Regular Joe's Guide

March 31, 2022 update: Everything German closed in 2016 three years after relocating to Hurst. First visit: Dec 2011 (Roanoke) Two of the most popular posts from the RJG were about German restaurants. The first post was when we took a trip up to Muenster and visited Rohmer's. But even more so was our visit to Gerhard's in Roanoke. We went there not long after it opened, thought it quite good, and wrote about it here. We haven't been back since, but not because we didn't like the restaurant, rather we just haven't taken the time to do so. Just by reading the comments on Urbanspoon, it appears the restaurant is hotly debated amongst those that seem to passionately hate it - and those who love it. Much of the "discussion" revolves around service issues, which quite frankly the RJG feels gets too much attention in today's world. Believe me, service in Europe is far less attentive (note I didn't say worse). We're just a very restless society I'm...

Last visit: Dec 2011 First visit: Jan 2005 A few years ago, sometime in the 2004-05 range, the Mrs. and I had dined at the original ZuRoma location in Grapevine near 121. We thought it was good Italian food, and had returned at least once. A couple of years later, while planning a return visit, I reviewed their entry on Urbanspoon, and it was clear a major event had taken place. Best I can tell the original owners sold the place, and the new proprietors subsequently ran the place into the ground. I never sampled this debacle, but as is foreshadowed by now, they did close down shortly thereafter. Meanwhile the original owners opened up in the Ice House in North Richland Hills. We never did go to the hockey arena, but now they also have a to-go only place in Keller, so I decided to try their pizza on a recent evening that Mrs. RJG and one of our official nieces had something else going on. "ya on ya own" in Mrs. RJG speak. ZuRoma specializes in the "Sicilian" styled...

First visit: Dec 2011 Best Tex Burger is in the same Shell station that once housed a Billadelphia's** location, and if I recall right was originally a Chester Fried Chicken. Best Tex Burger arrives with a feel-good story , that one has to admire. This is the American spirit at its finest. Onto the food we go. Their website talks about a variety of gourmet burgers and a chicken sandwich option. However, they have recently reduced their menu significantly. All they now serve are hamburgers, cheeseburgers (with a double option on each) and fries. And that's it. As you all know, the RJG is very much in favor of the small menu. So my expectation was set to a high level, figuring that they only do one thing - so it will be awesome. I kept it simple and ordered a double cheeseburger and a small drink. The burger comes out with the condiments on the side and include fresh romaine lettuce, pickles, onion and tomato. They also bring a variety of sauces to put on your burger. But ot...

Last update: Jun 2013: Jalapeno's moved to the other side of US-377 to Fort Worth. And renamed it Las Pinatas. Review of new location here . If you live around Keller, the name Jalapeno's can be a bit confusing. There's a taqueria by that name in the old town, with the exact same logo, and yet it's entirely different than this restaurant found on Keller Parkway. Apparently there's different ownership, but obviously they are related in some way. So if you too were confused, as the RJG perpetually is, then I do recommend you try both. We'll cover the taqueria at another time, but today's post will reflect the restaurant only. To the best of my knowledge, this is their only location and not related to other Jalapeno's in and around DFW. Jalapeno's sits in the old Keller Pizza place (itself no doubt once a Pizza Inn). Upon entry, there's a cavernous space filled with booths and tables - and even an old fashioned 1980s styled video game area. I wa...

Our first Mr. Music review! I took a trip to El Paisano last Weds with my friends. I’ve been going to El Paisano regularly for over a decade now. I usually don’t go to any single restaurant that often, but I really love this place! It was the first place that really opened my eyes to what are commonly known as “street tacos”. No matter how many I try, El Paisano consistently remains my favorite place for them. Now I won’t say I’ve tried every place around; there are hundreds of them, but I’ve been to dozens. My friends and I meet on Wednesdays for a night out and make El Paisano at least 3 times a month. Tacos are a pretty simple; you’ve got a tortilla, some meat, toppings and the sauce. All of them are important, but for me the sauce is the key! Of course the meat is very important too, but the sauce can propel a “really good” taco to “OMG!”. At El Paisano there are 3 types of tortillas: maiz which is a factory bought corn tortilla dipped in manteca (pig lard) for $0.99, then ther...

Last visit: Dec 2011 First visit: Dec 2004 Situated at the edge of the tony River Crest neighborhood, Tres Jose's seems an unlikely place to find an authentic Tex-Mex restaurant. We first visited a few years ago while visiting some museums at the nearby Cultural District. And while we await the renovations (and new ownership) to be completed over at the RJG's favorite Ft. Worth Mexican food destination - Fernandez Cafe - we decided to revisit Tres Jose's since we were over in Ft. Worth anyway. While Tres Jose's is a reliable neighborhood spot, it's not extraordinary. We both enjoyed the blue corn enchiladas with the heavily seasoned chicken doused in a sour green tomatillo sauce. The rice was well prepared, and the charro beans had the right mix of chile's, beans and bacon. The chips are homemade and crispy, while the standard salsa is tomato based with a mild kick, and includes black pepper (something the RJG likes in his hot sauces). We asked for the hotter ...

They also have a second location in Plano. First visit: Dec 2011 While browsing the main DFW page on Urbanspoon, a little blurb caught my eye from the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram: "Homemade Italian sausage". The RJG is always on the lookout for good, high quality, homemade Italian sausage, whether from a restaurant or a local grocer. Unfortunately for us folks on the Ft. Worth side of the house, almost all of the great Italian sausage to be found is in Dallas. And even though it was the Startlegram that brought it to my attention, sure enough the restaurant is in Dallas. Preston Royal to be exact. I spent a lot of my youth in the Preston Royal area. Not that I grew up here (I wish!), but many times my folks and I would "head east" for a weekend dinner out. While still in high school in the early 1980s, there was a great Italian restaurant called Rodolfo's Colosseo that we frequented often (anyone remember it?). He later dropped the Colosseo moniker, and I can reca...

Closed in 2016. First visit: Dec 2011 Like many folks who live in NE Tarrant, if I have to go to the airport or to the other side, then I must get on Hwy 114 East. Many times I'll do that via Southlake Blvd, and when you do, you'll see on your right a Kirby's Steakhouse, and then Red Lobster and then... whoa... hold up there. What happened to the Red Slobster? It's gone baby. In its place - Red Dog Right. The RJG doesn't shed a tear when the publicly traded company gets replaced with a more local option. In this case, it's still a (local) chain, but I'm guessing Red Dog Right still isn't ringing a bell. And it won't either, as this is a new entry from the folks at Front Burner Restaurants, founded by a Rockfish Seafood guy (guess he knew Kenny too right?). Front Burner is behind Ojos Locos, Whiskey Cake, The Ranch at Las Colinas... and their most famous brand is Twin Peaks. The name is a wink-wink deal, and what was originally supposed to go into...

Latest visit: May 2025 (Montebello @ N. Academy) First visit: 1977 (Dallas, TX - Walnut Hill Rd.) HQ: San Antonio, TX; Founded: 1950 (Corpus Christi, TX) ---5/3/25 (N. Academy) First visit of the year, just a different location this time. All checked out. Remains in the Rotation. Locations: 17 states (same but DC is out. Nevada is the new state). 1,138 total (+136). Texas is up to 764 (+28). Colorado is now at 8 (+2), One new in the Colorado Springs area and now one in Pueblo. They appear to be avoiding Denver (I don't blame them). Our former local in Keller is still open. As for that original personal location on Walnut Hill? Yea, it's long gone. Though there's one not too far from it (Hwy 12 & Webb Chapel). ---2/2/24 (Voyager) Back again for the RJG annual review. I could just cut and paste the below and serve my purpose here. This time I was the only one in the drive-thru at lunch on a Friday. The signs are all around us folks. Get ready for a bumpy landing. But at...

Latest visit: Dec 2011 First visit: Nov 2006 Italianni's started life as a chain concept from Carlson Restaurants (most known for TGI Fridays). Carlson no doubt wanted a piece of the Italian chain dollar and went head to head with Brinker's Romano's Macaroni Grill and Darden's very popular Olive Garden. But the market was already saturated, and they eventually decided to shut down the concept here in the US. The Hurst store however still had a loyal following, and was purchased locally, and has been run independently for close to 10 years now. Interesting to note that the chain is still operating in Mexico, Korea, Colombia and The Philippines - so there's been some discussion about Italianni's needing to change their name. Bud Kennedy on Eats Beat recently reported that was actually going to happen imminently. But on our last visit, they told me that wasn't a concern anymore - and so the name lives on. Italianni's is one of the few Italian restaurants...

First visit: Nov 2011 Nestled in a quiet corner of the very busy Hwy 26 and Glade Rd, Red Barn is a throwback to the rural country barn styled Texas barbecue place. No doubt 35 years ago, this stretch of Hwy 26 was just that - rural country. Once in, you'll notice the all wood interior decorated with signs from the past, and country music blaring from the radio. You order up fast food style and off you go to your wood bench or chairs to savor your meal. The folks working here are consistently nice and will throw in an "extra" if they feel that rib you ordered is a little slight. We've only been a few times over the years, and to be honest, Red Barn has never wowed us much. I've tried various meats over time, because unfortunately they don't offer a meat sampler platter. The flavors just aren't very bold here, but that's just the RJG's preference. Some folks like their barbecue straight down the middle. No question though, the meats are cooked pro...

As of 11/29/24, Yucatan Taco Stand only exists in Oklahoma City. First visit: Nov 2011 (Southlake - closed) In the early days of the RJG blog, Yucatan was the most requested place for us to visit. This place was all the rage in 2008. A quick check over to the excellent Fort Worth Hole in the Wall blog shows that no less than 38 comments were left for his post. I don't think the RJG has seen 38 comments combined. We never did make it over to the Ft. Worth location on Magnolia, and dallied around long enough for one to show up right here in NE Tarrant. Typical RJG - always a day late and a dollar short. We're sooooooooooo not hip. This trip represents our second visit, the first was earlier this year. Yucatan is a relatively new "Taco Stand" concept along the lines of Fuzzy's Taco Shop and the various "Baja" designated places. These are gussied up taco trucks, and when you get the final tally, you realize that this isn't your typical Tio Juan's...

Closed: Jun 2020 First visit: Nov 2011 As promised in the Raising Cane's blurb, the RJG is going to make a solid effort at trying the variety of fried chicken houses in NE Tarrant. Today's visit takes us to Anna's Chicken on Rufe Snow Rd. in North Richland Hills, not far from another RJG haunt - Lina's Mexican Cocina. Anna's is a classic old convenience store that has been converted into a very bright, fluorescent lighted fast food chicken and seafood joint - where they emphasize that they are a super clean place . Good to know! Anna's is Asian owned and operated, and they allowed us to try a sample of their butterfly shrimp, which reminded us both quite a bit of the appetizers we've had in some Thai restaurants. For lunch, I chose the 3 piece chicken special with corn and fries while the Mrs. settled on the 2 piece with corn and green beans. Each came with a roll, a pickled jalapeno and a small drink that they dispense for you. The chicken batter reci...

Moved to Colleyville from Watauga. First visit: Nov 2011 So here we sit in DFW's most highly rated restaurant (according to Urbanspoon). Chef Point Cafe has been featured by both Guy Fiori (DDD) and Paula Deen, as well as numerous DFW area foodie magazines, guides, and blogs. The location itself couldn't be more unassuming - a new roadside gas station placed anonymously on a near empty suburban stretch of Watauga Rd. (aka Mid Cities Blvd). A wide expanse of Texas nothingness. A place even Hank Hill would consider dull. And there's no sign to let you know you've arrived. Only a delivery truck sits outside with the name Chef Point. It's an oft told story nowadays: The founders of Chef Point weren't able to secure a loan for a new restaurant, but they could get financing for a new gas station. So up goes a multi-pump / convenience store Conoco with the sole purpose of adding a chef driven restaurant inside. The American can-do spirit thrives once again! The decor c...

Last visit: Nov 2011 First visit: Apr 2010 Mrs. RJG told me that I was on my own this day, so that usually means pizza or burgers for moi (as the Mrs. doesn't go in much for those choices). The original plan was to visit CJ's Burgers in Keller. But unbeknownst to me, or Urbanspoon for that matter, it is closed and is now an Asian restaurant (incidentally right next to a Thai restaurant - no imagination I tell ya...). So I decided to revisit Ted E's which was only a couple of miles south from where I was. The RJG has been to Ted E's only once prior to this visit, sometime in early 2010. I thought it was good, worth coming back, but not sure if it was going to be Top 10 crave kind of place. After this visit, I will say that it's good, worth coming back, but not sure if I need to anytime soon. I've never been a big fan of the "& More" moniker, as it loudly proclaims that this particular establishment doesn't really specialize in something. I pre...

First visit: Nov 2011 On the Prince Lebanese Grill post, I asked if there were any good Middle Eastern restaurants in NE Tarrant? I basically fed that question into Urbanspoon, and out came Al Wadi Cafe - a place that seems to be immensely popular judging by the high rating and number of raters, which as of this writing makes it the #90 most popular restaurant in all of DFW (again, according to Urbanspoon). In fact, the only other restaurant labeled middle eastern in the area is Cafe Medi in Hurst, a place we visited many years ago and need to try again (read: it didn't wow us the first time). Al Wadi is a classic Regular Joe's hole-in-the-wall. On Brown Trail, just south of Harwood in a shopping center that time forgot, or perhaps it never was remembered - Al Wadi sits patiently awaiting its expected crowd. Next door sits a chocolatier and a middle eastern grocery store. They did everything they could do to spiffy the place up, including adding a charming front patio area fo...

Latest visit: Nov 2011 First visit: Jan 2005 For over 20 years, Cuco's has been serving Cuban food to the citizens of NE Tarrant county. The RJG has always liked the Cuban sandwich: Roasted pork, ham, salami, cheese and mustard - then hot pressed. It's basically the same as a classic panini from Italy, though there are some minor differences which I won't get into here. I think the key to a great Cuban is the bread itself, so that it remains crispy, hot and tasty throughout the life of the meal. And Cuco's Cuban is outstanding, maybe one of the best I've ever had. Now to be fair, I've spent zero time in South Florida sampling Cuban sandwiches - but of the few I've had around the US, Cuco's scores well. Mrs. RJG had the same dish but with sweet plantain's on the side, which she said were delicious. Cuco's is a quaint little deli, painted bright pink, with a few tables and serves breakfast (starting at 10) and lunch only (closed Sunday). They als...

First visit: Nov 2011 The evening plan was to head towards Westlake and go to Diego's Tex-Mex, a place we first started going to earlier this year. But the bar scene there was definitely happenin', and you know what that means right? Cigarette smoke. Heavy. And it carried to the next door restaurant - and even though the bar is sequestered behind closed doors, it didn't matter. Now Mr. RJG grew up with that unfortunate smell from his parents, so I tend to ignore it, though even I admit it gets harder as the years go by. But Mrs. RJG would have none of it. Plans scrapped - now what? Well, I said, there's an Italian restaurant right around the corner by foot, so let's just go there. And here we are at La Scala. La Scala is adjoined by a Joe's [Pizza][Pasta][Subs] fast food place. I put that in brackets because Joe's is a loose franchise (with various combination of the names provided) somewhat like Ray's in New York City (and famously sent up in a Seinf...

Last visit: Nov 2011 First visit: Dec 2010 This visit represented only my second time to Aleda's, the first being right after Christmas last year, not long after they opened. Or "reopened" as it were. See Aleda's has a built-in cult following since they previously owned a place in Arlington called Barry's Pizza Pub, which closed in 2004 after the family relocated to Southlake. Apparently fans of the place begged them to reopen, and in 2010 they gave it another whirl. I would say that Aleda's style of pizza is definitely unique, and that's a good thing in the RJG's book. The crust is ample on the side and very thin and crispy on the bottom - somewhat like a classic dessert pie. The ingredients are stacked up from there, almost giving it a deep dish like appearance. It's heavy pizza to be sure - this is miles away from the Napolitana wood fired oven pizza craze (which the RJG is a big fan of). I like the sauce taste and the cheese they use is class...

Latest visit: Sep 2025 (Colorado Springs - Citadel) First visit: Nov 2011 (Hurst, TX) ---9/3/25 It's been almost exactly two years since I last stepped foot into a Raising Cane's and this was the location. It was just a little before 10:30 and I was pleased to see they open at 9:00. Based on my new schedule, which is constantly evolving, Raising Cane's will probably get regular visits going forward. Which puts it into the RJG Rotation. I went for the Three Finger deal again, and it was more than sufficient. I like the soft crunchy ice they use for the drinks. Sometimes it's the small things. Everything came out exactly as last time, and I was more than pleased. And it seems the help is on the ball at this location. Location update: 879 (+165 in 2 years!); 21 in Colorado (+1) with the same 4 in Colorado Springs. Texas is up to 199 (+56). Too lazy to count NE Tarrant, but both Hurst and Keller are there. ---9/1/23 It's been 11 years since I last stepped foot into a Ra...

Last visit: Oct 2011 First visit: 2004 One of the hazards of doing a restaurant blog is that a place can change in a heartbeat, and suddenly your recommendation is met with scorn by those who trusted you, and credibility is thrown out the window. This is what happened to the RJG with Lina's. This is the primary reason why we insist on updating the blog and making sure you know when we last visited. Lina's has undergone dramatic shifts since we last were there. Not least of all is a complete move to a larger location next door. It's now all spiffy'd up with flat screen TVs and new tables and booths (though fortunately the old bowling alley ones remain). If they're going to go to this much trouble to make you want to stay, then they should offer up a full bar. It's still BYOB - which I like in Italian and Thai restaurants, but not so much in Mexican (perhaps the RJG likes his frozen margaritas? And I like wine with Thai and Italian, where BYOB is more preferable)....

Closed: Aug 2024 Last visit: Oct 2011 First visit: 2003 Miguelito's is another restaurant that the RJG discovered via a coupon book I bought in 2003, which helped us discover many of the restaurants in the area (we had just moved back from Colorado). I would say that from 2004 to 2005, Miguelito's was perhaps our favorite Mexican restaurant in NE Tarrant. But then Mrs. RJG soured on the place, and according to my database, we last visited in the summer of 2006. And finally we have returned after a 5+ year exodus, after a complete fall from grace. The restaurant is a pleasant place, a combination of 60's Tiki and Mexican beach resort. A welcome retreat on this tired segment of Bedford Euless Rd. For the food, the chips are very good, warm to the touch and served in small metal bowls. A server is never too far away to ensure a new bowl is ready when you are. The salsa is stored in a jug on the table, and they provide little serving bowls to pour into. The RJG has always lik...

Closed in 2016.They had a second location in Flower Mound that also closed. First visit: Oct 2011 Interesting that we were just in this area during the week, and here I am again. As mentioned in the Kenny's Wood Fired Grill post, the RJG lived in Addison from 1988-1991. That same summer of 1991 I moved about 4 miles north to Carrollton and lived there until the end of 1993, before shuffling off to Colorado. Since I rarely visit the area anymore, I always return with a sense of nostalgia. Mrs. RJG is attending a wedding in Carrollton next week, and she wanted to know how to get there (we have do a reconnaissance with Mrs. RJG so she doesn't get lost). And that's the perfect excuse to add a new restaurant to the Regular Joe's Guide! Of course the Carrollton I left in 1993, is not the same one that exists in 2011. Incredible improvements have been made, especially to the Old Town. In line with other such renovations, like NE Tarrant's own Grapevine, the Old Town has...

First visit: Oct 2011 J ust as soon as I mention that I Fratelli's has become our go to spot for business, here I am at Kenny's for just that reason. One of our partners was in town, and since he was already in Addison visiting the mothership, we just agreed to meet him there. The RJG once lived in Addison from 1988 to 1991, and later I had an office nearby from 2003-2004. So I'm always glad to drive over to my old stompin' grounds. Nowadays I doubt I get there more than 3 times a year. It's always been a hotbed of activity, primarily because they were the only suburb in the area to have modern alcohol laws. The others are finally catching up. We started the evening with beers and appetizers over at the Flying Saucer Draught Emporium , one of the RJG's favorite watering holes. I've been debating this for some time, but I think I'll have a end of month roundup on the beers I try. For the last 5 years, I've been on a mission to try as many beers as p...

First visit: Oct 2011 And while on the topic of tacos, how about this little out of the way place in Southlake? We spoke of the 3 kinds of tacos in the Funky Baja's post: Crunchy fast food (Del Taco for example); Higher end grilled meat tacos (like Funky Baja's or Fuzzy Taco Shop - which I refer to as "Fresh Mex"); and finally the street taco or taqueria. And it's this latter category that Austin Taco House fits in. It's pretty hardcore, right down to the television being tuned into Univision, and Spanish being the lingua franca. Mrs. RJG, who grew up in Mexico, said it reminded her of home. Grilled meats are the order of the day, with plenty of pork and steak choices. Breakfast burritos, tortas, chorizos, etc... round it out. I usually try a variety of tacos, and on this visit I went for the carnitas, al pastor and ground beef. They have flour and corn tortillas, as well as wonderful homemade crunchy corn tortillas. They have a variety of salsas, including ...

Latest visit: Oct 2011 First visit: Oct 2008 A major event has happened since we last wrote about Prince Lebanese Grill - the appearance of one Guy Fiori from Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. It should come as no surprise to my readers that I love that show. He basically has the same attitude and concept I use here but taken to the highest level. Of course, he's a chef himself, and is very much qualified to review what each kitchen is up to. He reminds me of my very good friend Mr. Music, in his attitude, gregariousness and even his physical shape. Sometimes on a slow Saturday, especially during the summer, Mrs. RJG and I will watch a few hours of his show on the Food Channel consecutively. And get really hungry. You know, come to think of it, he also went to another RJG recommendation: Avila's in Dallas. Could Fiori be a fan of the RJG? Because of Fiori's visit, Prince became wildly popular (though it already had a loyal local following). On Urbanspoon, it is rated as the 8...

Last visit: Sep 2011 First visit: Jul 2004 (a different location) Ah, the neighborhood tavern. A relic from a bygone era, when one would stop by after a hard day of work and share a brew or two with old friends before heading to the chaos of home. The tavern's death knell were the sprawling suburbs, where driving distances to and fro work were long and time consuming. Drinking and driving laws became more strict, and the suburbs were rarely served by public transportation. My uncle, who lived in the inner burbs of Seattle, loved taverns. He knew them all within a 5 mile radius, what beers they served, the bar flys, the food, the waitresses, the bartenders and the patrons. It gave him a reason to live. When he died a couple of years ago, they were all gone and bulldozed - had to make room for one more Olive Garden, a Home Depot and a Starbucks. And with that, City Pub is a welcome sight indeed. It's a throwback to another age. A dark, perhaps unwelcoming place - at least for n...

First visit: Jul 2011 Our first in the historical series. The only note I have simply states "Best Thai ever?". The fact that I remember it like yesterday does indicate it is a restaurant well worth visiting. Mrs. RJG and I had visited the interior of California and northern Nevada on a week long vacation, and this was one of many memorable meals on that trip. The restaurant is well decorated, and not a hole-in-the-wall. We ordered a bottle of Chardonnay and ordered our staple meals. Mine - no surprise - was the Thai Basil, with ground chicken and Thai hot. It was ridiculously tasty. Don't remember exactly what Mrs. RJG had, but boy was she elated! We still reminisce about our favorite restaurants, and this one always gets mentioned.  7/13/11 (new entry)