Dallas Restaurateur Behind Viral Anti-Twerking Rant Will Open a Restaurant in Chicago

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Anti-twerking Dallas restaurateur will open a Southern food restaurant in Chicago.

A Dallas restaurant owner who faced criticism last November when a video of him ranting at his customers went viral on social media, is planning to open a restaurant in Chicago. Kevin Kelley, a Dallas attorney and businessman, was criticized for the video, in which he lectured customers who were twerking to trap music being played by an in-house dj during a Sunday brunch at his restaurant, True Kitchen & Kocktails. Kelley later went on the television show TMZ to plead his case, saying reservations at his restaurant had skyrocketed following the viral video.

Now Kelley has plans to open a Southern food-inspired restaurant in Downtown Chicago. According to Eater Chicago, Kitchen & Kocktails by Kevin Kelley will feature dishes like chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, and banana pudding. The restaurant is expected to open in mid-August.

Mexican-inspired pizzeria will open in North Dallas later this year

A new pizza restaurant that takes its influence from Mexican cuisine will open at at 18160 N. Dallas Parkway in early fall. Nico’s MX Pizzeria is the work of Nico Ponce, a veteran of the Texas hospitality scene whose father founded small Louisiana chain Nicky’s Mexican Restaurant, according to Culturemap. The restaurant, which will open in a former Picasso’s Pizza spot, will offer dishes like chile rellenos pizza, al pastor pizza and fajita pizza. Nico Ponce also plans to serve a collection of grappas — a grape-based brandy originally from Northern Italy — at the restaurant’s bar.

Hawaiian Bros now serving plate lunches in Denton

Hawaiian Bros, the fast-casual chain known for its Hawaiian-style plate lunches, huli huli chicken, and Spam musubi, has opened its first location In Denton, with three more North Texas outposts to follow in the next month. The Denton location, at 2220 S Loop 288, opened June 15. A Fort Worth spot, at 2301 N Tarrant Parkway, opens tomorrow, June 22. Two more locations — a second in Fort Worth and another in Hurst — will open in July. Hawaiian Bros was first founded in Kansas City in 2018, and launched a ghost kitchen in Dallas in 2020. The restaurant is known for its plate lunch, an inexpensive and filling staple usually comprised of a meat dish, rice, and macaroni salad.