Arlington's restaurants sit in three areas: the Entertainment District around AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field, downtown near UT Arlington about 2.5 to 3 miles south, and the East Lamar Boulevard corridor on the district's north edge. Book ahead on game nights, check Sunday hours and read dress codes. Mercury Chophouse is on the ninth floor at 2221 E Lamar.
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Three parts of town, and how they eat
Arlington is a big city laid out for driving, and for a visitor the restaurants that matter fall into three zones. Knowing which one you are in explains the traffic, the noise and the parking before you ever open a menu.
| Area | What it is | When it works |
|---|---|---|
| Entertainment District core | AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field, Choctaw Stadium, Texas Live!, the convention center and the Loews hotels, all within about a mile of each other | Event nights when you are already there; expect stadium parking, crowds and noise |
| Downtown Arlington | UT Arlington, College Park Center and the older city center, about 2.5 to 3 miles south of the district | Quieter evenings, campus events, a non-game weeknight |
| East Lamar Boulevard | Office towers and hotels along the district’s north edge, off the stadium lots; Highway 360 is about a mile east | A sit-down dinner before or after an event without driving through the stadium core |
Mercury Chophouse is in the third zone, on the ninth floor of the Brookhollow Two tower. Globe Life Field is about 1 mile south, AT&T Stadium about 1.5 miles. The district steakhouse page covers that geography in more detail, and there is a separate page on the drive from downtown.
Game nights and concert nights change the rules
The district draws more than 15 million visitors a year, and most of them arrive in the same three hours. Cowboys home games fall mostly on Sundays, with a few Thursday, Monday and Saturday dates. The Rangers play 81 home dates, mostly evenings, with weeknight first pitches around 7 PM. Both stadiums host major concerts.
On those nights, three things happen. Reservations at any real restaurant in or near the district go early, so book the day you buy the tickets. The drive that takes 4 minutes on a Tuesday takes 20, and I-30 and Highway 360 back up in both directions. And parking inside the core becomes stadium parking, priced and managed as such. If you plan to eat near the district on an event night, choose a restaurant you can reach from Lamar or from 360 rather than one you have to reach through the stadium lots, and allow an extra half hour for the trip back to your hotel.
Sundays, hours and reservations
Check Sunday hours before you plan a Sunday meal. Not every restaurant in Arlington serves Sunday, and Mercury Chophouse is closed that day. The rest of the week here runs 11 AM to 9 PM Monday through Thursday, 11 AM to 10 PM Friday, and 4 PM to 10 PM Saturday, dinner only. Weekday lunch starts at 11 AM.
For reservations, most Arlington restaurants that take them use OpenTable or a phone line, and Mercury uses both: the OpenTable widget on this site, or 817-381-1157. Friday and Saturday nights fill first, then game and concert nights. A party of 6 or more should expect a 20% gratuity added at a fine-dining room like ours, and a party of 12 or more here receives one check rather than split checks. If you are planning a group, read the large party policy first.
What to wear
Arlington is a stadium town, and jerseys and caps are normal on the street. Inside the nicer dining rooms, dress codes apply and are enforced. Mercury’s is business casual. For men: long pants or unripped jeans, a collared shirt, a sports coat if you like. Graphic T-shirts, baseball caps, beanies, hoodies, sweatpants and athletic wear are not permitted, and flip-flops and slides are too casual. For women: stylish separates or a dress, jeans without rips are fine, and yoga pants, loungewear and flip-flops are not. A cowboy hat is welcome at the door and comes off at the table. Jacket and tie are never required.
The practical advice for a first-timer: pack one outfit that would pass at a downtown office and wear it to dinner. The full list is on the dress code answer page.
Where Mercury Chophouse and Hearsay fit
Two of the district’s restaurants are owned by the same Arlington local, Jim Ross, a former Arlington police officer who founded the Jim Ross Law Group here. They are built for different nights.
Mercury Chophouse – Arlington is the steak night. It occupies the top floor of an office tower on E Lamar with a curved wall of floor-to-ceiling windows over the district, white tablecloths, leather chairs, crystal chandeliers, a marble bar with TVs and a grand piano by the windows played on select evenings. The menu runs from a 6 oz Center-Cut Filet Mignon at $62 to a 27 oz Wagyu Long Bone Ribeye at $210, with a private Boardroom for 8 to 20.
Hearsay – Arlington is the seafood night. It sits inside Choctaw Stadium, about 0.7 mile from Mercury, with a Prohibition-era feel and a menu built around fine seafood. If you have two dinners in Arlington, the honest recommendation is one at each. The sister restaurant page explains the pairing.
A first visit, planned
Arrive on a Friday if you can. Check into a hotel in the district, then drive or ride about a mile north to Lamar for dinner at the window before the sun goes down; parking at the tower is free. Saturday, see the stadiums, Six Flags or the National Medal of Honor Museum by day and eat in the core that night, where the crowd is the point. If Sunday is a game day, remember that the ninth floor is closed and plan a Sunday meal elsewhere in advance rather than at 6 PM in stadium traffic. Parking details for the tower are on the parking page.
Book a Table
Reserve on the ninth floor at Mercury Chophouse – Arlington. Choose a date and time below, or call 817-381-1157.
Reserve on OpenTable Request a Private Event
Open Monday to Thursday 11 AM to 9 PM, Friday 11 AM to 10 PM, Saturday 4 PM to 10 PM. Closed Sunday. 2221 E Lamar Blvd, Suite 910, Arlington, TX 76006.
Frequently asked questions
How far apart are the Entertainment District and downtown Arlington?
About 2.5 to 3 miles, an 8 to 10 minute drive outside event traffic. The district sits along I-30 in the north-central part of the city; downtown and UT Arlington are south of it. On a game night the same drive can take twice as long, so plan which zone you are eating in before you leave.
Do I need a car to get to Arlington restaurants?
Most visitors drive or use rideshare. The district's venues and hotels are spread over about a mile, and restaurants on Lamar Boulevard or downtown are farther. Mercury Chophouse has a garage and an outdoor lot at its office tower, both free, so driving is straightforward.
Which Arlington restaurants are closed on Sunday?
Hours vary by restaurant, so check each one directly. Mercury Chophouse is closed every Sunday, including holiday weekends and Cowboys home Sundays. Its sister restaurant, Hearsay – Arlington inside Choctaw Stadium, keeps its own schedule; call ahead rather than assume.
Are Arlington restaurants busy when there is no game?
Friday and Saturday nights are busy in the district regardless of the schedule, because the hotels, Texas Live! and the parks fill on weekends. Weeknights without a game are the quietest time to get a window table on short notice. Concert dates behave like game dates.
Can I get a proper lunch in the district on a weekday?
Yes. Mercury Chophouse serves a lunch menu Monday through Friday from 11 AM, with sandwiches from $14, a Chicken Fried Steak at $24 and a 6 oz filet at $54. Saturday is dinner only from 4 PM. Other district restaurants set their own lunch hours.