Eastwood's Bar Brings Comfort With a Creative Menu to McKinney Avenue

Something about drinking from a pineapple-shaped chalice feels like sipping whiskey from the winner's trophy. Why is that, exactly? Maybe because you beat the odds of another work week or maybe just the booze inside. In any case, the new Eastwood's Bar will make anyone feel like a conquering hero. The Fuji About It — a splendid mix of caramelized Fuji apple with the Italian liquor averna, vodka, Fuji apple marmalade, pineapple and pomegranate juices — is a libation fit for a champion.

This energetic beverage comes from general manager Chris Henley, formerly of Bowen House and Tate’s, where she would dabble and scheme with cocktails in her spare time. Among the other drinks on this adventurous menu is the We Toast, which capitalizes on the resurgence of gin and seltzer and adds raspberry jam spread across a slice of toast resting on the glass' rim. For those who love heat, the mezcal-based Gunsmoke combines house-made habanero syrup with sparkling wine. For something more familiar, the New Dallas Sour is a take on a New York Sour but with a red wine floater and Old Forrester whiskey lurking below, a combination that yields subtle tartness and sweetness.
The menu is being tweaked after the consulting chef came and went, leaving the kitchen staff to pull together and execute dishes that are quirky and above average. For now, a handful of plates could easily crossover as brunch items. Tot-Chos are crispy tater tots topped with pimento cheese queso, pico de gallo, two fried eggs and avocado — simple ingredients that combine to create complex, never-boring flavors. The chicken waffle sandwich comes with hand-battered chicken smothered in gravy so groovy it’ll make Grandma hang up her apron. The waffles have a touch of cinnamon and sugar in the batter, offsetting the salty flavors of the fried chicken. A double-meat burger on brioche or the bacon-wrapped jalapeño shrimp Hot Kisses are perfect for anyone wanting a little cardiovascular challenge. Follow up one of these great American gut punches with a Nutella banana eggroll. WTF. OMG! Yep, a halved banana deep-fried in an egg roll and drizzled with Nutella is accompanied by a scoop of ice cream.

Eastwood's location has been a revolving door of tenants over the years, including the popular Belly and Trumpet and most recently Uptown Pawn, but Eastwood’s owners, Chris Johnson and Pablo Ramirez, hope to change this string of bad luck on what is the hottest block of McKinney Avenue. With a breezy dog-friendly patio, teal tintype walls decorated with antiques (not left behind from Uptown Pawn) and TVs strategically placed for optimal game-watching, Eastwood's is focused on becoming the living room of Uptown. 

3407 McKinney Ave.