Fried Chicken News

Chicken restaurant from Dallas chef Omar Flores soars the suburbs

Whistle Britches is winning over the 'burbs of the north.

Whistle Britches

The second location is set for Whistle Britches, the Southern restaurant with fried chicken from chef Omar Flores. According to CBRE, the restaurant will open in February 2018 at 6121 W. Park Blvd. in Plano, at The Shops at Willow Bend.

Whistle Britches will be one of six to eight new restaurants at Willow Bend's expanding "restaurant district," part of a $125 million renovation and expansion at the mall.

CBRE senior VP Greg Pierce says Willow Bend is a prime spot. "With the addition of great tenants such as The Crayola Experience, Equinox health club, and the Plano Children’s Theatre, we believe Starwood will be able to pull off something exceptional at Willow Bend," he says. "To be an integral part of the great mix of restaurateurs coming into this project is a testament to the creative mind and dedication to exceptional, high-quality dishes Chef Omar is regarded for."

Whistle Britches opened its first location in 2016 at 6110 Frankford Rd., Dallas, in the former Spork space, which was a converted Sonic Drive-In with large roll-up doors leading out to an inviting wood-decked patio.

A James Beard semifinalist and critical favorite, Flores can now focus on Whistle Britches full-time since Casa Rubia, his tapas-style restaurant at Trinity Groves, was shut down in July.

Whistle Britches is a full-service, dine-in restaurant with biscuits, chicken and waffles, and chicken wings. One of the most popular dishes is a sandwich made with fried chicken and a biscuit. There is brunch on Saturday and Sunday, and a full service bar with local beer and cocktails.

For Whistle Britches, Flores is partnered with Alec Marshi, who also owns Carmel Restaurant in Coppell, an American-Mediterranean spot he opened with his parents in 2014. The expansion won't stop with Plano, Marshi says, and there's a menu expansion in the works as well, with some salads and dishes that are a little healthier than fried food.

"The Frankford location has done well, and we've been fortunate that a lot of landlords have approached us," Marshi says. "After Plano, we're looking at Southlake. We almost have a location, we're very close. We're liking the suburbs."

openings

Closing News

Longtime Dallas restaurant Sevy's Grill to close after nearly 30 years

Photo courtesy of Sevy's Grill

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A longtime Dallas restaurant is closing in 2026: Sevy's Grill, which has been open at 8201 Preston Rd. near Preston Center for nearly 30 years, will close on June 27, 2026.

According to a release from the owners, they're closing due to what appears to be an increase in rent.

"After months of negotiations, we were not able to come to a mutually beneficial agreement for our fourth 10-year lease," the post said.

The restaurant is located in Preston Sherry Plaza, which was acquired in September 2025 by Austin-based Endeavor Real Estate. Somebody gotta foot the bill.

Sevy's says they are looking at other locations.

"Our focus now is to finish these next 6+ months taking care of our guests and staff at the same caring level we built our brand on: Warm, professional service, consistently good food and a comfortable ambiance where the guest is always first," the post says. "First on our list of priorities is taking care of our guests in December and all the wonderful celebrations of family, friends and business groups. We do still have some availability for reservations, including our last New Years Eve at Preston Sherry. Come celebrate with us as the exciting anticipation of a new year for all of us."

"Our second priority will be the search for a new location to continue doing what we love," they said. "We are already reviewing possible sites and will keep everyone updated regularly."

Owned by chef Jim "Sevy" Severson and his wife Amy Severson, the restaurant has long been a neighborhood favorite with a lively bar scene, and was nominated in CultureMap's 2018 Tastemaker Awards for Best Neighborhood Restaurant. They were a frequent choice for winemaker events and are also known for the longevity of their staff.

"Eight team members have been with us all 29+ years, with an average tenure in the kitchen of 15+ years and a Management team that you all know," their post said. "Come support our staff as we celebrate the next 6+ months.Thank you again for your support through all the normal challenges of running a restaurant as well as economic downturns, market bubbles, Y2K, and of course the COVID era. As I tell my family and friends to “enjoy the ride in life”, wow, what an amazing ride it has been for us! And as always, Sevy’s Grill is here for you."