The 'Quirky Uncle' to Hudson House - D.L. Mack's -To Open Near SMU

D.L. Mack’s is a Chicago-inspired American restaurant and bar.

Biscuit Bar quietly closed on Hillcrest Avenue in University Park, and by September 2021, a new tavern named D.L. Mack’s is expected to take its place.

The restaurant is described as a Chicago-style bar and restaurant inspired by the brownstones in Lincoln Park. “D.L. Mack’s might be the oldest new restaurant to open this year,” says a press release, noting its “worn-in post-prohibition” vibe.

On the menu will be Chicago-style cracker crust pizza, which is also served at sibling restaurant Drake’s and will be part of the menu at the coming-soon Addison restaurant Brentwood. Not much else is known about D.L. Mack’s menu yet, other than that there will be “classic American dishes inspired by timeless Windy City eateries,” says the release.

The restaurant is reminiscent of parent company Vandelay Hospitality Group (VHG)’s other concepts: There’s Hudson House, the East Coast oyster house with three locations in D-FW. There’s Brentwood, a restaurant that’s not yet open but has more of an Aspen/Santa Fe vibe. There’s Drake’s Hollywood, a see-and-be-seen steakhouse on Lovers Lane, west of Inwood Road. And there’s East Hampton Sandwich Company and Lucky’s Hot Chicken. All five restaurants serve American food, often inspired by a geographical area.

At D.L. Mack’s, it’s Chicago.

The restaurant across the street from SMU is just a few doors down from Lucky’s Hot Chicken, which opened in April. Both restaurants are expected to cater to SMU students and their Park Cities neighbors.

D.L. Mack’s is named for a fictional guy, a person Vice President of Brand Management Lauren Land calls “Hudson House’s quirky older uncle.” The restaurant will have an old train station clock inside and antique window panes, says a press release. The patio will have 16 tables, and the benches are designed to feel like the ones on the “L,” the elevated train system in Chicago.

It’s expected to be a busy year for Vandelay, with a new Hudson House opening in Las Colinas; Brentwood opening in Addison; and Lucky’s and D.L. Mack’s expanding. Jon Peck, senior vice president of operations for the company, says they’d been trying to find the right spot for D.L. Mack’s for two years.

“When the Hillcrest space in University Park became available, we knew the story would write itself for a brand we have been obsessed with for a very long time at VHG,” he says in a statement.

D.L. Mack’s will be at 6501 Hillcrest Ave., Dallas. It’s expected to open in September 2021.