Fort Worth, Arlington restaurants’ Irish nachos look greener than ever for St. Pat’s
Arlington is the home of “Irish nachos.”
But 45 years after a downtown Arlington bar and grill made them famous, a newer restaurant has made them monstrous.
Irish nachos are not the biggest draw at the Social House restaurants in Fort Worth and Arlington. That would be weekend brunch, or the chicken-fried chicken or steak with jalapeno cream gravy.
But the Social House’s version of the potato-based nacho platter is a worthy match for the Irish nacho old guard, J. Gilligan’s Bar & Grill.
In 1980, Gilligan’s owner Randy Ford furst tossed some cottage fries across a dish and topped them with grated cheese and jalapenos.
It was the perfect menu item for his annual St. Patrick’s Day block party. This year’s version, the 46th annual, starts at 5 p.m. March 17 at J. Gilligan’s, in a 75-year-old restaurant building at 400 E. Abram St.
Other local restaurants have come up with their own version of Irish nachos over the years, including southwest Arlington’s beloved Bobby V’s Sports Gallery Cafe, 4301 S. Bowen Road.
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The Dallas-based Social House restaurants are much newer. The Fort Worth location, 840 Currie St. on Artisan Circle, opened in 2015. The Arlington restaurant, 1705 N. Collins St., opened in 2018 in Champions Park.
Both Social Houses are packed every weekend for one of the region’s most popular brunches, featuring fried chicken-and-waffles with jalapeno gravy or bananas Foster French toast.
The Irish nachos are on the everyday menu. Social House’s are made with:
▪ House-cut russet potato chips.
▪ Pulled pork.
▪ Cheese sauce.
▪ Pickled jalapeno strips.
(This is where it goes gonzo.)
▪ Creme fraiche.
▪ Avocado mousse.
Somehow I never imagined Irish nachos with avocado mousse. (Maybe guacamole.)
But it does add more green to the jalapeno strips for a dish worthy of St. Patrick’s Day or any day.
The towering stack of chips, served in a pile barroom-nacho style, is easily enough for four patrons to share, or two if they’re Irish.
The Social House in Arlington also has two specials worth note: a $39 filet steak dinner Fridays with soup or salad and cheesecake, and a $10 cheeseburger platter Wednesdays.
(Note that for baseball season.)
Both Social House locations are open for lunch or brunch and dinner daily; 682-276-3830, socialhousearlington.com, and 817-820-1510, socialhousefortworth.com.
ST. PATRICK’S DAY AT J. GILLIGAN’S
J. Gilligan’s annual block party March 17, the region’s largest, will feature family and child events from 11 a.m., then a full party at 4 p.m.
Music is by the Don Pendley Band and then bagpipes with Rockstrocity.
For more information, call 817-274-8561 or see jgilligans.com.
This story was originally published March 10, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
