Where to feed Dad on Father’s Day: Pick from steaks, BBQ or a fancy blueberry souffle
This is your last chance to get it right.
You waited too long to book for Easter. Then you waited too long to book for Mother’s Day.
Now, at least try to take care of Dad on June 20.
Reservations are always easier on Father’s Day, partially because dads have it pretty good every day.
Here are a few restaurants for Father’s Day dining, including some you’d expect and some you might not:
▪ Reata Restaurant, 310 Houston St., is an easy stop for lunch any Saturday or Sunday, with plenty of street or free garage parking downtown.
Reata’s Father’s Day deals include a tenderloin with sides ($27), a grilled chicken Caesar ($13) and the restaurant’s signature stacked chicken enchiladas ($12).
Or order the brunch huevos rancheros with carne asada ($15) or a chicken-fried-steak-and-eggs breakfast ($15).
Compared to the nearby prime steakhouses, Reata has better deals and a better atmosphere; 817-336-1009, reata.net.
▪ Woodshed Smokehouse, 3201 Riverfront Drive, is a patio barbecue restaurant with a reverence for smoked meats.
The Woodshed’s newest offering is dry-aged brisket, described by chef Tim Love as “super beefy.”
Supposedly it tastes more like a steak. Try some along with dishes like the traditional brisket, ribs and smoked baked potato, or an alternative such as the Thai smoked cauliflower.
There’s always the ultimate Fort Worth dinner: the entire smoked beef shin with sides ($97), or a tomahawk prime rib with sides ($170) billed as “You’ve never seen anything like this.”
For an inexpensive lunch, get a burger, chicken-fried steak or a platter with brisket, borracho beans and a smoked potato; open daily, 817-877-4545, woodshedsmokehouse.com.
▪ Fearing’s. 2121 McKinney Ave., Dallas, is chef Dean Fearing’s ultimate restaurant (at least until the author of “The Texas Food Bible” opens his forthcoming location in Fort Worth).
The Father’s Day menu ($110) features a brunch appetizer like chili, sausage or quail, followed by barbecue, fried chicken, a pork chop or salmon, plus a Texas dessert.
Fearings serves lunch or brunch Thursday through Sunday, dinner Tuesday through Saturday; 214-922-4848, fearingsrestaurant.com,
▪ Goldee’s Barbecue, 4645 Dick Price Road south of Kennedale, leads the list of Texas-best barbecue restaurants open Sundays.
Goldee’s is known for brisket and ribs, but don’t overlook the turkey and sides such as cheesy grits (and homemade bread for $6 a loaf).
It’s a simple country back-road restaurant with picnic tables and it only stays open till the barbecue’s gone, so don’t wait long. It opens at 11 a.m.; 817-480-4131. goldeesbbq.com.
Other barbecue restaurants to take Dad on Sundays: either Heim Barbecue or Heim Barbecue on the River (good sides, and the River location has a good picnic-grounds atmosphere) or Panther City BBQ.
▪ Cattlemen’s Steak House, 2458 N. Main St., doesn’t have the busy atmosphere of H3 Ranch next door, but it does have old-time character, a classic tenderloin and 75 years of unbeatable grill flavor.
The pork chops are a go-to; 817-624-3945, cattlemenssteakhouse.com
Up the hill west on Exchange Avenue, try the steals at Star Cafe or the classed-up chicken-fried steaks at Horseshoe Hill Cafe.
(Yes, there’s a new hotel restaurant in Mule Alley, 97 West at the Drover. It’s short-staffed. I’d wait a while.)
▪ Rise nº3 Soufflé, 5135 Monahans Ave., is a country French restaurant with plenty for dads to love.
For starters, there’s the big loaf of rustic sourdough bread with a guillotine-style bread cutter. He’ll slice two loaves just for the heck of it before the salads even come.
Then, there’s either the extensive menu of sweet and savory souffles, or the simple menu of a steak, sandwiches or salads.
Don’t miss the blueberry souffle at dessert; 817-737-7473, risesouffle.com.
This story was originally published June 7, 2021 at 5:45 AM.
