Chicken News

New restaurant in northwest Dallas will serve spicy hot chicken 'til 4 am

That is a hot chicken sandwich with pickles.

Photo courtesy of S&J's

The hot chicken keeps coming at us, this time with a new independently-owned restaurant opening in northwest Dallas. Called S&J's Hot Chick, it's opening at 2201 W. Northwest Hwy., #120, where it will serve the spicy hot chicken that has become one of the past year's biggest trends in Dallas, with a menu of chicken sandwiches, chicken strips, sides, and shakes.

S&J's is from a team and group of friends with chicken savvy, and includes the owners of Big Guys Chicken and Rice, a halal-style chicken spot that opened in Deep Ellum in 2016.

Kim Nabors, who is one of the owners, says they're thrilled to finally be opening in February.

"We discovered hot chicken and fell in love with it," she says. "We dedicated a couple of years to getting the details and recipes right."

That included adding a chef to their team: Nathan Black, formerly at Pink Magnolia, chef Blythe Beck's Southern restaurant in Oak Cliff which closed after COVID-19.

"We wanted our chicken to be different and really focus on the taste," Nabors says. "With this category, there tends to be a lot of focus on the heat, but you lose track of the flavors. We're bringing that out."

Their menu features six sandwiches including a quintessential deep fried chicken, fish sandwich, bunless chicken sandwich, and a vegan option with deep-fried mushroom, whose meaty texture and mild flavor makes it a favorite substitute for meat.

Sides include mac & cheese and fries, which can be ordered plain or in three seasoning options: ranch, Cajun, and garlic parmesan.

Milkshakes are highly creative. "One is a play on a Grandma's classic cookie urned into a milkshake form," she says. "We have another that's more of a candy milkshake, like a candy store turned into a milkshake."

Dessert will be Nabors' special banana pudding, sourced from a beloved family recipe. "People who have had my banana pudding are really into it, and I'm going to be selling it for first time."

The restaurant is small, with a few tables inside and out, although they'll limit dining-in when they first open, due to COVID-19.

One asset they'll have is long hours: They'll be open until 4 am with a walk-up window for after hours.

"There's a lot of gentlemen's clubs over in that area and other neighbors, and one thing we've heard is that there's nothing to eat after 2 am," she says.

openings breakfast

Restaurant debut

Mexican restaurant Sueño debuts with tequila lounge in Snider Plaza Dallas

Photo courtesy of Sueño

Tres Leches de Horchata at Sueño.

The highly anticipated second location of acclaimed Mexican restaurant Sueño is making its debut in Dallas — and it's bringing a tequila lounge with it.

Officially called Sueño Cocteleria Mexicana, the elevated Mexican restaurant from founders Julio Pineda and Cristian Lujano, is opening at Dallas' Snider Plaza on Wednesday, June 10. The restaurant is located at 6600 Snider Plaza, in a 6,259-square-foot space with a main dining room, patio, and a dedicated tequila lounge called Alma Agave.

The opening comes about eight months after Sueño first revealed plans to expand from Richardson to the popular Dallas shopping center near SMU. Founded in 2021 by cousins Pineda and Lujano, both originally from Mexico City and raised in Texas, Sueño quickly earned a following for its refined Mexican cuisine, cocktail program, and hospitality.

The Dallas location is a partnership with Bellomy Hospitality Group, the local company behind S&D Oyster Company, Rex's Seafood, and Caché.

At the center of Sueño's cuisine is its in-house masa operation, which uses heirloom blue and yellow corn to make nixtamal daily for tortillas, tetelas, and tlayudas.

The kitchen is led by executive chef Cristos Andrade, a native of Monterrey, whose menu blends traditional Mexican flavors with influences from French, Italian, and Japanese cuisine, the release says.

$Sue\u00f1o$ Pollo à la Plancha.Photo courtesy of Sueño

Menu highlights include:

Bone Marrow Pork Belly with salsa tatemada, avocado puree, and bone marrow-infused crema Oaxaqueña
Tamarind Ponzu Sashimi Scallops with cucumber, avocado, and fried parsnip
Sushi-Grade Ahi Tuna Tartare with serrano tomato herb vinaigrette
Jalisco Birria Tacos with braised lamb, consommé, cheese, onion, cilantro, and lime
Enchiladas Suizas with pulled chicken, cheese, and creamy poblano sauce

Live-fire dishes are a highlight of the menu and will include:

Wood-Fired Carne Asada with Rosewood Ranch New York strip and chorizo enfrijolada
Pollo a la Plancha with pipián verde
Fire-grilled fajitas with chicken, sirloin, pork belly, or a combination of meats
Salmon a la Crema with white wine mushroom sauce

An exciting addition to the new location is Alma Agave, an intimate lounge dedicated to tequila, mezcal, and other Mexican spirits, according to a release. The 23-seat space is designed as a destination of its own, the owners say, serving cocktails along with small plates inspired by different regions of Mexico.

The beverage program showcases tequila, mezcal, and lesser-known Mexican distillates, as well as ancestral drinks such as tejuino and tejate, they say. Cocktails incorporate housemade ingredients, fermented elements, masa foam, and squash-based sodas.

$Sue\u00f1o$ Pretty cocktails at Sueño.Photo courtesy of Sueño

"With this location, we really focused on how the experience unfolds for our guests," says Lujano in the release. "From the front window where masa is prepared to the open kitchen and into the intimacy of Alma Agave, every element is designed to draw people in."

The restaurant was designed by Mexico City-based JSa and Arlington's ch_Studio. According to the release, the design draws inspiration from traditional Mexican haciendas and incorporates volcanic stone, wood, leather, handwoven textiles, and artwork by Mexican artisans. A patio "reinterprets the Mexican courtyard," they says, as a shaded, inviting space for outdoor gatherings.

"For us, this project is deeply personal," says Pineda. "It's about honoring where we come from while creating something meaningful for our community — an experience that celebrates Mexican culture through food, drink, and genuine hospitality."

Sueño will open for dinner service and weekend brunch beginning June 10. Hours will be 4-10 pm Monday-Thursday, 4-11 pm Friday, 10 am-11 pm Saturday, and 10 am-10 pm Sunday. Alma Agave will be open 4-11 pm Sunday-Thursday, and 4 pm-midnight Friday-Saturday.

Reservations are now open through Resy.

mexican cuisine snider plaza sueno tex-mex openings