Opening News

Fort Worth's most anticipated Mexican restaurant debuts on South Main

Authentic Mexican food plus great cocktails, worth the wait.

Photo courtesy of Tinie's

It was a long time coming and now it's here: Tinie's, a restaurant doing chef-driven traditional Mexican cuisine, will open in Fort Worth's SoMa District. According to a release, it'll open on March 10.

The restaurant is from names that are familiar in the local restaurant scene, including Sarah Castillo, Glen Keely, and executive chef Christian Lehrmann, who signed the lease at 125 South Main St. three years ago.

"We were one of the first to sign a lease; we could tell that whole area was going to be cool, but the building wasn't ready yet," Castillo says.

They originally dreamed of a fast-casual Mexican rotisserie, but over time, it evolved into what they saw was an unfilled niche.

"With travel and dining experiences and the restaurant scene developing in Fort Worth, we saw the demand for chef-driven, high-end Mexican cuisine," Castillo says. "We are offering a high caliber and sophistication of true Mexican dining."

For the menu, they've drawn their inspiration from Mexico City with dishes that include:

rotisserie chicken
slow-braised goat
roasted pork carnitas
whole fish
tuna tostadas
empanadas

Chef Lehrmann says that their priorities will be exceptional ingredients and technique, and simple presentations packed with flavor.

For the bar program, Keely says they're going back to the basics and letting the spirits shine.

"We are having fun using classic cocktail templates and techniques, utilizing indigenous spirit families paired with custom syrups and cordials," he says. Their wine list is sourced from Latin America.

The restaurant is in the historic W.A. Powers Company building, built in 1939 and used to manufacture conveyors and hand trucks. The vibe is rustic elegance with exposed brick and wood.

The dining room occupies the bottom floor. The second floor is home to their bar, called Escondite ("the hideaway"), an homage to dark mezcal halls such as Palenquito in Mexico City and Fort Worth favorite, JJ's Hideaway. Castillo says they're thrilled to be part of the South Main area, neighbors with concepts like Panther City and Tarantula Tiki Lounge.

The restaurant is named for her mother. "Her name is Christina, but she's always been a small woman, and Tinie's is her nickname," Castillo says.

openings

Coffee with a cowboy

Yellowstone's Cole Hauser rides into Fort Worth for sunrise fan event

Photo courtesy of Free Rein Coffee Company

Cole Hauser meets Yellowstone fans at a northeast Fort Worth Walmart.

Yellowstone star Cole Hauser blazed a trail through a Walmart parking lot at dawn on September 17 for a meet-and-greet with hundreds of devoted Fort Worth fans.

The official occasion: To launch the sale of his Free Rein Coffee Company in Walmart stores nationwide. But to star-struck fans who got in line before the sun came up, it was the rare chance to meet one of their favorite actors from Paramount's hit Western drama.

In front of an Old West-style covered wagon, Hauser shook hands, took selfies, and signed bags of Free Rein coffee for the first 50 folks in line. All at 7 am.

Throughout the morning, customers at the Walmart Supercenter at 3851 Airport Frwy. got to sample his Texas-made Free Rein coffee, a partnership among Hauser and three friends.

Free Rein will now be sold in more than 1,700 Walmart stores and on Walmart.com nationwide, according to a release. Three varieties - American Dirt (dark roast), Homestead (medium roast), and Prospect (light roast) - are available in grounds and single-serve pods starting at $12.97.

“Through this partnership with Walmart, we’re going to get our great coffee into the hands of the hard working folks who make our country go,” Hauser says in a release. “This has always been my mission: to serve and uplift those who serve their country and communities in any way I can.”

Cole Hauser, Yellowstone, Free Rein, Walmart Hauser enjoys a cup of his Free Rein coffee inside Walmart.Photo courtesy of Free Rein Coffee Company

A portion of Free Rein's sales go to the nonprofit Special Operations Warrior Foundation, which empowers families of fallen and severely wounded Special Operations warriors. Hauser is a longtime patron and board member.

"With its launch into Walmart, Free Rein is committing to a ‘Buy a Bag, Give a Cup’ promise, meaning we’ll give a cup to someone who serves their country or community for every bag of Free Rein Coffee bought at Walmart this year," the release says.

Since Free Rein's launch in October 2023, the release says, several notable names have joined the company as ambassadors and investors, including movie star Mark Wahlberg and Hauser's Yellowstone co-star Forrie J. Smith, "who share a long-time passion for and commitment to supporting veterans."

Free Rein coffee is served at HTeaO shops and is the official coffee of Billy Bob’s Texas.

Hauser also has a bourbon called Lazy K Bar Whiskey, which started selling in retailers around Texas in July.

Hauser has portrayed heartthrob Rip Wheeler (aka Beth Dutton's hubby) on Yellowstone since 2018.

No stranger to Fort Worth, Hauser’s son attends TCU.

Yellowstonereturns for the final episodes of the series finale at 8 pm Sunday, November 10. Paramount Network's hit show, co-created by Fort Worth's Taylor Sheridan, has been on hiatus since January 2023.

Photo courtesy of Free Rein Coffee Company

Cole Hauser meets Yellowstone fans at a northeast Fort Worth Walmart.

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