Families looking for a local place to enjoy a great meal, sip a cocktail and listen to live music no longer have to leave Denison to find it. The George Tavern at the Katy Depot offers all of that and much more.
Ernie Pickens and his wife, Kat, operate one of the best places to enjoy an evening with family and friends in the Texoma area. The George Tavern is named after George Denison, the person for whom the City of Denison was named. Here, Pickens hopes guests will find a place that feels as comfortable as home.
“We want to be known for our family oriented atmosphere. A place where you can find good food, good cocktails and great live music. We have great musical artists, both local and nationally known. We partner with the Texoma Blues Society to bring in some great blues artists. We play a lot of blues and rock, along with some country. We saw a niche, and no one is playing the music we play, so we are running with it.
“We don’t charge a cover for the music. We don’t believe in a cover because we want the music to be there for our customers. But we want to be known for our consistency. A consistent environment. We want to build that environment where people know if they come, they will have a good time, listen to great music and eat a great meal. We do that week after week. We have a tremendous staff, and we are building that culture of consistency.”
Locals are definitely discovering the George Tavern, as a full parking lot can be seen almost every night. Special events such as trivia nights, local jam evenings and performances by local and well known musical guests bring in customers throughout the week. Out of town customers are also becoming more common, especially on weekends.
Pickens says, “On a Saturday afternoon, about forty percent of our customers are people coming off of the freeway who are looking for a place to visit. This location has so much to offer. We are capturing the foot traffic now.”
The Katy Depot offers retail and service shops, museums, Airbnbs, wedding and party venues, along with other special events, making it a destination for both locals and visitors.
When asked what makes the George Tavern menu so special, Pickens says there are many things that set it apart.
“We have a new chef who is working hard to bring out some great food. We have great comfort food that is made from scratch. We have your staples like burgers, wings and chicken sandwiches, but our chef plans to do a burger of the month. We have some of the best burgers out there.
“On Saturdays, you will find one of our most popular meals. We have ribeye steaks, which we serve until we run out. And we do run out. It is one of the best deals on a great steak you will find almost anywhere.
“We don’t take reservations because we have many people who will come, have dinner, enjoy a couple of cocktails and listen to music for three hours. It really is a place where people feel comfortable enough to spend an entire evening with us. I want to emphasize that we are a family friendly music venue with consistently good food, a broad variety of cocktails and a laid back environment. We are much more than a bar.”
You can often find Pickens enjoying a meal and chatting with customers like old friends on many evenings, adding to the welcoming atmosphere he hopes to create.
Visit the George Tavern at 101 E. Main Street, Suite 135, in Denison, Texas, at the north end of the Katy Depot, or visit their Facebook page for more information.