Since we moved to Fort Worth a year ago, I’ve tried to share my experiences of getting to know the city and what it offers, culturally, politically, and gastronomically. Despite my best intentions, however, there’s one area that I’ve tended to ignore, The Stockyards.

I don’t know for sure WHY I haven’t spent any time there. Maybe it’s that I expected it to be all kitschy and touristy (it kind of is), or maybe it’s my fervent desire to move Fort Worth beyond the “cowpokes and slowpokes” stereotype. No matter what the cause of my neglect, that’s not the right way to truly embrace a city. Cities are like people, they have aspects you truly love (Magnolia Ave., the thriving arts scene), and things that you tolerate because the other things are so cool (cowboy culture, Camp Bowie). For me, The Stockyards isn’t going to be a destination where I’ll be spending a lot of time anytime soon. The rhinestone (or real) cowboy thing isn’t my scene. I’m not saying that it shouldn’t be ANYONE’S scene, just that it’s not for me.

Anyway, enough rambling. Let’s take a look at one of the newer joints on Exchange St., The Love Shack. (Warning: annoying automatic (probably unlicensed) use of “Love Shack” by the B-52’s upon page load.)

[Read more]