Downtown Bennigan’s, 29 Degree Tavern Close
by Kevin BuchananBy now, you may have heard the news that Metromedia Restaurant Group of Plano has gone into bankruptcy (here’s the news from Unfair Park and the Startlegram), and they’ve taken the downtown Bennigan’s and the 29 Degree Tavern at Chapel Hill with them. As of this morning, both the eateries are closed.
I’m not a big chain person. I’ve had decently passable experiences at Bennigan’s downtown before, and have been to 29 Degree a couple of times (though as Pete Wann will tell you, 29 degrees was too cold for quality beer), but I’m not particularly shaken up. I do wonder what will take the downtown Bennigan’s place - will it return, or will something new take its place?
So, what are your thoughts on the closure of these places?
Tags: 29 Degree Tavern, bankruptcy, Bennigan's, closure, downtown, drink, food, Metromedia, restaurant
26 Comments, Comments or Pings
Chewy
I won’t miss Bennigan’s one bit but I’m very bummed about 29 Degrees. Their menu was awesome because it was so diverse (for American food) as I could choose between CFS, a decent steak, good sandwiches, and the Philly Cheesesteak Rolls.
Most importantly, they had my favorite Rahr on tap. Maybe it’s supposed to be served warmer but I never minded it being cold on a hot Fort Worth day. Their Happy Hour prices kicked ass with $3 premium pints and $4 cheesesteak rolls.
Hopefully the 29 Degrees opens back up. The GM over there is a really good guy.
Jul 29th, 2008
Pete Wann
While I’m always sad to see people lose their jobs, I can’t say that I’ll shed a tear for either of these places.
Bennigans is… well, Bennigans.
Serving Guiness or any of the Rahr beers at 29 Degrees is an abomination and completely destroys good beer. (Sorry Chewy.) If you absolutely MUST drink an ice-cold beer, have a Miller Lite. It’s brewed locally and so not only helps our economy by providing jobs to folks, but the beer is also presumably fresh and therefore at it’s best. Additionally, “American Light Lagers,” as they’re called, are specifically brewed to taste as good as they’re ever going to at those low temperatures. Rahr beers are not.
Now that I’ve trashed the concept of the restaurant, I have to say that 29 Degrees did have really excellent food, and a pretty good happy hour (for mixed drinks and wine only - no beer!). I won’t miss the sins they’ve committed upon good beers, but I’m sad to see the food go.
Jul 29th, 2008
Steph
I won’t be sad to see 29 Degrees go. Didn’t care for the food (they put meat in EVERYTHING!), and if I want beer, I’ll head to The Flying Saucer. They’re closer and have better food to boot.
As for Bennigan’s, whatever. If I ever get a Bennigan’s jones (like that ever happens), I’ll just got to Chili’s.
Jul 29th, 2008
Chris H
Never been to 29 degrees so I can’t comment on that one. Have several friends that seemed to like the place
Bennigans has been dead to me for more years than I can remember. My last memory there was watching a friend eat a Ham Donut (Monte Cristo). The concept of an Irish American tavern that served horrible American bar food as menu items just didn’t do it for me.
Jul 29th, 2008
Steve-O
One of my interns who just lost his job at 29 degrees is pretty bummed. Anyone need to hire a bartender?
Jul 29th, 2008
Bernie
Perhaps he should apply at the Yucatan Taco Stand.
Jul 29th, 2008
Steph
Didn’t care for 29 Degrees’ food (meat in EVERYTHING!!!), and if I want beer, I’ll go to The Flying Saucer. They’re closer and have better food to boot.
As for Bennigan’s . . . meh. It was okay, but nothing special. If I have get a Bennigan’s jones in the future (does anyone really get a Bennigan’s jones?), I’ll just head to Chili’s, but I really don’t think I’ll be doing that.
Jul 29th, 2008
Jon
That is disappointing about 29 Degree Tavern. I wasn’t a fan of the beers, per se, but they had a great menu for our 4-year-old, and we always had a great time there. Suckage for those employees.
Jul 29th, 2008
Recyclican
I hope the new tenant will tear down that awful blade sign they have up in the downtown Bennigan’s location.
Isn’t Aqua Lounge upstairs? Maybe they can expand with something downstairs that complements the lounge.
Jul 29th, 2008
Bill
29* was a great place to hang out and drink cold beer- the staff was really cool and the Mgr was too. I don’t drink heavy European style beers when it’s 100+* outside so the beer better be damn cold. The menu was pretty good for a tavern, good concept all the way.
What’s sux is that 29* was actually making money for that crappy chain- will the crowds return after a closure-if they clear chapter 7?
Bennigans was always an insult to my heritage as well as my palate- good riddance, hopefully the staff will find jobs as I hate to see that happen.
Jul 29th, 2008
Chewy
Hey, if loving Rahr’s Red at 29 Degrees is wrong, I don’t wanna be right.
If it was making money, hopefully Davy can find a way to open it back up.
One of my friends drove by it this afternoon and it was indeed closed. That sucks. I think crowds would return especially if it was Fort Worth owned.
Jul 29th, 2008
Quiad
Big Bowl was there and Brinker couldn’t keep it open, 29 was there and they couldn’t keep it open. It is a horrible location.
Maybe all the places fort worth is losing or has lost will find a home in the same megastructure.
I like the idea of a Ricks on the Bricks/Wreck Room/ The Hideaway/jj hideaways/bj keefers mashed into one!
Jul 29th, 2008
Dan
Well , Bennigans was not a favorite, but I did have a fondness for Steak and Ale.
Jul 29th, 2008
JBB
29* didn’t close because they suffered the same problems that Brinker faced with Big Bowl in the “horrible location”. They closed because their parent company went belly up.
Jul 29th, 2008
Quiad
JBB - the “.” between the two sentences indicates that it is a different thought. I understand that it didn’t go out of business because of the location, but that does not mean it is in a good location. Hence the statement, it is in a horrible location.
Jul 30th, 2008
Chachi
I don’t think that’s a bad location at all. Big Bowl didn’t fail because of the location, it failed because it was below par quasi Asian food that was as authentic Asian as Bennigans is authentic Irish. 29 Degrees wasn’t anything special but it was doing okay there and they share the same parking lot as Mi Cocina (and they’re doing great). If you put an upscale chain there (Carrabbas, CPK, Cheesecake Factory) there would be a line out the door.
Jul 30th, 2008
Quiad
Since I know a person at Brinker, I have some inside knowledge on what they think about the location. Mi Cocina, while in the same shopping center is considered prime spot, and while it goes against common sense, the 75 spaces between the two might as well be 75 miles. It is tucked into the corner, and not very visible from the Interstate.
The folks on the big bowl team, don’t think a family style restaurant concept goes great tucked into a corner in that area. A cheescake factory might do well, but it would do better in other areas like Hulen Mall area.
Jul 30th, 2008
fwtacoma
I thought Big Bowl closed all of its restaurants in Texas.
I pass 29 degrees on the way home from work and its usually crowded then. Plus its always got a good crowd when I go.
That location may not be as prime as Mi Cocina, but the two restaurants there haven’t left because of the location.
Jul 30th, 2008
John C.
I don’t buy the bad location bit either … the 29 Degrees sign was very visible for those on westbound 30 — as much as or even more so than the Mi Cocina sign. If it were to reopen as a privately owned joint with the same menu and theme, I think it would do well.
And I’m with Chewy — when in Texas, give me an ice cold schooner of beer to go with my TexMex, CFS, BBQ, et al. When in Belgium or Germany or the CR, however, I’ll take a nice Leffe or a Duvel at cellar temp. I’m beer-flexible …
Jul 30th, 2008
Jonestein
Bennigans and Steak & Ale have been dead to me for almost 20 years, but I just discovered 29 degrees and really liked it…damn shame it’s gone.
I am confused about one thing though: a sign outside of 29 Degrees stated: Proprietor: Davy (forgot his surname), which to me implied that it was a locally owned joint. Was this just some marketing ploy by the parent company to fool folks into thinking it wasn’t just another corporate chain? That kind of irks me.
Jul 30th, 2008
Chad
I will really miss 29 Degrees. Bennigan’s? Not so much. Feel bad for the wait staff at 29 as they were always great. Good luck to those guys…hope you land on your feet.
As far as location…I thought the location was fine. The place was always busy. I thought the smoking ban would have cut down on business, but it didnt.
As mentioned above, maybe someone will open 29 back up and maintain the most/all of the bar staff and keep the same atmosphere…nothing wrong with wishful thinking, huh??
Jul 30th, 2008
Pete Wann
@John C. — I don’t have a problem with cold beer, ice cold beer, or even “cold ass beer.” I DO have a problem with handcrafted specialty beers being served so cold that they don’t taste any different from the mass-market stuff.
I appreciate being beer-flexible, but to me, serving handcrafted beer that cold is like putting ketchup on a filet mignon from Bob’s Steak and Chop House. Sure, you can do it if you like it that way, but you’re not getting the experience you’re paying for.
Since we’re talking about alcohol, maybe I should use the analogy “like putting ice and Coke in your 21-year-old single malt.”
Jul 30th, 2008
John C.
All of this talk about beer temps makes me think about a Rahr pub crawl a year or two back that ended up at the Spiral Diner. Demand had been so high, all they had left was some room-temp Stormcloud, or the Summertime Wheat (I forget which). After considering it for a few seconds, I went ahead and ordered some anyway … Even warm Rahr is better than some of the commercially made swill these days. Long live (good) local beer. Speaking of which, think I’ll head home and have a cold one (but not too cold).
Jul 30th, 2008
Jeanker
We live close to 29 degrees in Fort Worth and went to happy hour probably once a week over the last 6 months or so. I prefer my beer cold in the summer so the concept worked for me! I thought the food was pretty good too (I have no problem with meat.)
Anyway, Happy Hour was always packed…I heard they even started a second Happy Hour for the late crowd. I really liked the staff, specifically the bartenders and the manager, Davy. Too bad…I wish them the best.
Aug 3rd, 2008
Z
The tavern’s food was horrible. I won’t miss it one bit. Just thinking about their steaks made me throw up a little bit in my mouth.
Aug 8th, 2008
Stacy Miller
Hello All!
I am Davy’s wife and just wanted to say a BIG thank you to all of the nice comments you all have left! Davy and the rest of the staff there are truely incredible people!! I do want to clear up a few things, though! The location was not the reason we were told to close, which happened to be at 6:30 in the morning on Davy’s birthday!! Happy Birthday, honey! Oh, and by the way, you no longer have a job and you don’t get the last couple of paychecks either!! It was simply we had a parent company that filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy. We are in the process of trying to buy the store and it would be OURS, but there are a few others interested also. And, these guys are a little out of our league, i.e. hard-working husband, stay at home mom, 7 year old son and 3 year old son! They are wanting all the Tavern stores and that is a little more than what we are able to do!! Oh, yeah and Proprietor, in the case meant we would make part of the profits but wouldn’t have to invest any money up front! Again, thanks for all the great comments and Rahr beer rocks no matter what temp in which you want to drink it!!! Hopefully, you will be seeing Davy Miller’s name on a door somewhere soon!!!
Aug 25th, 2008
Reply to “Downtown Bennigan’s, 29 Degree Tavern Close”
By posting your comment, you agree to abide by the terms of the West and Clear comment policy.