Brian Luscher’s Suburban Yacht Club Brings SoCal Vibes to Plano’s Granite Park

After The Grape, an iconic Dallas spot in Lower Greenville, shuttered in 2019, co-owner and chef Brian Luscher set his sights on the suburbs. He joined 33 Restaurant Group (based in Frisco), known for Plano’s Union Bear Brewing Co., McKinney’s Cadillac Pizza Pub, and more, debuting Suburban Yacht Club at The Boardwalk at Granite Park in Plano just a month ago. A coastal cantina inspired by the boardwalks of Southern California, the new restaurant features elaborate tropical cocktails and delicious bites.

When you walk inside of the space, it feels as if you hopped into a restaurant off the pier. There are a few large screens displaying ocean settings and a breezy indoor/outdoor arrangement with massive garage door-style windows. But it’s the moment you see the tropical drinks that you feel fully transported.

From four kinds of frozen cocktails, including a Mangonada Margarita and Cuba Libre, to watermelon basil vodka drinks served in an inflatable flamingo (the Basic Beach), the drink menu has a lot to explore. I opted for the Tiki Tai, a refreshing twist on a Mai Tai with Plantation Pineapple and Kuleana Nanea Rum, orange curacao, orgeat, and pandan foam. The Almost Paradise was also a favorite with tequila, gin, grapefruit, coconut syrup, orgeat, and purple pea flower. Another best-seller is the Seafoam Surfer, Suburban Yacht Club’s blue-hued take on a margarita.

If you come in with a group, there are two “Scorpion Bowls” that come with all of the bells and whistles for a good time. Options include Captain Ron’s Punch with rum and Weekend at Bernie’s, a tequila-based drink.

The food menu at Suburban Yacht Club is also vast, so I’ll narrow it down with some favorites. Definitely start with the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Elote. Paired with the SoCal Coastal Ceviche, both are delicious and won’t ruin your appetite for mains. The “Bowls and Baskets” portion of the menu is inspired by dishes you’ll find walking along any beach or boardwalk in Southern California. A beach burger, fish sandwich, shrimp burrito are just a few suggestions. We mixed and matched tacos because there are so many intriguing options on the menu including a short rib quesabirria, pork carnitas, and Baja bbq chicken. But it was the Baja beer-battered fish tacos that I couldn’t put down.

Lastly, be prepared if you order the pineapple upside-down cake. It is humongous, and it was so good that we finished it all. We left the restaurant very full, but happily so.