We get it — the Stock Show might have you licking your chops for some prime eats. And, thankfully, you don’t have to roam far to fill your gullet. From beef fajitas and funnel cakes to calf fries and cotton candy, these five main food vendors will satisfy even the hungriest of steer wrestlers.
Will Rogers Coliseum. Enjoy top-shelf treats like charbroiled rib-eyes and tenderloin tamales at the sit-down restaurant Reata, which overlooks the action on the floor (reservations recommended). Other vendors sell corn dogs, fajitas, nachos, and quesadillas.
Amon G. Carter Jr. Exhibits Hall. Stop by the food court for pizza, barbecue, burritos, and baby Bundt cakes. You’ll also find grilled cheese sandwiches here plus corn dogs, ice cream, and Mexican fruit cups—along with Reata’s second Stock Show location.
Cattle Barns. Nosh on burgers, barbecue, sandwiches, cinnamon rolls, and funnel cakes. Walk east to the Moncrief Building next door for fast-casual Mexican café La Espuela.
The Midway. Sate your carnie cravings with nachos, popcorn, funnel cakes, cotton candy, pizza, turkey legs, sausage on a stick, and corn dogs.
Dickies. Concessions are scattered around the main and upper concourses, from traditional arena fare (hot dogs, burgers, popcorn) to tasty barbecue, Tex-Mex, and Asian cuisine — and plenty more.
Grub Outside the Stock Show
If the Stock Show grub didn’t subside your feeding frenzy, be thankful you’re in the foodie-friendly town of Fort Worth.
Within walking distance: Taco Heads and the old-school diner Montgomery Street Café are both across University Avenue from Dickies.
Within a five-minute drive: Grab burgers at Rodeo Goat, pizza at Fireside Pies, and a little bit of everything at Mash’D and Social House. Mexican food abounds, from casual (Velvet Taco and Salsa Limon) to sit-down (Pappasito’s and La Familia) to fancy (Don Artemio). Also, across the way is Emilia’s at The Crescent and Bricks and Horses at the Bowie House.
Within a 10-minute drive: Check out South Main Street or Magnolia Avenue; both thoroughfares are lined with buzzed-about restaurants, coffee shops, and bars.
Within a five-minute drive: Head to the Stockyards to eat at standout restaurants like Atico (rooftop bar), 97 West (in the stylish Hotel Drover), Cooper’s BBQ (red checkered tablecloths), or Provender Hall (upscale comfort food).
Calf Fries: The Unofficial Official Food of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. The State Fair has its corny dog, and we have our calf fries.
Can you call yourself a real cowboy or cowgirl if you’ve never eaten calf fries? Well, you can—but you’re missing out on the Stock Show’s most iconic bite: deep-fried bull testicles. Whether you call them Rocky Mountain oysters, Texas taters, swingin’ sirloin, or simply delicious—chicken-fried cojones have a long history in the waste-not-want-not heritage of the West. Beefy and a bit like breaded venison, they have a tender texture that melts in your mouth. And, unlike the mystery meat at the core of the State Fair’s ubiquitous corny dog, the Stock Show’s calf fries make no effort to conceal what you’re devouring. And by golly, we eat them with pride — snickers be damned. So, gut up for gonads and get your meat(balls) merit badge with an order of calf fries and cream gravy.
You’ll find savory, sizzling hot sack stones at Reata’s two locations in the Stock Show, and out in the Stockyards at Cattleman’s and Riscky’s steakhouses.
Make the Most of the Midway
- With wild rides, deep-fried delights, and carnival games galore, the Midway is unabashed sensory overload. You won’t get out cheap — but you will have a blast. Here are a few tips to help:
- Make a loop first to check everything out before you decide what to ride, eat, and play.
- The Midway is 100% cashless. Hit the ticket booths or buy a reloadable Magic Money Wristband that includes 50 credits and admission to the FWSSR grounds.
- If launching your body up, down, and all-around on thrill rides gives you a headache (AKA you’re over 40), pop a couple of ibuprofens before you arrive.
- Is your heart set on winning a giant teddy bear? The balloon pop is the easiest game to conquer, and velocity is the key — throw the darts as hard as you can.
- For adrenaline junkies, the most heart-pounding rides are the Mega Drop, Big Kahuna, and The Beast — or go iconic with a whirl on the Giant Ferris Wheel.
- Satisfy carnival cravings with funnel cakes and giant corn dogs, but remember: The correct order of things is to ride then eat, not eat then ride.
- Kids in tow? Don’t miss the petting zoo, pony rides, and children’s barn with baby animals just west of the Midway.
- Foul weather will shut the Midway down (unlike many of the Stock Show’s indoor attractions), so keep an eye on the forecast.
- The Midway opens at 4 p.m. most weekdays, 10 a.m. on Saturdays, and noon on Sundays — but it’s most magical after dark with all the lights aglow. Closing time is 10 or 11 p.m.
