New Seafood Restaurant to Open in Fort Worth

Fort Worth will be home to a new seafood restaurant, Walloon’s, which is opening next summer in 2023.

Owned by Marcus Paslay, the Fort Worth chef who runs Provender Hall, Piatello Italian Kitchen, and Clay Pigeon restaurant, Walloon’s is looking forward to serving coastal-southern delicacies in Paslay’s fourth restaurant launch.

Paslay said that the restaurant fits the “eclectic and cool vibe of the district,” sharing that the Near Southside location excites him to work on the launch.

Paslay mentioned that he and his team have been planning to be a part of Near Southside, a fast-growing community, that features several indie coffee shops, bars, and local restaurants including Benito’s Boiled Owl, Lili’s Bistro, Spiral Diner, Angie’s Bikkles, and The Usual.

Walloon’s will be stationed on the ground floor of The 701, a Dodson Commercial Real Estate building on W. Magnolia Avenue in Fort Worth. Additionally, a 200-space garage will be available to customers when visiting. Aside from food, the restaurant will be utilizing the old bank vault used by the former Fort Worth National Bank.

Per a spokeswoman, Walloon’s plans to concentrate on seafood while giving its customers a New Orleans and Charleston feel. The menu is not finalized yet, but dishes will include steak frites, mussels, and oysters, she added.

Residents should expect a “raw bar with oysters on the half-shell with shrimp cocktail and American grill classics like steak frites, mussels, large-format salads, and sandwiches.”

Walloon’s will offer a touch of French as the name was derived from a French-speaking region in Belgium called Wallonia. The name is also a subtle reference to author Ernest Hemingway, who grew up visiting Walloon Lake in northern Michigan, with the upcoming menu reflecting this.