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Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Tex-Mex restaurant Sol Irlandes moves into old Metropolitan space in downtown Dallas

by Teresa Gubbins

DALLAS — Someone wisely jumped on the downtown building on Main Street that was previously home to the Metropolitan restaurant: Sol Irlandes, a Tex-Mex place opened at the end of '06 by Tom McGill, who'd previously worked for corporate restaurants such as Ruby Tuesday's and Tia's Tex-Mex, but who yearned to open his very-own place. McGill, who moved to Dallas from New York 10 years ago, had always admired the brick building, which was once a Woolworth Five and Dime, and thought that a Mexican with late-night bar hours would fit the demographics downtown. Sol Irlandes, which he says is Spanish for "Irish sUn", serves food until 10 or 11 p.m. but the bar's open until 2 a.m. They serve fajitas, tacos, enchiladas, and other Tex-Mex standards, but also burgers, grilled salmon, and a chicken-fried steak that the menu describes as "Texas hand-battered" and topped with homemade country gravy.

Staff
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Anonymous

kirk says:

Psst. "Sol Irlandes" means "Irish sun."

Anonymous

2 years, 2 months ago
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Teresa Gubbins says:

ahem. well yeah, kirk, absolutely, of course it means Irish sun. helloooo. (oh, and thank you)

Staff

2 years, 2 months ago
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kirk says:

Irish sun is much rarer than Irish son.

Anonymous

2 years, 2 months ago
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DC says:

Yes, exactly what downtown needed a Mexican restaurant and bar approximately 30 feet from Iron Cactus.

Cue insult comic dog....great, great

Anonymous

2 years, 2 months ago
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Mike Orren says:

What possible relationship could there be between a Mexican restaurant and Iron Cactus?

Wocka-wocka. Thanks very much. Will be here all week. Tip your waiter. Try the migas.

Staff

2 years, 2 months ago
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kirk says:

Good to know you're here, Mike, for better or borscht.

Anonymous

2 years, 2 months ago
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Billusa99 says:

I'd like to donate a good ol' "Texas hand-battered" whoopin' to the next sit-down comic to make an appearance here.

Anonymous

2 years, 2 months ago
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panarama99 says:

So why is this item just now being posted? This restaurant has been open for months now...last I checked, that wasn't news. By the by, not criticizing the restaurant...I like the place, especially the fish taco wrap.

Anonymous

2 years, 2 months ago
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Teresa Gubbins says:

whoa-ho, check out panarama99, only interested in the freshest news. you are right that sol irlandes has been open a few months. and i agree that news items should ideally be about hot-new places. but i have a nice backlog of new restaurants i would like to acknowledge and, because of other duties, haven't been able to report in the past couple of months.

though sol irlandes has been open a few months, i've still not seen it reported or listed on many other news sites or food forums, other than <a href="http://dallas.citysearch.com/profile/44553443/dallas_tx/sol_irlandes_restaurant.html">citysearch</a>. that tells me it might still be news to other folks, too.

last but not least, i have a soft spot for restaurants downtown, as well as restaurants opened by small, independent operators. i try to give those kinds of places attention even if they haven't just opened yesterday

if you know of any other "new" places you don't see in our <a href="http://www.pegasusnews.com/living/dining/#restaurantsearch">restaurant listings</a>, feel free to pass them my way and i'll write another great, fresh, hot news item for ya

Staff

2 years, 2 months ago
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Billusa99 says:

OK... this is WHAT I want to know:

1) The 3 guys behind the Barley House were behind the Metropolitan (and the current City Tavern down the street).

2) They ripped it apart and then put in the next place - Thomas and Leggitt Tavern. That was just last fall.

3) They are now behind this place too!

How do the same 3 guys get the money to continually put a bar/tavern/grill in, then go belly up, then rip it apart and then re-open in the same damn space?!

*THAT'S the real story here, TG.* Ready, set go...! Enquiring minds WANT to know!