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closeWednesday, Aug. 26, 2009
Hard Rock Dallas is back, and it’s all about burgers and barbecue
Hard Rock returns to Dallas, and it’s all about burgers and barbecue
By TERESA GUBBINS
Special to dfw.com
Dallas’ original Hard Rock Cafe shut down in 2007 because of poor sales, after more than 20 years in a former church on McKinney Avenue. That building was subsequently razed, to the chagrin of preservationists and nostalgia buffs alike.
But Hard Rock’s owners, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, didn’t give up on Dallas, one of the chain’s earliest locations: They’ve built a new rendition on the edge of Victory Park and filled it with their signature collection of guitars and rock memorabilia. That includes snakeskin boots worn by Stevie Ray Vaughn, a pair of fuzzy guitars from ZZ Top worn during the filming of the Legs video, and a magnificent polished steel guitar that belonged to deceased Pantera guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott.
It’s a handsome place with a stage at one end and a circular bar in the center, positioned beneath an ethereal installation of glittering glass balls. A long patio provides views of downtown and the House of Blues nearby.
The menu is the same at all Hard Rock branches, with burgers and barbecue, plus steak and sandwiches — a little better than what you’d ordinarily get at a bar, with an emphasis on familiarity and mainstream appeal. Burgers dominate, with 10 options, from the basic 6-ounce HRC burger ($8.95) to a collection of 10-ounce "legendary" burgers with extravagant toppings. All are Angus beef. Rolls are soft white but with a bit of body to sustain interest.
The red, white and blue burger ($13.95) was opulent, laced with the same spicy red Buffalo sauce used for wings, then topped with crumbled blue cheese and an onion ring. That’s a lot of stuff on a burger, and it also came with a side of seasoned fries.
The hickory BBQ bacon cheeseburger ($13.95) was one of the most likable, with hickory barbecue sauce, caramelized onions, bacon and Cheddar cheese. That same sweet hickory sauce appeared on the pulled-pork sandwich ($10.95), with long shreds of pork piled on a roll along with a vinegary marinated slaw.
Pulled pork was also one of the options on the bar-b-que combo ($18.75 for choice of two items, $22.75 for three), which also included ribs and chicken, plus fries, ranch beans, and slaw. With all those sides, the three-item combo would easily feed two.
Predictably, there was mac and cheese, both as a side dish with roasted red peppers ($5.95) and as an entree ($12.95) with a chicken breast. The pasta was S-shaped cavatappi, a bit sticky in its gloppy three-cheese sauce, heavy on the garlic, with a slice of garlic toast on the side. Other sides included white-Cheddar mashed potatoes and onion rings ($5.25).
Among the desserts was an apple cobbler ($6) that looked good but tasted just sweet. There’s a nightly dessert special such as rum cake or chocolate cookie pie, like an extra-thick chocolate chip cookie served with ice cream and chocolate sauce. You won’t have room for dessert if you order one of the ultra-rich milkshakes, made with Häagen-Dazs ice cream ($6 a la carte or $4.50 if you order one with a burger, which you might as well).
One thing that hasn’t changed about the Hard Rock is the devoted, competent staff. The company has a unique culture that promotes tolerance and individuality, and the employees seem to double their efforts in response.
2211 N. Houston St., Dallas
469-341-7625
Hours: 11 a.m.-midnight Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, bar open until 1 a.m. nightly.
Cuisine: Burgers, barbecue
Signature dish: Hickory-smoked bar-b-que combo
Entree cost: $8-$25
Essentials: Major credit cards; full bar; smoke-free; wheelchair-accessible; no reservations
Good to know: Food is served until midnight, but the bar’s open until 1 a.m.
Recommended for: Burger-loving guitar maniacs
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