Opening News

Ex-Max's chef gets wish with new restaurant in South Main Fort Worth

Wagyu tenderloin with horseradish whipped potatoes, crispy butterball potatoes, and pickled mustard seeds.

Photo courtesy of Wishbone & Flynt

One of Fort Worth's best-known chefs is about to open a new restaurant. Chef Stefon Rishel, who first rose to local fame while working at Max's Wine Dive, will open Wishbone & Flynt in the trendy South Main district of Fort Worth.

Wishbone & Flynt was born out of a partnership between Rishel and Trident Restaurant Group principals Kyle Bryson and Wallace Owens. It'll be located at 334 Bryan Ave., a block away from Black Cat Pizza, with a tentative date set for late January/early February.

Since leaving Max's, Rishel worked at an upscale Sak's restaurant in Houston, before returning to Fort Worth to work as chef and GM at Texas Bleu Steakhouse in Keller. In a release, he says that the concept has been in the works for several years.

"My goal is to provide a consistently exceptional experience for our guests in every way — from scratch-made food and craft cocktails to a comfortable upscale atmosphere and friendly service," he says.

Affordability is also on their wish list.

"We have price-pointed this out to where you can get a group of six to eight people together and come in and share a multitude of courses for a minimal amount of money," Rishel says. "The concept of going out to dinner the way it used to be has been lost, and I want to bring that back."

They haven't released a menu yet, but Instagram photos indicate that dishes will include:

Rishel's signature PB&J wings, featuring chicken wings with spicy Thai peanut sauce, blackberry coulis, chopped peanuts, and cilantro
seared duck breast with parsnip purée, Brussels sprout leaves, brûlée'd figs, and pomegranate molasses
Divers scallop with fried green tomato, fennel jam, and pickled watermelon rind chow-chow
wild boar shoulder guisada with tortillas and blistered chiles
Pepperjack Tater Tot with creme fraiche and caviar
pork and shrimp dumplings with black vinegar and Thai chile
Wagyu tenderloin with horseradish whipped potatoes, crispy butterball potatoes, and pickled mustard seeds

Small bites include elotes hush puppies and a chef's cheese board. Desserts include a Callebaut chocolate-orange tartlet with a brown butter crust.

Offerings will include a boutique wine list of 80 hand-selected bottles, with 40 by the glass, as well as craft cocktails and exclusive dishes.

Wishbone & Flynt will also have an adjoining upscale speakeasy called The Amber Room, with craft cocktails and an atmosphere described as reminiscent of The Great Gatsby.

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Tex-Mex News

Fort Worth restaurant Los Vaqueros spills dates on upcoming relocation

Courtesy rendering

Rendering of new dining room at Los Vaqueros.

There's an update on beloved Cisneros family Tex-Mex restaurant Los Vaqueros., which will be relocating to the historic Stockyards Exhibits Building at 2513 Rodeo Plaza in 2025.

According to a release, the big move for the restaurant will take place in the thick of the Christmas holiday:

The restaurant will remain open at its 2629 North Main St. location through December 22 at 3 pm. They've been in that space nearly 30 years.
The new location will open on December 26, just in time to ring in the New Year and welcome Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo visitors in January.

“This year has brought unexpected challenges, but also incredible opportunities,” says Cisneros Restaurants Inc. President Vicki Cisneros in a statement. “We are grateful to be able to celebrate one last Christmas season with our friends here before starting a new chapter two blocks down the road at Rodeo Plaza.”

Los Vaqueros Restaurant has brought Tex-Mex cuisine to the historic Stockyards neighborhood since 1982 and to Willow Park since 2008.

The original move was slated to take place in the summer, but they extended the timeline to ensure the space reflects the authentic essence of Los Vaqueros. That included collaborating with Bennett Partners Architecture and Design and IMGC, LLC, the family worked tirelessly to preserve the rich history of the Stockyards while incorporating modern restaurant amenities.

Cisneros says they wanted "to get it just right."

"This is likely the last restaurant my husband Johnny and I will personally oversee, so every detail mattered," she says. "From incorporating historic wood and barn doors from the original building to designing custom chairs, plates, and glassware, the space truly embodies the spirit of Los Vaqueros: it’s about cowboys, ranchers, and Tex-Mex cuisine.”

They also did not want to disrupt family transitions of dining at the restaurant during the Christmas holiday.

"We’re grateful to the building’s new owners for allowing us to stay through the season," Cisnerous says.

Fans can expect some fanfare between December 20–23, when they relocate the illuminated marquee sign to the new location in the 1910–12 Stockyards Exhibits Building — also a historic site, and home to the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and the John Wayne: An American Experience Museum.

Amenities in the new location will include a banquet room that seats 100, with an adjacent patio that seats 20 and a Fiesta Room that seats 50.

The restaurant will be open until midnight on New Year’s Eve, and will see the launch of “Los Vaqueros After Dark” on the weekends, an extended service that features a menu of enchiladas, tacos, nachos, and specialty breakfast items until 12:30 am, and bar service until 1 am.

Parking is free Sunday-Thursday at the nearby Billy Bob's lot (131 Stockyards Blvd.), excluding special events. On weekends, parking fees apply, but free parking options are available around the perimeter of the Stockyards, as well as separately managed parking lots that offer different rates and occasional coupons.

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