Wings news
Fort Worth sports bar to open next-door to famed Ol' South Pancake House
A Fort Worth restaurateur known for serving breakast 24-7 is expanding into the sports bar realm with Rex’s Bar and Grill, from namesake Rex Benson, owner of Fort Worth's legendary Ol’ South Pancake House.
The new venue will open next door to Ol' South at 1505 S. University Dr., in the former Romano's Macaroni Grill space. Benson plans to have the restaurant open in early fall, just in time for football season.
It's a dream come true for Benson, who always had his eye on the building and thought it would be the perfect spot for a sports bar.
“I know it’s something that Fort Worth has needed for a long time, but especially in that general location,” Benson says. “We’re right by TCU, Dickie’s Arena, and the Fort Worth Zoo. There’s so many big attractions that are in and around that area, but it needs a place to watch sporting events and dine with families. I’ve dreamt about it for a long time.”
The new concept will merge Benson’s previous experience in the bar and restaurant industry; in 2008, he took over Ol’ South Pancake House from his father, who founded the restaurant in 1962. But before that, he gained nightlife experience in west Texas as one of the creators of the Lubbock music venue Blue Light Live and by working at Tom's Daiquiri Place, also in Lubbock.
Although he is branding Rex’s as a sports bar, Benson’s goal is to make the restaurant family friendly.
“What I’m really trying to do is make a place that everyone can enjoy,” Benson says. “We want to make it clean, fun, and family friendly.”
He doesn’t have a menu or website available yet, but says the concept will be chef-driven, with a "spruced up bar menu," including a focus on pizza, plus tacos and wings. In addition to beer and wine, there will be a short list of signature cocktails.
The space itself is expansive at over 7,200 square feet. There will be ample room for 400+, with about 150 seats on the outdoor patio, which will have a stage for live music. Like all sports bars, there will be TVs throughout the space so diners never have to miss a moment of the game.
Unlike other sports bar though, Rex doesn’t want the space to be suffocated with “random sports paraphernalia.” He plans for the decor to feel Fort Worth-centric.
“We’re trying to make this Fort Worth’s own sports bar,” Benson says. “It’s going to be Fort Worth-driven and feel very local to Fort Worth.”