Ebb and Flow in Plano is bar food levelled up for brunch, lunch or dinner. Feast on sweet potato pan- cakes, chicken fried benedict or breakfast tacos for brunch, or have a chill lunch or dinner with one of their signature salads: try the Buddha, with kale, sweet potatoes, quinoa, broccolini, almonds, sprouts, avocado, lemon and a fresh vinaigrette; or the veg- etarian Southwest salad, with Beyond meat, jicama, pico, black beans, roasted corn, avocado and sal- sa ranch. For summer-ready cocktails, order up the Garden Margarita, with Herradura Silver, Cointreau, cucumber, cilantro, jalepeño, agave, lemon and lime; the Endless Summer, with Hendrick’s gin, yellow char- treuse, passion fruit, lemon, aquafaba, and rhubarb bitters; the Watermelon Mule, with watermelon vodka, ginger beer and lime; and the Lavender Lemondrop, combining Alto Reposado, lemon, lavender, sweet and sour, and simple syrup. Feeling a little spicy? Up the heat at Hattie B’s Hot Chicken. Customize the spice level on your bone-in chicken, tenders or chicken sandwich: you can order it totally chill (the well-mannered “Southern” level) or hotter than August in Dallas (AKA “Shut the Cluck Up”). Finish up with a cool bowl of banana pudding and a glass of Hattie B’s famous iced tea. Ozona Bar and Grill is a legendary Big D sum- mer destination, thanks to their location on Green- ville Avenue, their well-appointed patio and their swoon-worthy build-your-own Bloody Mary bar (a brunch crowd-pleaser on Saturdays and Sundays). Accessorize your boozy brunch beverage with mile- high garnish and generously-poured vodka—and then make room for omelets, migas, breakfast tost- adas, French toast and pancakes from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Daily lunches and dinners (including noteworthy Tex-Mex platters and better-than-average bar fare) at Ozona are a tasty di- version. The Rowdy Cowboy Sports Bar and Grill will rope you right in with its food and drink selection, including 32 cold beers on tap, a Texas-size menu with burg- ers, wings, steaks, pizzas, sandwiches, and desserts. The entertainment? Over 73 giant TVs for all the big sporting events, including UFC and boxing…and the smokin’ hot Rowdy Cowgirls. Ah, St Pete’s Dancing Marlin: one of the Deep Ellum OGs (to us, anyway). This is the ideal summer stop- off, thanks to its wide-ranging menu selections (sea- food, burgers, pizza, pasta and grill specialties), full bar, with up 50-plus bottled beers, 15 tap brews, and premium wines, and daily happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m., where you can pick up an $8 Deep Pete or Moscow Mule; $3.50 domestic; and $5 nachos or loaded fries. SPDM also boasts beautifully-appointed spaces: they can host your graduation parties, work-meet-ups and 22 DALLAS OBSERVER • SUMMER GUIDE 2025
