Opening News

Seafood restaurant with incredible patio opens at Grand Prairie marina

That is some patio.

Photo courtesy of Blue Sunshine

A location with one of the best patios in Dallas-Fort Worth is now home to a new restaurant: Called Blue Sunshine Patio Bar & Grill, it's a seafood-driven restaurant opening in Grand Prairie at 5700 Lake Ridge Pkwy. off Texas 360, in the space that was previously The Oasis at Joe Pool Lake.

The restaurant was acquired as part of a purchase of Lynn Creek Marina by Dallas-based Suntex, which owns and operates marina properties in California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee, and Virginia.

Blue Sunshine is the name of a marina restaurant in Sarasota, Florida also owned by Suntex.

Joe Pool Lake is 7,500-acre flood control lake built and operated by the Army Corp of Engineers. The lake was filled in 1989 and is always kept 100 percent full. Lynn Creek Marina was built and began operations on July 13, 1990. It has been expanded twice, with 528 wet slips capable of accommodating vessels up to 50 feet, and 116 dry storage stacks for boats up to 28 feet.

The marina also has a rental boat fleet, fishing pier, gasoline dock, boat ramp, and boat service center.

The property was previously owned by Don Walker, who told the Fort Worth Star Telegram that "the Walkers are hanging it up. We’re going to retire. After 75 years doing business in Grand Prairie and 31 at Lynn Creek Marina, it’s been a great ride."

The restaurant, which seats 450, was added in 1992. It's a floating restaurant and bar with one of the greatest views of the lake and the surrounding area.

The new menu leans heavy on seafood with starts that include oysters, fried alligator, seafood-stuffed alligators, nachos, mahi tacos, shrimp cocktail, wings, and fried pickles. It's not exactly cheap - fried pickles are $8 and nachos are $14.

There are salads including a Caesar, wedge, and Cobb; and sandwiches and burgers including a "works" burger with bacon, American cheese, & mushrooms, fish sandwich, Reuben, Louisiana po’boy.

Entrees include catfish, fried shrimp, mahi-mahi crusted in potato, fish & chips with hush puppies and slaw, black Angus ribeye, chicken-fried steak, and chicken-fried chicken with mashed potatoes, green beans, and Texas toast

Other changes the the facility include renaming the Big Kahuna excursion boat, now called The Wave. It can hold 97 passengers and is equipped with slides, coolers, layout chairs, a Bluetooth stereo system, and BBQ grill which the captain and deck hands operate. A golf driving range located adjacent to the marina will be renamed the Lynn Creek Driving Range.

Fun fact: Suntex is owned by Bryan Redmond, husband of Brandi Redmond of Real Housewives of Dallas fame.

"We are excited to take over a staple on Joe Pool Lake in the heart of the southern Dallas suburbs,” says Suntex Marinas VP Michael Warntjes. "We anticipate infusing some immediate capital to improve the amenities and security for guests, while focusing on long-term development of the entire property. We are confident that Lynn Creek will be an excellent reflection of the Suntex experience when completed."

openings

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