Tex-Mex cloning incident in Snider Plaza
By Brooklyn Rodgers | January 12, 2026 | 9:59 PM
Disclaimer #1: I am a disgruntled former Vandelay corporate employee. I worked on their marketing team for less than two months in November and December of 2021 before being laid off, a story probably more interesting than this post.
Disclaimer #2: I really wanted to force the phrase Vandelay Evil Empire into the Google keyword database, and this deeply personal blog with eleven subscribers felt like the best place to try.
Disclaimer #3: When I say “Vandelay Evil Empire,” I don’t mean cartoon villainy. I mean the uniquely modern kind of corporate evil: a company so large, safe, and risk-averse that it quietly drains the soul out of whatever lane it enters. The menus are engineered not to offend. The concepts are polished not to surprise. And from the outside, it can feel like the same handful of people get to decide what Dallas dining looks like- without ever really being of the city. That disconnect is what people don’t talk about. It’s not a scandal; it’s a culture.
The loose premise here is simple: I finally tried El Molino, Vandelay’s newest and first-ever Tex-Mex concept. They’ve done everything from sushi to steak to sliders, but never Tex-Mex- my favorite cuisine on planet Earth.
For reference, Vandelay Hospitality Group currently operates:
- Hudson House
- Drake’s
- DL Mack’s
- Brentwood
- Anchor Sushi Bar
- Jack & Harry’s
- Slider and Blues
- Le Bistrot Bar Sardine
- East Hampton Sandwich Co.
- El Molino
- Tei An (acquired 2025)
- Ten Ramen (acquired 2025)
If you’ve ever visited Snider Plaza in Dallas, you’ve stood in the Vandelay Evil Empire’s headquarters. Not only are their corporate offices there, but so are five of their concepts: East Hampton, Jack & Harry’s, El Molino, Bar Sardine beneath the offices, and DL Mack’s just around the corner.
Nothing about that is inherently sinister, but it still somehow feels that way.
I went to El Molino because I heard someone call it a Las Palmas dupe, which is hilarious. Vandelay is notorious for cloning restaurants, and Las Palmas belongs to the Heidari brothers, Pasha and Sina, who also run Bowen House, St. Martin’s Wine Bistro, Mike’s Gemini Twin Lounge, and Urbano Cafe.
Las Palmas is sacred to me. It is my birthday restaurant. My post-marathon celebration lunch spot. It is flawless: from the interiors to the branding to the ambience to the drinks. Dining there feels immersive, not transactional, which is increasingly rare.
So is El Molino a Las Palmas dupe?
Not even close.
The space used to be Douglas Bar & Grill, a BBQ spot that closed in 2024, its owners citing a lack of parking in Snider Plaza. Vandelay completely gutted it. I didn’t even put it together that I was sitting in the same bar I’d eaten at many times before until I was halfway through my margarita.
Vandelay doesn’t skimp on interiors- but the cohesion, and dare I say the soul, is missing. The pricing, decor, and service all suggest upscale Tex-Mex. The atmosphere and food absolutely do not deliver.
And yet, El Molino is packed on a Monday night when I visit. I always forget the loyalty of Highland Park and University Park. A restaurant in their neighborhood doesn’t have to be good- it just has to be a hot spot. The bar went from empty to territorial disputes within minutes.
My margarita was strong and enjoyable. The playlist, however, felt like Señor Frog’s at the Cancún airport. If you know, I’m sorry.
I ordered the chicken fajitas, a dish I’ve been using lately as my Tex-Mex litmus test at places like Las Palmas and Muchacho, both of which execute them beautifully. My server said they’re “known for their wood-fired fajitas.” Known for three months, I guess.
They were bad.
The beans and rice were forgettable. The chicken was buried under seasoning salt and swimming in an oily mystery jus. But the real crime? Store-bought tortillas- undercooked.
If fajitas are your thing, why are you reheating grocery-store tortillas?
This reminded me of another Vandelay disappointment: Jack & Harry’s, “New Orleans inspired,” according to their website. When I went, I asked about the beignets- the same beignets they literally painted on the side of the building. The server told me they were never on the menu. Just painted on the building, I guess.
Vandelay may not be evil- but there are plenty of reasons people side-eye the brand beyond somehow dry and greasy chicken fajitas. And that’s coming from someone who is the target audience. I enjoy Hudson House, Anchor Sushi, and even Jack & Harry’s. But El Molino missed the mark for me.
Still, it will survive. Vandelay concepts always do. Their menus are safe, their execution familiar, their audience loyal. I’m certain I’m among the few critics, which only makes it more fun.
Final disclaimer: One visit does not make a legitimate food review. For complaints please contact the severely understaffed accounting department of this personal blog at brooklyn@brooklynindallas.com
Brooklyn in Dallas 