A Sports Bar for Greenville

Dodie's honors Cajun roots with new sports bar on Greenville Avenue

A new sporty sibling of Dodie's called 504 Bar & Grill is coming to Greenville Avenue, within toasting distance of where the original Dodie's opened in 1989. 504 will be a sports bar, and it's going into the space at 2121 Greenville Ave. that was for decades occupied by New Big Wong.

Owner Charlie McGuinness says the plan is to get 504 open by the end of January. "Which is probably February," he says dryly.

Snagging such a prime location is a major coup, especially given the phenomenal renaissance Greenville Avenue is enjoying — one that McGuinness long preceded when he opened Dodie's 25 years ago.

Dodie's has seen some sprawling expansion, but most of the branches are franchised, including the Dodie's Reef up the street near Terilli's, the Dodie's in Allen and the Dodie's in Rockwall. The only branch with a connection to the original at 2129 Greenville Ave. is Dodie's Live in Frisco, the former Lemon Bar, which McGuinness and his son Chris are now helping to run.

With all those Dodie's circulating, McGuinness wanted to move in a new direction at the New Big Wong space.

"We're going to make it a sports bar," he says. "One of the Dodie's that my son started and then sold had a sports bar theme, and it did real well. 504 will have a limited menu of upscale bar food, including grilled oysters and some real nice stuff."

They're looking at 35 TVs and a patio that extends into the parking area. "It's one of only places on Lower Greenville that has dedicated parking," he says. "We want a nice place."

The name 504 Bar and Grill has special resonance. "504 is the area code for New Orleans," McGuinness says.

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Chef News

Chef and caterer opens Southern to-go cafe south of Dallas

Cedric Frazier

Cedric Frazier Experience Fruity Pebbles chicken & waffles.

A chef and caterer has opened an eponymous to-go cafe south of Dallas: Called The Cedric Frazier Experience, it’s an upscale soul food kitchen located at 103 Waller St., in Red Oak, where it opened on June 7.

The Cedric Frazier Experience is from chef and caterer Cedric Frazier, a graduate of Johson & Wales University with 30 years of culinary experience cooking and catering, serving celebrities as well as political figures. For a few years, he worked as a traveling private chef and boutique caterer, and still does a brisk catering business for birthday parties, celebrations, and the like. He also owns Luxuria, an event venue in DeSoto he opened in 2024.

The Experience is mainly a to-go restaurant, but it does have limited seating for diners looking for a quick bite or hosting small events. For those looking to drop by and pick up a meal, the kitchen is open Thursday-Sunday with lunch and dinner options.

"It will serve as a full-service catering kitchen, as well as a boutique cafe that offers to-go and limited dine-in options," Frazier says. "While the catering side is by appointment or event-based booking, the café will be open to the public during specific hours. No reservations needed."

Dishes are Southern-inspired "low country" — what Frazier refers to as “elevated comfort food": fried fish, wings, pasta, and salads. On Sundays, he does a special menu with homey meals featuring baked turkey wings, fried chicken, or oxtails, and sides of candied yams, collard greens, and cornbread.

The Cedric Frazier Experience kitchen is an extension of what Frazier was doing as a traveling chef across Texas. Red Oak seemed fitting because it’s a growing community that needed elevated, chef-driven fare while also being “accessible.”

“Launching my own brand allowed me to bring all of my experience together — pairing high-level service with heartfelt, soulful cuisine,” Frazier says. “Every plate I create carries pieces of my heritage, my training, and my passion for connecting with people through food.”

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