Sundance Square News

Fort Worth restaurant Reata settles on interim address in its relocation saga

Reata is leaving Sundance Square.

Facebook/Reata

Fort Worth restaurant Reata Restaurant, which is leaving its longtime location at at 310 Houston St. in Sundance Square, is moving to a new interim location nearby: According a release, it'll return to its original location at 530 Throckmorton St. in July 2024, where it will reside until it moves into a more permanent home still TBD.

The restaurant will be situated on the ground floor of the northeast corner of The Tower building. They're moving because their lease expires in June 2024; they'll continue to operate from their current location until June 30.

The release says they conducted a comprehensive exploration of Tarrant County, before deciding to remain in downtown Fort Worth.

And they already have history with The Tower, says Reata president Mike Micallef.

"23 years ago, an F3 tornado devastated our community, making our original Fort Worth location uninhabitable and forcing our relocation in 2001,” Micallef says. "Like Fort Worth, Reata is a testament to resilience and rebirth. Together, we will continue to create unforgettable experiences, regardless of geography."

The Tower was purchased in June 2022 by SADA Tower LLC of Texas and SADA Capital Partners LLC, an Illinois based real-estate holdings group and has already secured corporate headquarters for Fort Worth-based Dickies.

“With Reata Restaurant and Dickies’ corporate headquarters relocating to The Tower, SADA has had an inspiring entry into the Fort Worth community," says SADA Tower LLC managing Saad Sindhu in a statement. "Working together with homegrown stakeholders like Reata and Dickies will help us achieve our goal of bringing more and better opportunities into the great city of Fort Worth."

Reata was founded by Al Micallef, owner of the CF Ranch, who opened the first Reata Restaurant in Alpine, Texas in 1995. The Fort Worth location opened in 1996, then relocated to its Houston Street address in 2002.

Reata also operates three satellite locations during the annual Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo – Reata at the Rodeo, Reata at the Backstage and La Espuela.

"Reata transcends physical boundaries,” Micallef says. “It's not just about the walls that house us, the western artifacts that adorn us, or the plates and cutlery that serve us. Reata embodies the spirit of Fort Worth. What truly defines us is our community. Our location may change, but the soul of Reata – the people – remains constant.”

openings

Closure News

Tropic Lady restaurant-bar on Fort Worth's Race Street says aloha

Tropic Lady

The dip trio at Tropic Lady.

A chill restaurant and bar in Fort Worth's River East district has closed: Tropic Lady, which opened in the former Fuzzy's Taco space at 2719 Race St. in 2023, has closed.

The restaurant, which closed in mid-December, was a sibling to Bearded Lady, the popular gastropub in Near Southside; their last Facebook post was on December 10. Their phone number is not working, and their website is no longer active. Owner Shannon Osbakken was unavailable for comment, but a Bearded Lady employee confirmed the closure.

Tropic Lady was a tropical-themed gastropub opened by a trio of friends: Bearded Lady owner Shannon Osbakken, her business partner Sarah Allen, and general manager Amanda Yunger. It offered a similar menu as Bearded lady but with more tropical-inspired fare, including shrimp tacos, bacon-wrapped grilled pineapple bites, and guacamole dotted with mango.

For a gastropub, they did interesting food with dishes like watermelon salad with feta and cucumber; or their Dip Trio, with mango guacamole, tomatillo salsa, and queso blanco served with house-made tortilla chips. Definitely not run-of-the-mill. They also had great lunch specials like a smashburger with curly fries for $10.

Food did not seem to be the problem.

Decor featured artwork and murals created by local artists. A beautifully landscaped patio wrapped around the building’s facade. So the setting did not seem to be a factor.

It's tempting to point the finger at its location on Race Street, which has witnessed a round of closings in the past two years including buzzy birria taqueria Caliscience, which closed in February 2024; as well as The Post at River East, a restaurant and live music venue that shut down the same month.

In 2023, three other restaurants on Race Street closed: Tributary Cafe, the Bon Appetit-lauded La Onda, and vegan burger spot Zonk Burger. But separate reasons can also be found for each of those closures, whether that be inexperience or lease issues.

For years, the city and neighborhood advocates have been trying to turn Race Street into a trendy hotspot. As part of the city’s Urban Villages program, the city of Fort Worth invested $5.6 million in revitalizing the area, making improvements to traffic flow, sidewalks, landscaping, and outdoor lighting.

When Osbakken opened the bar, she said she loved the area, stating "it reminds me of Magnolia when were first were on it 10 years ago in our old location. It's a great community and the neighbors have been friendly and reaching out."

And there are still restaurants along the street, including a popular Mexican restaurant called Tesoro, the Dough’d Up doughnut shop, and Kingyo Sushi & Ramen House, as well as a coffee shop, Race Street Coffee.

The Bearded Lady continues to flourish. Osbakken originally opened the popular gastropub on Magnolia Avenue in 2013. Six years later, she moved it to the South Main, where it’s still going strong.

closings