Pop-up dinners are, well, popping up all over the city - fun dining adventures with limited seating, offbeat locations, and erratic schedules. Temporary in nature, these dinners feel more like special events instead of your standard dining-out experience. Chefs often experiment with more creative dishes, giving each meal an edge of excitement and an exclusive "insider" feel. Space is always limited, and popular pop-ups fill up fast - sometimes within hours or even minutes. If you don't want to miss out, follow the chef, restaurant, or venue closely on social media and/or add your name to pop-up's email list.
1. SAAP Lao Kitchen
Have you ever tried Lao cuisine? Embark on a culinary journey to Southeast Asia and discover the flavors of Laos. SAAP means "delicious" - and this family is on a mission to share their country's incredible food with the world: crispy coconut rice with cured pork meat, spicy smashed papaya salad, and baked lemongrass chicken. When they're not hosting pop-ups in Fort Worth, you'll find SAAP Lao selling handcrafted, Lao-style beef jerky (aka crack jerky) at the Dallas Farmers Market.
Location: Varies
Email List: [email protected]
Instagram: @saaplaokitchen
Upcoming Dates: August 12 atThe Collective Brewing Project
2. Yatai Food Kart
From impromptu ramen shops in downtown Fort Worth to family-style Sunday dinners, Kevin Martinez embraces the true spirit of the pop-up. Events are announced just a few days before, the location varies, and the menu is usually cash only. Food is first come, first served until it runs out – and, believe me, you don't want to miss it. Martinez is the executive chef of Tokyo Café, and his fresh take on Asian-inspired "farm to trailer" street food served at the Yatai Food Kart has garnered rave reviews from fervent fans. Find updates on new pop-up meals by following Kevin on Instagram.
Location: Varies
Instagram: @yatai_food_kart
Upcoming Dates: TBA
3. Hot Box Biscuit Club
With a devout following and comfort food to die for, this scorching-hot brunch books up in a matter of minutes. To score a table reservation: get on the mailing list, set up an email alert, and be ready to RSVP as soon as you receive the invite. Bring a hearty appetite for the melt-in-your-mouth biscuits and the decadent, Southern-inspired cuisine.
Location: Varies
Email List: [email protected]
Instagram: @hotboxbiscuitclub
Upcoming Dates: August 27
4. B&B Butchers & Restaurant
This upscale steakhouse and butcher shop that started in Houston opens its doors at The Shops at Clearfork this October, but you can sample the goods in advance at an exclusive pop-up dinner the month before. Enjoy a cocktail hour with passed hors d"oeuvres before sitting down to a four-course meal at NM Café in the new Neiman Marcus.
Location: 5200 Monahans Ave.
Email List: Sign up via website
(bbbutchers.com)
Instagram: @bbbutchers
Upcoming Dates: TBA (sometime in September)
5. Riscky's
Joe Riscky's pop-ups will "for sure" return after the hot weather is over. Past dinners have dished out Texas barbeque favorites like oak-smoked prime brisket and Niman Ranch pork ribs - with all the fixin's, of course: creamed cheese green chile hominy, smoked ham butter beans, and Dutch-oven peach cobbler for dessert. Future pop-ups may also revolve around wet-aged ribeye steaks, giving you one more reason to look forward to cooler weather.
Location: 502 Grand Ave.
Email List: [email protected]
Instagram: @joeriscky
Upcoming Dates: TBA
6. Lone Star Taps & Caps
Although no dates are set in stone at the time of printing, craft-beer bar Lone Star Taps & Caps has "a lot of moving wheels for doing pop-up beer and food pairings in the near future." Known for an excellent craft brew selection and growlers to go, the beer bar and shop hosts casual, multi-course pop-ups paired with a curated selection of unique craft beers.
Location: 6115 Camp Bowie Blvd.
Email List: Sign up via Facebook
(facebook.com/LoneStarTapsandCaps)
Instagram: @tapsandcaps
Upcoming Dates: TBA
7. Collective Brewing Project
Numerous local chefs and restaurants host pop-up beer dinners at this easygoing taproom and brewery. In addition to meals with SAAP Lao Kitchen and Hot Box Biscuit, Collective will host Chef Joe Anguiano of Austin's acclaimed VOX Table in the fall.
Location: 112 St. Louis Ave.
Email List: Sign up via website
(collectivebrew.com)
Instagram: @cbpfortworth
Upcoming Dates: August 12 with
SAAP Lao + more TBA
8. Magdalena's
Chef Juan Rodriguez brings the bold flavors of Mexico and Spain to the table at this ongoing supper club he runs with his wife, Paige. Dinner is often a family affair, whether he's picked up fresh cabrito from relatives in Monterey or his mom has made the tortillas. Depending on the weather, you'll either eat indoors in the industrial-chic dining room or outside with a backdrop of the downtown Fort Worth skyline. Magdalena's super cool setting makes the location a hotbed of action for other local pop-ups. Visit the website to join the email list, and keep your eyes out for a very special Day of the Dead celebration in October.
Location: 502 Grand Ave.
Email List: [email protected]
Instagram: @magdalenastx
Upcoming Dates: August 4, 5, 11, 18,19, 25 and 26
9. Tim Love
Texas celebrity chef Tim Love turns his downtown Fort Worth Test Kitchen into a pop-up restaurant for a few days every February. Meals include eight courses paired with "an abundance of really great drinks and wine." Each event features a unique concept, which is announced when reservations open, about 30 days in advance. Past themes have included Northern Italian Ufficio and Spanish Oficina. Request seats at the bar to watch Love in action and hear commentary on the dishes.
Location: 713 N. Main St.
Email List: Sign up via website
(cheftimlove.com)
Instagram: @cheftimlove
Upcoming Dates: Around the firstweek of February