Spongebob News

10 Dallas restaurants now serving Spongebob Krabby Patty spinoffs

Spongebob Squarepants Krabby patty at Oomi Kitchen.

Oomi Kitchen

A national promotion to hype the anniversary of cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants kicks off on October 8, with the participation of 10 restaurants across Dallas.

Called the Krabby Patty Kollab, it's a program with restaurants doing spinoffs of the Krabby Patty, the signature dish of Spongebob Squarepants, the cartoon that first debuted on the Nickelodeon channel in 1999.

The Krabby Patty Kollab program has more than 100 renditions — dumplings, falafel, burgers, doughnuts, ice cream — in 250-plus restaurants across 12 cities: New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, San Francisco, Seattle, Miami, Las Vegas, Toronto, London, and Mexico City. The promotion will end on October 27.

Strangely, the promotion — orchestrated by a secretive company called Off the Menu — forbade any restaurant from using seafood, which seems odd given the undersea theme of the cartoon. The promotion also required that restaurants include a side. And they all have to be served in a Krabby Patty-branded box, reminiscent of a Happy Meal.

The major player is Wendy's, which is doing a dull quarter pounder with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, and secret sauce, plus a pineapple-mango Frosty shake. Some others did the same: a straightforward burger on a bun with a secret sauce.

But some came up with creative spins including vegetarian burgers since the original Krabby Patty was meatless.

Starship Bagel Krabby Patty Vegetarian Krabby Patty from Starship Bagel with a Spongebob-like backdrop.Starship Bagel

Participating restaurants in Dallas and their Krabby Patty offerings include:

Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer - Victory Park/Dallas location of this New York-based burger & beer chain is doing a fried cheeseburger on a stick: a burger with American cheese, sauce, pickles, wrapped in dough and fried, served on a stick, with a side of potato salad. (Other participating Black Tap restaurants include New York, Miami, and Las Vegas at The Venetian.)
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop - Dallas location of this New York-based dumpling chain is doing bacon cheeseburger dumplings — dumplings filled with ground beef and cheese — and "choice of side."
Cris and John - Vietnamese street food shop in Richardson is doing an Asian-inspired take, featuring two smash patties with American cheese, seaweed aioli, and pickled Asian cucumbers, served with fries drizzled with spicy mayo and seaweed flakes.
Hat Creek Burgers - This Austin burger chain with 11 Dallas-area locations is serving a dialed-in offering similar to an item already on their menu, with two patties, white cheese, onions, and a "happy" sauce on a pretzel bun.
Le Reve Gelato & Patisserie - North Dallas shop is the most TikTokky by using sweet ingredients to mimic burger components: vanilla sponge cake bun, pineapple patty, crêpe lettuce, tomato made of strawberry mousse, puff pastry sticks for fries, and strawberry ketchup. It's reminiscent of shokuhin sampuru, the Japanese tradition of creating plastic replicas of dishes.
Lubbies Bagels - East Dallas bagel shop is doing a vegetarian burger featuring housemade seitan on a sesame kaiser roll with lettuce, tomato, onion, B&B pickles, miso mayo sauce, and a side of twice-fried fingerlings with kimchi mayo.
Oomi Kitchen - Digital kitchen is doing a smashed beef patty, with cheddar cheese, grilled onions, tropical slaw, and pineapple aioli on a Hawaiian King roll, served with crinkle-cut bacon cheese fries.
Pacheco Taco N Burger - Burger pop-up inside Four Corners Brewery is doing a standard burger with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, cheese on a sesame seed bun with a secret sauce featuring horseradish and srirarcha.
Serious Eats - Grand Prairie food hall is doing a slider with beef patty, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, and Boom Boom sauce, served with sea salt fries. Also offering a pineapple milkshake.
Starship Bagel - Award-winning bagel shop with three locations in Dallas is doing vegetarian version featuring an Impossible patty on a sesame bagel with lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle, schmear, ketchup, hot sauce, sweet pickle relish, and vinegar. (Remove the schmear and it magically becomes vegan.) Their side is pretzel bites with cheese sauce, and they're doing a "Jellyfish" Strawberry Milk Matcha drink — both available only with the Krabby Patty combo.

(While there are 10 names, some restaurants have more than one location.)

Oomi Kitchen founder Markus Pineyro went above and beyond by turning his storefront at 3510 Ross Ave. into a full blown pop-up, decorating the interior to evoke The Krusty Krab, the fast-food restaurant where main character Spongebob Squarepants works.

He and his team pulled together materials from sites like Etsy.

"This collaboration was a perfect opportunity to go all out, delivering not just a delicious new item, but an immersive experience that brings the magic of SpongeBob SquarePants to life," Pineyro says.

Global tastes

New botanería pairs drinks with free bites near Dallas Farmers Market

Chef Karla Soria Palomino's menu delivers authentic Mexican flavors and bold heat.

Photo credit: Paul Torres.

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There is a novel concept open in the Dallas Farmers Market district: Called Sor Juana, it's a botanería inspired by traditional Mexican establishments where drinks are served alongside complimentary snacks and bar bites.

Located at 1908 Canton St., the space provides an immersion into Mexican culture through its food, beverages, decor, and overall atmosphere.

Sor Juana comes from Alexandra Hernández and Karla Soria Palomino. Hernández brings a background in front-of-house hospitality, theatre, and events while Soria Palomino contributes extensive kitchen experience from restaurants across Mexico and Dallas.

The inspiration behind the name and concept comes from 17th-century nun and scholar Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. Recognized as the "First Feminist of the Americas," she was a literary trailblazer who learned to read and write during an era when women were denied an education. Considered one of the greatest poets of the Baroque period in what is now Mexico, Sor Juana defied societal norms, stood up to the male-dominated clergy, and excelled in science, mathematics, music, and culinary arts.

“We wanted to pick a strong woman from Mexico as the emblematic figure of our botanería — traditionally run and frequented only by men,” Hernández says. “With our women-run botanería, which is a unique concept for Dallas, we are creating a space for everyone.”

The frame for their idea is a landmark Dallas building originally constructed over a century ago for the Desco Tile Company. Designed in a Venetian Gothic style with exterior arches and columns, the interior features original chandeliers alongside decorative, colorful tilework — including a wall fountain, a fireplace, and terrazzo floors — all preserved intact for Sor Juana, with a few new tile accents added to the bathrooms and bar backdrop.

Historic Dallas architecture meets traditional Mexican hospitality at Sor Juana.Photo credit: Paul Torres

“We tried to respect the architecture of the building by adjusting our concept to the space, rather than forcing the space to adjust to us,” Hernández says.

The duo worked with interior designer Callie Windle on the details, sourcing decorative pieces from artists both in Mexico and locally (many of which are available for purchase).

The 90-seat venue features comfortable seating centered around a dynamic bar program managed by Saúl Hernández (previously of Midnight Rambler, La Viuda Negra, and Las Almas Rotas).

True to the hospitality spirit of a traditional botanería, patrons receive a complimentary botana (bar bite) with every drink purchase. While the offerings rotate regularly to maintain an element of surprise, options range from spiced nuts, fresh fruit, and popcorn to more substantial plates like tacos and caldo de camarón.

The creative cocktail menu ranges from $12 to $16, anchored by their signature “La Nueva Sangre” — an orange blossom gin cocktail balanced with beet juice, lemon, passion fruit, and lavender bitters. Hernández notes the drink is “as complex and interesting, with a little bit of everything, just as Sor Juana was.”

The bar also pours Mexican imports alongside local favorites Shiner and Michelob for $7, wines, and zero-proof options including non-alcoholic champagne.

Happy hour runs Wednesday through Friday from 5:30-7:30 pm, featuring $6 beers, $8 wines, and $8 cocktails infused with house-made Mexican chili oil macha sauce.

Beyond the complimentary botanas, the venue offers a full food menu designed by Chef Soria Palomino. It comes with a playful warning: “Expect bold flavors and a little heat — that’s what the cerveza is for.” Signature items include ceviche, mezcal-glazed wings, tacos, and tostadas, all centered on authentic Mexican flavor profiles.

For dessert, they feature a ganzote crafted by Diana Zamora of Nena Postrería, inspired by the classic packaged Gansito sponge cake.

Community events play a major role in the space, including lotería nights, "Bring Your Own Vinyl" Sundays, and rotating local DJs every other Friday. The team is actively taking community feedback to build out future programming, including upcoming collaborative dinner series.

“Events are a way to build community and bring people together,” Hernández says. “When we started crafting this concept, we looked at every detail — from the playlist to the food and cocktails, as we wanted a total experience where every element comes together and complements the rest.”

Sor Juana is open 2-10 pm Wednesday-Thursday 12 pm-12 pm Friday-Saturday, 12-10 pm Sunday. Metered street parking is enforced until 6 pm, with free parking available afterward.