Doyle
Adair’s Saloon opened in 1963 on Cedar Springs and operated by S.L. and Ann Adair. They were known for their cold beer and a half pound cheeseburger that brought in plenty of local college students who were encouraged to let their artistic side out by marking up the walls with graffiti. Continue reading
Filed under Crave, Steven Doyle
After years as a Deep Ellum fixture on Elm Street, Brick & Bones has moved just a few blocks over to a new, roomier home at 2651 Commerce Street, #100 in Dallas. The relocation gives the restaurant more breathing room—better seating, a covered patio, and a layout that finally matches how busy this place gets. But the address change doesn’t alter the reason people keep showing up. The chicken is still the point.
Continue readingFiled under Steven Doyle
