Recently, we found ourselves just on the other side of the Margaret Hunt Bridge, at a quaint little Oak Cliff restaurant called Jonathon’s. What they lack in restaurant capacity they make up for in portion
sizes and flavor.

Luckily, we arrived early enough, which is a must if you plan on getting a seat in the next hour, and scored the perfect little table on the patio. That is until the Attack of the Flies, but more on that
later…

Jonathon’s has plenty of cocktails to jump start your morning. They have a build-your-own Bloody Mary Bar with, in my opinion, one of the best house made Bloody Mary mixes. It’s a little sweeter and not so spicy – if you’re into that. 
 
Another favorite is the Purple Drank, but more because it’s just fun to say! I can’t dare say that I remember what is actually in the Purple Drank, but if you’re ordering it, it’s probably more for show anyway, right?

When it’s time to order go big or go home. One word of advice (and really the only advice that one who dines at Jonathon’s needs): Order the Chicken and Waffles.  I’m deadly serious on this one. If you decide to be all, “Oh, that’s too much food!”, “I’m on a diet…”, or “I’ll just have a bite of yours…”, you will live to regret it. I promise. Jonathon’s Chicken and Waffles is the best C&W in all the land. Mainly because their peppered gravy is the ish! You won’t want to share and even though it’s gigantic, you wont have any to take home.

Anther bruncher at our table took a gamble on the Kure. A heaping order of biscuits, scrambled eggs, bacon, gravy, and cheddar. Good, but t’was no C&W. Same goes for the Breakfast Tacos – eh. 
 
The only thing that made for an unpleasant experience at Jonathon’s was the swarm of flies that arrive as soon as your food is set on your table. Every time I have gone to Jonathon’s and eaten outside this has been a problem, so just know ahead of time – you’ll be getting an arm work out with all the swatting you’ll be doing whilst eating your C&W, which I guess, might not be a bad thing…

The Crowd: Get’s hopping around 11:00am – come earlier than that and you’ll be safe. Jonathon’s
opens as early as 8am.
 
Dress to Impress: Just wear your best stretchy pants and a loose top. You don’t want to feel confined while dominating your waffles!
 
Best Bite of the day: Chicken and Waffles – most def!

Worst Thing About Jonathon’s: The Lord of the Flies

Best Thing About Jonathon’s: Cool vibe, great Bloody Mary bar and deliciously oversized entrees.

Sundays in May were meant for brunching, and so were we.  On this particular Sunday we traveled into uncharted territory to explore what the Bishop Arts District had to offer.  With so many enticing options it can be hard to decide on just one dining destination, but we followed our gut and landed at a charming little restaurant called Oddfellows. The only thing strange about Oddfellows is that we hadn’t been here sooner. 

Strolling inside this hip eatery we were greeted by a hostess that took our name and cell phone number down on an iPad to text us when our table was ready. Oh you fancy huh?

We scored a coveted outdoor table in the shade, with plenty of fans pointed our way to keep it breezy. The only catch to our prime seating was that their picnic tables are community style seating which means sharing your table with other people. Going against everything that your mother has ever taught you, in this setting it is highly encouraged that you talk to strangers. Our tablemate, however, wanted nothing to do with us. Obviously he didn’t realize he was sitting next to the one and only Dallas Brunch Club bloggers – poor schmuck!  

After all this adventuring into the unknown, we decided to order up something familiar, a bloody mary and a mimosa, naturally. The bloody mary, arriving in a darling little mason jar with garnishes a plenty, had a delightful flavor with just the right amount of kick to it. The mimosa was just average. 

After a little friendly banter with our waiter (shout out to our boy Slaughter) and a lot of cold shoulder from our neighbor, we placed our orders.  The Duck Chilaquiles was absolutely fabulous and two gold stars for you if your waiter applauds your pronunciation of this dish, not to brag or anything! This dish includes duck confit covered in spicy ranchero sauce over a bed of black bean corn relish and tortilla strips topped with a fried egg. Boom-shacka-lacka! 

We also tried the Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Skillet, which was pretty amazing itself served up in a miniature black skillet of salmon, egg, goat cheese and avocado scramble goodness with tortillas on the side for some DIY taco construction. 

We also ordered one Red Velvet Pancake to share, because well…why the hell not? It came topped with a cream cheese icing and deliciously sweet syrup, a happy ending to our splendid little adventure. 

The Crowd: Expect a steady crowd of cool cat Bishop Arts brunchers throughout the day. We got there around 1:30 and there was a very short wait, but by 2:00 the wait was going strong again.

Dress to Impress: Summer’s-Coming-Chic. Ladies donned their best sundresses and the gents kept it casual. 

Sounds Like: Florence + The Machine sitting at a communal table with Imagine Dragon.

Best Bite of the Day: For the first time ever, I cannot choose just one. I’m sorry. It just can’t be done.  All of my bites were pure bliss. 

Worst Thing About Oddfellows: Sharing your table with a dud.  

Best Thing About Oddfellows: It’s location, food, charm and great wait-staff. We left here saying that we would definitely be returning soon! 

Make sure to squeeze in a few more patio brunches before it gets hotter than Hades out there, Dallas! See you soon! 

Check out Oddfellows online here
316 W. 7th Street | Dallas, TX 75208