Screen Door

Had birthday dinner here. Chris was great as a server. My choice was clear, risotto jambalaya. It was wonderful. Nat had the shrimp grits. Five hours later, we were thankful we had two bathrooms at home… I called to inform the manager. She expressed genuine concern and would have the GM reach me.
He was amazing. We couldn’t have gotten sick from the food! It must’ve been from something else!
Really! Ok! Well wherever Chris and the rest of the staff go when they leave here, we will surely visit.

Where is it, I asked. Went around the little plaza twice and couldn’t fine it.
This place closed.

Read the Reviews then go and eat, drink, and see a show.
It is not 5 Star but then again who can wait around for that kind of service. This place was packed when we got there. Our waiter took very good care of us and made the meal all that much more enjoyable.
Thanks.

We had the pre-​theater menu; the shrimp-​and-​grits did not disappoint! Each course is appropriately-​sized, yet I left feeling stuffed!
The service is good and the ambiance is cozy. Next time I’d like to try one of their signature cocktails!

I’ve been to this restaurant before and hoped… yes hoped… for a better dining experience. The first visit resulted in barely touched bland food and the service was mediocre. Oh a whim, I decided to give this place another chance when my mom and I needed a quick bite after work. My second trip there lasted all of 2 minutes. At 5:15pm (they open at 5pm) I was told that the only space available was at the bar, when there were maybe two dining parties in an otherwise empty restaurant. Condescending does not adequately describe the attitude of the two «hostesses». I have been to some of the best restaurants in Dallas and have not had to deal with the vibes this duo was giving off. I can pay my hard earned cash for overpriced imitation «southern cuisine» without the attitude thanks!
Considering all of the other options in the area for such an early dinner, we were able to walk down the sidewalk to another establishment in the building and have a nice dinner… no reservations and no condescending hostess to contend with.
My advice, if you like attitude with poor food and service, check them out. If you want quality food and a nice atmosphere, keep looking!

I’ve patronized the Screen Door before and thoroughly enjoyed the food and had phenomenal service. Since then, then ambiance and décor has definitely gone down and service was below sub par. We had a 10 person group of professionals and the waiter acted as though it was a huge inconvenience for him to split our checks. Then repeatedly told us he didn’t add on the 20% gratuity because it would have taken him longer when splitting our checks. He got to point of being blatantly rude to our table regarding the checks and gratuity.
Also, I ordered the catfish sandwich and it was horribly undercooked. I politely told the waiter and he seemed to gladly take it back. While I waited almost 15 minutes for my new dish, the waiter came back and told me that the fish was not undercooked, it was the right temperature, and next time I need to ask for it well-​done. Apparently, it was clearly my fault that my fish was still slimy. I finally got my dish as everyone else at my table had completed their meal, and he still charged me for my dish. He told my coworker that he charged me because they had to cook two sandwiches. Clearly my fault again.
No longer a fan!

My first trip to the Screen Door in Dallas’ bustling arts district was so much fun I decided to try it again. Pat Lawrence and I dined there before the Madeleine Peyrox show at the Wyly Theatre Thursday night.
According to their website, «the Screen Door is a polished yet comfortable restaurant featuring interpretations of modern, market-​driven and classic southern dishes paired with a compatible collection of cocktails, beers, ales and hand-​selected wines.» What I like most about the place is that they use locally sourced produce and meats whenever possible, which really makes a difference in the freshness and flavor.
A champagne cocktail and a yummy frozen peach mango julip make for the perfect beginning to dinner at the Screen Door in Dallas.
We started this trip with a sparkling champagne cocktail infused with apricot nectar and a frozen peach mango julip, served in a chilled silver tumbler. Both tasted like summer. According to our favorite server, Chance, the julip was voted the best cocktail in Dallas by D Magazine last year. No wonder. I could have had another and another and another … and I really don’t drink much.
Of course, we ordered the house specialty, fried green tomatoes ($ 9) with a chili buttermilk dressing. They really do live up to their billing. The spicy dressing offers up just enough of a kick to get your attention, but it leaves your taste buds in tact.
I took advantage of the Screen Door’s $ 35 pre fixe arts menu and ordered shrimp and grits again. Can’t miss with this crowd favorite, infused with fresh tomatoes, bacon, garlic, mushroom and cream. Doesn’t hurt that the shrimps are cooked perfectly. A nice summer salad of greens, strawberries and a light balsamic vinaigrette was served prior to the main course. A fried cream cheese empanada completed the meal.
Good as they are, on future visits I want to try the fried chicken or the scallops or the pulled pork sandwich or the quail or the seared tuna salad or the Scottish salmon or the Commanche buffalo tenderloin … okay … I confess. I want to try it all.
Pat ordered one of the evening’s specials, a hickory smoked grilled pork chop, bone in, cut thick like a steak, cooked to order, accompanied by a habanero hollandaise sauce, and served with a 3-​cheese Yukon gold potato gratin, along with grilled asparagus, tomatoes and arugula piled on top ($ 30).
Our reservations were for 5:30 p.m., which left plenty of time to make the 7 p.m. show, a short two-​block stroll away. By the time we left, the place was packed. We saw a lot of pork chops and fried chicken coming out of the kitchen. And the bar was buzzing, too.
When dining out in the city, you have a lot of choices. Picking the Screen Door is one of the best ones you can make.
Valet parking is available for $ 8. They also offer a complimentary Art Cart shuttle that can transfer you up and down Flora Street.
The Screen Door is open for lunch from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Tuesday — Friday. Dinner is served from 5 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. Tuesday — Thursday and until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Happy Hour is Tuesday through Thursday from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m.
Call 214−720−9111 for reservations, which are recommended. The reservation option on their website has not been operational the two times I’ve tried.

As the arts district continues to gain traction and grow into a cultural destination in Dallas, the Screen Door represents southern fare and gastronomical expressionism quite well. The plates were artfully put together and I was happy to take my parents there for a very lovely dinner.
For the table, we started with the fried green tomatoes with tabasco buttermilk for dressing the marvelous fried treats. I’m not even a fan of tomatoes and normally won’t eat them but these made me a believer.
I started with the gumbo and STRONGLY recommend it. It was amahhhhzing. Crawfish, andouille, okra and the perfect amount of spice allows me to easily say that this is the best gumbo I’ve had in Dallas.
The special of the evening was the biggest pork chop (bone-​in) that I’ve ever tried to consume in my life. It’s extremely rare when I’m unable to clean my plate and I must admit that I had to reexamine my manhood as I politely asked for a to-​go box. I posted a photo of the mammoth beast to mask my shame. Preparation included smoking and then searing the massive hunk of meat. It was complimented with a mustard-​vinegar sauce on the side and topped with a pile of bitter greens. A small but excellent touch was a small pile of black sea salt on the side of the plate for an added flavor explosion. It was so freaking good, I’m sorry, but it’s making my mouth water just writing the words.
Service was downright superb. Period.
Obviously, I was too full for dessert. Perhaps another time, assuming I don’t order the pork chop again.

I finally made it to the Southern-​Style kitchen, the Screen Door inside the One Arts Plaza this last weekend. To begin, the restaurant’s location alone puts them at an advantage. Within walking distance to one of the best arts districts in the State, there is always a natural flow of foot traffic traveling through this charming spot. With that said, parking can be somewhat of a bear. You have the option of paying for valet or paying for self-​park. Naturally, the popular choice is valet. No fault to the restaurant, but merely the surrounding urban neighborhood — they charge a crazy amount for valet, because they can.
The interior of the space denotes the screen door motif. There are mirrors and beautiful screen prints hanging on every wall, however every single piece has an overlay of a screen door pattern. Henceforth, tiny implications of the southern-​cooking-​porch feel to the food and feeling of the restaurant. Everything from the individual and beautifully ornate, water color bread plates to the large, comfy, and inviting dining chairs, the dining room oozes southern charm at its finest.
The server was informative, helpful, but above all — very polite. The gumbo had to have been the table favorite with the fried green tomatoes and the spicy dipping sauce accompanying them were a close second. The special Sea Bass dish that I ended up ordering was delicious and cleverly prepared with pearl cous cous and tangy grapefruit to elegantly cut the richness of the fish. Overall, it was wonderful experience and I hope to return someday.

My friend & I went to The Screen Door to celebrate her new job and also take advantage of $ 5 Tuesdays in the Dallas Arts District, where (supposedly) the restaurants of One Arts Plaza have $ 5 food & drink specials and self-​parking is $ 5.
We initially sat inside the (nearly empty) restaurant and asked for their Tuesday $ 5 special menu. The server told us that the $ 5 specials were only available on the bar or patio, so we moved to the patio. Then the server made a pretty big stink about seeing if he could find the happy hour menu — «it has been a loooong time.» Though I am never really shy about discounted food, I really felt like this server was doing everything he could to not-​so-​discreetly deter us from getting the listing of specials.
The only reason I didn’t give it ONE STAR was because there was ample parking, and the food was good — we shared the BBQ nachos, chicken bites with honey mustard, and the baked mac & cheese.
I left the restaurant feeling really put-​off/​like a wild cheapskate and even the phenomenal mac & cheese is not enough to make me want to come back.

I went here on a Saturday night, weekend before Valentine’s Day. It was pretty busy and we were glad that we made a reservation. We arrived about an hour early and walked around the Arts District for a while before being seated about 15 minutes before our reservation. Street parking was not difficult to find but might have been if the Symphony or Opera was playing.
We opened up with fried green tomatoes with a chili buttermilk sauce, which was not too oily and the perfect texture. I liked the presentation more than Hattie’s version of the dish as they serve the sauce on the side with a small spoon, allowing you to use it as you see fit. The breads were diverse and hearty without filling us too much and the apple butter was fantastic! We thought it was apple sauce at first because it was so sweet and delicious but it was perfect with the bread. We shared the Grapefruit 75 and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys grapefruit (definitely a little bit bitter but that’s what I love about grapefruit).
For our main courses, I had the sea scallops with red cabbage and my date had bacon-​wrapped lamb tenderloin with asparagus and cheese grit dumplings. The scallops were pretty average – definitely not bad but nothing amazing. I did not try his lamb tenderloin myself but I did try the asparagus and cheese grit dumplings and both were perfect. He was quite a fan of the lamb so I can only assume it was very good. The portions in general were perfect and our server was very attentive to our needs. This is an ideal restaurant for anyone going to the Arts District.

Oh I love the neo-​southern cuisine trend as the head scratching combo of down south cooking mixd with gourmet touches and stylish ambience not only works but works very well. The screen door epitomizes this kind of new combo. The first thing to like about this place is the cool, super upscale One Arts Plaza location. This handsome building with circular driveway and ample outdoor seating for multiple eateries just a stones throw away from all of the Arts District represents the more upscale part of Big D’s down town restoration. After being impressed by the location, I was impressed with the food, service and general style of this upscale southern place.
I ordered the fried chicken with baked Mac and cheese and greens. The enormous piece of chicken was good if not great. Babe’s is about the only place that comes to mind that is substantially better. The mac and cheese was great but for these prices the baked mac better be great. I was there for a weekday lunch and the service was snappy in order to get all the corporate drones back to their hives. Our glasses were refilled multiple times, the food came quickly and the check was snappy coming out. This is simple southern food done well but the price for this food could be surprising at first. About the only thing to object to here is the pretentiousness of it all but somehow I lke it anyway. This place makes me want to try Hatties down I the BA District in order to further explore this kind of place.

Went here with the lady on a Tuesday night and were literally the only people in the restaurant (this was a month after it opened and there were no shown that night in the arts district, so I’m assuming we picked a bad night). We were expecting to drop some coin on some creative inspiring southern home-​cooked food. What we received were small, fatty portions of sparsely seasoned dishes that left us very disappointed. I had the quail, which were two of the tiniest birds i have ever seen for ~$ 25. We had heard really good things about this place but it wasn’t for us. I was mad at the money I had paid. So mad that I wrote this review almost a year later.
On a high note, the wait staff was professional and attentive (for this they get an extra star).

Screen Door happily reminded me of one of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta — South City Kitchen in midtown. Both places specialize in upscale, modern Southern cooking, are located in cool urban digs and employ excellent staff. Service is quite good at Screen Door, and although my friend’s favorite waiter had a rare night off, his replacement steered us expertly through the menu, noting which items were safe for my gluten allergy.
There are several creative cocktails on the dinner menu. I ordered the Grapefruit 75, a mix of Absolut Ruby Red, St. Germain, Aperol & champagne, served up in a martini glass. It packs a punch, but hit the spot after a long day.
The corn-​meal fried green tomato appetizer is excellent for sharing, and the spicy sauce delivers a nice zing. I also enjoyed the Low Country shrimp and grits, a decadently rich dish with tomato, bacon, garlic, mushroom and cream served over Homestead Gristmill cheese grits. (Gluten free is definitely NOT calorie free. But it was delicious.)

Went with another couple to celebrate my husbands birthday. The drinks were original and the meal was great, upscale southern dining. It wasn’t until early the next morning that i was having second thoughts. I became violently ill. I was sick all day and through most of the night. It wasn’t until i talked to the other couple who dined with us that i discovered it was food poisoning. We thought we’d be adventurous and try the fried oysters. Never again.
The only one who didn’t get sick was my husband who didn’t eat the fried oysters.
Because of the food poisoning, I can’t exactly give a good review.

Went back to Screen Door for a happy hour with the summer program for the Dallas Opera and I still LOVE it! The bartender was new but super bubbly and very fast at getting everyones drinks out.
The fried green tomatoes appetizer with chili ranch sauce was so good! I also loved the white sangria– nice and light for the hot weather without being too sweet.
It might turn out to be a little dangerous that this great happy hour spot is so close to my office…

Have been to Screen Door twice now, and have walked away impressed both times… First visit there was with a large group at lunch, and everyone was seated /​served very promptly (except my boss ordered sweet tea, but was served regular tea and every time they brought a refill, even after bringing it to their attention, it was regular tea — I’m pretty sure there is some system of how many lemons are in your glass that tells the bus boys what type of tea to re-​serve with), but I digress…
The food was phenomenal, had a cup of their gumbo and a few bites of the hummus, olives and crudités (am I the only one who purposely calls them ‘crew-​dites’? isn’t that just funnier?), and ordered the low country shrimp & grits. Superb. Absolutely fantastic, and the best shrimp & grits I’ve ever had — also consider I lived in South Carolina for a year and a half, and that’s impressive… First meal was a solid 4.5 stars
Second round was a much smaller group for dinner, and everything was great (we had walked in after finding out the wait at Commissary was 30 minutes)… Had a cocktail or two with friends, and we snacked on the Tabasco crackers & spicy crawfish dip which was tasty, but not worth $ 9. For dinner, I went with the country ham wrapped lamb tenderloins, while others ordered a pork chop dish (the evening’s special), and the fried chicken, mac & cheese and mashed potatoes (the mac & cheese and mashed potatoes were out of this world, I was restraining myself from ordering some to-​go)… The ham wrapped lamb was incredible. Absolutely incredible. Probably the best lamb dish I’ve ever eaten, and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys it.
Dropping this experience down to 4 stars only because we had a weird duo server experience, I’m pretty sure they might have been sharing tables, but it was just odd and in the confusion took some time to re-​order drinks, but nothing too bad.
Screen Door, I will be back often — love the place and please continue to serve up great southern specialties (red velvet cake next time!?)

The Screen Door may have a new (ish) chef but I still love it. I bumped it up to 5 stars, which might be a wee bit generous, but I just have such a gosh darn good time whenever I’m here. Southern hospitality at it’s finest.
We were in OAP on a Monday night for an event, but we were still hungry for an actual meal once it was over. So we head over to Tei-​An. Closed. Fedora? Nope. That left Screen Door and Jorge’s. Not a difficult choice if you ask me! We sat at the bar so we could watch the Bulls game and the bartender & waiter chatted us up all night. Granted, there was like no one else there, but still it’s easy to tell the difference between someone who’s bored or making small talk because they’re supposed to, and someone who really wants you to enjoy your stay and feel welcome.
I had a cinnamon pineapple margarita and Dr. S had a dirty martini. Both were good – mine didn’t taste anything like a margarita but it was incredibly smooth and delicious. I wonder if I can get the recipe for home, because it was delightful. Not too terribly strong, but not a foofy empty calorie-​tasting drink either.
Bread basket? That’s an insult. It was like a tiny bakery lived in the blanketed basket that was brought to us. Carrot muffin, zucchini muffin, and scones… they were all sweet, which was odd but I’m not complaining, and came with regular butter and apple butter. SO SO SO good. Especially the zucchini one. I actually thought it had raisins in it but it turns out I don’t know my fruits & veggies very well.
Fried oysters were touted as the best ever. They had a pesto sauce along with some tomatoes and bacon or pancetta or something. An interesting combination, but didn’t blow us away. Fried chicken was pretty similar to the one we had last time under the old chef so they must like that recipe… I usually stick to white meat chicken but I think think they could stand to throw in a piece of dark meat with it for flavor. Mac & cheese was a little dry. The standouts were the collard greens (something I’ve become quite the fan of recently) and the blue cheese potato salad.
OMG, GET THE BLUE CHEESE POTATO SALAD. I mean there’s really something wrong with you if you read warm potato salad with andouille sausage and blue cheese (more like a chunky blue cheese sauce) and you don’t instantly start salivating. I really really liked it and may or may not have had a dream about it that night.
We were way too full for dessert, but the waiter sent us home with a slice of cheesecake. I’m not a cheesecake person, but DAMN it was good. Nothing fancy, just cheesecake (not too sweet, which I liked) with a caramel drizzle and some whipped cream on the side. An excellent day-​after dessert.
So the entire menu may not deserve the full five stars but the experience sho ’nuff does. Yay One Arts Plaza!!!

Screen Door was one of three lunch options my boss gave me to choose from. Like any good Unilocaler, I opened up the Unilocal reviews and website menus for all the restaurants before deciding. Screen Door did not have an online menu, but in the Unilocal reviews, all I kept reading about was shrimp and grits. I am such a sucker for shrimp and grits that I immediately picked Screen Door.
The ambiance was probably my favorite part of the place. Lots of natural sunlight from the open windows and warm-​toned walls/​décor. I would classify it as «classy southern»?
I like how sweet tea is a separate menu item from regular tea. And for that alone, I had to order it. Just the right amount of sweetness. Not overpowering like the bottled tea you get at the grocery store.
I was so glad the shrimp and grits did not disappoint. The shrimp were succulent, the grits were cooked perfectly (not too runny and not to grainy), and the sauce was — as one reviewer commented — rich.
Other great hit was the NO gumbo — new orleans, that is. Duh. Two of my co-​workers ordered it as an appetizer and said it was the best gumbo they had tasted in a while. Unfortunately, they said that AFTER they had finished their gumbo, so I didn’t even get to taste it.
Some of the okay menu items were the mac and cheese and the tomato bisque soup. I’ve had better elsewhere.
Overall, great atmosphere. Perfect for brunch with friends or a business lunch.

Screen Door offers terrific food packed with flavor along with service that’s friendly and warm, if sometimes a bit desultory. Look for a really good selection of mostly California wines by the glass and a wider range by the bottle.
So many good choices on the menu, it was hard to know where to start. But I picked the fried green tomatoes showered with shards of country ham and it was a good choice: lightly breaded, still crisp, very tasty. I followed with lamb tenderloins wrapped with country ham served with cheese grit cakes and sauted zucchini. The lamb was a perfect medium rare, just a tad salty from the ham and the grits cakes were a lovely, creamy foil. Yummy combination.
I liked the look of the dessert list – not all chocolate or dairy – but wasn’t in the mood for a lot of sweets. Then, presto, the manager brought over a small portion of lemon sponge pudding. It was great – surprisingly not too sweet and just the right amount for a light dessert.
The staff here were really friendly and helpful. While they weren’t hovering over me, they paid attention and made sure I was taken care of. For example, I asked about one of the wines and, like magic, someone showed up with a small quantity for me to sample. Classy place, great food.