Pete Freedman
Exclusive: Tallywackers Is Real, Aims To Bring Male Server Breastaurant Response To Dallas By May.
It's not just a Facebook page and it's certainly not a joke: Tallywackers, the new Dallas restaurant concept that aims to flip the unflinching spread of Hooters-led breastaurant concepts on its head by employing scantily clad male servers instead of female ones, is Says Lackey, the restaurant (meatery?), which is located at 4218 Lemmon Avenue in the old Lolita's Mexican Cuisine home, hopes to be open by the end of May.
“Our main goal with Tallywackers is to create a fun and entertaining environment for anyone to enjoy,” Lackey says over the phone this morning. “That said, we understand that there will be some people who are uncomfortable here, just as there are women who are uncomfortable at Hooters.”
If it sounds like he's speculating, it's because he largely is, to be frank: Much of Tallywackers — from the menu to its wait staff to the still-being-sought liquor license, which Lackey says is the one thing most likely to delay the planned May opening — is up in the air at this point.
Lackey is able, however, to confirm a few other details.
For one, he confirms that the wait staff will be comprised of male servers, and says that the photos he took and posted to Tallywackers' Facebook page represent the kinds of servers that are being sought by his employers, who he says are asking to not be named at this time.
Lackey also says that the restaurant will feature live entertainment on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. He's quick, too, to emphasize the “live” aspect of it all, saying that there will be no drag or lip-syncing performers involved. Instead, he describes the shows as “cabaret-like” and “very varied,” at least according to plans.
As far as the menu is concerned, Lackey confirms that hot dogs will indeed be among the menu's featured items, including some “specialty hot dogs that are rather large,” which he offers with a laugh. He warns, though, that hot dogs will not be the restaurant's “main commodity.”
Finally, while Lackey confirms that Tallywackers will be gay-owned and -operated — not to mention located within Dallas' so-called “gayborhood” area of Oak Lawn — the restaurant hopes to reach beyond the local LGBT community with its offerings
“It's not gonna be your average gay establishment,” Lackey says. “We're targeting the LGBT community some, but we're not limiting our audience to that. Clearly, we're aiming for women, too.”
