Here Come the Cheese Fries

Iconic Dallas burger restaurant plus a seafood shack hit Arlington

Arlington will get a taste of Snuffer's burgers and cheese fries in spring 2016.

Photo courtesy of Snuffer's

Arlington is getting a double-shot of Dallas with two Dallas restaurant concepts both opening branches in early 2016.

Snuffer's Restaurant & Bar, known for its burgers and famed cheese fries, is opening a branch in south Arlington, just east of the Arlington Highlands complex at I-20 and Matlock Road.

The restaurant will go into the same little center as Gander Mountain and Andalous Mediterranean Grill. A Snuffer's staffer said that construction was about halfway complete and that the restaurant would open in the spring.

Arlington will be the 10th branch and represents a new market for Snuffer's, which currently has locations in Rockwall, Southlake, Addison, Colleyville, and more, in addition to the flagship on Greenville Avenue. The most recent opening was in Red Oak, in the Ovilla Road Shopping Center, which opened in mid-2015.

Snuffer's is part of Firebird Restaurant Group LLC, which also owns El Fenix, Meso Maya, and Taqueria La Ventana.

The Shell Shack is also opening a branch in Arlington, at 770 E Road To Six Flags, in the former Olenjack's space. Olenjack's closed in July after seven years.

The Shell Shack debuted in October 2013 with an inaugural branch on McKinney Avenue in Uptown Dallas. A second branch opened in Plano in April 2015.

With a name like Shell Shack, they're obviously big on shellfish, especially crab, which seems to be a trend. They do boiled king crab, snow crab, and Dungeness crab, which they toss in a signature sauce that can customized according to desired heat level. They also do fried fish "baskets" with catfish and shrimp, plus wings and the token burger.

According to a Shell Shack representative, the Arlington branch will open in late February or early March. Shell Shack owners Matt Saba and Dallas Hale are also co-owners of The Back 9, a sports bar in Addison.

burgers openings

Quonset Hut News

Familiar names take over Quonset hut for new Far-Out Dallas bar

Yelp

Wriggly Tin is now Far-Out Dallas

There's a new Dallas restaurant and bar coming to everyone's favorite Quonset hut: Called Far-Out, it'll take over the space at 1906 E. Haskell Ave. in East Dallas that was previously home to Wriggly Tin, with a grand opening slated for 2025.

Founders Caroline and James Lee are calling it Far-Out & La Hermana Cerveceria and promise that a culinary adventure awaits.

"After months of creative brainstorming and a bit of furniture rearranging, we are thrilled to announce an exciting new pioneering concept that will open its doors in 2025," the duo says. "Introducing Far-Out & La Hermana Cerveceria, a dynamic new restaurant and brewery born from the collaboration of industry veterans."

The team includes some beloved East Dallas names:

Marc Cassel of The Green Room and 20 Feet Seafood Joint
Christopher Jeffers of Bolsa and Smoke
Stephanie Houston, the trailblazing first Latina Production distillery owner in America

Also joining the team is Bar Director Adam Mercado, whose resume includes stints at Billy Can Can and Brass Ram.

Marcado will crafting a unique beverage program, with support from mixologist Brian McCullough. Together, they will create what the founders call "unforgettable drink experiences to complement our delicious culinary offerings."

Wriggly Tin opened in November 2023 as an ultra-hip pizza and craft beer spot inside a renovated Quonset hut near Dallas' Fair Park — a former Cajun fried turkey place which they gave doting makeover with custom plaster walls and art objects from around the world. They replaced one whole side of the hut with glass for sunsets and created a spacious outdoor patio in front.

They earned two nomination in CultureMap's 2024 Tastemaker Awards, one for Best Bar and another for Best Patio.

Alas, the original founders, who'd previously owned Small Brewpub in Oak Cliff, parted ways shortly after it opened. And the bar closed down in September 2024, for what they called "internal changes."

Now the hut is back: The new Far-Out bar is already up and running a few days a week. In the coming days, they will offer updates and sneak peeks as they gear up for the opening of their kitchen.

openings