Irving Restaurant Explosion

Mega-slate of restaurants hits Irving's Music Factory — Sunday gospel brunch included

Rendering of Toyota Music Factory in Las Colinas

More than a dozen restaurants have been announced for the Music Factory in Irving.

Photo courtesy of Alamo Drafthouse DFW

The Music Factory has revealed another slate of restaurant openings, and this one's big: The Irving entertainment complex has partnered with Seattle-based Restaurants Unlimited (RUI) to open and operate seven new restaurant and entertainment venues.

"Our concepts will cater perfectly to the great people of Texas and their love of all-American fare, live entertainment and huge appetite for being with friends," said RUI president and CEO Chris Harter in a release.

The RUI concepts run from Mediterranean to barbecue to "West Coast fare." Although all are fully conceived, some still do not have names, says spokesman Eric Kelly.

"The Music Factory is still about 13 months away," Kelly says. "We've got the concept and cuisine established but are still in process with a few different names, going through trade name search and so on.

"We can't yet commit to names for the concept. But they're great concepts, already fleshed out, right through the tasting process."

Details are as follows:

Restaurant No. 1: Texas kitchen
Open 24 hours a day with comfort food, smoked meat and coffee bar. A 4,000-pound smoker will be located outside the restaurant for brisket, chicken, pork ribs and hot links. Other menu items include buttermilk fried chicken, meatloaf and mashed potatoes, chicken and dumplings, green-tomato inspired dishes, black-eyed peas, and squash casserole. The coffee bar also will offer breakfast pastries. Live country and western musicians will often perform in the evening.

Restaurant No. 2: Barbecue, burgers and blues
Charbroiled burgers, wings, hand-cut fries, Frito pie and fried pickles. The bar will offer bourbon and rye, along with 20 regional beers on tap. Live blues will be presented on the indoor performance stage.

Restaurant No. 3: Latin cantina
Menu items include red and green chile enchiladas, chicken with tortillas and salsa, margaritas, mojitos, regional beer, and tequila. Expect Latin-Flamenco and Western pop music.

Restaurant No. 4: Seafood house
Exhibition oyster bar with East and West Coast oysters, plus charbroiled Gulf oysters with garlic-butter and Parmesan cheese. Appetizers include crab cakes, fried oysters, stuffed artichokes, and shrimp and grits. Entrees include gumbo, jambalaya, etouffée and grilled fish. French Quarter bar will feature hurricanes, bourbon milk punch, Sazerac and Ramos gin fizz. Live music will be Zydeco and jazz.

Restaurant No. 5: West Coast grill and lounge
Inspired by our Portland City Grill, this concept features Kung Pao calamari, steak tartare, Brie-stuffed artichoke, salads, seafood and dry-aged steaks. Entertainment will include jazz and a live pianist.

Restaurant No. 6: Martini lounge and tapas
More than 30 specialty martinis, bottle service and cocktails with DJs, VIP booths and a fire feature on the outdoor patio.

Restaurant No. 7: Mediterranean wine bar
Wine by the glass or bottle with Mediterranean dishes such as chargrilled octopus salad, Catalonian flatbreads, salads, cured meat and cheese boards. Desserts include chocolate fondue, pain perdu with champagne grapes and chevre, chocolate pate with raspberries, and limoncello granita.

Open seven days a week, all venues will have patios offering access to live entertainment outdoors on the plaza. On Sundays there will be a gospel brunch on the plaza with fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, smoked meats, salads (including macaroni and potato), peach cobbler, pecan pie, and red velvet cake.

Launched in 1968, Restaurants Unlimited operates 21 restaurant brands in 47 locations in 11 states, including Portland City Grill, Palisade, Cutters Crabhouse and Skates on the Bay, Kincaid's, Palomino Restaurant & Bar, Portland Seafood Company and Stanford's.

Located just north of O'Connor between U.S. Highway 114 and Las Colinas Boulevard, adjacent to the Irving Convention Center, the $165 million Music Factory complex will have an eight-screen Alamo Drafthouse, an 8,000-seat concert venue run by Live Nation, a 50,000-square-foot outdoor plaza for special events such as fashion shows and food festivals, and 100,000 square feet of office space. It can all be accessed by the DART Orange Line.

Previously announced concepts for Music Factory include TCBY, Gloria's, sushi restaurant Kabuki and Thirsty Lion Gastropub.

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Cool new hang

Rollin Joe's coffee shop to open in old New York Sub space by SMU Dallas

Rendering courtesy of Rollin Joes

Rollin Joe's is going into the old New York Sub space across from SMU.

The iconic former New York Sub space across from Southern Methodist University is being amped up as a cool new off-campus hang: Rollin Joe's, an all-day, music-driven, coffee and beverage shop, will open at 3411 Asbury St., Dallas.

It will debut in late summer or early fall 2026, says a release, in time to serve espresso drinks, matcha, smoothies, and teas to a new crop of undergrads who need caffeine.

Rollin Joe's comes from SMU alumnus (and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' nephew) Jerry W. Mooty, Jr. and hospitality veteran Kirk Thompson, who are transforming the longtime campus-area location into an all-day destination "pairing quality beverages with curated music, comfortable spaces and a community-focused atmosphere," the release says.

The location is notable for generations of SMU students and Park Cities residents who loved New York Sub, which had occupied the space since 1974, before closing earlier this year.

According to the release, Rollin Joe's will encompass 1,373 square feet with seating for 45 to 50. Features will include a covered patio, walk-up ordering, and a "Quick Sip" window for customers on the go.

The menu will focus on beverages, including coffee and espresso drinks, matcha beverages, specialty teas, smoothies, protein drinks, refreshers, energy beverages, grab-and-go sandwiches and snacks.

Notably, it will not sell alcohol. This is not a bar, frat boys.

Rollin Joe's will be an all-day coffee spot.Rendering courtesy of Rollin Joe's

Rollin Joe's will operate from morning through late evening, transitioning from coffee runs and study sessions to afternoon meetups and evening gatherings.

Music will also be a priority. According to the release, house music will be part of the daily soundtrack, with live DJs performing several nights per week and occasional guest DJs to help set the vibe.

For Mooty, the location was a key part of the project.

"The former New York Sub location holds a special place in the hearts of generations of SMU students and Park Cities residents," Mooty said in a statement. "When the opportunity arose to bring new life to the space, we saw a chance to honor that legacy while creating a new gathering place built around great drinks, music, community and meaningful connections."

Mooty is CEO and principal of Christie's International Real Estate @properties Lone Star. He says the idea for Rollin Joe's dates back more than a decade.

To clarify, the namesake "Joe" is not necessarily a person, but a concept, and what he's "rollin'" is, well, left to the imagination. As the release explains, "At the center of the brand is 'Joe' - a laid-back, music-loving personality who embodies the culture and spirit of Rollin Joe's. More than a host, Joe represents the welcoming, upbeat experience the founders hope to create for every guest who walks through the door."

Mooty explains, "The Rollin Joe's concept - and Joe's distinctive look and personality - has been a passion project of mine since I left the legal profession in 2012. I always believed in Joe as the focus of a beverage concept, but I knew bringing him to life would require operational expertise I didn't yet have."

Thompson joined the project after moving to Texas in 2024. His background includes owning and operating Panera Bread franchises in Kentucky and Florida, as well as Jimmy John's locations in Austin.

"When Jerry showed me what he had created, I immediately saw the potential," Thompson says. "The beverage category is evolving rapidly, and there was an opportunity to build something different - something that combines exceptional drinks, hospitality, music, and community."

The space was designed by Alexander Quintanilla of Q-ARC. According to the release, the design draws inspiration from music culture, vinyl listening lounges, and modern cafés, with comfortable seating, greenery, and lighting intended to complement the music-focused atmosphere.

coffee shop smu openings coffee