For many of us, a getaway from our daily jobs and routines requires a lot of planning and a bit of cash; especially if you are going to some place tropical. However, there’s a new eatery located in Fort Worth’s River East district that does all of the heavy lifting when it comes to vacation planning. It’s called the Tropic Lady, a sibling restaurant to the Near Southside’s Bearded Lady. This new restaurant-bar spin-off is the brainchild of Bearded Lady owner Shannon Osbakken, her business partner Sarah Allen, and general manager Amanda Yunger.
According to Yunger, The Tropic Lady is Fort Worth’s answer to a “staycation spot” that will allow its customers to take in the “vacation vibes” and ambience of this establishment located at 2719 Race Street. This former Fuzzy’s Tacos spot is now a quaint tropical paradise, that boasts a fresh menu that includes freshly crafted cocktails, mocktails, a sundry of beers, smash burgers, wraps, salads, and tacos.
The website reads, “take a sabbatical from your 9-5, sip on a fresh margarita, and enjoy life in our little oasis in the city.”
Yunger says this statement sums up what the vibe of the restaurant is in one sentence, given it’s taken nearly a year to get it up and running. Now, with its first official soft opening already underway, prep for the Tropic Lady’s April 20th grand opening is in full swing. For now, the Tropic Lady is only open on Thursdays and Fridays from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday’s from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. However, Yunger says these hours are subject to change post grand opening.
“Shannon (Osbakken) wanted to expand The Bearded Lady for a long time, but she never really found a place that was like this one,” Yunger says. “But definitely coming into this building, I think that what she saw was a cool space Fort Worth really hasn't seen before. It is a place you can come and unwind, have a good time, relax, and just kind of almost feel like you aren't right here.”
Inside of this new eatery’s pink pastel façade are paintings of tropical birds, colorful mountain ranges, and a boho chic meets beach vibe aesthetic anchored by checkerboard flooring. Outside of this new eatery is an outdoor patio that reaches around to the front entrance, which acts like a barrier to anything outside of it.
"I would say honestly, it was just kind of a collaboration of different things that Shannon (Osbakken) really has enjoyed … that she's kind of thought about and kept in her mind over her years of traveling. But honestly, I think these are just colors that we just all love every day in our life. And personally, I feel that the vibrant colors, they just bring people in so much and they're just fun and welcoming and it's like, ‘hey, let's have a good time and let's just enjoy where we're at,’” Yunger says.
Grace Coen
Some of the new menu highlights include plantain tacos, a jalapeno smoked cheddar sausage or vegan bratwurst, and a smash burger served either the classic way with beef or with a vegan patty. Yunger says the feedback on the plantain tacos have been very positive given the Tropic Lady served them at the Fort Worth Food + Wine Tacos and Tequilas event two weeks ago. This new dish is served with crispy plantains paired with a pineapple slaw, roasted and seasoned pepitas, pickled onions, cilantro, and a black bean mash, all topped with a vegan avocado cilantro crema.
“I think that we just want to make sure that the items that we make or create can be experienced by anyone whether they eat meat or not, or whether they are vegetarian or vegan or just kind of across the board,” Yunger says. “There are so many different options now with vegan things that are very tasty and that you can play around with a lot. So we kind of just wanted to see what we could do with it.”
