Drew Brees is dialing up a new play in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs, and this one comes with gumbo and a patio. Walk-On's, the Baton Rouge-born sports bar co-owned by the former New Orleans Saints quarterback, is slated to land in Wylie this summer as part of the 544 Gateway Addition. The full-service, Louisiana-leaning restaurant will drop right along the FM 544 corridor, promising a game-day atmosphere, scratch-made comfort food and plenty of room for suburban fans. Construction filings and local officials indicate this will be a ground-up build instead of a makeover of an existing space, and for Wylie, it marks another step in the town's retail push along Hwy 78 and FM 544.
Public construction records list the project as "WALK-ONS WYLIE TX" at 906 West FM 544 and show roughly 5,540 square feet of interior space plus an 825-square-foot patio, for about 6,365 square feet total, according to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The filing pegs a September 2025 construction start and confirms this is a new, stand-alone restaurant build rather than a tenant fit-out in an existing center.
Construction And Timeline
The Wylie Economic Development Corporation and local reporting say the Walk-On's is anticipated to be finished and open in June or July, per Wylie News. The Dallas Business Journal has also reported on the Walk-On's deal at the 544 Gateway Addition, describing it as part of a broader mixed-use push along FM 544. City officials have cast the project as both a job creator and a future sales-tax boost for Wylie, the kind of double win municipalities love to tout when a national brand signs on.
A Baton Rouge Concept With Celebrity Ties
Walk-On's dates back to 2003, when former LSU walk-ons Brandon Landry and Jack Warner launched the concept in Baton Rouge. The brand lists Drew Brees as a co-owner on its company About page, and over the years it has grown aggressively through franchising and outside investment. Company materials tout a roster of high-profile franchise partners and investors. For Wylie residents, that translates to the chain's familiar lineup of gumbo, po'boys, burgers and other comfort staples, all paired with the TV-heavy, family-friendly sports-bar vibe the company promotes nationwide, according to Walk-On's and company statements.
Why Wylie?
Wylie leaders have long pointed to the 544 Gateway Addition as a key retail node. The site was remediated after earlier contamination, according to a Wylie EDC press release, and is now being marketed for retail and office uses, Wylie News reports. The EDC has argued that projects like this help keep employers in town while broadening dining options along the corridor. Public filings and job postings tied to the build signal that hiring for management and hourly restaurant roles will ramp up as construction moves forward.
Where Walk-On's Fits In DFW
Walk-On's is not exactly a stranger to North Texas. The chain already has a Dallas-area foothold, with a Grandscape location in The Colony that opened in 2020, and industry coverage notes the brand has been trying out smaller prototypes that fit more neatly into suburban retail centers. That combination of existing DFW presence and flexible store design helps explain the choice of Wylie's growing FM 544 corridor, according to reporting by AOL and local outlets. Once the doors open, locals can expect the usual Walk-On's formula: plenty of TVs, a lineup of beer taps and a menu full of Louisiana-style comfort food.
Officials and company records currently point to a summer 2026 opening window, and the TDLR construction filing provides the concrete address and size for the new site at 906 West FM 544. Hiring notices and a ribbon-cutting date are expected to follow as the shell turns into a finished restaurant. For now, the signing serves as another sign that national brands are betting on the continued growth of DFW's suburban dining market, and Wylie is firmly in that mix.
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