Fort Worth Steakhouse Reopens in Heralded Smart Hotel — Why Wicked Butcher’s Return is Just the Beginning

The Sinclair Hotel — the much touted, first-of-its-kind smart hotel in downtown Fort Worth — underwent a longer than most COVID closure, and has only recently reemerged from hibernation.  The hotel’s signature steakhouse, Wicked Butcher, has also officially reopened its first floor dining room.

Wicked Butcher debuted in January 2020, with an upscale menu and an extensive raw bar, adding modern touches to the historic Sinclair Building. But less than three months into its opening, the hotel’s dining closed in March during the coronavirus shutdowns.

“Dining at Wicked Butcher has been re-engineered and structured to the highest regulatory standards for operations,” a DRG Concepts statement reads. “Social distancing and contactless systems for safety for guests and employees are in strict implementation, while maintaining the comfortable and refreshing experience for which the restaurant is known. Dining capacity limits and other COVID regulations will, of course, be enforced.” 

With the now customary COVID-19 disclaimer out of the way, Wicked Butcher’s first floor dining room at The Sinclair is now open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Mondays through Thursdays from 7 am to 9 pm and on Fridays and Saturdays from 7 am to 10 pm.   

The restaurant’s main dining room, which is actually located on the basement level of The Sinclair is scheduled to reopen in early 2021, along with yet-to-be-revealed menu additions. RTB, the hotel’s “rooftop bar” with spectacular views, is expected to reopen at some point as well, but there is no word yet on when that will happen.

DRG Concepts’ other downtown Fort Worth restaurants now have been shuttered for a long time as well. Wild Salsa and Chop House Burger, both located in City Place, are now slated to reopen in 2021. The newest DRG restaurant, the previously revealed Oven & Cellar, is expected to bring rustic Italian to the same stretch ― but its opening date has also yet to be announced.  

“The pandemic has challenged all of us as businesses and as a community to be patient and innovate,” says Mike Hoque, chairman of DRG Concepts. “We are honored to be reopening and providing our guests and downtown Fort Worth with the outstanding dining experience of Wicked Butcher that is so special.”

Chefs Richard Triptow and Austin Carlson continue to direct the culinary team at Wicked Butcher as well as all food and beverage service at The Sinclair Hotel.  

Wicked Butcher’s menu features dishes such as the bone-in cowboy ribeye, and the boneless strip of Texas Wagyu, accompanied by sides such as the Crawfish Maque Choux, Mushroom Mélange, Wicked Hash Browns, and rich Corn Crème Brûlée.

Wicked Butchers’ domestic and international premium cuts are Himalayan salt dry-aged. The beef is accompanied by chops, poultry and game as well as a seafood selection, sourced from local and global waters, including oysters, crab, lobster and swordfish.

DRG Concepts took one of the longer hiatuses from the coronavirus shutdown. Now, the restaurant group’s signature steakhouse is back in business in The Sinclair Hotel — and they have much more planned for downtown Fort Worth in 2021.