Henderson Avenue Exclusive

Inside smokin' new Dallas honky-tonk Henderson Avenue Country Club

Opening day looms for Henderson Avenue Country Club, the honky-tonk-style bar taking over the former spot of Nick Badovinus' Tried and True. As anticipated, it will open the first week of January, and what a rare thing that is in the restaurant-bar world, to be on time with an opening.

Managing partners Martin Corboy and Tim McEvilly, who also run Henderson Avenue Tap House and McFadden's in Addison, were putting the finishing touches on a space they renovated themselves. McEvilly scoured junkyards for recycled materials such as the appealingly rusty "redneck" sign that hangs on the wall beneath a neon Shiner sign.

They've managed to completely transform the space, including moving the bar away from the entrance and clearing away the shrubbery that made Tried and True feel so hemmed in. Pending city approval, they'll open part of the front façade into a patio that looks out on Henderson, an invaluable asset.

"This wall here," said McEvilly, pointing to a divider that encloses a banquette seating area, "Martin found that in McKinney. Someone was taking down a fence. He called and said, 'I found some wood.' And the hardwood floor, we reclaimed that from a church."

One nice touch is the set of six flags of Texas rendered on rough-hewn wood, as well as the state flag of Texas. There are seven TVs and a bounty of outlets for charging electronic devices, including a set beneath the bar, along with handy hooks for purses.

Thanks to a custom-made smoker from Chuck Wagon in Tyler, the menu will have a barbecue focus, including brisket, chicken-fried steak, ribs with bacon mashed potatoes, catfish, pork chops and smoked quail with habañero cheddar grits. Six beers on tap are dominated by local labels such as Deep Ellum Brewing, Lakewood and Rahr.

A small stage in the corner will spotlight local country musicians or DJs.

A grand opening celebration weekend begins January 8, with parties on January 8, 9, 10 and 11, when free appetizers and cocktails will be served. You must RSVP via the website. Bands performing include the King Bucks and Fort Worth's Vincent Neil Emerson & The Old Souls on January 8 and Holy Moly on January 9.

Hanging on the wall of Henderson Avenue Country Club are the six flags of Texas, rendered on rustic wood.

Photo by Marc Lee

Hanging on the wall of Henderson Avenue Country Club are the six flags of Texas, rendered on rustic wood.

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Bar News

Dudley's Sports Grill to open on Dallas' hot-hot Henderson Avenue

Dudley's Sports Grill

A new sports bar is joining the mix on Dallas' hot-hot Henderson Avenue: Called Dudley’s Sports Grill, it'll open at 2927 N. Henderson Ave., in the space previously occupied by Smithy, a gastropub that closed in June after seven years.

According to a spokesperson, Dudley's will open at the end of the summer — "we're only making a few cosmetic changes," the spokesperson says.

Dudley’s is the brainchild of three Dallas bar veterans — Gabriel Rhodes and Jordan Carson (Christie’s), and Patrick Gorman (Ill Minster Pub). The trio debuted the concept in 2024, when they opened the first location in Rockwall.

The bar is named after Carson’s grandfather, Floyd Dudley Hitt, who owned land in Rockwall and Royse City. Carson and Rhodes graduated from Rockwall High School in 2006 before coming to Dallas for other restaurant ventures — including working at Christies while it was still in Uptown. (It closed in 2020, then Carson partnered with Ashton Christie to reopen it on Greenville Avenue.)

Their menu — devised by Dallas chef Eric Freidline, winner of CultureMap's 2019 Tastemaker Awards for Rising Star Chef — is elevated with a barbecue twist, with dishes like queso made with aged white cheddar, thick-cut bacon with fig glaze, brisket flatbread, and brisket grilled cheese.

Cocktails include the mule served in a boot-shaped glass, and an old fashioned garnished with cinnamon and cloves. Dudley’s also boasts a variety of beers on tap, as well as an assortment of margaritas, all of which are served in ice-cold schooners.

Dudley’s prides itself in maintaining an unpretentious ambiance, a place where regulars and newcomers alike feel comfortable and welcome — something they thought would work on Henderson Avenue.

Dudley'sAlex Gonzalez

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