What’s Santa bringing before Christmas? New burger grills and steakhouses

Look what Santa is bringing us by Christmas, with more to come in the new year:

The much-awaited Eagle Mountain Tavern by chef Brian Olenjack will open in mid-December, giving the Lake Country area a new chef-driven bar-and-grill.

Olenjack, a former Reata and hotel chef known more recently for his namesake restaurant in Arlington, is offering a menu of mostly familiar favorites at reasonable prices.

The folks with new houses and big mortgages in Saginaw and Lake Country need a mid-price restaurant. So Eagle Mountain Tavern’s top entree will sell for less than $20.

The menu features Olenjack’s familiar shrimp-and-grits, an apple cider-braised pork tenderloin or Shiner Bock beef short rib-macaroni and cheese. The basics are there, too: meatloaf, brick chicken, pastas and chicken-fried steak.

Lunch choices include a BLT with thick-cut bacon and fried green tomatoes, white-cheddar turkey chili, a portobello sandwich and salads.

The former steakhouse, recently a Cajun restaurant, retains its stone-and-wood decor.

“It’s the ‘Texas patio’ look,” Olenjack said.

“We just want to be straightforward and give the customers what they want. … It’s taking a careful, comfortable menu and putting a little spin on it.”

The old steakhouse in that location developed a following, but was priced too high.

The market loves pizza, Tex-Mex and particularly catfish and seafood at Boo-Ray’s of New Orleans, which moved to a new $1 million-plus location two miles south at 5728 Boat Club Road.

“All the restaurants out here do real well, especially from here south to [Loop] 820,” Olenjack said.

When it opens, give Eagle Mountain Tavern a couple of days to get settled in.

It will be open for lunch and dinner daily at 7255 Boat Club Road, near W.J. Boaz Road; 817-720-5355, eaglemountaintavern.com.

Clearfork steakhouse near opening day

Also opening this month: B&B Butchers & Restaurant, the prime steakhouse in The Shops at Clearfork.

B&B missed its earlier opening dates and now expects to open by mid-December.

Owner Ben Berg has said he likes Fort Worth’s beef and ranching culture and the tradition of the shopping center’s location on the 170-year-old Edwards Ranch.

It has a typical expensive dinner menu, but it also serves lunch daily with sandwiches, burgers and salads for $14-$18.

Tip: Go before 6 p.m. for the $55 special early menu, a three-course dinner with a choice of seven entrees including sea bass or an 8-ounce filet. It’s perfect for pregame or pre-theater dinners. (Call ahead and reserve the prix fixe supper.)

Holiday hours have not been finalized, so check about Christmas Eve or New Year’s dining.

B&B Butchers will serve its lunch menu weekends at first but will add brunch items after New Year’s; 5212 Marathon Ave., 817-737-5212, bbbutchers.com/fortworth.

New Grapevine steakhouse is close

Expected in February: the new Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille in Grapevine, near opening on Texas 114 near the interchange with Wall Street, Park Boulevard and Southlake Boulevard.

Perry’s is a Houston-based prime steakhouse chain with a 40-year history as a meat market and grill.

The signature dish is a triple-thick, roasted pork chop. Go at lunch on Friday, when a smaller cut sells for about $15.

Perry’s also serves old favorites such as chateaubriand and newer items such as a “Hong Kong-style” sea bass or pecan-crusted snapper.

Watch for it before spring at 2400 W. Texas 114; perryssteakhouse.com.

And another new restaurant in Sundance

Also opening in January: 3rd Street Bar & Grill, a new restaurant with a wide-ranging menu replacing the former Frankie’s at 425 W. Third St. in Sundance Square.

The chef at 3rd Street is Steve Mitchell, from the former M Bistro. He’s planning simple lunches and pizzas for the downtown crowd — it’s the closest restaurant for courthouse jurors — and dinners including prime rib on weekends.

Owner Al Abboud had Sonoma Grill and Z Grill in Flower Mound.

This story was originally published November 30, 2017 at 9:24 AM.