Lee Harvey's

www.leeharveys.com

Oh, Lee Harvey's, will you marry me?

Yeah, I just proposed to a bar and grill and yes, it's that great. Well, let me back up. It's absolutely frightening, but completely worth it. Ok, first of all, how creepy is it that it is named after the man that assasinated one of our most loved presidents?

So, when you're driving to Lee Harvey's, you'll be thinking 'Oh, TomTom must be wrong; this is a neighborhood'. Uh, huh. Shame on you for not trusting TomTom. That was your first mistake. Lee Harvey's IS in a neighborhood; in fact, it is in an old house! I can see you now, exchanging glances, shaking your heads. Just trust me! I haven't steered you wrong, yet, right?

There isn't much to the interior; it is a typical dive bar. Not a lot of room. Outdoors is where the party is at. They have somewhere around 80 picnic tables outside in the backyard. It isn't as scary as it sounds, I promise. They have firepits that they light up during the winter and bands come and play on the outdoor stage throughout the week. They have a few different food and drink specials throughout the week, ie. $1 tacos.

The food is great. The only appetizer that I have had, so far, are the onion rings. Let me tell you, those onion rings are enough to make me want to return again and again! Perfectly battered and fried- they are probably the best onion rings I've ever had. The kicker is that they have this spankin' aioli sauce to dunk them in. It is spicy and sweet. Definitely a win, but not for the faint of heart. The burgers are phenomenal; if you find yourself craving a home-cooked style burger, this is the answer to your prayers. It tastes like your dad just took it off the grill! I could almost hear him hollering at me that dinner was ready. The giant burger comes with an order of equally great fries. Perfect! The burger come with all the fixin's, including thickly sliced, sent from heaven, bread and butter pickles. Let me say, I abhor bread and butter pickles, but these have been kissed by God. The fish tacos are also incredible; the fish is grilled to perfection and they have the same spankin' aioli sauce that the onion rings come with and a jalapeno relish. They are spicy! Start slow. I don't know what is with me and fish tacos, lately! Ever since I started doing this site, I find myself eating them all the time. It is weird! They used to revolt me. These are good enough to convert the biggest unbeliever. They also come with baracho beans that taste like smokey leather. Take that as you will.

All in all, one of my new favorite dives! The food rocks, the drinks are cold (full bar), and live local music is a win for me!

No Bones About It (Lennon's Take On It!)

O.M.G.
Mommy didn't tell you the single best thing about Lee Harvey's! They love their doggys! On Sundays, they even close the gates and dogs are allowed off the leash. It allows Mommys and Daddys time and freedom to socialize, as well as gives me a chance to make new friends. There is plenty of room for us to run around in and big buckets of water for us. There is even a little cooling pool.

Mommy met the owner, Seth, and he gave me a lot of loving! I'm definitely giving Lee Harvey's 5 Paws Up!

J & J Oyster Bar

http://www.jjbluesbar.com/menu.htm

Since I'm a coastal girl, I miss being able to have fresh seafood whenever it strikes my fancy, but I just found the cure! J & J Oyster Bar in Fort Worth serves fantastic, reasonably priced, fresh-tasting seafood.

It's a small dive restaurant, but they have a nice patio and really friendly waitstaff. I highly recommend their jalapeno hushpuppies for a starter. They are $3.25 for about 12 cigarette-style hushpuppies. They rock! They aren't dry, nor too spicy.

The combo platter is a great deal; I've had the scallops and stuffed crab. It was absolutely fantastic. I'm really funny about my seafood and this was one of the best stuffed crabs I've ever had. For 11 bucks, you get around 8 fried scallops, a stuffed crab, and you choose a side. The side options are cole slaw, fries, rice, or steamed veggies. Supposedly the cole slaw is incredible, but I'm not really a cole slaw aficionado. It all just tastes like sweet mush to me, so I can't comment. The amount of fries they give you is absolutely ungodly. They literally fill an entire dinner plate. I'm not a fan of them, but if you like Mooyah's fries, you should like these!

The fish tacos there are also decent; they have too much stuffing for the tortilla, but the stuffing is great! Tons of pico and almost a whole avocado top them. $8.50 for three and your choice of a side isn't a bad deal.

I'm pretty excited about the Po'boys and that's definitely what I'll be trying next time.

Parking is a little sketchy; I think if it was prime dining hours, it would be a bit rough finding a spot. I want to say that the beer is $3 a pint and $9 for a pitcher. Something like that.

The only problem that I've had is that they're a little slow bringing out refills... But they are really friendly waitresses!

We'll definitely be returning!

No Bones About It! (Lennon's Take On It!)

I really dig J & J Oyster Bar. The waitresses gave me a lot of attention! What kind of dog doesn't like attention from pretty girls?! Not this one... They brought out fresh water for me without Mommy having to ask AND brought out a glass with ice in it for refills. Mommy was a little irritated that I was able to get refills without asking and she wasn't, but it is part of being a cute puppy. :)

Like I said, super pooch friendly! Water without asking and lots of attention = a win to me. Plus, the scallops make my tail wag!

J & J Oyster Bar gets 4 Paws Up from me!

The Pooch Patio

www.thepoochpatio.com

The Pooch Patio is a pretty rad concept. I'm confused as to why there aren't more places like this! They serve coffee, wine, tea, and frozen coffee drinks! They have free WiFi and a covered patio with dog bowls filled with fresh water. Pretty sweet, right? As a business owner, anywhere with free WiFi that loves dogs in a blessing!

The drink prices are around the same as Starbucks. They're really nice there; they have no problem starting you a tab. Just be careful- it racks up, fast! My only problem with The Pooch Patio was that none of the outdoor electrical outlets were working (for my laptop!). I did speak with the owner about this and she said that she would take care of it. I haven't gone back, yet, to see if it has been resolved, but even with that, I definitely would go back! They are also a doggie daycare; I haven't taken Lennon there, but none of the dogs I saw being dropped off looked scared or sad. They don't sell food, but they have no problem with you getting something delivered or bringing it with you!

No Bones About It (Lennon's Take On It!)

The Pooch Patio gets an 'A' in my book! It's my favorite place for mommy to go work, because I can be off my leash and play with other dogs. They put out several bowls of fresh water and change them often. They even have a nice little faux grass area in case I need to, well, you know.

The Pooch Patio gets Four Paws Up!!

I do it all for my fans,

Lennon

Zio's Italian Restaurant

www.zios.com

One of the biggest struggles as a Dog Mommy is finding an Italian restaurant with a patio! We've finally found a good one.

Zio's Italian Restaurant in Arlington (they're everywhere, but I know this one has a patio; better call ahead to check if the location you have in mind has a patio!) is extremely dog-friendly. AND they're delicious and affordable.

For $29.99, you can enjoy their date night special. It includes 2 entrees, 2 glasses of wine, an appetizer, and a dessert. It's a great deal and totally worth it; you must get the mushrooms for appetizer- they rock! Oh, I forgot to mention, every meal comes with great bread with olive oil and herbs. Delish!

No Bones About It (Lennon's Take On It!)

I love Zio's! They're really dog-friendly. They brought me out a bowl of water and gave me some lovin'. I slept underneath Mommy's chair most of the meal, but I didn't sleep too long, so service must have been great! Mommy and Daddy loved the house wine and all of their food. I loved the piece of bread dipped in oil with herbs that fell on the ground!

All in all, it was a great experience for Mommy and Daddy and a pretty good experience for me. I'll give it a Four Paws Up!

Love to all the the haterz,

Lennon

Rusty Taco

www.therustytaco.com

Mmm. Rusty Taco is one of our favorite restaurants to go at night! Don't let the fact that it is a converted oil and lube place slow you down. They rock our socks off.

$2 Tacos, $1 Chips and Warm Salsa (with free chip refills!), $3 queso or guacamole, and $5 margaritas are sure to please. I recommend the fish tacos; they're incredibly spicy, really fresh and crip, and, well, just amazing. The fiance likes to try everything else. He especially loves the fajita tacos. This is a great place to go for cheap tacos, chips, and margaritas.

They make the margaritas with fresh lime juice and Patron. I promise that after one of these bad boys you're going to have a buzz... 2 or more and you are going to need someone to lean on! Everyone there is incredibly nice; every time we've been, the manager has come out and checked on us. They have a large patio and big fans to help cool the place down! Also, they have a really great mix of music playing. It really brightens the mood. I've read reviews on the place that have griped about the parking, but as long as you park in the back, you won't have a problem!

No Bones About It (Lennon's Take On It!)

How can I put this?

I. Freaking. Love. Rusty. Taco.

The management is so nice! He brings me out a bowl of water, every time! Everyone pets and adores me. The chips are great. The people are great. They play a lot of the Beatles; who doesn't love a place that plays my namesake's music?

Rusty Taco gets FOUR Paws Up and a yelp from me!

Yours Truly,

Lennon

The Londoner - Uptown

www.londonerdallas.com

I thought it would be fitting to start the blog off with my favorite place to take our puppy! All three of us (Lennon, the fiance, and myself) absolutely love going to the Londoner. In fact, every Sunday we have an outstanding brunch date there.

The atmosphere there is great! It really has a kicked back, London-esque feel. There is usually a football (soccer) or rugby playing on one of the many tvs and plenty of fans- no matter the time of day! The patio is huge and if you go upstairs, it is covered. The best waiter we've had there is named Sean. He's great. Every time we go in, without fail, he comes over and pets Lennon. Then he'll bring him a giant jug of water.

Now, here is Lennon's review of the place!

No Bones About It (Lennon's Take On It!)

The Londoner is my favorite place to go! Mommy and Daddy take me almost every Sunday for brunch. The waiter there is really nice; he always brings me out a big pitcher of water for me and gives me a lot of attention!

Mommy and Daddy love the $2.50 mimosas. I’ve licked up a little that has spilled on the ground and I can attest that they are strong! Mommy also loves the $5 Bloody Marys. She says that they are spicy and strong.

Daddy loves the The Full Monty. It is a really traditional English breakfast- big and greasy! Two eggs, apple smoked bacon, English banger, potatoes, mushrooms & tomatoes, baked beans, and toast fills him up every time. Mommy always gets the fish and chips. She says they are crisp, but don’t have that really fishy taste. They always come with a lovely dipping sauce, but if you want vinegar, you have to ask.

Daddy always gripes about parking, but it isn’t too bad. You usually just need to walk a block or two. There is a really nice, grassy park with a lot of shade right around the corner for an after-brunch pee.

The Londoner - Uptown gets Four Paws Up And A Buck's Fizz from me!

Cheerio!

Lennon