RIP Jim

Dallas restaurateur Jim Baron, co-founder of Blue Mesa Grill, dies at 76

Liz and Jim Baron

dallas.culturemap.com

Longtime Dallas restaurateur Jim Baron, who founded acclaimed concepts such as the Blue Mesa Grill chain with his wife Liz Baron, passed away on May 20, after a long fight with cancer; he was 76.

The couple, who helped usher in a unique and fresh Southwestern-style variant on Mexican food in Dallas, were a major force in the restaurant scene since starting their company 36 years ago, founding other ground-breaking concepts such as TNT/Tacos and Tequila.

Baron was born in the Bronx, and earned a PhD in psychology from NYU. He started his career as a therapist, but according to his wife Liz, felt dissatisfied with the profession, preferring to exercise his intelligence in business where he felt he could improve lives in a real way.

Prior to opening Blue Mesa in 1988, he spent eight years as an executive with Taco Bell and El Torito Restaurants, Inc. As noted on Perfect Puree, when El Torito founder Larry Cano gave Jim the opportunity to turn around El Torito’s failing Texas restaurants, Jim presented Cano with a proposal to change all of the El Torito’s in Texas to different concepts.

Jim and Liz were adamant about developing a concept that was affordable, but had better food, atmosphere, and service than a typical chain restaurant.

He wrote the restaurant manager training program for Texas Restaurant Association and was a recipient of the TRA's Restaurateur of the Year award.

He was also involved in immigration issues and worked for years with the Texas Business Immigration Coalition to try to improve the status and opportunities for immigrants.

In addition to being an amazing family man and restaurateur, he was a humanitarian, artist, and athlete. He was an avid surfer his entire life, and also won third place at the Veterans International Wrestling Championship in the Czech Republic while in his 50's.

He's survived by children Kate (Ian) Stewart and Zak Baron, grandchild Izzy Stewart, and his brother Daniel (Gwyneth) Baron.

His memorial will be held on May 24 at 1:30 pm at Temple Emanu-El in the Stern Chapel, 8500 Hillcrest Rd. in Dallas.

deaths

cheap pints and good times

DFW Airport is home to the No. 1 best airport bar in the U.S.

TGIF

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Airport bars are not known for being much more than a pitstop in between flights. But among airport drinkeries, DFW Airport reigns supreme: According to a recent study by online sports betting website BetUS, DFW's own TGI Fridays seized the No. 1 slot for best airport bar in the U.S.

In the survey, called "The Top 10 Airport Bars in the U.S.," BetUS experts determined the rankings by comparing the location of each bar within each airport, plus Google review scores, menu size, and menu item pricing.

TGI Fridays earned high marks for its budget-friendly status, thanks to its relatively affordable prices for a draft beer, cheeseburger, and French fries.

"With their draft beer priced at $5, their cheeseburger priced at $12.98, and their French fries priced at $2.86, TGI Fridays within the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport provides not only Texas travelers the best and most affordable airport bar option, but the best option for travelers across the United States," the report said.

For context, Billy Goat Tavern at Chicago O'Hare International Airport – which ranked one spot behind TGI Friday's – had the most expensive price for a draft beer ($8.50) out of all 10 airport bars on the list.

Pedal Haus Brewery (No. 7) at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport had the most expensive cheeseburger ($16), and Providence Provisions at T.F. Green International had the priciest French fries ($7) among the top 10.

TGI Fridays also boasts a 3.9-star ranking on Google with more than one thousand reviews, which offers further proof as to how well-received the restaurant is at the airport.

TGI Fridays first opened in Manhattan in 1965, and has since expanded to become a staple suburban hangout known for its ribs, potato skins topped with cheese & bacon, and a decor bedecked with red stripes and Tiffany-style lamps.

The casual restaurant chain operates not one, but five total locations at DFW airport, which means there's plenty of cheap beer to go around without worrying about each haunt being too busy. Sadly, they are the only remaining TGIF locations in Dallas-Fort Worth after the brand filed for bankruptcy in early November and closed its six non-airport Dallas-area locations.

The top 10 best airport bars in the U.S. are:

No. 1 – TGI Fridays at Dallas-Fort Worth International
No. 2 – Billy Goat Tavern at Chicago O'Hare International
NO. 3 – Chili's at Milwaukee Mitchell International
No. 4 – Gourmandise Euro-Diner & Bakery at Salt Lake City International
No. 5 – Village Pub Vegas at Harry Reid International
No. 6 – SkyDine Services at Sioux Falls International
No. 7 – Pedal Haus Brewery at Phoenix Sky Harbor International
No. 8 – Bardenay at Boise Airport
No. 9 – OMB at Charlotte Douglas International
No. 10 – Providence Provisions at T.F. Green International

"The convenience, ambiance, and comfortability these bars provide travelers in enjoying a nice drink and or even a good meal with it before a flight is desired more than ever these days," the report said.