Sundown at Granada is celebrating four years in business next to the iconic Granada Theatre on Lower Greenville in Dallas. It is a wonderful addition to the offerings along Lower Greenville and a great stop for dinner before a show next door. That’s what owners Mike Schoder and Julia Garton had in mind, and that’s exactly what we did on a recent Friday evening.

The restaurant bills itself as a neighborhood beer garden with more than 60 beers to choose from and a menu featuring farm to table offerings. It has the biggest patio on Lower Greenville and a well-stocked bar with bartenders who know their way around craft cocktails. We were impressed with the friendly, knowledgeable staff.

We were also impressed by the comfortable space.

An outside patio was filled with happy diners, while an inviting seating area inside covered a small stage where a band would play later. Another patio upstairs features a bar, a large movie screen and a variety of tables and conversations areas.

We perused the extensive menu as we savored a refreshing Ginger Collins.

Sundown’s menu is organized in categories ranging from Vegan and Vegetarian to Headliners, Encores and Late Night offerings. We ordered a couple of appetizers and were treated with a visual delight when they were dished up.

The stuffed avocado with endive was simply beautiful and prepared three different ways. The Southwest version featured feta, tomato, black bean and sweet corn; the Italian version contained sundried tomato, toasted almonds, basil and shaved parmesan; and the Waldorf had free-range grilled chicken, candied nuts and dried cranberry. Delicious!

Our second dish was the “Hammered Goat” from the “beyond flatbreads” portion of the menu. That is no empty boast….this dish was one of the best flatbreads I have ever tasted. “Drunken” mushrooms, goat cheese, zip code honey, white truffle oil, mozzarella and microgreens. Simply delicious!

Owner Julia Garton stopped by our table as we were finishing up the last of our appetizers. She said she and her partner Mike Schoder dish up what they like to eat: good, fresh food that is impeccably prepared. They certainly have succeeded. The generous appetizers were so filling, we decided we did not need an entrée, but we look forward to a return trip to sample other menu offerings. We also planned on stopping back by later on in the evening after the show next door.

Schoder and Garton also own the Granada Theatre. Schoder books all the acts and his eclectic choices draw fans from all over the Dallas/Fort Worth area and beyond. Their love of music is also evident at Sundown.

We stopped back in about 11:00 p.m., just as the band was getting cranked up. We headed upstairs for a nightcap and reflected on a wonderful evening on Lower Greenville. You can’t beat an awesome meal at Sundown at Granada, followed by some wonderful music at one of the best venues in North Texas. We look forward to a return trip.

By Lydia Saldaña