About

Since 2012, VHG has developed restaurant brands and services that evoke a combination

of rich American heritage, exquisite craftsmanship, and an eye for detail across all touch

points. Dedication to honest food and credible service is predicated upon our

commitment and respect to our partners and guests. Each of our properties

provide a comfortable and timeless experience for all to enjoy.

Our Brands

The Vandelay Hospitality Group’s brand family includes six concepts with locations in Dallas, Houston, and surrounding areas:

Hudson House

Since 2017, Hudson House has paired East Coast comfort food inspired by the rich culinary history of the Hudson Valley with the warm, sophisticated yet approachable atmosphere of a classic neighborhood hangout. 

Serving up delicious cocktails like the legendary “World’s Coldest Martini” with a carefully procured East Coast oyster list, Hudson House is a local favorite in Dallas-area communities of Lakewood, Addison, and Highland Park. In 2022, Hudson House will open a location in the Las Colinas neighborhood of Dallas and the River Oaks neighborhood of Houston. 

Standout dishes include:

• Hudson’s Avocado Dip, a popular appetizer featuring green onion, whipped avocado, a special herb blend, and ranch chips
  
  

• The Cheeseburger, an American standard featuring thin patties topped with American cheese, pickles, and our secret Hudson sauce

• The Chicken Parm, a classically prepared Italian-American standby topped with Reggiano cheese and paired with creamy tomato pasta

• The American Tuna Tower, featuring mashed avocado, mixed local greens and radishes, English cucumber, B&W sesame seeds, and, of course, the perfect ahi tuna — all drizzled with wasabi vinaigrette

• Raw bar favorites like shrimp cocktail with chipotle remoulade, princely cut snow crab claws, and tuna tartare

• Brunch favorites like the Eggs Benny with your choice of country ham or lobster and classically prepared hollandaise with crispy potatoes, the Hudson Sandwich (smoked bacon, cheddar, scrambled egg, dijonnaise, and sliced avocado on a croissant), and the ever-popular Velvet Chicken & Waffle, a red velvet Belgian waffle drizzled with honey butter and maple syrup and topped with double-fried chicken

East Hampton Sandwich Company

Our original concept is an iconically styled American fine-casual eatery featuring exquisitely crafted sandwiches and wraps delivered with attentive service — a rare combination in the fine-casual space. East Hampton cuts no corners as we take the standard, humble sandwich shop to places concepts prior have never been. 

As the first gourmet sandwich growth brand in Texas, East Hampton struck a chord with our clientele and expanded rapidly through the Dallas and Houston metros. 

Drake’s Hollywood

Drake’s Hollywood is our ode to the old-school steakhouse with a dash of old vintage Hollywood. Drake’s Hollywood serves up cocktails, saucy steaks, “Melrose” cracker-crust pizza, and American comfort fare standards to a soundtrack of classic jazz and newer beats. The walls are adorned with original artwork of playful caricature-like Hollywood icons throughout the last century. Dim lighting, warm red leather booths, and inimitable Americana decor complete the atmosphere, making Drake’s one of the hottest tickets in town for date nights and group gatherings alike. 

Lucky’s Hot Chicken

Hip with a retro twist, Lucky’s Hot Chicken’s retro diner vibes and trademark heat levels have been an instant hit among locals at the opening of its first location in the iconic mid-century building where restaurant mogul Norman Brinker opened his first-ever concept, Brink’s Restaurant. The “Lucky’s” opening brought fans flocking in from out of state, forming lines around the block, much in thanks to its buzzworthy social media presence. Since then, Vandelay Hospitality Group has opened another location in Dallas on Hillcrest across from SMU, and will open about a dozen other locations across Texas within the next year. 

The simple menu has five heat levels, ranging from “Kinda Lucky” (your standard spice level) to “Best of Luck” (don’t say we didn’t warn you).

D.L. Mack’s

Reminiscent of an old world post-prohibition haunt, D.L. Mack’s might be the oldest new restaurant to have opened in Dallas this year.  Complete with transit memorabilia, warm reclaimed wood floors, and a wall made of pre-Chicago Fire brick, the space is inspired by iconic Lincoln Park brownstone-clad institutions. Located in The Park Cities of Dallas, the timeless neighborhood tavern offers a down-to-earth menu from its scratch kitchen where breads are baked in-house daily. Features include old-style Chicago cracker-crust pizza, The McCarthy Salad, and Steak Frites Au Poivre, a 10-oz. Prime NY strip coated with coarsely cracked peppercorns in a classic au poivre sauce served with Mack’s Frie, garlic Kennebec potato wedges, tossed in roasted garlic oil and in-house shake spice mix.

Brentwood

The Brentwood is an ode to the classic Western neighborhood restaurant — a taste of Aspen or Santa Fe without the airfare. 

Occupying the storied former Houston’s space in Addison, Texas, Brentwood boasts an expansive outdoor patio with a grand stone fireplace, custom mosaic tiling, and a one-of-a-kind bar that flows seamlessly into the indoor space. An onsite bakery produces signature starches like Brentwood jalapeno cornbread, rosemary focaccia, and housemade brioche. And the ambitious food program emphasizes elevated southwestern fare and artisan-style pizzas.

Brentwood has an opening date set for February of 2022.

What VHG Is All About

Vandelay Hospitality Group brands have earned numerous awards and accolades in recent years, including best patio and best happy hour in Dallas. They’re the work of a dedicated team of hospitality industry professionals led by Hunter Pond, a Dallas-born businessman who’s been featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

Pond founded Vandelay Hospitality Group in 2012. His original brand, East Hampton Sandwich Company, arose from the simple premise that it’s worth going the extra mile to make a great sandwich. As Pond once said, sandwich restaurants at the time focused too much on the bread and not enough about what’s in between. He was on to something — and in the years since, the East Hampton brand has become synonymous with culinary craftsmanship and above-and-beyond service, driving its expansion to numerous markets across Texas and beyond.

Vandelay’s next brand, Hudson House, remained true to our founding commitment while moving in a totally different conceptual direction. Hudson House opened in 2017 to glowing reviews and packed seatings, and it’s now a Dallas-area staple for diners seeking a memorable, refined experience. 

We haven’t stopped there. As we grow, we’re more committed than ever to elevating every aspect of the dining-out experience while honoring an ethos founded on timelessness, style, and longevity. You might say we’re “anti-trend” — because we strike a balance of class and simplicity that empowers our partners to enjoy themselves and be themselves in spaces that stand the test of time.