Burger News

Buzzy burger joint from Austin to open inside Fort Worth comedy club

NADC Burger

Courtesy of NADC Burger

There's a buzzy new burger joint with Michelin ties opening in Fort Worth: Called NADC Burger, it's a cheeseburger chain featuring Texas Wagyu burgers that will open inside Big Laugh Comedy Club, a venue at 604 Main St. #100.

According to a release, it'll open on January 31.

NADC — which stands for "Not a Damn Chance" — is a partnership between chef Phillip Frankland Lee, who co-founded Sushi by Scratch Restaurants and Pasta Bar; and professional skateboarder and Fort Worth entrepreneur Neen Williams.

It started out as a walk-up window in Austin before they opened the first brick-and-mortar location in December 2023.

"NADC Burger started with two friends vibing over how good a nostalgic, high-quality backyard wagyu burger could be," Williams says in a statement. "It’s a dream to see this concept grow and I’m excited to bring our take on the burger to my community in Fort Worth.”

They've since opened more locations in Austin, as well as in Denver and Chicago. Fort Worth will be the fifth location in Texas and the eighth overall.

The menu includes:

Double patty cheeseburger with Texas wagyu beef, American cheese, sauce, onion, pickle, and seasoning by Williams' NADC spice company, for $16
Fries cooked in Texas Wagyu beef fat, either plain or loaded with cheese, pickles, jalapeños, sauce, and seasoning

"At NADC Burger, we keep it simple and focus on delivering a damn good burger and fries," Lee says. "Our menu is intentionally straightforward, and we want every guest to feel at home—whether you're here for a quick bite or a show. It's all about quality, flavor, and a welcoming vibe."

They also feature a rotating local artist gallery on display.

Big Laugh Comedy Club customers can order from the counter and dine in the venue's community-style dining room, or else at the 20-seat bar, or else from their table during shows. Big Laugh Comedy Club hosts shows nightly with one show on Sunday-Thursday and up to eight shows Friday-Saturday. The restaurant's hours are 11:30 am—12 am daily.

In addition to Fort Worth, three other locations — two in Austin and one in Chicago — are also inside comedy clubs. NADC also recently hosted a pop-up in Houston at a comedy club which is no longer operating, but they're currently seeking a permanent location for Houston.

burgers openings

News you can eat

This Fort Worth restaurant news is stuffed with closures and openings

Photo courtesy of Old Chicago

Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom has closed in north Fort Worth.

This mid-November edition of Restaurant News rounds up multiple closures but some openings, too.

We've lost sushi, barbecue, and pizza options, but gained Thai, Italian, and Mexican. Here's what's happening lately in Fort Worth-area restaurant news:

Sushi Soho, a sit-down, all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant, has closed its doors at 1925 Airport Frwy., Bedford. In a farewell message on Facebook, the sushi and hot pot spot thanked customers for the birthdays, meals, and other celebrations they shared there, adding, “We’ll miss you Bedford!”

Yindee Thai Eatery will open November 19 in the sprawling H Mart Plaza at 3950 NE Loop 820, Ste. 100, Haltom City. The menu features coastal Thai specialties and street-food favorites including Sam’s fried chicken with sticky rice; Tom Yum hot pot cooked at the table; spicy seafood spaghetti; whole Golden Garlic Snapper; and lobster with Pad Thai or Panang curry. The restaurant will celebrate opening day with giveaways for the first 100 customers.

Soma Winery, a friendly urban wine bar at 201 S. Main St. in buzzy South Main Village, has ended its run as a wine bar and transitioned to a private event venue specializing in weddings, corporate gatherings, and other celebrations. The winery announced on social media that November 1 marked the start of the new business model for Soma, which had been nominated for a 2026 Tastemaker Award for Bar of the Year.

Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom has closed its last North Texas location, in the Alliance area of far north Fort Worth. The Presidio Crossing restaurant quietly shut down in October after 10 years in business, as first reported by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Known for its deep-dish and thin-crust Chicago-style pizzas and extensive beer selection, the chain now has just one Texas location, in Waco.

McAlister’s Deli has opened a new location in Keller at 1241 Keller Pkwy., in The Shops at Keller Marketplace. The fast-casual chain is known for its handcrafted sandwiches, fresh salads, giant stuffed potatoes, and Famous Sweet Tea. The restaurant has seating for 48, plus pickup, delivery, and catering. It’s open Sunday-Thursday from 10 am-9 pm and Friday-Saturday from 10 am-10 pm.

Outpost 36 BBQ, at 1801 S Main St. in Keller, has closed. The independently owned Texas barbecue joint opened in 2023, serving meats supplied from the owners’ own Texas ranch. A 2023 "Where to Eat" column in CultureMap praised the quality of its meat offerings: "brisket was tender and smoky, its spine etched in black pepper and melt-in-your-mouth fat; jalapeno sausage was appropriately spicy and its skin had a good snap; and pork ribs were of good size, not too big, not too small, with a hearty amount of meat." It was located next to similarly named Horizon 76, which also closed and is now a Cristina's Mexican Restaurant.

Longoria’s Barbecue, the longtime family-run barbecue joint in Everman, has closed after 31 years in business, according to FWTX Magazine. Owner David Longoria cited to the magazine lingering effects of the pandemic, rising financial pressures, health issues, and nearby road closures as reasons for shutting down. The restaurant was best known for its house-made brisket sausage, made from a closely guarded family recipe, along with its smoked cheeseburgers. Longoria teased to FWTX he hopes to find a way to keep the family sausage recipe alive.

Paris Baguette has opened a new bakery café in Euless, bringing its lineup of French-inspired pastries, cakes, breads, and Lavazza coffee drinks to 2920 Rio Grande Blvd. The café, which opened in mid-October, is owned by a group of four women franchisees, including Swapna Varala, Sunaina, Anusha, and Deepthi. The Euless location marks the bakery chain’s 29th café in Texas. It is open 6 am-9 pm daily.

Flora House Cafe has debuted at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, serving garden-inspired fare from local hospitality group Westland Hospitality. The menu includes salads, sandwiches, shrimp tacos, smash burgers, and scratch-made desserts, including a lavender custard available only at the cafe. Open daily from 11 am to 4 pm, Flora House is accessible with garden admission.

Little Dutch, an upscale Italian restaurant from longtime DFW restaurateur Noti Krasniqi, has opened in Grapevine at 1285 S. Main St., in the former Fireside Pies space. The menu ranges from pastas such as Bolognese and cacio e pepe to steaks, Wagyu skewers, branzino, and veal Milanese, with a full bar and extensive wine list. The restaurant features a glass atrium patio and a Josper charcoal oven and grill for cooking meats.

Beverly’s Downtown has opened in the basement of Fort Worth’s historic Hogan Building at 901 Houston St. The modern Mexican menu draws from regions across Mexico, with dishes such as lobster tail tacos, beef aguachile, grilled octopus, banana leaf-steamed bass, and shareable wagyu skirt steak. A separate lounge menu features tacos, small plates, and creative cocktails. The restaurant is open Tuesday-Saturday for dinner, with reservations available through OpenTable.

Bella Italia is adding weekday lunch service at its still-new location in The Village at Camp Bowie. Lunch will be served Tuesday-Thursday from 11:30 am-1 pm. The restaurant announced the new hours on social media, saying it will serve its Italian fare during the midday hours beginning next week.

Baskin-Robbins is opening a new shop in Weatherford at 138 College Park Dr., Ste. 120, with a grand-opening celebration happening Saturday, November 14. From 11 am-3 pm, customers can get $1.31 ice cream scoops, spin a prize wheel, enter raffles, and enjoy balloon art and music. A ribbon-cutting ceremony with local franchisee David Brumfield is set for 12 noon. The shop is open daily from 10:30 am-11:30 pm.

Mountain Mike’s Pizza is serving a Texas-shaped pizza called the Lone Star Legend at all of its Texas locations. Made with fresh-daily dough, whole milk mozzarella, and the chain’s signature crispy, curly pepperoni, the pizza is designed for sharing, they say. The chain is also donating $1 from every heart-shaped pizza sold during November to Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors, which builds mortgage-free, specially adapted homes for critically wounded veterans.

Omni Fort Worth Hotel has named local chef Cynthia Romstadt executive chef. Romstadt joins the hotel from Colonial Country Club, where she led culinary operations across multiple dining venues and oversaw food and hospitality for the Charles Schwab Challenge PGA TOUR tournament. She will lead the hotel’s culinary team, overseeing its restaurants, banquets, and special events.

Bowie House, Auberge Collection hotel has named Ty Thaxton executive chef of Bricks and Horses, its signature steakhouse in Fort Worth’s Cultural District. Thaxton most recently led the culinary program at Carmel Valley Ranch in California and previously served as opening executive chef of Mar y Sol Cocina Latina in Dallas. His résumé also includes roles with Ritz-Carlton properties, Sixty Vines, Te Deseo, and Crown Block in Dallas. He will oversee the restaurant’s Texas-inspired menu and reimagined American classics.

restaurant news roundup closings openings news-you-can-eat