One of Dallas' most bare-bones barbecue counters is getting pushed off the Riverfront strip, and longtime regulars did not see it coming.
Hickory House BBQ, a no-frills Riverfront spot that has been a cheap plate-lunch mainstay for generations of Dallas workers and late-night diners, plans to close after the owner said they were priced out by a new tenant. The announcement dropped on Friday and blindsided regulars who have treated the small diner as an affordable go-to for breakfast and barbecue for decades.
As reported by WFAA, reporter Brittani Moncrease spoke with the owner, who said the landlord accepted an offer from a different prospective tenant and the restaurant could not match the new terms. The owner told WFAA they were "priced out" by the change.
Old-school Spot With Retro Prices
The Hickory House has long leaned on a fading neon sign, straightforward plates, and bargain prices, a flavor of old Dallas that food writer Bud Kennedy highlighted in a 2024 profile. As Kennedy wrote for the Star-Telegram, the restaurant dates back to the 1950s and has drawn customers who come for cheap breakfasts and hearty plate lunches.
Part Of A Broader Trend
The Hickory House closing lines up with a string of recent restaurant shutdowns and relocations around Dallas, as lease pressure and changing development patterns reshape commercial corridors. Local coverage has followed multiple long-running eateries folding or shrinking after landlords and new tenants pushed up rents and shifted foot-traffic patterns. Eater Dallas has cataloged many of those recent closures.
What Comes Next
It was not immediately clear whether the Hickory House owners plan to relocate or sell. The owner did not offer a timetable, according to WFAA. Until the new tenant moves in, the Riverfront corner that housed one of the city's most affordable plate-lunch options will remain a focal point for neighbors who are hoping some of Dallas' inexpensive, no-frills diners can survive the squeeze.
