Introduction to Hendy’s on Henderson
A new East Dallas restaurant and bar with a “living room” vibe, Hendy’s on Henderson, is expected to open July 11, 2025. Gone is Sfuzzi, a pizza and wine bar. That same team of restaurateurs decided to rebrand the address with a neighborhood-friendly eatery that appeals to all ages. As in: Some will stop in for dinner and drinks, while a younger drinking crowd might mosey from nearby bars Lawnie’s or Spider Murphy’s, finding a lively late-night atmosphere at Hendy’s for cocktails and food.
The Menu at Hendy’s
Chef Peja Krstic, a partner in the project who owns Michelin Recommended restaurant Mot Hai Ba and new Oak Cliff bistro Pillar, created the menu at Hendy’s. As his involvement suggests, Hendy’s could be a dinner destination in East Dallas. You might start with House Rolls ($10), which partner Phil Schanbaum calls “pillows you could sleep on.” Entrees include a hot honey fried chicken sandwich ($17), steak frites ($35), a petite portion of lasagna ($22) and a double smashburger with fries ($15).
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Those looking for healthier dishes will find them in a pretty appetizer of roasted beets over labneh ($16) and a tuna and cucumber starter ($18) reminiscent of the flavors at Krstic’s Vietnamese restaurant Mot Hai Ba.
Cocktails and Drinks
Eat your carrots! The Roger Rabbit at Hendy’s on Henderson in East Dallas is made with carrot juice.
The cocktail menu includes colorful drinks — an orange one called Roger Rabbit with carrots, a purple Transfusion with grape juice, a yellow frosty bev with banana and coconut, and a neon green margarita with pickle juice and jalapeños. And I haven’t yet seen the Sour Patch Kid margarita. But don’t you want to? A “cafe” section of cocktails includes booze-infused espresso and matcha drinks. There are shots on the menu, too. You might think they’re geared toward younger drinkers, but —“Shots are back,” said partner Chris Carpenter. The restaurant will can its own seltzers behind the bar. They’re housemade “jam seltzers” — one with peach and raspberry jam and vodka, another with blackberry jam, orange juice and gin.
The Restaurant and Its Partners
Hendy’s on Henderson’s bar is a focal point in the restaurant.
Carpenter and another Hendy’s partner, Cote Bona, moved to Dallas together after opening Bottled Blonde bars all over the country. They’re purposefully leaving the club scene for bar-restaurants, and they partnered with Schanbaum and Brandon Hays, who operate High Fives across the street and the coming-soon cocktail lounge next to it, Boogie’s (formerly The Whippersnapper). “There’s a huge development going on here on this block,” Schanbaum said, referring to the hole on the other side of Henderson Avenue that is East Dallas’ next big commercial real estate project. “We want to make sure this restaurant matched the neighborhood.”
The Ambiance and Design
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