Neighbor’s House, 500 W 7th St, Ste 175, Fort Worth. 817-334-0526. 8am-3pm Mon, 8am-9pm Tue-Fri.
On a recent Friday, after a brutal work week and drained from fighting the cloud of impending doom that’s hung over my family since Nov. 5, I needed a “treat yo’ self” moment. Leaving my downtown office, I blew right by the chain restaurants and pricey hotel bars (which seem to multiply weekly) and bee-lined it to my new favorite after-work spot, Neighbor’s House.
Walking through downtown, you see a lot of shuttered businesses. Long-defunct eateries like Taverna and Bird Café still sit vacant, and it can feel like the only reason to make the trek downtown if you don’t work there would be for a special occasion dinner at one of the many chain steakhouses along Main and Houston streets. Neighbor’s House is aiming to change that, bringing an inviting experience to downtown residents and visitors alike.
Once a grocery store serving downtown residents (which explains why the website has the word grocery in it), the eatery pivoted to a full-fledged restaurant a couple of years ago. Since then, they’ve been steadily ramping up their menu and hours and collecting loyal regulars.
Throughout the week starting at 8 a.m., Neighbor’s House serves a steady stream of office workers like me from nearby Burnett Plaza, the Frost Bank building, and others. The popular salad bar is well-stocked with more than 60 items, but the counter also serves burgers, hearty sandwiches, street tacos, and loaded baked potatoes. I had the house-smoked brisket tacos during my lunch visit, lured in by the delicious smoked meat aroma wafting from somewhere in the depths of the First on Seventh Building, where the restaurant keeps its smoker.
Photo by Emmy Smith.
The brisket was as melt-in-your-mouth tender as any of the area’s best barbecue joints, and the tacos were nearly bursting with meat, cheese, and toppings, satisfying my midday hunger and then some. I may have taken a short nap in my cube back at the office.
And every Friday, from 5:30 p.m. to close (perfect for the just-out-of-work crowd), Neighbor’s hosts the most affordable — and filling — steak night ’round these parts, which is why I found myself there on this particular evening.
For an astounding $40 per person, guests enjoy either a 10-ounce filet or 16-ounce ribeye, a trip to the salad bar, luscious duck fat-fried potatoes, and a vegetable medley. If you’re in the mood for seafood, you can sub in snow crab legs for the steak. And because Neighbor’s House sells a large selection of retail beer and wine, you can choose anything off the shelf to open and have with your meal. Another win for the wallet and for my weary soul. To achieve my treat yo’self moment, I ordered the humongous ribeye and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. The ribeye was cooked beautifully and was as indulgent as any steak from Del Frisco’s or Capital Grille but much more budget-friendly and without the stuffiness.
Chef-owners Kyle and Ashlee Cowan say the opportunity to bring a restaurant to fruition is the culmination of a lifelong dream after more than 20 years as chefs. While the restaurant was bustling, as we sat at the bar, they made time to chat about all sorts of things, from their transition from grocery to restaurant to Olympic sports. The Cowans seem to understand that the experience of going to a restaurant isn’t only about the food. Pleasant company and wonderful service are crucial as well. Otherwise, people won’t keep coming. And as their name suggests, the vibe at Neighbor’s House is comfortable, homey, and welcoming.
Photo by Emmy Smith.
Case in point: One recent Wednesday evening, the husband and I were looking for a place to kill time before a show at Bass Hall. When we walked in, all the diners were eerily silent, and we looked at each other uneasily. Was this a wake? Then we realized there was a Bingo game going on, as it apparently does every Wednesday from 5 p.m. on. We happily posted up at the bar, ordered two Old Fashioneds (Neighbor’s also boasts a full bar and an impressive whiskey selection), and joined in. Soon enough, I was calling “Bingo!” and felt like I’d officially been welcomed to the Neighbor’s-hood.
While we played, we enjoyed loaded jumbo potato skins and some crispy Brussels sprouts with sweet chile sauce off the dinner menu. Both were excellent and enough to serve as a light preshow dinner, though I somehow missed the word “jumbo” and probably made a cartoonish googly-eyed face when the enormous skins arrived, generously topped with bacon, warm cheese sauce, sour cream, and green onion.
While it may feel like any semblance of a local downtown scene is slowly disappearing, the only way to ensure that doesn’t happen is to support Neighbor’s House — and a few others, like Osteria 61 next door — whether for a special occasion, an escape from intrusive thoughts, or no reason at all. See you soon, neighbor.
Neighbor’s House
16-oz ribeye w/two sides, salad bar $40
Cabernet Sauvignon (glass) $10
House-smoked brisket tacos $5.50 each
Loaded jumbo potato skins $12
Crispy Brussels sprouts $12
