Renny's Grill and Bar

North Dallas mainstay Maguire’s Restaurant closed in late 2022 after a good run of almost a quarter of a century. Those who miss the Thai beef salad or meatloaf will be glad to know that owner Mark Maguire’s latest venture, Renny’s Grill & Bar.

The new space is a bit smaller than the old Maguire’s but also has a more contemporary feel with a clean design that is somewhat elegant without sacrificing comfort. Start with an order of spicy Korean meatballs which arrived in a skillet, each skewered and covered in a gochujang glaze with scallions. Both a lasagna and fish amandine were stellar too. The menu describes the lasagna as a “classic meat lasagna with a spin from the Texas Panhandle side of the family,” and that’s what we got: a layered dish with beef and cheese topped with more cheese and pesto sitting atop a surprisingly good tomato sauce. A somewhat large portion that was well-made, though the green chili was not very pronounced. The trout was also a larger-than-average portion of this pan-fried fish covered with beurre blanc and almonds and broiled with a splash of lemon juice. It was served on a bed of sweet potato mash and accompanied by a roasted veg medley of peppers and squash. Perfectly cooked, moist and buttery.