Lower Greenville is on a comeback tour, and newly opened Truck Yard has become the neighborhood’s new headliner. Although it’s only been open two weeks, the buzz was growing, so I had to go try it out for myself. Truck Yard, which I heard described multiple times as Katy Trail Ice House‘s hipster brother, is an indoor/outdoor bar filled with old car parts converted to seating, food trucks serving everything from grilled cheeses to Korean tacos, plus a tree house bar.
Wondering where to sit or what to drink when you go? I checked out the scene, the drinks, and the ice cream (more on that later) to help you out.
The atmosphere: The brain behind Truck Yard (Jason Boso from Twisted Root) really took the theme and ran with it. There’s an airstream trailer that has been converted into a bar, mattress spring light fixtures, and a selection of mismatched front porch chairs to give this place an eclectic feel. On the weekends, there’s live music, and the covered bar has sports on TV.
The crowd: Truck Yard is both four- and two-legged child friendly, so you’ll encounter a strange mix of folks among both weekday and weekend crowds. On Friday night, our photographer showed up to snap pictures and discovered a 35-minute wait at the door. Another coworker, D’s interactive designer, was lucky enough to already be inside but calls the sea of patrons she experienced “overwhelmingly crowded” and made up of a “surprisingly large amount of the Uptown crowd.” She found a 15-minute wait to get a sandwich from the inside restaurant, and her friends stood in line for 30 minutes to get a beer. Sunday’s crowd was sparser, more laid-back and sporting ensembles that included man-tails (men with pony tails), a questionable mullet or two, and loads of rockabilly style. There was even some exotic wildlife on site—a pair of parrots—though I’m not sure if they were exactly welcome.
Where to sit: On a beautiful day this place is packed, so grab a seat wherever you can. Don’t be shy; you may end up sharing a truck bed-cum-booth with total strangers. Because the adults-only tree house was packed, I soaked up some Vitamin D in a rocking chair on the porch, which was a perfect spot for people- and puppy-watching.
What to drink: I selected two drinks from the “craftdraft cocktail” list and they were under six dollars. The Twisted Mule was fine, but not the best Moscow Mule spinoff I’ve ever had. There was just the right amount of ginger, but a little bit too much lemon for my taste. The Twisted Margarita was better. It had a fresh taste, and though there was no salt on the rim, you could taste it in the drink. These are definitely a good bang for your buck and fairly potent.
The fare: Here’s where Truck Yard gets its name: the spot hosts a rotation of three food trucks daily. (You can find the schedule on their website.) If you plan to eat from the trucks, get there early, because they run out of food quickly. If food trucks aren’t tickling your fancy, the Truck Yard’s kitchen is also cooking custom cheese steaks every day. Need to satiate your sweet tooth? Dallas-based Carnival Barker’s Ice Creams has a boutique ice cream shop by the entrance. I tried the coconut chocolate chip and had no complaints (except for maybe that I didn’t get a big enough size).
What to wear: Go casual. Ladies: if you wear heels, you will either feel silly because nobody else in the place is or break an ankle in the gravel. Guys: wearing a t-shirt is just fine. You’re welcome.
The service: It took a while for my crew to get noticed, but our waitress was great once we got the ball rolling. Plus, I loved her rockabilly ‘do (big bangs, purple streak, and all). It fit perfectly with Truck Yard’s oddball sensibilities.
The verdict: If your social routine needs shaking up, head over. The crowd’s a refreshing mixture, making it the perfect place to people watch while you sip on a Twisted Margarita, or, for that price, three.
