Dirt is finally moving at the northwest corner of Davis Boulevard and Lola Drive, where Mad Concepts Group and North Richland Hills officials have kicked off work on a new restaurant park built around a Jakes Burgers and a sibling Mexican concept. Each spot is slated to clock in at roughly 4,000 to 5,000 square feet, wrapped around a one‑acre shared backyard with outdoor dining and dedicated play zones for kids. Developers are eyeing a fall 2026 opening and say the project is designed to wake up a sleepy commercial strip with a family‑friendly hangout where people stick around instead of just grabbing food and leaving.
What Will Be There
According to the City of North Richland Hills, the deal is a three‑way partnership between MAD NRH, LLC (an affiliate of MAD Concepts Group), Blue Plate Network and the city. The plan calls for two full‑service restaurants with full bars and plenty of outdoor seating. Each restaurant is expected to fall in the 4,000 to 5,000 square‑foot range, flanking a one‑acre shared "backyard" set up for outdoor dining, community events and children's play areas.
City documents linked to the announcement describe the project as targeted redevelopment meant to boost long‑term sales and property tax revenue in the corridor. Officials emphasize that the city’s contribution is structured so that no property tax dollars are used for its share of the costs.
Groundbreaking Marks Move Forward
The ceremonial shovels went into the dirt on Monday, officially moving the restaurant park from plans on paper into active construction, as reported by CultureMap Fort Worth. In materials released alongside that coverage, MAD Concepts founder Courtney Lindley said, "People visit restaurants for great food, but they return for the service and the experience." The CultureMap report notes the project has been more than a year in the works and is anticipated to open in fall 2026.
Public Money, Private Vision
The city’s financial help is set up to be relatively modest compared with the overall project cost and, according to Fort Worth Report, it does not tap property tax revenue. Mayor Jack McCarty has described the funding as a "small investment to turn an underutilized property into something that delivers amenities citizens have asked for," framing the project as a spark for broader redevelopment along the corridor.
Developers, for their part, are selling the big backyard and family‑oriented features as a way to keep locals on site longer, drawing in birthday parties, casual gatherings and neighborhood events that stretch beyond the usual lunch or dinner rush.
Brand Background
Jakes Burgers got its start in East Dallas in 1985 and now lists a dozen DFW locations on its website, according to Jakes Burgers. The brand was acquired by MAD Concepts Group in 2021, per the city’s project announcement. Since then, MAD Concepts has been building complementary brands such as Tacos & Avocados and rolling out similar restaurant‑park style developments in neighboring suburbs.
What's Next
With the groundbreaking done, the team expects to push through major construction over the next year in order to hit the fall 2026 opening target. MAD Concepts has used this restaurant‑park formula elsewhere, pairing Jakes with other concepts to create clustered dining destinations, a strategy outlined on MAD Concepts Group's site.
If everything stays on schedule, North Richland Hills residents could have a new, family‑friendly dining hub waiting for them in time for next fall’s busy season.
