In my South Arlington neighborhood, Mac’s Steaks and Seafood (or, as the signage says simply, Mac’s Grille) has been an institution for nearly two decades. Sunday brunches are so crowded you can barely breathe inside. So when the good folks behind Mac’s recently opened Mac’s on Seventh in the sprawling Montgomery Plaza by the Cultural District, I knew that Sundays in the West 7th Street corridor would never be the same.
So to avoid any rush, some guests and I went on a Saturday. The restaurant looks like a lot of the newer places downtown. There’s a bar area by a large window that welcomes natural light, and there’s a patio with a half-dozen tables. Unfortunately, the view at Mac’s is limited to the other retail stores in Montgomery Plaza. Far more modern-looking than the Arlington location, on-Seventh mixes metal, dark wood, and bamboo, suggesting some sort of sushi joint. Ironically, sushi is perhaps the only food category you can imagine that’s not on the menu.
At noon, the restaurant was pleasantly uncrowded, although it filled up within the hour. Since on-Seventh just opened a couple of months ago, our server hadn’t mastered the intricate menu, but she wasn’t afraid to go to the kitchen for answers. In fairness, it could take years to memorize the mélange of items on Mac’s bill of fare. N’awlins-style seafood, including gumbo, Cajun-spiced orange roughy, and étouffée, plus the requisite po-boy sandwiches, mingle with steaks, pasta, burgers, and chicken.
So that you don’t starve while trying to make up your mind, Mac’s starts you off with a chunk of crusty sourdough bread. It’s delicious, and you may be tempted to get seconds. But don’t fill up on it, especially if you order appetizers.
Some of the starters are as expensive as the entrées. Still, don’t miss the spectacular grilled sea scallops: plump, perfect, and nestled atop a mild corn-and-avocado relish and blue corn chips. The smoked crab cakes were delicious: huge chunks of crab, shrimp, and scallops, with a spicy seasoning and very little breading, garnished beautifully with cilantro and lime. Unfortunately, they were drowning in a “roasted salsa roja” that tended to be overwhelming.
The soup of the day happened to be chicken enchilada, and it was luscious. The rich, slightly spicy tomato base with chunks of white meat chicken was also incredibly satisfying.
At $7.95, Mac’s shrimp po-boy is practically a steal: lightly battered shrimp snuggling up to a slightly sweet remoulade on a Cuban roll. At most places, you get all bun and no shrimp. Not so here. As one of my guests observed, the bun-to-shrimp ratio was perfect. The shrimp themselves were deliciously crunchy and not at all greasy.
I wish the same could be said for the mozzarella caprese salad — beautiful rounds of soft, white, cow’s-milk cheese, fresh sweet basil and oregano, roma tomatoes, olives, and pepperoncini. Too bad it was all covered in way too much olive oil.
Mac’s sandwiches come with fries, but you can substitute one of the restaurant’s giant sides for a small extra charge. We tried the “Seven Cheese Macaroni & Cheese,” a dish that sent our server back to the kitchen to clarify which cheeses were included. Mac’s throws in pretty much everything, from the sublime (gruyere, muenster, sharp cheddar) to the goofy (Velveeta). The béchamel sauce was fairly loose, and for some reason, the kitchen included sweet red pepper bits in the beautifully browned and zesty dish. Another solid choice is the lightly breaded, delightfully crunchy onion rings.
The restaurant boasts a huge wine list, along with a ton of single malt scotches, bourbons, and “over 20 different vodkas and gins.” Mac’s on Seventh’s weekday happy hour features dollar-off martinis, making vodka or gin versions of James Bond’s fave libation a mere $4. Noon on Saturday was just too early for the hard stuff, but we did try Mac’s cherry-lime Italian soda. Picture a really upscale, not quite so sweet version of the Braum’s favorite.
And save room for dessert. In addition to a rustic apple tart and a create-your-own sundae (called the Goldbrick, for reasons I still don’t understand), Mac’s on Seventh also has good ol’ standbys, like ice cream. My cup o’ vanilla starred a healthy portion of chocolate sauce that had frozen on contact, providing a simple, crunchy-creamy treat. Then there was the chocolate-toffee mousse pie: rich mousse, with a layer of crunchy Heath bar-type candy in the center.
So, does Fort Worth’s dining landscape really need Mac’s? There are plenty of restaurants in town that do steak and seafood, some better than Mac’s and some with better views. But Mac’s food is tasty, and you can literally come as you are, fresh from shopping or dressed for a date. The convenient location, with its ample, free parking, should prove to be very popular. Especially on Sundays.
Mac’s on Seventh
2600 W 7th St, in Montgomery Plaza, FW. 817-332-6227. 11am-10pm Mon-Thu, 11am-11pm Sat, 10am-2:30pm, 3-10pm Sun. All major credit cards accepted.
Smoked crab cakes $9.75
Grilled sea scallops $9.50
Mozzarella Caprese salad $7.50
Chicken enchilada soup $3.50
Shrimp po-boy $7.85
