BarNone Throws a Well-Deserved Grand Opening Do-Over

Neighborhood bars are one of the things we missed most during restaurant capacity restrictions and social distancing. And so when one opened during the pandemic, it deserves a grand opening do-over. East Dallas eatery and watering hole BarNone is doing that in a big way this Friday and Saturday (June 11-12), with live music, weekend drink specials and swag sales that benefit The Family Place.

“When we opened our doors late last year, we were still in the middle of the pandemic and were not able to launch in the way we had envisioned. We are ready to celebrate now, and want to re-welcome our neighbors and friends as we all enjoy sunnier days,” BarNone co-owner Todd Dickerson says.

Rosco Johnny, a folk, roots rock and country trio will perform from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, and singer-songwriter duo Honey Folk will bring the tunes on Saturday, from 7 to 9 p.m.

BarNone wants to add doing good deeds to the celebration; T-shirts, hats, stickers, water bottles and more bearing their signature orange crown will be for sale with 100% of proceeds from Friday and Saturday donated to The Family Place, a long-running Dallas charity that helps victims of family violence

The grand opening weekend is also your chance to explore the ongoing happy hour and weekend drink specials at BarNone. Happy hour is every Monday through Friday from 3–7 p.m. Specials include complimentary house chips, half-price beer and bottles of wine, $4 call drinks and shots and half-price appetizers (excluding Chef Mike’s empanadas).

Appetizers range from cheesesteak egg rolls or meatballs with Sunday gravy (a tomato-based sauce) to hummus with vegetables or avocado toast. Seasoned, house-made chips are complimentary, and while you’re welcome to gather in the bar, the half-price appetizer specials are available in the dining room as well.

Weekend drink specials are offered all day Saturday and Sunday all the time and include mimosas ($2), a Tito’s bloody mary ($3) and Deep Ellum draft beer ($3).

Walking past the windows from the outside, you might mistake the place for a white tablecloth restaurant, but that's only an illusion. Yes, the food and service are good, but this spot is far more comfy than formal.

Dine-in meals start with a carafe of ice water, which is welcome due to the weather and the touch of spice on the free house-made potato chips. They’re cut thick, like a kettle-cooked chip, but with a slightly spicy and smoky seasoning.

The menu can only be described as eclectic, and maybe a little “extra," starting with the appetizers. The stuffed mushrooms ($11.95) list bacon as the first ingredient, and that’s not a mistake. Smoky bacon makes its presence known amidst Parmesan cheese, blue cheese, shallots and capers plus garlic and white wine to great effect.

Chicken wings ($10.95 for 10) are offered in four flavors (regular, BarNone’s secret recipe, super-hot or garlic/Parmesan), and Mike’s empanadas ($6.95 and up each) come with four different fillings (chicken tinga, short rib, shredded pork or potato and cheese) and some combo options to let you try them all.

Portion sizes are huge for every dish from sandwiches and salads to The Gigaton ($17.95), a large Italian loaf stuffed with Sunday gravy, provolone and Romano cheeses.

Five different grilled cheese sandwiches show off Dickerson’s years with Dallas Grilled Cheese Co. Burgers are big and bold, and you can get salmon fried up into fish and chips ($17.95) or blackened and served over cheesy grits ($17.95).

You could simply call the menu inventive, but that would be an understatement. If the salmon dishes don't prove it, the BarNone Dog ($10.95) will. I couldn’t resist trying the State Fair-worthy hot dog wrapped in bacon and deep-fried. The bun is served open-faced and blanketed in chili and cheddar cheese. Beware, both the mustard and the house relish are spicy, and you’ll almost certainly need a to-go box.

Fries are piled high on the sandwich plates, and several non-fried side choices are tempting too. Pasta salad, coleslaw and cheesy grits are $2.95 each. Sautéed spinach and mushrooms ($5.95) is a decadent option, while two different side salads and a loaded baked potato ($6.95 each) round out the menu.

The beer list includes local craft brew and all your domestic and international favorites on draft or in cans. A wide selection of wines by the glass and by the bottle pairs nicely with meal options.

Specialty cocktail selections ($12 each) recall some old Dallas favorites. Try the signature Crack-Tini made with Absolut Vanilla vodka and house-brewed ginger and vanilla syrup or the Jameson Cold Fashioned made with Jameson cold brew and Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate.

Whatever you choose, it won’t include any premade cocktail mixers; all juices and purees are made in-house, and soft drinks come from Oak Cliff Beverage Works.

Now that vaccines are making it possible to sit side by side and pile into our favorite watering holes, owners Jennifer and Todd Dickerson are excited to welcome everyone, neighbors and all, to their new spot. Again.

BarNone 718 N. Buckner Blvd, Ste 100 (White Rock Center), 11 a.m. 12 a.m. Monday - Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday - Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday.