This Week In Gluttony

Barbecue and blues fest tops best food and drink events in Dallas-Fort Worth

Labor Day weekend is fast approaching, and there are plenty of food and drink events to get you in the holiday spirit. From a fantasy football draft at Rahr & Sons Brewing Company to a weekend-long blues and BBQ festival, you won’t even need to fire up your own grill.

Tuesday, August 26

Rahr & Sons Brewing Company presents Fantasy Football Draft
Rahr & Sons is gearing up for football season with a fantasy football draft party. Throughout football season, the brewery hosts several special tour and tasting events, featuring tailgate fare from a variety of local food trucks, including TX Ballpark Express, 360 Catering, Tail Feathers Wing Wagon, Gepetto’s Pizza Truck and Wayne’s Flame. Teams can register for $25 per person, and that includes snacks, drinks and Wi-Fi access. Fun starts at 6:30 pm.

August Wine Dinner at Sevy’s Grill
Kevin Henry from Palm Bay International joins Sevy’s for a dinner featuring Argentinean wines. Courses include charred tomato, ricotta and olives on grilled bread; griddled sea bass; lamb with summer vegetables; whole roasted rib-eye with chimichurri; and dulce de leche panqueque. Reception starts at 6:30 pm. Price is $75 per person. Call 214-265-7389 for reservations.

Buns, Balls and Wieners at Samson’s Gourmet Hot Dogs
Celebrate Samson’s one-year anniversary with $5 dogs, $4 tapioca boba balls from Bobaddiction, and a billboard-viewing party in honor of the billboard outside the restaurant (just because). The first 50 guests receive a free teenie weenie. A portion of proceeds benefits Texas Scottish Rite Hospital For Children. The fun lasts from 7 to 10 pm.

Thursday, August 28

Rahr & Sons Beer Dinner at Del Frisco’s Grille in Fort Worth
In its second appearance on This Week in Gluttony, Rahr & Sons teams up with Del Frisco’s Grille for a dinner featuring ale, IPA, Doppelbock and lager. Dishes include pan-seared bay scallops, beer-battered grouper tacos, lollipop lamb chops, and Nutella and peanut butter bread pudding. Price is $69 a person, and dinner starts at 6:30 pm. Call 817-887-9900 for reservations.

Friday, August 29

Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival
Enjoy three days of barbecue competitions at this popular annual festival. Blues music is as important as the ’cue, and performers include Petty Theft, Old Gray Mule and Cookie McGee. General admissions tickets start at $7; you can buy them online. The event takes place on the the grounds across the street from City Hall. Festivities run 6-10 pm on Friday and 2-10 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Sunday, August 31

Labor Day Lobster Boil at Driftwood
Enjoy whole Maine lobster and sides of New England-style corn and potatoes for just $28 a person, as well as shucked oysters at a custom raw bar inside the restaurant. There are also special prices on cocktails, wine and beer. A DJ provides the soundtrack. Call 214-942-2530 for reservations. Fun starts at 2 pm.

The Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival runs August 29-31.

Photo courtesy of City of Bedford

The Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival runs August 29-31.

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Bar News

Rodeo Dallas bar takes party to Uptown Dallas at new location

Rodeo

Rodeo bar is open in Uptown

A bar with Deep Ellum roots is expanding to Uptown Dallas: Called Rodeo Dallas, it'll open at 2922 N. Hall St. in the space previously occupied by Palms Bar. According to co-owner Joseph "JD" Ybanez, it'll open on November 28.

The first Rodeo location in Dallas opened in 2023 at 2724 Elm St. from Ybanez and partner Josh Reagan, a pair of hospitality veterans whose prior venues include Longshots in Dallas, plus two locations of Varsity Tavern, in Fort Worth and in Tempe.

Ybanez' first bar was Trophy Ranch in Fort Worth which had a mechanical bull. "That's where I learned how popular it was," he says. (He also became familiar with Fort Worth's bar scene and went on to open a Rodeo spinoff in Fort Worth's West Seventh district in 2024.)

In August 2025, the Deep Ellum location became the focal point of neighborhood concerns about crime and was closed via an order from the Dallas city attorney. Ybanez says the city is scapegoating Rodeo for other problems in the neighborhood, and that the Deep Ellum location isn't going anywhere.

“This is not a relocation,” he says. “We maintain an ongoing legal dispute with our landlord Asana Partners regarding the re-opening of our Deep Ellum establishment. The Uptown location represents an expansion of the brand.”

Prior to opening Rodeo in Deep Ellum, they opened a predecessor in Tempe in 2018, called Rodeo Ranch. It served as a template for the concept, with an "adult playground" with mechanical bull, bottle service, girls in bikinis, DJs, dancing, and light show.

According to Ybanez, visitors to the Uptown location can expect to take these factors to the next level.

“The Uptown space offers an expansive back patio,” Ybanez says. “This area will feature a massive video wall, optimizing it for communal sports viewing. Furthermore, we have executed a comprehensive refinement of our food menu, which we are confident will elevate the guest experience."

The menu is rendered by Donde Los Tacos, the highly regarded Mexican taqueria in Oak Clifff, with $3 and $4 tacos, like trompo, barbacoa, and suadero. The Uptown location will also serve brunch with dishes such as chilaquiles.

"We have meticulously preserved the core of the Rodeo experience: the unparalleled atmosphere and vibes, our commitment to genuine hospitality, the homegrown character of the brand, and the inclusive spirit that welcomes every member of the community," Ybanez says.

uptown openings