Bar news

Dudley's Sports Grill from Dallas bar veterans brings Rockwall brisket & beer

Burger & fries at Dudley's Sports Grill

dallas.culturemap.com

A restaurant-sports bar has arrived in Rockwall with sterling credentials: Dudley's Sports Grill, a new restaurant from three friends and business partners, including a co-owner of Dallas institution Christies Sports Bar & Grill, is now open in Rockwall with brisket, salads, and beers.

Dudley's is at 2975 Hwy 66, on the edge of Rockwall and Fate in a space that was formerly Hopper Bros BBQ, which sat vacant since 2018. The owners had been eyeing the space for a few years before deciding to buy and renovate it.

"I'd been driving by the space for seven years, waiting for something to happen, and that's kind of what struck our interest in it," says co-owner Gabriel Rhodes.

Rhodes and his partners Patrick Gorman (Ill Minster Pub) and Jordan Carson (Christies) have a personal connection to the area: Carson and Rhodes graduated from Rockwall High School in 2006 before coming to Dallas for other restaurant ventures — including working at Christies while it was still in Uptown. (It closed in 2020, then Carson partnered with Ashton Christie to reopen it on Greenville Avenue.)

They describe their menu as elevated with a barbecue twist, something of an ode to the barbecue of previous tenant Hopper Bros BBQ, with dishes like flatbread topped with brisket and a brisket grilled cheese.

Rhodes says they worked with Dallas chef Eric Freidline, winner of CultureMap's 2019 Tastemaker Awards for Rising Star Chef, who built their menu and helped staff the kitchen.

There are classic bar appetizers like wings and nachos, but also queso made with aged white cheddar, and thick-cut bacon with fig glaze. Sandwiches include fried chicken, a Wagyu burger, and a smashburger; salads, including a Greek salad, Caesar, and wedge; plus steak frites and a chicken fried-steak.

The bar features local beers on tap, margaritas, a mule served in a cute boot-shaped glass, and old fashioneds with cinnamon and cloves.

"Dudley's" restaurant is named for Carson's grandfather Floyd Dudley Hitt, who owned land in Rockwall and Royse City.

"When Jordan and I came into this space to look at opening a restaurant, it just so happened that the listing agent was a friend of Jordan's grandfather," Rhodes says. "It felt like it made sense the way it was lining up; it was fate, almost."

burgers nightlife openings

Southlake Sizzle

Dallas' Hudson House totes its oysters and martinis to new DFW city

Photo courtesy of\u00a0Hudson House

undefined

UPDATE 9-3-2026: The opening has been pushed to Monday, September 14, a Hudson House spokesperson says.

---

Southlake diners have been eager to get their hands on the Hudson House burgers and an icy martinis that Dallasites know and love - and the wait is almost over. The highly anticipated East Coast-inspired restaurant will debut on Friday, September 11.

First announced in fall 2025, the Southlake location will open at 1131 E. Southlake Blvd., taking over the former RA Sushi space next to Gloria’s.

The 5,000(ish)-square-foot restaurant will be the 12th Hudson House location from Dallas-based Vandelay Companies, according to a release. It's the second Tarrant County outpost, after a location that opened in west Fort Worth in 2023.

Founded in 2017 by restaurateur Hunter Pond, Hudson House is known for its neighborhood-restaurant vibe, seafood-driven menu, raw bar, sushi, burgers, and signature cocktails — particularly its claim of serving the “World’s Coldest Martini.”

“Southlake has the combination of energy, growth and appreciation for hospitality that we look for when entering a new neighborhood," says Pond, chairman of Vandelay Companies, in the release. "Our goal is never simply to add another location. We want every Hudson House to feel rooted in its community from the moment it opens and to become the kind of restaurant guests return to week after week.”

The large wraparound bar at Hudson House Southlake.Photo courtesy of Hudson House

The Southlake restaurant will feature warm leather booths, a large wraparound bar, a full sit-down raw bar, and an outdoor patio. The design is intended to evoke a traditional New England dining institution while incorporating Hudson House's polished, energetic style.

The menu will include Hudson House staples such as the Hudson’s Avocado Dip with ranch chips; The Cheeseburger with thin patties, American cheese, pickles, and house sauce; Chicken Parm with creamy tomato pasta and Reggiano; and the Hudson Salad with popcorn chicken, avocado, cherry tomato, bacon, sharp cheddar, and green goddess dressing.

Seafood remains a major focus, with East Coast oysters flown in daily, a dedicated raw bar, and sushi options including the Sunset Roll, Signature Roll, Pressed Ahi Tuna Roll, and Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice.

East Coast oysters and shrimp cocktail at Hudson House. Photo courtesy of Hudson House

Pro tip: Don't skip the Key Lime Pie for dessert.

Then there are the martinis. The restaurant's signature “World’s Coldest Martini” is made with Grey Goose vodka served on tap and chilled to 10 degrees.

Other martinis include The Classic, Bleu & Gold, The Lemon Drop, and The Espresso, while the cocktail list also includes the Frozen Bellini, Strawberry Spritz, Spicy Mexican, and Manhattan.

The restaurant offers a popular happy hour, which runs weekdays from 3-6 pm at the bar only, with half-price martinis, Bellinis, and wine by the glass, plus $3 East Coast oysters and $10 cheeseburgers.

The Hudson House's Fort Worth location, on "the bricks" of Camp Bowie Boulevard, earned a nomination for Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year in the 2026 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards. The nomination read, "The East Coast-inspired restaurant ... has remained nonstop busy for its polished design, raw bar, cheeseburgers, lobster rolls, and ice-cold martinis served in frozen glassware. Just blocks from Rivercrest Country Club, the chic spot draws regulars from the nearby Crestline and Arlington Heights neighborhoods, as well moms who lunch, golf buddies, and couples from all over Fort Worth who return again and again for top-notch service and reliable, upscale American fare."

Given the Southlake restaurant's proximity to other local shopping and leisure spots, including Central Market, Southlake Town Square, and Timarron Country Club, it should be a perfect fit.

Hudson House will be open 11 am-9 pm Monday-Wednesday, 11 am-10 pm Thursday-Friday, 10 am-10 pm Saturday, and 10 am-9 pm Sunday.

southlake openings hudson house