About This Blog

This blog features: neighborhood restaurants, nearby restaurants, downtown restaurants, Casa View Shopping Center, nearby shopping, Downtown shops.

I will first list places and my connections with them. For the spirit of completeness, I will then list other places, known to me but not visited. I choose not to list the unknown.

I like the section entitled Places I Wish I Had Visited.

My focus is places and locations which existed from 1953, when I moved to Dallas, until 1965, when I graduated from high school. This list will continue with my college years, until I turned 21. I left Dallas in 1969 and, as I did not return except to visit my parents until 1973, my memory of East Dallas ends at that time.

Some categories were easy to separate – restaurants and shopping. Some experiences are not so easy to categorize, but are still meaningful. They may be all lumped in together, and then teased out as other connections are made.

Music wise, we may have thought we were born of the “wrong generation.” I always thought the older generation (i.e. 3 to 4 years older than me) had a richer and deeper experience.

But we, the beginning of the Baby Boomer generation, had it best – stable family life, rising expectations for the middle class and parents who wanted to give so much to their children, which most did not have in their childhood. We were left to play and roam outdoors to make our own fun. We had the best toys and the best music.

And yet we lived in tumultuous times – the Cold War, Civil Rights, Integration and the Kennedy Assassination through the killings of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King.

Hopefully we came out as loving, caring, sharing adults whose experiences made us better people and gave us the ability to show appreciation and gratitude for the neighborhood and experiences which enriched us and our loved ones.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Restaurants - Nearby: 75 Listings

La Tunisia - "Dallas' Most Exciting Restaurant."  In Exchange Park off Harry Hines.

Sammy's Restaurant - 1516 Greenville "Lower Greenville."
Sammy LaBello founded this restaurant and outlined the roof in neon lights at a cost of one million dollars, making his one of the first Dallas restaurants to use neon.
"25 Older Restaurants"
DFW Business Journal
11/11/85
TA-7-0355

Brownie's Restaurant - 5519 East Grand, TA-4-8028
Another late night hangout.

 Circle Grill - 3707 N. Buckner.  DA-1-3262

The Cove - Fish and chips.  5541 W. Lovers Lane.  FL-2-0058

Sonny Bryant's Smokehouse - 2202 Inwood.  FL-7-7120.  214-357-7120.
Opened in 1958 on Inwood Road.  After Oak Cliff voted dry, his father, Red Bryan, had opened a small barbecue restaurant in Oak Cliff in 1910.  Opened a larger restaurant which nearly killed him.

Charco Broiler - 3912 Gaston.  TA-3-5031
Steak, baked potato, green salad, garlic toast with tea or coffee.

De Salvo Restaurant - 4671 West Jefferson.  FE-7-9360
"Finest in Oak Cliff, serving pizza, ravioli, lasagna, spumoni, veal parmesan, steaks."

Youngbloods - 126 E. Colorado.
In the early 1960s had a 75 cent Tuesday special: 3 pieces of chicken, rolls, pickle, rolls, pickle slice and choice of potatoes.

Parlour and Ye Public House - 6516 E. Northwest Hwy

 Shakey's Pizza - Northwest Hwy at Abrams, EM-3-7281.
Dark beer, thick wood tables, uptempo banjo style music.  Peanuts in the shell.

Kip's Big Boy - 5106 Mockingbird.  214-827-3798.
Kip's Hamburger - 2 slices, 3 pieces of bread.  Hot fudge sundaes.

 Little Bit of Sweden - 254 Inwood Village at Lovers Lane.  FL-2-8089
Served a smorgasbord - a buffet Swedish-style.

Sakura Japanese Restaurant - 5202 Maple Ave.

Southern Kitchen - 2356 W. Northwest Hwy. 214-352-5220.
Chicken or seafood, all you can eat.

Campisi's Egyptian Restaurant - 5610 Mockingbird.  TA-7-0355.
With its red-vinyl covered booth seats, Joe Campisi's son is as ugly as my butt but his daughter appeared as a centerfold in Playboy.  I still prefer thin-crust pizza.

Lucas B and B Restaurant - 3520 Oak Lawn.  526-8525.
My parents' favorite.  Opened 1953, closed 1998.  Had fresh dairy products from their farm.  Cafe was open 24 hours a day.

Holiday Inn on Central - 4070 N. Central.  TA-7-0880
In their dining room, they had large Demetri Vale portraits of the stars.

 Brinks Coffee Shop - 4505 Gaston Ave.  TA-1-1190
Opened in 164 by Norman Brinker.  Went there after the BA prom at the Sheraton.  Fancier than Kip's.

Steak and Ale - 3826 Lemmon Ave.  214-522-1040.
Opened by Norman Brinker.  Decor based on the movie Tom Jones.  Introduced the salad bar concept and changed the way American casual dining worked.  He went on to create Bennigan's, Chili's, Macaroni Grill, Burger King and Cozy Mel's.

Chateau Briand - 2515 McKinney Ave.  214-741-1223.
Worked there as a busboy for a week, after realizing it would take 7 years to become a waiter.  Opened in 1954.

 Dobbi House Polynesian Luau - Love Field.  FL-7-9215.

Gordo's - 5221 E. Mockingbird Lane.  LA-6-9327.
One of Dallas' oldest pizza parlors.

Rosco White Easy Way Grill - 5806 Lover's Lane.  LA-6-5044.

Green Parrot Restaurant - 1908 Forest Lane.  HA-8-9109
Specializing in stuffed shrimp and steaks.

Griff's Burger Bar - 1150 S. Buckner Blvd. EX-8-7321.
In Pleasant Grove.

Howard Johnson - Ft. Worth Toll Road.  AN-2-2128.

Il Sorento - 5724 W. Lover's Lane.  FL-2-8759.

China Clipper Cafe - 3930 McKinney Ave.  LA-6-9165.

Webb's Chicken Garden - Hillside Village.

 Savil's Drive-In - 3500 Ft. Worth Ave.  FE-1-3891.

Jay's Marine Grill - 3718 Hall Street at Oak Lawn.  LA-1-9455.
Famous for their hot rolls.

 Lorky's (Naler's Drumstick Restaurant) - Competed with Youngbloods  Had 4 locations.

Pop's Spaghetti House - 3808 Gaston Ave.  TA-4-9022.

 The Torch - 3620 West Davis.  FE-1-5221.
Greek style restaurant owned by Chris Semos.

Top Rail Cafe - 2108 W. Northwest Hwy.  CH-7-9412.

Waffle House #1 - 6317 Gaston Ave.  TA-4-0891.

 Casa Linda Coffee Shop - 166 Casa Linda Plaza.  Owned by Bob Lowery.

 El Fenix - Five convenient locations
Downtown - 1608 McKinney.  Opened in 1918.
Casa Linda - 255 Casa Linda Plaza.
Oak Cliff - 120 E. Colorado.
Little El Fenix - 5555 W. Lover's Lane.
Lemmon and Inwood - 5622 Lemmon.  Open til 2 AM.

Bob White Bar B Que - 7324 Gaston Ave.  DA-2-1-2757.
We never ate in the drive-in portion.  Always went inside.  Heavily wood-paneled interior with an illuminated clock that didn't work.

Columbo's Pizza Parlor - 5734 E. Mockingbird Lane.

Gordo's of Dallas - 4528 Cole.  214-521-3813.

Highland Park Cafeteria - 4611 Cole.
Pictures of the presidents that you could read while you were waiting in line.  Opened 1925.

Orange Julius - 750 Northpark Center.  #2 located in Oak Cliff.  214-368-9465.

Farrell Ice Cream Parlor Restaurant - 2034 Town East Mall.  214-279-9001.
Oversized ice cream birthday celebrations with bass drum and bric-a-brac decorating the walls.

The village smith, his fire is hot.
He knows which is, and which is not.

Phil's Delicatesson - 3531 Oak Lawn.  LA-6-7787.
Our standard late-night, get something to eat place.  Phil the owner manned the cash register in his white shirt and cigar.  He seemed gruff and dour, but had a soft spot.  Hired ex-cons.  Waitresses stayed forever.

The Bounty - 2447 W. Northwest Hwy.  FL-2-5639.
Just off the Harry Hines Circle.  Went there with two Navy buddies after Boot Camp  Decorated like a Navy ship, served half yards and full yards of beer.

Burger House - 6913 Hillcrest.  EM-8-9178.
Opened in 1951. Had special seasoned salt.

The Rib - 5741 W. Lover's Lane.  FL-2-6078.
Opened in 1951.

Busy Bee Cafe - 1114 N. Industrial.  RI-2-3050.

 El Chico #8 110 W. Davis.  WM-3-8610.
#2 2031 Abrams.

Little Gus - Opened in 1947 by the Mantzuranis family, but it was only 1980 when they added Greek for originally called Greenville Avenue Lunch.  Uncle Gus died in 1972.  Tony was always known as Little Gus.  Closed in August 1991.

Sam's Bar-B-Q - 4315 S. Buckner.  214-381-6111.

Old Warsaw - Opened 1950. 

Hickory House Barbecue - 600 S. Industrial.  RI-2-3042.  214-747-0758.
Opened in 1952.  Still had car hops.  Owned y a Greek guy and served Greek-style green beans.  

Keller's Drive-In - 3766 Samuell Blvd.  EV-1-0773.

 Kirby's Charcoal Steaks - 3715 Greenville Ave.  TA-3-7296.

Red Bryan's Smokehouse - 610 W. Jefferson.  WM-2-2350.

Sivil's Drive-In Restaurant - 3419 W. Davis. FE-1-3891.

Austin's Barbecue - 2321 W. Illinois Ave.  FE-7-2242.  At Hampton Rd.
"Tender as old Austin's Heart."

The Luau Room - Love Field.
The current terminal opened in 1958 along with The Luau Room, one of the swankiest restaurants in town.  The handrails leading up to its mezzanine location were aquariums.  I ate my last meal there as a civilian as I flew odd to San Diego for Navy bootcamp in February of 1967.

Kuby's Sausage House - 6601 Snider Plaza.  214-363-2231.
Authentic German cuisine since 1961.

St. D Oyster Company - 2701 McKinney at Boll.  214-880-0111.

Opened in 1976.  New Orleans style seafood.  Oysters, gumbo, po' boys and shrimp.

Original Market Dinner - 4434 Harry Hines.  214-521-0992.

Norma's Cafe - 1123 W. Davis.  214-946-4711.
Norma Mannis founded Norma's in 1958, selling it in 1986 to retire.  Retirement didn't take, as she opened the original Mama's Daughters Diner at 2014 Irving Blvd.  214-742-8646 in 1988.  She sold it to Ed Murph, who has operated Norma's Cafe for over 20 years (as of 2012).

The Pig Stand - 7722 Garland Road.  DA-1-3530
The Pig Stand was opened in 1921.  Customers pulled in and were greeted by car hops.  Said to have invented onion rings, chicken-fried steak and Texas toast.  By 1930, there were more than 120 locations.  Today only one remains, in San Antonio.  Its specialty - pulled pork sandwiches.

Club Schmitz - 9661 Denton Drive.  214-902-7990.
Opened in 1946.  Known for its cheap cold beer, greasy cheeseburgers and most items on the menu being less than $5.  Inside decor unchanged from the Eisenhower administration.

Mecca Restaurant - 10422 Harry Hines Blvd.  214-352-0051.  Opened originally in downtown Dallas in 1938.  Has been serving down home breakfast and lunches for years.

Dunston's - 8526 Harry Hines Blvd.  214-637-3513.
An old-fashioned steak house that serves a don't-miss mesquite-grilled steak as well as fish and chicken.  Opened in 1955.

 Pietro's Italian Restaurant - 5722 Richmond Ave.  214-849-9403.
Ten different kinds of veal, six different kinds of chicken, lasagna, pasta and other Italian dishes made from scratch.  Opened in 1961.





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1 comment:

  1. UnknownDecember 19, 2013 at 8:37 PM

    You're being referenced on FB, Bob (Oak Clif Boomers)
    Doing well I hope.

    ReplyDelete

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