About an hour north of Dallas lies the quaint town of Denton, where the University of North Texas and their Mean Green Eagles soar. Considered a college town, there is no lack of bars on Fry Street or restaurants on The Square. What you might not know is that Denton is home to some of the best restaurants in the DFW area and has more offer than beer and shot specials!
The suburbs surrounding Denton are some of the most beautiful areas I’ve seen. Farms and ranches on acres of land are complete with horses, cattle, and any other barnyard animal you can think of! It definitely transports you to more tranquil existence compared to the bright lights of Dallas. We were so fortunate to be given the opportunity to stay at the Echo House in Argyle, just 10 minutes from Denton. This gorgeous house sleeps 9 with an upstairs game room, spacious kitchen, and even a recording studio! It’s an ideal location for recording artists to work discretely and maintain privacy or for a fun weekend with your friends!
Interested in renting the Echo House? Follow this link!
Want more information or to book the studio? Follow this link!
After we were done oohing and awwing at the Echo House we started to get ready for our big night out by sipping on our favorite spirits! I love supporting local, from the shirt on my back to the bourbon in my glass! We had plenty of booze to get the party started thanks to Southwest Spirits & Wine! I called the Title No. 21 Whiskey! Mine!
The first stop on our Denton Takeover was LSA Burger on The Square. As we walked upstairs to the massive outdoor patio, there was live music playing and just a great energy all around. They have out of this world burgers and bomb Brisket Queso! It was dark when we went so I’ll certainly need to go back during the day and get some bad a** pics!
Our bellies full of burgers we were off to our next stop, Paschall’s, an unmarked speakeasy bar serving classic cocktails. I’m pretty much obsessed with this spot for a couple reasons. One, because only a certain number of patrons are allowed in at a time, enhancing an intimate experience. Two, the decor is unique, old books, mismatched rustic furniture, and vintage paintings add to the overall vibe. We were able to try several different cocktails, for me, whiskey is the way to go, and this Smoked Old Fashioned was one for the record books! Just watching the process was incredible and drinking it was the highlight of my night!
After a good night’s sleep, we were rested, refreshed, and most importantly ready for brunch at Barley and Board! One of my favorite restaurants not only in Denton but in all of DFW! Why? Well because they have one of the best burgers (even D Magazine agrees, see here) and hands down the best mimosa flights ever, so basically my two favorite things!
Barley and Board has an extensive menu full of mouthwatering delights so here’s a few more of my top picks! The Truffled Portabello Fries are incredible and are my go-to app! If you love mushrooms, you will love these! And the Mustard Aioli served with is heavenly!
Off the brunch menu, the Hangtown Frittata is amazing! Light, fluffy, and filling with Smoked Bacon, Shallots, Peppadew, Cheddar, and Fried Oysters.
And from the lunch/dinner menu, the Brazen Two-Faced Quail is the real deal! Crispy and juicy, you can’t go wrong with ordering this dish!
After some downtime laughing and enjoying the house, we packed up and were off to Earl’s 377 for either a late lunch or an early dinner. Is there even a difference?! I had been here once before and really enjoyed it! This time I decided not to pig out on pizza pies and mixed it up with some pasta too. I was not disappointed! Say hello to Polpetto aka Spaghetti and Meatballs and Uncle Carmen’s ‘za with Roasted Mushrooms, Smoked Italian Sausage, and Sweet Onions.
You’d think we’d be done eating for a bit but there are just too many good spots to hit in a short amount of time! So we powered through and went to Bumbershoot BBQ (which sits just behind Earl’s 377) and we went big y’all! Brisket, Turkey, Sausage, Chicken, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, and enough sauce to swim in! What you might have head about this gem is the Loaded Tots are a must have! If you hadn’t yet been told, you’re welcome!
A cool feature about Bumbershoot is that being messy is completely acceptable, in fact, it’s encouraged both when eating and when painting! Wait, what?! Yup, you heard right! Paint and brushes are there for the artist in all of us and you better believe we had some multicolored fun! 
Needless to say, I came home and fell into a deep food coma after my Denton Takeover! We had such a great time exploring, laughing, drinking, and yes, eating! I think I speak for the group when I say we can’t wait to do it again! Thanks to all the players that came together, ensuring we had a fabulous time!
Thanks for reading!
xxoo Leah
Leisurely Leah 