When Homewood closed in 2023, Dallas lost one of its best restaurants. The space sat vacant for the past two years, but the Oak Lawn neighborhood’s collective spirits were raised when Duro Hospitality announced it was moving in. Norman’s Japanese Grill opened on Aug. 1.
Duro Hospitality — known for popular restaurants like Mister Charles, El Carlos Elegante, and Sister in Dallas as well as Chumley House in Fort Worth — is the rare group that keeps opening original concepts rather than doubling down on known quantities.
This latest project is a Western-inspired Japanese raw bar and grill that was influenced by the Duro founders’ admiration for Japanese food and culture.
Norman’s Japanese Grill is a new, playful concept from Duro Hospitality.
The concept is centered around a fictional World War II veteran from Texas (aka “Norman”), who was stationed in Japan during the postwar United States occupation.
“If John Wayne were to open a Japanese restaurant, this would be it,” said Duro Hospitality cofounder Chas Martin. “Incredible quality, yes, but not stuffy. Norman’s is all about that space in between elegance and ease, and making it feel like a true neighborhood spot where people can drop in often.”
The 3,100-square-foot space seats 70 indoors across the dining room and seven-seat sushi bar. An outdoor patio accommodates 35 more diners and has an indoor/outdoor bar. The open kitchen is anchored by a large Argentine-style wood-fired grill and a traditional Japanese charcoal robata grill.
The dining room includes a seven-seat sushi bar.
The interiors are meant to feel like Norman’s personal collection, one that’s been curated over time. The color palette features earth tones, oxblood, and indigo to evoke kimono dyes and cowboy boots.
“Think Kyoto ryokan meets Marfa bunkhouse,” explained Corbin See, a Duro partner who led the design.
“We wanted this to feel like the kind of restaurant someone like Norman would build with his own hands over time — something honest and full of soul,” added cofounder Benji Homsey.
The menu pulls from Japan and the American West, but it’s eclectic. There’s a selection of nigiri sushi and sashimi, plus handrolls and crudos. Small plates like Korean fried chicken, Spanish mackerel, and chicken katsu curry lead into noodles ranging from corn and miso ravioli to udon carbonara with smoked pork belly.
Wood-fired options include a cowboy rib eye with tare glaze and papaya salad, and a New Zealand king salmon with dashi beurre blanc and togarashi honey. The charcoal robata is enlisted for duck and pork meatballs, Jidori chicken, and charred octopus.
Cocktails follow the East-West theme and feature Japanese spirits and sakes, American whiskeys, and Texas-friendly tequilas and mezcals.
The Duro team is focused on Norman’s, but they’re always looking forward. They’ve acquired a space in Preston Center, a Dallas neighborhood packed with restaurants and shops, for their next project. As of now, the concept and timing are TBD.
