From free hot dogs to BBQ, here’s where to dine July Fourth in Fort Worth, Arlington
This year, we’re getting a four-course Fourth of July weekend:
1. Dinner and fireworks Saturday from Globe Life Field in Arlington.
2. Hot dogs or barbecue Sunday for Independence Day lunch.
3. Dinner and fireworks Sunday from Panther Island in Fort Worth.
4. Lunch after the big parade Monday in Arlington.
Just in case you want to make every stop, here are a few dining suggestions along the way:
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Saturday night
▪ Mercury Chophouse, 2221 E. Lamar Blvd., has a ninth-floor view of the Arlington fireworks from 2 miles away and still had online reservations available at midweek.
▪ Cut & Bourbon, a hotel steakhouse at 1600 E. Randol Mill Road, also had online reservations available at midweek and will be a short walk from the fireworks show, which is opposite the hotel in Globe Life Field Lot J.
▪ The food stands will be open at Texas Live!, 1650 E. Randol Mill Road. (Parking for the fireworks show is mostly nearby the stadium lots along Randol Mill Road or Nolan Ryan Expressway.)
▪ Many Arlington restaurants within a few miles have reservations available for dinner before the show (but you can’t see it from there). Online reservations are available at the Cane Rosso pizzeria, 200 N. East St. in the Urban Union district, or at Social House, 1705 N. Collins St. in Champions Park.
Sunday brunch
▪ On July Fourth morning, it’s all about freedom — as in 300 free hot dogs — at Curly’s Frozen Custard, 4017 Camp Bowie Blvd.
The drive-through and walk-up stand will open at 11 a.m. and give out Nathan’s Famous hot dogs, one per person till they’re gone (usually midafternoon). Don’t miss the Parker County peach frozen custard.
▪ On the other end of the price range, Sunday brunch will include a $14 wagyu hot dog platter at B&B Butchers & Restaurant, 5212 Marathon Ave.
That’s for two dogs and steak fries. Or try the rest of the brunch menu, featuring egg platters, omelets, Benedicts, pancakes and chicken-and-waffles. mostly in the $15-$25 range.
▪ Texas barbecue used to be tough to find on Sundays, but it’s easy now. Try Panther City BBQ, 201 E. Pennsylvania Ave. (East Hattie Street); Goldee’s Barbecue, 4645 Dick Price Road south of Kennedale: Hurtado Barbecue, 205 E. Front St, Arlington; Dayne’s Craft Barbecue, 2735 W. Fifth St.; or either Heim Barbecue location, 5333 White Settlement Road or 1109 W. Magnolia Ave.
Sunday night
▪ The Fort Worth fireworks go off at 9:30 p.m. from Panther Island, and the best place to watch is probably from the rooftop bar at Ático, a tapas lounge atop a hotel at 2315 N. Main St.
▪ Also try Refinery 714, the penthouse lounge atop the new Kimpton Harper hotel, 714 Main St.
According to a Panther Island spokesman, much of the show should be visible through the north penthouse window. The bar’s wraparound windows might show other fireworks in the distance.
(RTB, the rooftop bar at The Sinclair, Autograph Collection hotel, 512 Main St., is open to the public Fridays and Saturdays but to hotel guests only on July Fourth.)
▪ If you want to go downtown early for dinner and then walk out to see the show, online dinner reservations were still available at midweek for Texas de Brazil, 101 N. Houston St.; Toro Toro, a hotel restaurant with its own valet parking at 200 Main St.; and Cheesecake Factory, 455 Commerce St.
▪ On the north side, Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que, 301 Stockyards Blvd., is open until 8 p.m. for dinner. Park high on the hill and then just stay for the fireworks show.
Monday lunch
▪ Again, Cane Rosso and Cut & Bourbon are bookable online for Monday lunch after the Arlington parade.
Downtown Arlington and the Urban Union district also have a Babe’s Chicken Dinner House and many more restaurants, along with those in Texas! Live and Champions Park.
(Many restaurant reservations are booked online at OpenTable.com, Resy.com or Yelp.com. On Yelp, search for “Restaurants Reservations.”)
This story was originally published June 30, 2021 at 5:45 AM.
