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Friday, July 6, 2007

UPDATED: Maguire’s closes Uptown branch

By Pegasus News wire

Updated 12:21 p.m., July 6, 2007

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DALLAS — Crafty Trey at FrontBurner posts the sad scoop that the Uptown branch of Maguire's has closed.

It's hard not to find this a little bit depressing as the place was everything people always say they want from a restaurant. Since opening at the beginning of 2003, it had: consistently good quality; a menu that sat in that sweet spot between "familiar" and "innovative"; a nice atmosphere with a pleasant bar, good beers, and wines by the glass poured in ample quality; big-screen TVs for those so inclined; not-outrageous prices; and decent service from a likeable staff.

An early sign that all of this still wasn't enough transpired in early '06 when management decided to change the name from its inaugural "M Grill & Tap" to "Maguire's Uptown," to reinforce the connection with its original branch in North Dallas (which will remain open). Having a nice place with good, affordable food doesn't seem to be what Dallas diners want.

UPDATE: Manager Pete Kelly offers details: "[Owner] Mark Maguire was initially shutting the restaurant down for week of the July 4th holiday," he says. "But then in middle of it all, he got an offer to take over the space by someone else. He's looking to relocate the restaurant to another spot in the Uptown area, but nothing is set in stone."

Posted by T.G.

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Comments

Gary Cohen Verified

This is upsetting. I ate at M Grill/Maguire's Uptown many, many times. I agree with Teresa's sentiments.

1 year, 3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Billusa99

Billusa99 Anonymous

I agree with TG's comments on the food and the people.

However, cry me a river for anything else. We quit going there for good -- both locations -- when Mark continued to openly flout the 'no-smoking in restaurants' law by allowing smoking in the bar area in both locations. Complaints twice to management did no good. They simply moved the ashtrays to the other end of the bar!

They lost our business permanently and forever -- and quite a few of our friends, too. And our office lunches, too. And the smoke was particularly annoying in the Cedar Springs location, due to the open bar-restaurant space.

1 year, 3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Rawlins Gilliland

Rawlins Gilliland Verified

Completely agree with Gubbins. And Bill hit the nail on the head. Loved this place. But they lost me ultimately. When I last ate there, we had to leave because my friend from New York, an important museum curator I wanted to have fun with in this affordable and accessable option place to have a night out in Dallas. That incidentally killed me from going to the Melrose Library Bar. They broke the rules. The way I looked at it, I never had the right to complain when smoking was legal and they'd light up cigars on either side of me. So why then was I put in this position once the times and the laws changed? Fair is fair. To Bill's point, they won the battle but lost the war.

1 year, 3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

DC

DC Anonymous

What? People care about the smoking ban again?!

http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2006/...

1 year, 3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

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