Olympics Fever

Watch the 2024 Olympics for free at these Dallas restaurants & bars

Grand Prairie's Jasmine Moore will compete iat the 2024 Olympics.

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All eyes on the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, starting July 26 when the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad takes place in Paris through August 11.

Aside from Wingstop, not all of us are going to make it to the real thing, but not to worry — quite a few local spots are hosting watching parties to fill the gap. It's especially important since there are several athletes from Dallas who are going for gold with Team USA, and we're here to cheer them on.

Here’s our list of where to watch the Olympics in Dallas:

Al Biernat’s
Steakhouse will show the games through the duration of the Olympics and have concocted three themed cocktails: "Team USA" with El Tesoro Reposado, strawberry, and lime agave; "Go For Gold," with Moet Chandon, Angostura Bitters, and gold sugar; and "Closing Ceremonies" with Aspen Vodka, Cointreau, Vermouth, and orange. The games will be shown during happy hour Monday-Friday 3-7 pm. Best spots to watch: the bar at the North location and the patio at Oak Lawn.

AMC Theaters
In a first for the movie theater chain, AMC Theaters is showing the games on their big screens at select movies across Dallas for each day of the Olympics. Adult tickets start at $11. Locations include: Addison, Arlington, Dallas, Frisco, Garland, Irving, and Mesquite.

Artpark Trinity Groves
Trinity Groves outdoor park will have three weeks of Olympics pop-up activities ranging from inflatable games to a market. Every weekend, from July 26-August 11 will feature food & drink specials, a market, photo booth, and DJs. Friday is 5-10 pm, while Saturday-Sunday are 12-5 pm. Entry is free.

Dallas Public Library
The J. Erik Jonsson Central Library will have a watch party on August 2 starting at 2 pm. Watch events include archery, women's judo, men's fencing, and BMX gold medal races. There will also be an Eiffel Tower Lego set available for tinkering.

Hilton Anatole
Dallas hotel will have Olympic-inspired games and food and drink specials throughout the week. Games include shotput, 100m dash, and long jump. Watch the games and enjoy Parisian menu specials in Media Grill + Bar. For a more private experience, watch the games at the TopGolf Swing Suite with cocktails, food towers, and interactive games.

Jaquval
Bishop Arts bar is inviting guests to dress in red, white, and blue to watch the opening ceremonies and enjoy a lineup of brews paired with fish & chips for $15 on July 26.

Little Daisy
Thompson Dallas’ Parisian-inspired brassiere will offer a Spritz Bar with French-inspired drinks, passed apps, and party favors on July 26, starting at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $35.

Loro
Asian smokehouse will be showing the games with events showing on all TV screens indoors and on the patio during happy hour on weekdays from 2-6 pm at both Dallas and Addison locations.

Maguire’s Bistro
Family-owned concept will run special happy hours during the Olympics on Monday-Thursday from 11 am-6 pm. Specials include $7 house martinis, $2 off appetizers, cocktails, and wines by the glass; $1 off all beers, and $10 cheeseburgers. Weekend hours when the special apply are Friday from 8 am-9pm and Saturday 4-9 pm.

Oak Cliff Brewing Co
Brewery will show live coverage of the opening ceremony on July 26 starting at 7 pm, with a selection of brews and tacos by Tromporrey.

The Porch
Knox-Henderson restaurant will offer daytime coverage of the Olympic events, including during happy hour Monday-Thursday 3-6 pm, featuring half off cocktails such as espresso martini, passionfruit margarita, and cosmonaut. Don''t miss the men's and women's swimming on July 27, which they'll broadcast during brunch, starting at 12 pm.

Renny’s Grill
Family-owned concept will run special happy hours during the Olympics on Monday-Thursday from 11 am-6 pm. Specials include $7 house martinis, $2 off appetizers, cocktails, and wines by the glass, $1 off all beers, and $10 cheeseburgers.

Other Olympic specials

Bar Bourbon at Live! by Loews Arlington
Bar Bourbon has a special drink available for the Olympics called “Rumble in Paris,” created by bartender and mixologist, Jay Colson. It’s made with Waco-based Balcones Rumble Whiskey, strawberry syrup, jalapeno, lemon, and honey and topped with dehydrated raspberry shavings. It's available through August 11.

SusieCakes
The bakery is supporting Team USA with a cupcake box featuring “Team USA” written on top. The cupcake box includes four cupcakes: chocolate cupcake with chocolate buttercream, chocolate cupcake with vanilla buttercream, vanilla cupcake with vanilla buttercream, and red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting. The cupcakes are available for the entirety of the Olympic games.

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Movie Review

Stephen King film adaptation The Life of Chuck aims for the heart

Photo courtesy of NEON

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Just like actors, once a filmmaker becomes known for a certain genre, it can be difficult to escape that pigeonholing. Writer/director Mike Flanagan has worked for 20 years in both film and television, and literally every project he’s done has been related to horror. He’s finally breaking out with The Life of Chuck, which is ironically based on a short story of the same name by Stephen King.

Told in three chapters in reverse order, the film is almost impossible to describe without giving away its magic. The first section centers on Marty (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a teacher grappling, like everyone around him, with what seems to be the world falling apart. He’s comforted to a degree by reuniting with his ex-wife, Felicia (Karen Gillan), but is also baffled by multiple ads touting the retirement of Charles “Chuck” Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) after “39 great years.”

The second section consists of little more than a slightly younger Chuck happening upon Taylor (The Pocket Queen), a drummer busking on a street corner, giving Chuck and a younger woman, Janice (Annalise Basso), the inspiration to start dancing. The final section goes back to the childhood of Chuck (Benjamin Pajak), where he’s raised by his grandparents (Mark Hamill and Mia Sara), discovers dance as an outlet, and wonders about various small mysteries.

Flanagan finds a way to deliver a lot of story with relatively little effort. Using a wry narrator (Nick Offerman), a limited number of locations, and a series of great small performances, he creates an intriguing premise with few straightforward answers. The structure of the film is designed to confuse the viewer until just the right moment, and the revelation forces you to reexamine everything that came before.

The biggest accomplishment by Flanagan is making what are essentially three short films and having each of them resonate equally. The film contains elements of science fiction, although the first section may hit a bit too close to home for some of those watching. All three sections, though, have a heartwarming bent to them that sells their central idea without becoming overly saccharine.

To do so, each of the characters have to connect in a short amount of time. The casting of the film is crucial, and not only does that department succeed with the main roles, but a series of small roles are filled expertly as well. Carl Lumbly as a funeral home owner, David Dastmalchian and Harvey Guillen as parents of students, Matthew Lillard as Marty’s neighbor, Q’orianka Kilcher as Chuck’s wife, and Jacob Tremblay as a teenage Chuck are just a few of the recognizable actors that do yeoman’s work in their brief time on screen.

Hiddleston is only prominently featured in the second chapter, but his performance there and in small glimpses throughout makes a big impression. Ejiofor is given the star turn in the first chapter and he absolutely kills, both in moments by himself and in scenes with Gillan, with whom he has great chemistry. Hamill, making a rare non-voiceover appearance outside of the Star Wars universe, and Sara, in her first notable role in 11 years, are also very memorable in the final chapter.

The Life of Chuck is a film that’s filled with emotion, but the full impact of the story is not felt until the final moments. It has a mysterious journey that is initially frustrating, but the performances keep the film going until it gets to its satisfying payoff.

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The Life of Chuck is now playing in theaters.

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