Daddy Jack’s in Sundance Square

Daddy Jack's

NEW ENGLAND LOBSTER & CHOWDER HOUSE

I hate myself right now… Daddy Jack’s has been sitting on the corner of Throckmorton & 3rd for 18 years and although I knew it was there and have eaten there once or twice it just never registered with me what a treasure this place is. 

Seafood is one of my favorite things on earth. I deep sea fish with my kids and always enjoy eating what we catch as quickly as we can cook it after getting off the boat. I worked throughout high school and college for Bill & Marty Martin at every one of their excellent seafood restaurants in Fort Worth. I go out of my way to visit King’s Inn near Kingsville and Johnny Cases in Longview (now sadly closed) whenever I am in the area. I adore The Flying Fish (one of my definite top 3 restaurants in the Fort). There are some excellent high-end seafood restaurants in this town like Waters, Eddie V’s and Pappadeaux and I like them all. But my native environment for eating seafood is in a “joint”.

I don’t know why I’ve been thinking that Daddy Jack’s was a high falutin’ place… but it’s not. It’s a nice, friendly, welcoming, excellent restaurant that does a great job of creating the authentic, gritty, and warm atmosphere of a New England Chowder joint. And they have the most legitimate and deliciously simple lobster bisque that I have had anywhere within 1,000 miles of here. Maybe I ate here at lunch at a table in the dining room instead of dinner-time at the bar as I do now. Maybe that’s how I missed it. No way I could have ordered the lobster bisque or I would have been back 700 times at least in the past 18 years. I know now though, and I’m gonna make up for lost time.

I’m not saying that I’ll enjoy EVERYTHING on the menu, but then I never do, even in my very favorite restaurants. I can tell you though that the grilled salmon, the lobster bisque, the pasta dishes, the key lime pie and of course the whole Maine Lobster are all worthy choices.

Owner Dominique (business partner with Daddy Jack who is now in Connecticut) is friendly and engaging and Krystal and Kirsten have given us great service at the bar.

Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see cooking demos by owner Daddy Jack and you will get the flavor of this most excellent seafood place in Sundance Square.

Lobster Bisque

If you don’t get anything else at Daddy Jacks’s get this. The very best lobster bisque on earth looks like a bowl of brownish sludge, but about three spoonfuls in you start plotting your next visit to the restaurant so you can have some more. Funny pricing, cup for $5 or bowl for $6. Add claw meat for $4.

Lobster Roll

Not really sure how traditional the bread is, but it’s excellent anyway with the perfectly dressed fresh lobster meat with mayo and celery. Served with salad and chips on the plate.

Steamed Lobster

Perfectly steamed Maine Lobster will be my last meal if I’m given the choice (see my post on Joe T Garcia’s… I said the same thing about them. If I write a post about Carshon’s Rebecca Sandwich I might say it again). At any rate, you get the idea.

Key Lime Pie

I’m not quite sure if this is really the BEST key lime pie in the city but the waitress said it was and it’s more than adequately delicious. Stiff competition in this city between people’s memories of Bill Martin’s key lime pie, the beloved Key Lime Pie at Charlestons, and my personal favorite:Felipe Armenta’s Key Lime Pie at The Tavern on Hulen.

You have to watch these cooking videos by Daddy Jack: