Patio News

Sprawling new restaurant-bar with outdoor games opens in McKinney

Of course there are burgers.

Stix Icehouse

Restaurants with sprawling outdoor spaces are all the rage around Dallas-Fort Worth, and now McKinney has one of its own: The Stix Icehouse is a new restaurant-bar and outdoor space that celebrated its grand opening this weekend at 301 Eldorado Pkwy.

It's a 14-acre complex that offers not only food and drinks, but also a nine-hole disc golf course, wiffle ball, corn hole, ping pong, swings, a tree house, and a large space available for events.

The Stix Icehouse is the vision of Don Day, downtown McKinney advocate, and food & beverage veterans Mike Luther and Rae Phillips-Luther (Jamba Juice, Zoe's Kitchen, UP Inspired Kitchen).

"When I purchased this 14-acre property several years ago with its magnificent old growth trees, I wanted to find a way to share it with the surrounding communities, families and friends," Day says in a release. "Stix is how we chose to make that happen. I was fortunate to be able to convince Mike and Rae to bring their expertise to work with me to build and develop the property."

Rae Phillips-Luther says their focus was on being family-friendly.

"Inspired by some of our favorite Texas watering holes and our love of food and family, my husband, Mike, and I wanted to create a fun, chill place where our community could hang out and connect with family and friends," she says. "The Stix is a place for the WHOLE family – where kids can safely run free and adults can enjoy good company."

The other thing they're pushing is its profile as an event space for parties of all sizes.

"We will have local musicians playing on the regular and sports tournaments, too," Phillips-Luther says.

The menu is American comfort food including:

catfish n chips
grilled bourbon salmon
nachos
burgers
chicken-fried chicken
soups and salads

They also serve cocktails like the AppleMoon Magic Cocktail (moonshine spiked with apple cider) and 24 beers on tap.

They're not done yet, Day says.

"We have even bigger plans on the horizon to activate the entire wooded area and I welcome all of McKinney, Allen, Fairview and the surrounding communities to come and enjoy some old fashion fun," he says.

Hours are Tuesday-Thursday from 3-10 pm, Friday-Saturday from 3 pm-12 am, and Sunday from 3-10 pm; they're closed on Mondays.

Hi Are You New in Town

9 out-of-town mega-restaurants opening in Dallas in fall 2024

Due Cocina

Pasta from Due Cocina

Dallas has always been an appealing place to open a restaurant, both to locals and out-of-towners alike. But with so many forecasts about Dallas' growing population and economic prosperity, the out-of-town interest has escalated, with many high-profile and high-roller openings now on the books.

Dallas can be pretty provincial when it comes to restaurants — the locals love the locals — so Godspeed to these newcomers and their chances for success.

Catch Dallas
Seafood restauant from Catch Hospitality Group will open at Maple Terrace, the mixed-use development in Uptown Dallas. Catch Hospitality Group is from Tilman Fertitta, Mark Birnbaum, and Eugene Remm, who opened the first Catch in 2011 in New York. There are now locations in Los Angeles, Aspen, and Las Vegas. The menu features grilled seafood, sushi, and large-format dishes like whole snapper. Opening fall 2024.

Domodomo
Chef-driven "dock-to-table" concept coming to The Quad mixed-use development in Uptown Dallas is by Brian Kim, a Culinary Institute of America graduate who opened the original location in New York. It is recognized not only for its hand rolls but also for its ever-changing, inventive "domokase" menu – an attainably-priced, omakase-inspired menu offering best-in-class sushi alongside hot and cold dishes. Opening in November.

Due Cucina
Italian eatery from Seattle that brands itself as “the official restaurant of Italian food snobs” is expanding to Dallas with its first restaurant outside of Washington state. Due’ Cucina will open in the Lakewood Shopping Center at 1900 Abrams Rd. #1900, taking over the space from Unleavened Fresh Kitchen, which closed in 2022. The restaurant serves a variety of Italian dishes at a $10-15 price point, and they make their pasta in-house daily. Opening September 16.

The Hampton Social
Breezy hangout with lobster rolls and rosé will open in downtown Dallas, taking over the former Iron Cactus space at 1520 Main St. The concept is from Parker Hospitality, a Chicago-based restaurant group founded by entrepreneur Brad Parker, who opened the first Hampton Social in Chicago in 2015. Hampton Social is all about the ladies, with a menu featuring shareable dishes and large-format drinks, and a "rosé all day" theme with more than a dozen selections of rose by the glass. There are currently 11 locations in Chicago, Florida, and Nashville. Opening fall 2024.

Local Public Eatery
Convivial restaurant-pub-sports bar based in Vancouver is opening a location at 2323 N. Henderson Ave. #100, in the center where fine-dining restaurant Gemma is, in the space previously occupied by Sushi Axiom. Founded in 2009, LPE is part of Joey Restaurant Group and a younger sibling of Joey, the upscale-casual chain that opened a location at Dallas' NorthPark Center in January 2024. Its menu includes smash burgers, fried chicken, fish & chips, and steak frites. Opening September 2024.

Nouveau Noir
Restaurant coming to Addison's Village on the Parkway is an elevated spinoff of Nouveau Bar & Grill, the Chicago-themed restaurant opened in Atlanta in October 2019 by restaurateur-chef Ebony Austin. It's been highlighted by Today, Good Morning America, Forbes, Essence, Parade, and Eater. Their signature dish is the Ultimate Cajun Seafood and Grits, with shrimp, salmon, and crab over stone-ground grits, topped with peppers and onion and Cajun cream sauce. Opening fall 2024.

San Marzano
Italian restaurant specializing in house-made pasta will open a location in the West Village neighborhood at 3700 McKinney Ave., in the prime spot previously occupied by Public School 214. Named for the famed tomato grown in Italy, San Marzano has been a neighborhood favorite in New York's East Village since 2014, where it draws locals and NYU students for its well-made pasta and upscale-casual setting. Opening late September 2024.

Talkin’ Tacos
Small-but-growing fast-casual Mexican chain serving scratch-made, innovative Mexican dishes, will open their first Texas location at 8442 Parkwood Blvd. at Parkwood Village in Plano. Talkin' Tacos was founded in 2020 as a food truck on the streets of Miami. The brand has grown tremendously in four years, with 16 locations open across Florida and the East Coast, and another seven set to open this year. Opening September 13.

Two Hands
Casual all-day restaurant which draws its inspiration from Australian café culture was founded in 2014 in New York and will open its first Dallas location at The Quad. it'll be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a coffee program and full-service bar, plus indoor-outdoor dining. Opening fall 2024.

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