I’m visiting during the last week in February for business, and we have our evenings free. I’d love to hear about great local restaurants or attractions, or just plain anything fun to do.
What are your interests? Do you have to stay in Plano? Or are you open to driving down to Dallas?
I should follow up. Probably the greatest concentration of good-quality restaurants in Plano is located in The Shops at Legacy (click on the restaurant heading for more options). Plano is primarily a bedroom community, even with the number of corporate offices present, so there really isn’t much in the way of after hours fun.
Check out GuideLive for listings and ratings of attractions and entertainment for the entire Dallas area (including Plano).
Gimme a yell. I’ll take you out for pizza at Angelo and Vito’s - best stuff around.
It’s been years since I’ve been there, so some places may be gone. Having said that, check out Billy Minor’s in Fort Worth. Nice thick steaks, peanut shells on the floor, etc. Sample some fine TexMex food - it’s everywhere in the Dallas / Fort Worth area. The best ones are the little family owned hole in the wall restaurants. Texas style barbecue is everywhere. I used to go to Rancher Bill’s in Fort Worth. For seafood, try Bill Martin’s in Fort Worth. Get the Star Telegram newspaper and see if there are any car shows or other expositions happening. For a fun and cheap night, try to catch pro wresting at Reunion Arena. It’s lowbrow, but fun. I think it’s too early in the year for any rodeos or citywide celebrations. That’s too bad really. Fort Worth has a “wild west” sort of day, when it seems the entire city attends the party. They have mountains of great food, a rodeo, and nobody causes trouble (unlike on L.A.). For nightlife, go to Gilley’s. The place is freakin huge.
I almost forgot, go to Six Flags too. In addition the the usual rides and stuff, they sometimes have big name acts doing concerts.
You gotta go to Dickey’s Barbeque. It’s on 75 heading towards McKinney. Damn that’s some good BBQ! Oh yeah, the little Chinese restaurant beside Albertson’s on 75 and Spring Creek Parkway has Kung Pao Shrimp that is to die for! I used to work at that Albertson’s and I’d get that stuff 2 or 3 times a week.
Ignore ** Lee from Texas **. Dickey’s is about the most generic, lowest-common-denominator barbecue chain in the area.
Hit Spring Creek barbecue or Sonny Bryan’s for something better (not that either of those is particularly terrific) There’s a good hole-in-the wall place in Arlington, but I can’t remember exactly where it is or what it was called (went there for lunch with a buddy a couple of times several years ago).
As for Plano… there really isn’t much. I’d head down to Addison if you’re looking for bars/clubs, or either Dallas or Fort Worth for more cultural type stuff.
I should know… I lived in Plano from 1999-2002, and have lived just North since then.
Fun in Plano! Hee-hee-hee! (Snicker, gasp … )
Restaurants, and damn few of them, is about the only thing Plano has. It is essentially a bedroom community for Dallas. But for sure and certain the most unique and best is Love and War in Texas. Period. Full Stop. That’s about all. Oh yeah, there’s a seafood restaurant there that’s great but I can’t remember the name. It’s something “Fish Market”. That’s not much to go on. bump is right about the 'cue. I think there’s an O’Jeda’s in Plano now. If so, that’s good for Tex-Mex.
Used to live just southwest of Preson and Plano Parkway, at that time beyond the end of the tollway. Could get on my bike and ride north on Preston along a lonely farm to market to a sleepy little town called Frisco. I think there was a small, dirty diner there but the food was okay.
You could try that but, possibly, things might have changed a bit in the interim.
Is that where they make the world famous Plano tackle boxes? Or are they now made in Plano, China?
No, Plano tackle boxes are made in (or at least the company is headquartered in) Plano, IL, which is about an hour SW of Chicago.
For architecture buffs, Plano, IL is also the home of Farnsworth House, one of the most significant and iconic structures in the 20th Century Modernist vein.
For Tex-Mex Pappasito’s is the place to be. Just ssouth of Plano on I-75 and Beltline Road. Try a white-lightning margarita and the fajitas and ribs (matamoros). Fantastic.
You could say that… It’s pretty much solid suburbs all the way to somewhere between Frisco’s main street & 380.
And… 190 is now a big-ass toll road (the President Geo. Bush Tollway) running from somewhere like I-30 in Mesquite to somewhere south of 183 in Irving. (well, the I-35 - 635 piece is still under construction).
Frisco actually has about the newest and biggest shopping mall complex in the Metroplex situated at the NW corner of 121 & Preston.
It’s a chain. There are several of these around Dallas… usually built next to a Pappadeaux and sometimes a Pappas Steak House, a Pappas seafood joint, etc… There are some of these places in other cities as well.
Don’t get me wrong - they’re fun to go to and reasonably good.
I like Love and War in Texas as well. But overall Plano, like most of the Dallas area, is comprised of a shitload of concrete highway.
I bought a house in Plano back in 1962. Brand new, it cost me $14,500.00; what’s it worth now?
Back then, there was NOTHING to do in Plano; it is a little pleasing that that still holds true.
Someone mentioned Sonny Bryan’s Barbeque. Is that an offshoot of Red Bryans? Red Bryans had the best barbeque I’ve ever eaten.
I beleive you have to join a club to drink alcohol in Nazi Germany, I mean Plano. Go a little bit south to Addison if you want to do anything interesting.
If your really want to try something new as far as Mexican food goes. Try the mom and pop shops. Any sign that says “Taqueria” you can usually bet is going to have some damn good food.
When you walk in the menu will be in spanish so keep your fingers crossed somebody there speaks english. Which there normallly is. Myself, I don’t have a problem with this becuase I know enough spanish to order what I want.
Also keep in mind this isn’t El-Chico you’re walking into. So you wont be able to order beef-n-cheese enchiladas. But they got lots of good food to be had.
If your looking for more “English speaking” friendly places; try the mom and pop shops off of lower-greenvile.
Try Gloria’s it’s not mexican restruant but it’s damn good. I think it El-salvadorian? Anyway they got these tamales wraped in banana leave that are to die for…
Ok, I going to shut up now because I could go on forever.
Thank you all for responding!
Well, I’m pretty well stuck in Plano. I’m going with a small group and we are working 7:45am - 5pm at minimum, and that could be expanded. Don’t think I’ll make it to Dallas.
Interests? Good food, for one. In travelling, I’m open minded, but at home I don’t tend to go “clubbing” and I can’t see my trip-mates do that other. I wouldn’t mind stopping by a nice bar, if I could convince them.
Wow, I really appreciate the offer, but I’m going with two colleagues who are both much more experienced than me and also much older. Saying “Hey guys, I set us up to go meet this person I met on the Internet!” would probably not be a good thing for my professional reputation. 
But, thanks!
In terms of restaurants - well, I’m vegetarian, so BBQ and Tex-Mex probably aren’t the best ideas.
What all is in Addison? And how far?