Beer Garden News

Dallas' newest beer garden opens in Richardson with wink to major freeway

Old 75 Beer Garden

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There's a new beer garden in Richardson: Called Old 75 Beer Garden, it's an outdoor retreat located at 740 S. Central Expwy., next-door to (and from the same owner as) Richardson Restaurant Park.

Named for the freeway that it's adjacent to, the venue opened on April 21, with a weekend of live music and a Shiner Bock truck serving 75-cent beers.

The nearly 20,000 square-foot outdoor space has:

two bars
stage for live music
lawn area with backyard games
variety of seating options including themed private cabanas for rent

Both the Drink Bar and the Tap Bar feature indoor and outdoor seating, with 34 beers and six specialty drinks on tap including The Old 75 Margarita, a house made margarita featuring reposado tequila, and Hill Country Hooch made with vodka, Dripping Springs gin, 151, Blue Island Punch, sweet and sour and topped with a splash of Sprite.

There's also a menu that a release says is "rooted in South Texas flavors with a touch of New Mexico." Signature dishes include Green Chili Queso and a Blackened Chicken Sandwich with candied bacon and cheddar salad.

A Big Tex Chicken Fried Steak is served on weekends only. It's a three-quarter-pound tenderloin behemoth that's deep-fried "State Fair style," with jalapeno gravy, crinkle-cut fries, and Texas toast.

In addition to live music most nights, Old 75 Beer Garden will host pop-ups and events such as backyard BBQs, crawfish boils, steak might, and Oktoberfestivities.

Well-behaved dogs are welcome, as are kids, but the venue is 21+ after 8 pm, and children must remain seated or be accompanied by an adult at all times.

The beer garden came after Richardson Restaurant Park tried to add a drive-thru option that was rejected by the Richardson City Council. Neighborhood advocates suggested instead an open place where people could gather and eat outdoors in a tree-lined plaza.

“Old 75 embodies the pride of Texas with Matthew McConaughey backyard vibes — cool, casual and designed to simply unwind no matter the occasion — and we hope guests enjoy it as much as we enjoyed creating it,” said Kirk Hermansen, owner and founder of Old 75 Beer Garden.

craft-beer 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