Hunky's in Oak Lawn Celebrates 40 Years of Burgers and Belonging

The original Hunky’s Old-Fashioned Hamburgers in Oak Lawn lives up to the “old-fashioned” part of its name. It’s all chrome, red vinyl and neon signs, '50s kitsch filtered through '80s nostalgia. Every time we’ve gone, upbeat dance music has been playing over the speakers, from retro icons like ABBA to current tastemakers like Charli XCX.

The atmosphere is fun and joyful, but lowkey enough for an early meal out on a weeknight. It’s the kind of place that’s equally fun for a first date or a family dinner.

But the main event at Hunky’s is, of course, the burgers. There are 23 different kinds of burgers with patty and condiment options that’ll make your head spin. Between the bevy of burgers and other tantalizing menu options like hot dogs, sandwiches, “sexy salads” and milkshakes, it’s impossible to leave Hunky’s without feeling sleepy, a little bloated and, above all else, happy.

(There’s a reason we named it one of our best restaurants to eat at when you're high. It’s munchie-friendly “to the max,” to borrow some '80s slang.)

All of the things that make Hunky’s wholesome and nostalgic are also what made it a forward-thinking breath of fresh air when it opened in 1984. As the restaurant celebrates its 40th anniversary this month, it feels as vital to Oak Lawn’s “gayborhood” as ever.

Hunky’s birthday was celebrated first with an intimate celebration at its original Cedar Springs location attended by staff, friends and the guest of honor, founder Rick Barton. The walls were lined with old pictures of Hunky’s history as well as cheeky ads that ran in local newspapers back in the day.

“A lot of these were in the Observer in the '80s,” Barton tells us. “[The paper] was pretty wild back then.”

Barton is proud of his role in Oak Lawn’s history and of Hunky’s place at the historic Cedar Springs crossroads.
“It’s been amazing to have survived 40 years,” Barton says. “This is an incredible street and an incredible group of people that live and work down here and have for the last 40 years. I’ve seen a lot of things come and go. It’s been very rewarding.”

Hunky’s was one of the first businesses in Dallas to cater to LGBTQ customers that wasn’t a bar or a club, and the casual, family-friendly environment was embraced by the community.

“We had so many people who met at Hunky’s and people who came out to their relatives at Hunky’s,” says Barton. “That wasn’t so common [in the '80s] like today, and it’s still a safe space for people to come today.”

Barton founded Hunky’s with his brother, David, who died of AIDS complications in 1993. Barton had numerous business partners over the years and at one point wholly owned the business himself. When he reached a point where he was ready to sell the business earlier this year, a longtime Hunky’s regular jumped at the chance to take over.

“I started going to Hunky's in 1984 when I worked for Women's Wear Daily at the Dallas Apparel Mart,” says Jeffrey Yarbrough, president of BigInk Commercial Real Estate. “I would take clients there to eat one of the best handmade burgers in town. The staff at Hunky's was always friendly. I could tell this was a special place for many people. It didn't matter if you were from Decatur or Dallas, straight or gay, black or white. You were welcome at this spot.”

When Yarbrough took over in March, he had one promise for his fellow fans: No changes.

“Places like Hunky's have a proven concept that defies time, " he says. “It has a soul, and the guests know it.”

Yarbrough echoes Barton’s emphasis on the importance of Hunky’s to its queer customers.

“We have heard so many stories from men and women who came out to their families at Hunky's,” Yarbrough says. “There is something about people eating comfort food that makes life a little better, no matter how challenging the topic.”