Tex-Mex News

Favored Dallas Mexican restaurateur opens new spinoff of his Knox spot

Doce Mesas' chile relleno with veggies on the side looks divine.

Doce Mesas

Beloved Dallas restaurateur Mico Rodriguez is about to open a new Mexican restaurant: It's a second location of Doce Mesas, his upscale Mexican eatery at 4444 McKinney Ave., and it'll open at The Hill, the development at the northeast corner of US75 and Walnut Hill Lane.

Specifically, it's at 9810 N. Central Expy. #600, the space that was once home to BBQ restaurant Red Hot & Blue.

Rodriguez says that they're planning to open by the end of the month. "We hope to open the last week of July," he says.

Mico still maintains a devout following as the co-founder of Mi Cocina, Dallas' best-known Mexican restaurant chain, which he left in 2010.

He went on to cofound his next concept, called Mr. Mesero, opening the first location on McKinney Avenue in 2011. That location served as a template for the Mesero chain, which currently has seven locations across DFW.

In 2017, Rodriguez parted ways with Mesero Restaurant Group following a lawsuit. He kept the original on McKinney Avenue, while Mesero Restaurant Group got the rest. He changed the name of his location to Doce Mesas, which translates into "12 tables," in 2018.

"I started out with 12 tables back in 1991," Rodriguez says. "And then it was 12 tables again in 2011 when I opened Mr. Mesero. It's my history. That's what Doce Mesas means to me."

Doce Mesas' menu is primarily Mexican food, but also includes other dishes such as roast chicken, and a cool Romaine salad with avocado and hearts of palm. He's currently offering a fried chicken sandwich to capitalize on the hot trend, which he makes with chicken thighs and bread & butter pickles.

There are tacos, enchiladas, and combination plates, but all done with unexpected and upscale twists. Nachos come topped with carne asada, black beans, and avocado; queso has white cheddar cheese, charred poblano, and spinach, like a clever cross between queso and spinach dip. There's also ceviche and a chicken pozole soup.

The bar has beer, wine by the glass, cocktails, and half a dozen margaritas including a unique frozen featuring three layers: mango, strawberry, and sangria swirl.

Red Hot & Blue closed in January 2019, re-opening as HQ Prime Beer Garden which subsequently closed the same year.

Rodriguez says he'd been working on opening a spinoff a little more north of Uptown. The Hill is convenient to neighborhoods loaded with Mico fans including Preston Hollow, Lake Highlands, east Dallas, and parts north. That particular address also has prime positioning, facing out with good visibility from US75.

tex-mex openings

Craft Beer News

Frisco rolls out red carpet for Rollertown Beerworks brewery

Rollertown

Rollertown Beerworks

A brewery owned by a pair of Dallas celebrities has opened the taps in Frisco: Rollertown Beerworks, it's from Ben Rogers and Jeff Wade, beloved hosts of "The Ben & Skin Show" on KEGL-FM, joined by Jonathan Rogers, who is CEO as well as Ben's younger brother, and it just opened at 6450 Main St., next to Frisco’s historic silos.

The brewery was originally founded in Celina in 2020. This is a relocation that's been four years in the making, with backing from the city of Frisco.

The brewery is a public-private partnership between Rollertown and the city of Frisco, Frisco Community Development Corporation, and Frisco TX EDC.

“Rollertown will be an entertainment destination, a family friendly gathering place for residents and visitors,” said Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney in a statement at the brewery's opening. “Our residents will find the live music and brewery experience they craved here in the heart of our city. … After years of looking for the right fit for the silo property, Rollertown bridges both sides of Main Street, connecting our historic Rail District to Frisco Square and Toyota Stadium."

Jonathan Rogers says they're thrilled about their location and its proximity to … everything.

“We’re at the corner of Main & Main in Downtown Frisco — just a block from Toyota Stadium and FC Dallas, and down the street from the Dallas Cowboys HQ, the Dallas Stars HQ, the PGA of America, Universal Studios, and at least three new billion-dollar developments," he says.

"There’s so much happening in Frisco that the real question is…why wouldn’t we want to be here?" he says. "Beyond the incredible location and explosive growth, there’s a sense of possibility and teamwork that exists in Frisco that you don’t always find everywhere else. It’s a perfect culture and values fit for us."

Rollertown BeerworksRollertown

The taproom has two levels of indoor and outdoor seating, beer garden, rooftop deck, and a performance stage. The heart of the operation is a production facility featuring a state-of-the-art 60-barrel brewhouse which will allow Rollertown to produce more than 75,000 barrels annually.

Rollertown offers 21 rotating beers on tap, and plans to release a new beer every two weeks. The selection includes IPAs, sours, and stouts.

“We use traditional brewing techniques that result in approachable beers that are true to their classic styles,” says Rogers.

Beyond the popularity of the founders, Rollertown is best known for its Big German beer, named in honor of Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, who is an investor of Rollertown. They describe the brew as a “highly crushable Kölsch” containing “minimal hops and a smooth finish,” like Nowitzki himself.

“He loves that joke, we promise,” Rogers says.

On site are three brewhouses of different sizes: a 30-BBL system for production beers, a 7-BBL system for frequent small-batch releases, and a 1-BBL system for private parties and experimental batches.

In addition to beer, Rollertown also offers wine a full range of spirits — vodka, bourbon, tequila, rum, and gin.

Following a common brewery practice, they delegate the food to food trucks, with three — American Gothic Pizza, Jazzy’s Tacos, and Mueller Wagyu — currently in residence. Mueller, known for its Wagyu smashburgers, will have permanent residence at the venue beginning in the first quarter of 2026.

craft beer openings