Olaf Growald
Fort Worth’s favorite chef (and by that, we mean there’s a consensus he’s undeniably the most well-liked) Jon Bonnell is resurrecting the once-famed Jon’s Grille and bringing the popular TCU hangout back.
Though he shares the first name of the original restaurant’s namesake, founder and owner Jon Meyerson, Bonnell had few ties to the original restaurant. Jon’s Grille first opened its doors in 1989 on University Drive, a spot now occupied by Dutch’s Hamburgers, and was a popular spot for local students until Meyerson was found dead in his home in 2001 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Bonnell, who already has a presence on University Drive with Buffalo Bros, will open the new restaurant sometime in 2022 at 2905 West Berry St., the vacant stone- and wood-clad building next to Topper’s Pizza.
According to What Now Dallas, Bonnell says his inspiration for re-opening Jon’s Grille stems from his desire to honor Meyerson, who he called a dear friend. “He passed away not long after I opened my first restaurant in 2001,” Bonnell says. “I’ve always wanted to do a burger restaurant with a special nod to my old friend who knew how to grill up a killer burger and how to spell his first name correctly.”
While the two concepts share a name and an affinity for burgers, Bonnell says patrons can expect a few changes from the original Jon’s Grille. “Yes, we are going to focus on burgers, but we will also bring brisket and some BBQ elements into play at the new Jon’s Grille.”
While it’ll be a few months before Bonnell’s latest creation opens its doors, you still give them an early follow on Instagram at @jonsgrille.
