FAR OUT hospitality concepts run Fort Worth food scene
When it comes to dining out on a Saturday night in south Fort Worth, options range from seafood and sushi to classic Tex-Mex, French cuisine and Americana.
But some people might be surprised to know that distinct restaurants like Tavern, Pacific Table and Maria’s Mexican Kitchen are all under the same brand: FAR OUT Hospitality. The concept restaurant group founded by Felipe Armenta has roots in San Angelo, but North Texas is where it’s made its mark.
The restaurants offer an experience that goes beyond food, according to its leadership team. They aren’t a chain offering the same food at each location. Instead, the concepts are meant to fit within their neighborhoods. Location helps drive prices, ambiance and decor.
Each restaurant offers a different vibe to create different experiences for their guests. In the same light, each location attracts a different range of guests, according to Scott Barrick, a businessman in Fort Worth.
As a frequent guest of FAR OUT restaurants, Barrick described that the customers vary depending on the time of year, specifically during rodeo season. He said a lot of visitors want to try upscale restaurants, which crowds the majority of the FAR OUT locations during that time.
Barrick said Tavern, Le Margot and Pacific Table bring different people into each. Still, one restaurant is just as attractive as the other. Each location hosts Barrick and his clients and associates on a regular basis.
Le Margot on South Hulen Street in Fort Worth, Texas. (Katelin Somers)
Le Margot on South Hulen Street in Fort Worth, Texas. (Katelin Somers)
EARLY STAGES
Ryan Kavanaugh, the company vice president, said Armenta didn’t set out to create 16 restaurants. Instead, he had a vision for what a restaurant should look like.
Armenta grew up in San Angelo. He and his partners at the time brought that vision to life with The Grill, which has an eclectic menu of Southwestern cuisine. .
During visits with family in Fort Worth, he saw potential in the South Hulen Street bar, Snookies. When it closed, he jumped at the opportunity to open another restaurant. The budget was tight.
Armenta worked as the chef and front of house manager, establishing relationships with customers who dine at the FAR OUT locations multiple times a day.
Kavanaugh, who started with FAR OUT in November 2020, met Armenta in 2002 in Houston where they worked for what is now Hillstone Restaurant Group. The pair later grew their professions when they ran the Hillstones in New York City, before charting individual paths.
They reunited when Armenta offered Kavanaugh the regional manager position where he opened two Fort Worth restaurants: Maria’s on South University Drive and Towne Grill on Rain Lily Trail.
Kavanaugh opened Midland and Odessa restaurants Cowboy Prime, Maria’s and Felipe’s Bar & Grille, formerly F1 Smokehouse.
Almost a year after opening F1 Smokehouse, FAR OUT received a cease and desist from Formula One racing organization to change the name of the restaurant. The hospitality group cooperated with the request and changed it to what is now Little Tavern.
Kavanaugh said locals were initially confused with the smokehouse name, so this significant shift turned out to be a great move for the company. They closed on a Sunday and reopened on Tuesday with the entirely new concept, which led to a 50% increase in sales.
OPERATIONS
Along with Sofia De La Rosa, Kavanaugh and Armenta manage the locales. They do not have dedicated office space, instead each works from multiple restaurants every day. Kavanaugh believes being present and involved is what makes their concepts so successful.
“If we never stepped foot in our restaurants, it's natural that people are going to let their foot off the gas and not be as focused on making sure our expectations are being met,” Kavanaugh said.
Cleanliness and organization are shown through hair and makeup, jewelry, pressed aprons and creased sleeves. Above all, smiles are expected of the employees.
De La Rosa, the regional director, manages six establishments in the Fort Worth area. Her role is multifaceted, maintaining day-to-day operations, staff coordination and brand consistency across each restaurant.
Uniforms became a part of De La Rosa’s job description when Le Margot opened. She said, “I got to curate the entire look of what the bartenders wear, what the servers wear, and I did that for all the concepts.”
She is also the creator of the refurbished cocktail lists. She selects the number one cocktail and puts it on every single menu, which is their famous Armenta’s margarita.
Famous "Armenta Margarita" served at every FAR OUT location. (Katelin Somers)
Famous "Armenta Margarita" served at every FAR OUT location. (Katelin Somers)
Blackened Ribeye served at Tavern on South Hulen Street. (Katelin Somers)
Blackened Ribeye served at Tavern on South Hulen Street. (Katelin Somers)
"Ooh Lá Lá" cocktail served at Le Margot on South Hulen Street. (Katelin Somers)
"Ooh Lá Lá" cocktail served at Le Margot on South Hulen Street. (Katelin Somers)
Special Butter Cake served at Tavern on South Hulen Street. (Katelin Somers)
Special Butter Cake served at Tavern on South Hulen Street. (Katelin Somers)
Famous Pastrami Sandwich served at Tavern on South Hulen Street. (Katelin Somers)
Famous Pastrami Sandwich served at Tavern on South Hulen Street. (Katelin Somers)
"Claire De Lune" cocktail served at Le Margot on South Hulen Street. (Katelin Somers)
"Claire De Lune" cocktail served at Le Margot on South Hulen Street. (Katelin Somers)
Mud Pie served at Tavern on South Hulen Street. (Katelin Somers)
Mud Pie served at Tavern on South Hulen Street. (Katelin Somers)
"Midland Sunset" cocktail served at Tavern on South Hulen Street. (Katelin Somers)
"Midland Sunset" cocktail served at Tavern on South Hulen Street. (Katelin Somers)
The team worked with a local interior decorator who updated most of their last concepts, Kellye Mevan. “She really brought a special flair and feel to the restaurants,” said De La Rosa.
She appreciates that Armenta gives his team members direction and also encourages them to spread their wings and take risks.
FAR OUT has more than doubled in sales since 2022 after adding 11 more restaurants when De La Rosa arrived. In the past, they were close to $650,000 per week from all of the concepts, and now they make at least $1.6 million in sales per week.
WORK CULTURE
Some employees moved to Texas to be a part of these one-of-a-kind concepts. De La Rosa said the idea is to hire like-minded people who work together that provide a great blueprint for each restaurant to thrive.
“The philosophy of our culture is where everything is teamwork-oriented. You’ll go into one of our restaurants, and hopefully, everyone you turn to is going to bring you a smile and assist you with whatever you need. It’s not this mentality of ‘well, that’s not my table.’”
She said the biggest part of her job is directing and supporting relationships with each of the general managers. Though Armenta is very present, De La Rosa acts as a “voice for the owner.” That allows her to oversee the service standards at each location to be sure they are exceeding the FAR OUT expectations.
Pacific Table Fort Worth’s general manager, Kylie Storfer, said being successful in a management role requires passion beyond a paycheck. “You have to be hardworking, open to feedback and able to balance the needs of every guest with a positive attitude.”
Storfer highlighted the importance of teamwork at their location and their strive for cohesion so that the dining experience will “wow” every guest that they host.
The motto at FAR OUT is, “The answer is yes. What is your question?” They instill this in their employees because guests come back if they are able to get whatever they want, said De La Rosa.
Another subtle but effective requirement for employees is to call customers “guests.”
“They shouldn't look at you as a customer, but instead as a guest in their home,” she said.
An important aspect FAR OUT continues to instill in their employees is personability with all guests, especially the returners. Employees are expected to remember the stories, seating preferences and meal choices of regular customers.
Micheal Forrestal, 90, of Fort Worth, has been a regular at Tavern since 2018. He’s expected every day for his “post-nap” lunch, said Nick Esteves, who tends the bar.
Esteves said he knows Forrestal’s order — chicken strips and two beers — without him having to order. Esteves works full-time 40-hour weeks as a bartender at Tavern, along with his role as a shift lead at Little Tavern.
Stephanie Old, a 25-year Fort Worth resident, has been a fan of FAR OUT for as long as she can remember. She said she discovered a “hidden gem” when Press Cafe opened in 2015, years before the Clearfork area was fully developed in 2017.
Press Cafe on the Trinity River does about $40,000 in sales everyday in 2026, according to De La Rosa.
More than 10 years later, Old frequents all of the Fort Worth FAR OUT restaurants, complementing their atmosphere and the creative combinations created by the chefs.
De La Rosa said that working in the restaurant industry means knowing there will always be a problem. Whether it is plumbing, air conditioning or service, she said there is no chance of getting bored when you’re working this job.
“Imagine budgeting for your home's electricity, cleaning products, toiletry, liquor orders and fresh food orders everyday,” she said. “Except you own 16 houses.”
“So we’re at 16, I think he wants 50 restaurants. He definitely dreams big.”
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