Eatery R.I.P.

A Monica Greene meltdown? Dallas restaurant scene buzzes with end-of-yearclosures

Little BEE Enchiladeria in Oak Cliff went bye-bye.

BEE: Best Enchiladas Ever/Facebook
Restaurateur Monica Greene abruptly closed both of her restaurants in December.

Photo courtesy of Monica Greene
Gone are the days when you could sit down at Sushiyama and get a Sapporo in afrosty pint glass.

Photo courtesy of Brad Murano
Farewell to the surf and turf of Bailey's Prime Plus.

Bailey's Prime Plus/Facebook

Happy New Year means that we just said goodbye to not only a year, but also the end of a month. Restaurants often close at the end of the month because the rent comes due, and December turned out to be a doozy:

Monica's Nueva Cocina
Drama drama drama: First came the not-so-good review from D Magazine. Then came the strange declaration from owner Monica Greene (on her Facebook page, no less, a post that's been removed) that she hadn't been involved with the restaurant for more than a month:

Whether change is by choice or imposed, negative or positive, personal or professional, it's always a challenging fact of life. With any major changes there are actions we can take to ease the process. The rumors were true. I haven't been a part of Monica's Nueva Cocina for about a month now.

Then, lastly, the closure, which in retrospect seems to have been inevitable. But it didn't stop there.

BEE: Best Enchiladas Ever
The Monica Meltdown continued on New Year's Eve day, when she shut down BEE: Best Enchiladas Ever, her enchilada place in Oak Cliff (announced via another post on Facebook, as follows:

To All Dear Friends and Patrons: Bee closed it's [sic] doors for business today. Thank you for your support for the past two years. Love to all.

Eater reported back in October that Greene was possibly opening a place in Fort Worth, but you shouldn't hold your breath.

Bailey's Prime Plus at the Shops at Park Lane
The closure of Bailey's Prime Plus comes as no surprise, especially if you've driven by on your way down to the underground parking lot to shop at Whole Foods and seen the idle valets and the barren sadness in that nook of the Shops at Park Lane. But Park Lane jinx notwithstanding, the steakhouse was doomed.

It was the last branch of the overly ambitious steakhouse chain launched by restaurateur Ed Bailey, following the closures of its three siblings in Cedar Hill, Fairview and Fort Worth. Bailey has since shifted his energies to the Patrizio chain, having just opened a branch in Southlake.

Sushiyama
This tiny but well-regarded sushi spot had been open in North Dallas since 1997. The Brad hinted at the demise on his Facebook page on December 28, posting a photo of Yōshoku karē raisu with a warning that it would be open "two more days." Calls placed to the restaurant on Saturday went unanswered.

However, someone sent Kim at Eats a photo of the "going out of business" sign taped to the front door:

Thank you very much for many years, it's been a pleasure to serve you. Signed, The Owner.

unspecified

Taking the field

Dak Prescott-backed Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux kicks off in Wylie

Photo courtesy of Walk-Ons

Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux is opening in Wylie on August 10.

A Louisiana sports bar chain that counts Cowboys QB Dak Prescott as a partner continues to build its fan base in Dallas-Fort Worth: Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux is set to open a new location in Wylie on Monday, August 10.

Announced earlier this year, the restaurant is at 906 FM 544, near the intersection of Highway 78 and FM 544. The opening marks the chain's 20th Texas location and its second operating restaurant in the DFW area.

Founded in Baton Rouge in 2003 by former LSU basketball "walk-ons" Brandon Landry and Jack Warner, Walk-On's has grown to more than 80 locations nationwide. The company is co-owned by former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (an Austin native), and franchise partners include Prescott, along with former NFL player Derrick Brooks, and college football coach Dabo Swinney.

Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux Wylie The new Walk-On's is at 906 FM 544, Wylie.Photo courtesy of Walk-On's

The menu is centered on seafood and classic Louisiana dishes: fried seafood platters, pastas, burgers, sandwiches, po'boys, fried oysters, gumbo, fried alligator, and boudin balls. Prices range from $10 to $20.

Starters include waffle cheese fries, fried pickles, boneless wings, cheeseburger sliders, spinach-artichoke dip, and venison nachos. They have a bread pudding made with Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

There's also a plentiful selection of beers on tap, plus margaritas and other crafty-ish cocktails.

The Wylie restaurant is owned by franchisee Cooper Thomson, who says the community made the city an appealing place to expand.

"I am thrilled to expand Walk-On's presence in Dallas, and particularly in the community of Wylie," Thomson says in a release. "To be a part of the growth in this area - to serve families and be a place where little league teams celebrate and football fans cheer on their team - is such a special opportunity."

Although Walk-On's has been in the DFW market since pre-pandemic times, Wylie will be its second restaurant in DFW open currently, joining a location at Grandscape in The Colony. Earlier Dallas-area locations in Irving and Arlington have closed, although the company has previously said it plans to reopen the Arlington restaurant at a new location.

The Wylie restaurant features a sports bar with dozens of TVs, a large outdoor patio, and a family-friendly dining room designed for game-day crowds.

Grand opening festivities will kick off at 10:30 am on Monday, August 10, with a ceremony featuring Walk-On's founder Brandon Landry, franchise owner Cooper Thomson, Wylie Mayor Matthew Porter, city officials, and representatives from Wylie High School and Wylie East High School.

The celebration will include donations to the two schools' athletic departments, followed by a ribbon-cutting at 10:45 am. Doors open to the public at 11 am, and the first 100 guests to dine will have a chance to win free Walk-On's for a year.

Walk-On's will be the second sports bar concept with celebrity cred to open in DFW within a few days' time. Shark Club, from Dallas Stars owner Tom Gaglardi, opened Friday, August 7 in Northlake.

dak prescott celebrities sports bar walk ons wylie

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Taking the field

Dak Prescott-backed Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux kicks off in Wylie