Iconic Fort Worth restaurant closing doors with plans to relocate in 2022

One of Fort Worth’s most iconic restaurants is closing its original location and relocating.

Fred’s Texas Cafe will close its Currie Street location on Dec. 31 and reopen a new location at 7101 Camp Bowie in 2022. The new location will sit between Alta Mere Drive and Irene Street near a Golden Corral Buffet and a CVS.

The burger and beer landmark has been located at 915 Currie Street since 1978. It was previously known as Ken’s.

It has remained a family-owned and local through a partnership of long-time friends and co-owners Terry Chandler, the son of original owner JD and Gari Chandler’s son, and Quincy Wallace.

“The decision to move Fred’s is a hard one, but the right one if we want to keep making great food for great people,” Wallace said in a release. “I’m gonna miss going into that building every day like a lot of our loyal regulars.”

JD and Gari Chandler are retiring from the restaurant business and selling the building.

“What JD and Gari created is more than a building,” Wallace said. “It is a family of people who come in for a great meal surrounded by their neighbors and community. Fred’s has that foundation as part of its legacy. Terry, myself, and the entire Fred’s team want to thank them for their hard work and support throughout these years! They are the reason Fred’s is a success and has this great opportunity to expand. This isn’t a goodbye. Instead, it is an opportunity to bring what we’ve created together to new people across Fort Worth.”

The new West Fort Worth location is expected to open in early spring 2022 with an extended patio, bigger indoor dining space, and event stage.

The owners plan to bring signature design elements and some of the decor from the original location, including booths, the hallmark truck outside, and a “few elements from the grill to ensure the flavor of Fred’s isn’t lost.”

The new location will include an extended covered outdoor patio equipped with garage doors that can be opened or closed depending on the weather.

Fred’s opened a second location at 2730 Western Center in 2011. A third location was briefly opened on Bluebonnet Circle near TCU in 2013 but closed in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.