Fill That Growler

Craft beer growler bar goes into Dallas neighborhood that really needs it

Beer will soon be on tap in the Bluffview neighborhood.

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UPDATE: Bluffview Growler will open on January 21.

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Every neighborhood deserves its own growler station, and Bluffview area, your time is here. Bluffview Growler will open on Northwest Highway at Marsh Lane, from the folks behind Lakewood Growler.

Bluffview Growler, which will reside on the ground floor of the Elan at Bluffview Apartments, will share the same setup as its big brother in Lakewood, but with a little something extra: a kitchen that serves bites and snacks.

Owner Dale Czech likes the location because there is so little in the area in the way of craft beer.

"We first looked at that spot a couple of years ago and were initially hesitant, because the location requires that 25 percent of your sales be non-alcohol," he says. "We don't have that requirement at Lakewood Growler, where our customers are free to bring in their own food. But finding real estate wasn't easy, and we felt like we could bring something new to the neighborhood."

The rule about deriving at least 25 percent in non-beer sales is due to the mixed-use building, which has apartments above and retail below. But the area is in transition. Jimmy John's just opened a branch in the same building, and a Chick Fil-A opened in the center as well. "I know they do their homework," Czech says.

Growler concepts are among the most complicated to open. You need a license that accommodates both to-go orders as well as consuming beer on-site. But that flexibility is what makes them so practical for customers.

Lakewood Growler is one of the best growler bars, thanks to its well-selected collection of craft beers, which range from top local brews to rare and boutique beers from around the country. Their tap listing is extremely user-friendly, because it reflects real-time supplies. You can see not only what they have on tap but how empty or full the keg is.

The Bluffview branch is under construction and isn't expected to open until ~~late fall~~ January 21, so the menu is still in development. "But we know we're going to have small bites," he says.

They'll have about the same number of taps as Lakewood, keeping it to under 50 total, with about eight dedicated to wines and sodas. They'll have more room for customers to sit, with plans to install the magical "p" word, patio.

"The space is about 30 percent bigger than what we have in Lakewood," he says. "And we plan to open a patio in the spring, and that's for dog owners. At Lakewood, we can allow dogs because there's no restaurant, but having a kitchen means you can't allow dogs to come in. We want to stay dog-friendly."

openings craft-beer

There Goes the Biscuits

Mom-and-pop restaurant chain Biscuit Bar closes all Dallas locations

Photo courtesy of Biscuit Bar

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A Dallas-Fort Worth restaurant chain dedicated to biscuits is shutting down: The Biscuit Bar, a chain with six locations including five in the Dallas area, is closing them all. According to the owners, the closures are effective immediately.

Owners Jake and Janie Burkett say they were poised to sell off the chain to keep it afloat, but the sale fell through at the last minute — forcing them to shutter the business entirely.

The chain has five locations in the DFW area and one in Abilene. All locations are closed including these five in DFW:

Deep Ellum, at The Epic, the mixed-use project at 2550 Pacific Ave.
Plano, at The Boardwalk in Granite Park, at 5880 TX-121 #102B
Arlington, at Champions Park, at 1707 N. Collins St.
Fort Worth Stockyards, at Mule Alley, at 122 E. Exchange Ave.
Coppell, at 104 S Denton Tap Rd. #102

The couple blamed a variety of factors, including "rising costs, supply chain instability, and a commercial environment increasingly shaped by large institutional interests" which "created pressures no small business was prepared to endure."

The concept made its debut in April 2018 at The Boardwalk in Granite Park in Plano, before expanding in 2019 with a bang, targeting five locations all at once — a bold move for a new concept, especially one dedicated entirely to one food group. (They also opened a short-lived location on Hillcrest near SMU which is now home to D.L. Mack's.)

They were open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week, offering biscuits, tots, and beer on tap — very ambitious — with a menu featuring both savory and sweet biscuit sandwiches made in house; tots, which could be customized; plus a bar with cocktails, local beer, cold brew coffee, and kombucha, all offered on tap.

Its most popular menu item, The Hoss, featured Southern fried chicken, bacon, Jack cheese, sausage gravy, and honey butter.

Their post says that by early 2025, they entered Chapter 11 — "not to walk away but to rebuild and secure a future for our employees," they say. "And for a time, it looked like that future was within reach. A respect restaurant group stepped forward, committed to acquiring and growing Biscuit Bar. The sale was structured, terms were agreed upon, and the closing was set for December."

Unfortunately, not everyone was on board.

"While many partners supported a workable plan, several key financial stakeholders did not," their post says. "This included a few landlords whose participation was essential. Their refusal to compromise or support a path forward ultimately made the sale impossible, leaving us with no legal or financil ability continue operating. And so just days before Christmas, we were forced into the most painful decision of our lives."

They've launched a GoFundMe for their employees and are encouraging their fans to contribute.

"If The Biscuit Bar ever served you a meal, became part of your routine, or gave you a place to gather with family and friends, we humbly ask you to consider donating or sharing this campaign," they say.

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