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Al Biernat, Who Helped Foster the Dallas Steakhouse Scene, Has Died

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Al Biernat, Who Helped Foster the Dallas Steakhouse Scene, Has Died


Restaurateur Al Biernat passed away on Wednesday, November 13, after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. He was 69 years old.

Biernat started his career in hospitality at 18 in Aspen, working as a bartender. He moved around as a young man, living in New York, Los Angeles, and Houston — and in the latter, he helped open the Palm. He moved from Houston to L.A. to work at the legendary location of the Palm there, known as a hotbed of industry insider dinners for movies, music, and entertainment. Eventually, the Palm brought Biernet to Dallas, where he opened the now-defunct restaurant and was general manager of all its locations in the city.

In 1998, when Biernat was in his 40s, he opened Al Biernat’s in Oak Lawn — his own steakhouse. It was like unlocking the floodgates of steak. It may be difficult to imagine, but Dallas was not always a town known for its steakhouses, and Al Biernat’s, along with the openings of Nick & Sam’s, Pappa’s Brothers, and III Forks, helped usher in an era where that reputation was made.

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For decades, Biernat was one of the leading figures in hospitality. In 2009, D magazine wrote, “Al Biernat is known as one of, if not the very best, hosts in the restaurant biz. His passion for pleasing and damn near photographic memory when it comes to remembering guests’ names spans over two decades, has become legendary and sets the bar for other front of the house guys on the local fine dining scene.”

In 2011, then-general manager Brad Fuller told NBC DFW, Biernat is “the host of all hosts. He’s the nicest, most friendly guy. He’ll remember your name or what table you like, what you had last time you were in, whether that was last week or a year ago.”

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A man in a suit with white hair smiles, facing the camera, in a black and white photo.

Al Biernat, photographed in 2023.
Al Biernat’s

Numerous celebrities have stopped into Al Biernat’s over the years, including Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, every significant Dallas sports figure, and former president George W. Bush. Then there was the 2011 Super Bowl in Dallas when Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz, Demi Moore, and Jerry Jones all dined there.

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The restaurant opened a second location in North Dallas in 2017.

The exterior of a restaurant at night with a brightly lit sign that reads “Al Biernat’s North.”

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Al Biernat’s

Biernat was diagnosed with ALS earlier in 2024 and had a series of conversations with the Dallas Morning News about his life.

Biernat is survived by his wife, Jeannie, and his children Angelica Saylor, Kaitlin Biernat Connell, and Jess Biernat, along with his grandchildren. Biernat’s family would like to receive messages, stories, and photos from friends and customers. Send them via email to FriendofAl@albiernats.com or mail them to Al Biernat’s Personal at 4217 Oak Lawn Ave., Dallas, Texas, 75219.

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Our Least Favorite Dallas Cowboys 2026 NFL Draft Pick

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Our Least Favorite Dallas Cowboys 2026 NFL Draft Pick


It’s hard to find much fault at all with the Dallas Cowboys draft class this season.

Dallas shored up three of their biggest holes on defense by selecting safety Caleb Downs, EDGE Malachi Lawrence, and linebacker Jaishawn Barham with their first three picks. They also added another linebacker, bringing in veteran Dee Winters in exchange for a fifth-round pick.

We already dove into which selection was our favorite from the class, which was an easy decision. Downs checks every box and has been called a perfect fit for new defensive coordinator Christian Parker.

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Least favorite pick has nothing to do with talent

Choosing Downs was easy when it came to a favorite pick, but deciding on which one is the least favorite is far more difficult. Dallas maximized value and filled needs at every position, but if there was one pick that had question marks, it was Devin Moore, the Florida cornerback who was taken at No. 114 in Round 4.

To be upfront, there’s nothing to dislike about Moore as a player. He’s a talented boundary cornerback and he proved himself against some of the elite players in the SEC. The only true concern is his injury history.

While Moore played in 11 games this past season, he never suited up for more than seven in his three previous campaigns. He missed roughly 20 games due to injuries, with shoulder issues ending his 2022 and 2024 campaigns early. Prior to the draft, Dane Brugler said Moore’s injury history is a “major red flag.”

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Devin Moore could prove the doubters wrong

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Devin Moore goes through a drill during practice at the Ford Center. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images
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Despite the red flags, Brugler saw a player with “rare height and body length,” making him someone to keep an eye on.

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The Cowboys decided it was worth the roll of the dice, but it’s not an easy gamble to make. Dallas saw multiple cornerbacks battle injuries in 2025, including DaRon Bland. They were unable to turn to 2025 third-round pick Shavon Revel Jr. as he was rehabbing a torn ACL.

That’s what makes this the “least favorite” selection, even though Moore has the talent to make the pick look brilliant.

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Cowboys have shaky history when gambling on injury concerns

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. celebrates after a play during the first half against the Minnesota Vikings. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Of course, it’s going to be hard to sell fans on a player with so many injuries in the past.

Dallas hasn’t had a great track record when gambling in this department. They’re still waiting on Revel, but have also struck out with their own players.

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In 2022, Michael Gallup signed a five-year, $62.5 million extension while recovering from a torn ACL. He was never the same player, and was released following the 2023 season.

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They also bet on Terence Steele following a torn ACL suffered in 2022. He signed a new deal ahead of the 2023 season, landing a five-year, $86.8 million extension. While Steele has had more success than Gallup, he hasn’t lived up to that contract and has struggled to regain the form he had before the knee injury.

The good news with Moore is that it’s not a knee issue, and he isn’t on a massive contract. Still, there’s some risk here and it’s at a position where they need less risk.

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FIFA Fan Fest is coming and parking prices may surprise you

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FIFA Fan Fest is coming and parking prices may surprise you


FIFA World Cup 2026 is about a month away and the FIFA Fan Festival at Fair Park is expected to be one of the biggest draws for soccer fans coming to Dallas from around the globe.

The event features live match broadcasts, concerts and other events from June 11 to July 19. With crowds expected throughout the monthlong celebration, parking on private property around Fair Park could reach prices unlike what many visitors have seen before.

Nathan Jones, a South Dallas homeowner licensed by the city, offers 10 parking spots in his backyard.

He said the price depends on the special event happening at Fair Park. For the State Fair of Texas, Jones said he can charge about $30. For Texas-OU weekend, he can charge up to $100. Jones said he expects to charge up to $250 per spot during FIFA Fan Fest.

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“Since it’s a month-long, that’s a month worth of parking versus us having to wait until the weekend to make our money,” Jones said. “We can make money throughout the week, so hopefully we can capitalize.”

The city of Dallas is allowing private property owners in the Fair Park designated parking area to apply for a $100 license and charge motorists up to 150% of that fee. That means the maximum parking price would top out at $250 per vehicle.

Zach Thompson, who owns Southside Parking, said the setup can benefit both the city and South Dallas property owners.

“We provide a safer parking opportunity than what you find a lot of times inside Fair Park,” Thompson said. “We stay with the vehicles, we monitor them, we make sure that there is no issue.”

Thompson said visitors should make sure they are parking in a permitted lot.

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“Let me be real clear … they gotta be careful, if you try to park on the street or take you on the back streets,” Thompson said. “They’re not permitted. Only the permitted parking lots are in the Fair Park grounds.”

FIFA parking license holders must apply by June 3 and pay the $100 license fee.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.



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Police say a crash led to an attempted carjacking and a fatal shooting in Garland

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Police say a crash led to an attempted carjacking and a fatal shooting in Garland


A man was shot and killed while attempting to carjack another driver outside a Garland convenience store on Sunday afternoon.

Garland Police said officers were called to a crash near Highway 66 and Dairy Road at about 3:30 p.m.

When they arrived, they learned the driver of a green car had collided with two other vehicles on the road and then all of the drivers involved stopped at a gas station on the corner. That’s where police said the driver of the green car attempted to take several other vehicles in the gas station parking lot by force.

The man was seen checking car handles and managed to get inside one car, but was unable to drive away.

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“Those attempts were unsuccessful,” police said.

The man then crossed Dairy Road and went to a convenience store parking lot. As a man in a Chevrolet Impala pulled into the parking lot, police said the driver involved in the crash confronted him as soon as he stopped and started to get out of the vehicle.

Police said the man’s family was in the Impala, including two adult women and five children.

There was a struggle between the two men and police said the driver of the Impala pulled out a gun and shot the other man at least once.

The injured man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died. His identity will be released once his family has been notified of his death.

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No other injuries were reported.

Police said the driver of the Impala remained at the scene and has been cooperative with investigators. No charges have been filed.

The investigation remains ongoing.



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