Tim Love Opens Hometown Steakhouse

Queenie's Steakhouse named after Love's mother

Well-known North Texas chef Tim Love is the latest restaurateurs to bring his flavor to downtown Denton.

Queenie's Steakhouse opened on East Hickory Street, just off the Courthouse Square, on Thursday night.

"If you know me at all, you know I like to cook meat," said Love, adding that he also has a special place in his heart for Denton.

Love and his six older brothers and sisters were single-handedly raised by his mother in Denton.

"I've always wanted to have a really nice restaurant in Denton," he said.

He opened a temporary restaurant in town for several months while making final preparations for Queenie's.

The modern steakhouse features several cuts of meat, along with a long list of dishes he's bringing to the table for the first time.

"The idea, just like with any other restaurant, is to give people what they want and then get them to be adventurous and try something they may have never tried," he said.

City leaders say he's come to the right place, saying Denton is fast growing into a destination for unique flavors.

"Just in the last few days, we're about to open four new restaurants right in this area," said Julie Glover from Denton Economic Development. "We're the seventh-fastest growing city of 100,000 or more in the U.S. right now, and we've been in that top 10 for a while."

The growth has spurred a lot of one-of-a-kind restaurants in town, especially near the downtown, she said.

Several spots have even gained national recognition for what they bring to the table.

Rooster's Roadhouse, which has been open since 2008, has been featured on the Food Network multiple times and on PBS.

"Those two things alone noticed an uptick in business almost instantly," manager Mike Wing said.

Wing said that several other restaurants in town have gotten similar national attention, but the biggest boost has come from the Denton County Transportation Authority's A-Train.

The train's arrival into downtown Denton was a turning point that brought business and new options left and right, he said.

"Just in the last two years, it's gone crazy ever since the trains came in," Wing said. "There's a lot more to choose from. Most all of it down in this area is all kind of mom-and-pop, non-corporate, which everyone down here really likes."

Sena Horn said she finds a lot of places that can't necessarily be found in other towns.

"I love it all," said Richie Brewster while eating a burger at Rooster's. "Denton's got a great place for food, and I like food. They've got a lot of great choices for me."

Love said it is part of why he chose to bring his dishes home.

"Denton is ready," he said. "This is a restaurant that's built for Denton, Texas. It's not something we want to take all over the country; it's something we want Denton to call home."

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