Taco News

New taqueria at Union Dallas building treats tacos and margaritas right

And the word is: tacos.

TacoLingo

The new Union Dallas building at 2300 N. Field St. has lured in some buzzy eateries. That includes the official debut of TacoLingo, the new concept from veteran restaurateur Rich Hicks.

Hicks is currently known as the founder of Pie Tap, the upscale pizza chain with locations in the Design District and on Henderson Avenue, which won Best New Restaurant in CultureMap's 2017 Tastemaker Awards.

But Hicks was also a taco pioneer when he founded Tin Star, one of the first gourmet taco chains, back in 1999.

TacoLingo is his next-generation taqueria concept, and it will open at the Union building in March, where it will join The Henry, the newly-opened neighborhood restaurant from Fox Restaurants, as well as a new location of its sibling North Italia, coming soon.

The taco field may be crowded with chains like Torchy's and Tacodeli, but Hicks says he's confident that he can bring something new to the genre, just as he was able to accomplish with Pie Tap, despite dozens of pizzerias having opened in the past decade.

One key move was to hire chef Stan Rodrigues as culinary director. A native of New York, Rodrigues moved to Dallas eight years ago and was previously with Front Burner, where he worked at Whiskey Cake in Plano and helped develop and conceive Sixty Vines, the pizza-and-wine concept.

Hicks' offer gave Rodrigues the opportunity to work on what could potentially be a larger operation with multiple locations, something he wanted to tackle.

"When Rich opened Tin Star in the 90s, it was so ahead of the curve with high-quality ingredients, good cocktails, in a nice atmosphere," Rodrigues says. "The bar is higher now, but we want to recreate what Tin Star did, to elevate that style of taco dining."

That means using Wagyu beef for their steak; chicken that's brined and marinated; and hand-pressing their tortillas.

"Our vision is, can we make some bad-ass tacos that make people want to try them all, with a pitcher of margaritas in a nice setting," Rodrigues says.

The menu includes familiar items like queso and guacamole, but with the best ingredients, and salsas whose recipes they've carefully refined.

"We are still working on our chips and salsa, so that when it hits the table you recognize that it's something different," he says. "Our barbacoa won't follow the standard model of using brisket, we're doing ours with short rib instead, to give it a little more texture."

They'll have nine taco options including two vegetarian items. "One is an avocado taco where we fry the avocado in tempura and serve it with a slaw," he says. "And a fun thing we'e doing is barbacoa mushroom, where we take crimini mushrooms and toss them in a barbacoa marinade. It gets seared at a high heat with onions, and is served with arugula salad and queso fresco. Even if you are a meat lover, you are still going to love that taco."

In addition to tacos, TacoLingo will have regular entrees including fajitas, New York strip steak, mahi mahi, and a carnitas-style porchetta.

"It's flexible — you can order an appetizer and then tacos, or order tacos to share and then some main entrees," he says. "The tacos are fun, composed dishes on a tortilla. We worked hard on our tortilla recipe. Our goal was to find a corn tortilla with the flavor and flexibility and durability of a flour tortilla, and I think we're there."

They'll have a more casual atmosphere than the other restaurants at the Union, with great music, late-night hours, tacos, margaritas by the pitcher, and service industry nights.

Their cocktail program is equally serious, and they have the guy to run it: Andrew Stofko, a nominee for Best Bartender in CultureMap's 2017 Tastemaker Awards who was most recently at Ida Claire and previously at ground-breaking Victor Tangos, now closed.

"He talks about cocktails the same way I talk about food and Rich talks about restaurants," Rodrigues says.

None is concerned about the idea of opening in what some might call a saturated market.

"People in Texas see tacos as a staple," he says. "I can eat tacos every day. The important thing is to push the limits and ask if you can make it better. That's our model. Can you take the time to worry about the balance of flavor, the quality of ingredients, the consistency of your product? If you can do all three, with good service and a good atmosphere, I feel confident a restaurant can do well."

tacos

News you can eat

This Dallas restaurant news goes straight to the dog days of summer

Photo courtesy of SusieCakes

SusieCakes is offering special Dog Days of Summer treats for pups.

It's hot outside; let's go in and eat. This end-of-July restaurant news roundup covers some recent openings and closures, new baked goods, new menu items, and two great August traditions: DFW Restaurant Week and Hatch chile season.

Here's what's happening on the Dallas dining scene:

SusieCakes is rolling out a month-long Dog Days of Summer collection, available August 1-31. The lineup includes dog-shaped Frosted Sugar Cookies, dog-friendly PupCakes made with banana and peanut butter, homemade dog treats, and a dog-themed decorated cake. Coinciding with National Dog Day (August 26) to promote shelter adoption, the bakery will donate $1 from every Frosted Sugar Cookie and PupCake sold throughout August to local animal rescue organizations, including Saving Hope Animal Rescue, Dogslife, Dallas Pets Alive!, and Chew Animal Clinic. Orders are available in-store and online.

Shi-Ya Modern Asian Cuisine opened in late June inside kosher steakhouse Meat Point, at 7114 Campbell Rd. #102 in far North Dallas, bringing a new kosher sushi lounge concept to the city. Access via an unmarked entrance inside Meat Point, the speakeasy-style restaurant features sushi, sashimi, rolls, and other modern Asian dishes, all prepared under kosher standards.

Manpuku Japanese Yakiniku Grill at 2023 Greenville Ave. has closed. Manpuku, a chain of Japanese barbecue (yakiniku) restaurants from Tokyo, brought its distinctive interactive Japanese yakiniku dining experience to Texas, opening its first restaurant in the Lone Star State on Dallas' Lower Greenville in 2021. It has a sister Japanese restaurant, Takumi Hachi, in Addison.

PopUp Bagels is teaming up with Natalie's Juices for a limited-time collaboration featuring Tangerine Dream Butter, a citrus-infused schmear made with fresh-squeezed tangerine juice. Available August 6-19 at all PopUp Bagels locations, the spread is paired with 12-ounce bottles of Natalie's Tangerine Juice. The promotion also includes free tangerine juice tastings at select locations — including Dallas — on August 7, plus a gift-with-purchase weekend August 15-16, when the first 25 customers each day who order the Tangerine Dream Butter will receive a limited-edition Natalie's tote bag.

Paris Baguette has opened a new bakery-café at 5500 State Highway 121, Suite 100 in Plano, marking the chain's 27th location in Texas. The café features the brand's signature self-serve selection of artisan pastries, breads, cakes, and specialty coffee. The new shop is locally owned by CJ Singh and Punya Kushalappa, who say they hope to make it a gathering place for the Plano community.

Mountain Mike's Pizza has opened a new restaurant in Murphy, at 511 E. FM 544. The family-friendly pizzeria features eight TVs, an outdoor patio, a kids' arcade, and an all-you-can-eat weekday lunch buffet. It's the chain's 16th location in Texas and is owned by husband-and-wife franchisees Timothy Fogarty and Vanessa Lomelí-Fogarty, who are planning additional North Texas expansion. The menu includes the brand's signature crispy curly pepperoni pizzas, wings, garlic knots, salads, and desserts and is open daily for dine-in, carryout, and delivery.

Mountain Mike's Pizza with its curly pepperoni. Photo courtesy of Mountain Mike's

Beto and Son has closed after 10 years in the Trinity Groves development in West Dallas, but chef Julian Rodarte promises that, as his father Beto retires, "It's not the end, just the beginning of the next chapter." The father-son team opened the restaurant in 2016. They became known for their novel twists on Mexican cuisine, but even better known for their smoking liquid nitrogen margaritas.

Café Momentum has been named one of 10 recipients of a $10,000 summer grant from the Jacques Pépin Foundation. The Dallas nonprofit restaurant, which provides paid culinary training and wraparound support for justice-involved youth ages 15-19, was recognized for its workforce development program that serves 80 to 120 interns annually. In addition to the grant, Café Momentum will receive branded aprons for its students and a foundation group membership. The organization is also preparing to open its new flagship campus in 2027.

DFW Restaurant Week returns August 10-September 7 to celebrate its 30th anniversary with more than 160 restaurants across North Texas offering special prix-fixe menus that benefit the North Texas Food Bank and Lena Pope. Participating restaurants will serve two-course lunches and brunches for $29, three-course dinners for $49 or $59, and select $99 signature dinners, with a portion of every meal donated to charity. Reservations are open now.

KANVAS has closed in Deep Ellum. The nightlife venue said it made the decision because of ongoing violence in the surrounding neighborhood. While noting it had maintained a safe environment inside the venue, KANVAS said it could not control conditions in the surrounding area and no longer believed operating in Deep Ellum aligned with its standards. The company said it will continue operating its other concepts, including Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley and Club VIVO, while expanding into additional U.S. cities.

Long John Silver's has reopened its remodeled restaurant at 1414 N. Town East Blvd. in Mesquite following a major renovation. The updated restaurant features a refreshed coastal-inspired design, digital menu boards, self-order kiosks, and a redesigned layout to streamline dine-in, drive-thru, carryout, mobile, and online orders. The restaurant serves the chain's full menu of seafood, chicken, shrimp, tacos, bowls, and hushpuppies.

Kenny's East Coast Pizza in Plano has closed after a decade. Chef and restaurateur Kenny Bowers opened the pizzeria in 2016, adding to his "Kenny's" empire that then included Kenny’s Wood Fired Grill and Kenny's Italian Kitchen in Addison, Kenny's Burger Joint in Plano and Frisco, and Kenny's Smoke House in Plano. The pizzeria's prime Park and Preston location housed Bowers' ode to his Boston upbringing, with 14-inch pies prepared in a Bakers Pride Deck Oven.

Blue Mesa Grill is toasting the 30th anniversary of its annual Hatch Chile Festival with a month-long menu of New Mexico-inspired specials available August 1-31. Included are Asadero Cheese Bites with hatch salsa verde and sweet red chile sauce; Santa Fe stacked chicken enchiladas; Hatch cheese relleno and steak taco combos; Pozole; a Hatch brownie, and more, plus the commemorative, Hatch-infused Dirty Thirty Margarita. The celebration will include a Hatch Chile Weekend Brunch on August 15-16 ($30 adults; $15 kids 6-11, kids 5 and younger eat for free.)

Blue Mesa Hatch chile It's Hatch chile time at Blue Mesa. Photo courtesy of Blue Mesa Grill

Eatzi's Market & Bakery is celebrating Hatch chile season with the return of its annual lineup of limited-time menu items, available through August at all locations and online. Highlights include Hatch Pimento Spread, a Beef Slider with Hatch Pimento Cheese, Hatch Chicken Salad, and Hatch Queso, all featuring roasted Hatch chiles. The seasonal offerings are available through the end of August while supplies last.

Blue Goose Cantina welcomes the return of its 24th Annual Hatch Chile Fest, running August 4 through September at all eight North Texas locations. The limited-time menu features 11 seasonal food and drink specials, including Hatch tamales, Hatch pulled chicken enchiladas, Hatch street tacos, Hatch margaritas, and weekend brunch dishes, all made with authentic Hatch chiles from New Mexico.

Burger Schmurger will mark Hatch chile season with The Hatchback, its August Burger of the Month. Available August 1-31 for $12, the limited-time burger features a double smashburger topped with roasted Hatch green chiles, white American cheese, tomato, red onion, butter lettuce, and roasted Hatch green chile sauce on a potato bun.

Prince St. Pizza has teamed up with rock bands Avenged Sevenfold and Good Charlotte on two limited-edition specialty pizzas, available through August 30. The collaboration features A Little Pizza Heaven, an Avenged Sevenfold pie with activated charcoal dough, spicy vodka sauce, smoked mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, and Calabrian peppers; and The Deserve You Pie, a Good Charlotte creation topped with garlic cream, mozzarella, mushrooms, sausage, basil pesto, whipped lemon ricotta, and edible blue borage flowers. Each order comes in a collectible band-themed pizza box, and loyalty members who order a tour pie or slice are entered to win concert tickets.

Apothecary has introduced a new three-course prix-fixe dinner for $45. Available alongside the regular à la carte menu, the offering pays tribute to the tasting-menu format of the restaurant's former sister concept, Rye, which closed earlier this year. Diners choose one dish from each course, with first-course options including Japanese Elotes, Caesar Salad, or Local Summer Vegetables; entrées such as Cacio e Pepe, Mediterranean Salmon, Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken, or the Apo Burger, with optional upgrades for Seared Scallops or Wagyu Steak Frites; and desserts including Strawberry Basil Cheesecake, Sauerkraut Cake, or S'mores.

Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse has added a shareable Pennsylvania Heritage Fried Chicken Bucket for two, served with house-made ranch, truffle hot sauce aioli, and honey mustard. The limited-time dish is paired with Belvedere martinis or Moët & Chandon Champagne, with optional upgrades including Dom Pérignon or American sturgeon caviar for a luxe twist on comfort food.

The Sicilian Butcher has rolled out a summer menu refresh with 14 new dishes at its Dallas-Fort Worth locations. New additions include appetizers, build-your-own entrées, and Italian classics such as Nonna's Garlic Bread, Ravioli Cacio e Pepe, Lasagna, Pentolino, East Coast Stuffed Pepper, and Chicken Alla Tomasso. The restaurant is also continuing several value specials, including a two-course lunch for $18 from 11 am-3 pm, all-day happy hour, a Vino for Two deal, and 50 percent off select bottles of wine every Wednesday.

Fuzzy's Taco Shop has launched Fuzzy's Beach Club, a limited-time summer menu with California beach vibes, including a Cali-Style Steak Taco ($5.35) topped with fries and guacamole, a Baja Fish Taco ($4.55) with Pacifico beer-battered fish, Brisket Queso Fries ($12), Churritos ($4.25), and the Malibu Daydream cocktail ($8), plus $5 Pacifico draft beers. Available through August 30.

The Keg Steakhouse + Bar is now offering delivery for the first time in its 50-plus-year history through a partnership with DoorDash. Guests at the Arlington location can order signature dishes such as the New York Striploin, Keg Burger, Mushrooms Neptune, and Cheesecake for delivery. To celebrate the launch, DoorDash customers can get $10 off orders of $40 or more through August 5 with the code 10KEG.

Flix Brewhouse Frisco earned a gold medal at the 2026 U.S. Open Beer Championship for its Cumbersome Blonde in the Field Beer category, helping the cinema brewery chain achieve a record 17 medals across all locations. Each Flix brewery is judged independently, making the Frisco team's win part of the highest medal count by any brewery group in this year's competition.

restaurant news openings closings news-you-can-eat