If you lived in Dallas or frequently traveled through Love Field anytime before 2014, you probably have a specific memory of the smell of expensive cigars and prime rib wafting through the terminal. It was a vibe. Cool River Love Field wasn’t just an airport bar; it was an institution that defied the "grab-and-go" culture of modern travel. For over a decade, it served as a high-end sanctuary for business travelers, local elites, and people who just wanted a decent martini before a Southwest flight. Then, it vanished.
The closure of Cool River at Dallas Love Field marked a massive shift in how the city manages its airport real estate. It wasn’t a failure of the brand—which was a powerhouse under the Consolidated Restaurant Operations (CRO) umbrella—but rather a casualty of a massive $519 million modernization program known as the Love Field Modernization Program (LFMP). When the airport consolidated its gates into a single concourse, the old footprints of iconic spots like Cool River were literally wiped off the map.
The Identity of Cool River Café
Honestly, it’s hard to explain to people who didn't experience it why a restaurant in an airport mattered so much. Most airport food is depressing. You’re usually sitting on a plastic chair eating a soggy sandwich. Cool River was the opposite of that. It was the airport extension of the original Cool River Café in Las Colinas, which was basically the epicenter of North Texas business deals in the late 90s and early 2000s.
The Love Field location brought that "Big D" energy to the terminal. We're talking leather booths. Dark wood. A cognac selection that had no business being near a security checkpoint. It was a place where you could get a 14-ounce ribeye and a cigar—back when the ventilation systems were actually designed to handle that kind of thing. It felt like a private club, yet it was open to anyone with a boarding pass and a corporate card.
Why the Love Field Modernization Changed Everything
The disappearance of Cool River Love Field was inevitable once the city decided to tear down the old terminals. Between 2009 and 2014, Love Field underwent a total transformation. The goal was to move away from the fragmented, confusing layout of the past and create a unified, 20-gate terminal.
This meant the leaseholders had to change. The city of Dallas, which owns the airport, opened up bidding for new concessions. While CRO (the parent company of Cool River) is a massive player in the Dallas food scene—they also own El Chico, Cantina Laredo, and III Forks—the new vision for Love Field leaned heavily toward "local flavor" and a different kind of high-end experience.
When the new terminal fully opened, the space that would have housed a concept like Cool River was instead filled by a mix of newer, shinier brands. You started seeing Sky Canyon by Stephan Pyles and the Cru Food and Wine Bar. The "cigar lounge" aesthetic was officially dead, replaced by the "celebrity chef" and "wine bistro" aesthetic. It was a shift from the boozy, smoky business lunches of the 90s to the curated, Instagrammable experiences of the 2010s.
What Replaced the Cool River Experience?
If you go to Love Field today looking for that same energy, you won't find a 1-to-1 replacement. The airport has become much more efficient, but arguably a bit more sterilized. However, there are a few spots that have tried to capture that high-end traveler niche:
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Sky Canyon: For a long time, this was the spiritual successor to Cool River. Founded by legendary Dallas chef Stephan Pyles, it offered that sit-down, upscale environment. It traded the heavy steaks and cigars for Southwestern fusion and bright, modern decor.
Cru Food and Wine Bar: This caters to the traveler who wants a "classy" drink but doesn't necessarily need a full steakhouse dinner. It’s smaller, tighter, and fits the modern airport footprint where every square foot is optimized for maximum revenue.
Magnum Spirits and Provisions: This is perhaps the closest you’ll get to the old "lounge" feel. It’s got a solid whiskey list and a menu that feels a bit more substantial than the nearby fast-food options.
But let’s be real. None of them have the "hidden den" feel that Cool River perfected. The new terminal is all glass and light. It’s beautiful, but it doesn't have the shadows or the mystery of the old spots.
The Business of Airport Concessions
One thing most people don't realize about Cool River Love Field is the sheer complexity of airport contracts. These aren't normal leases. Companies like Hudson Group or SSP America often partner with local brands to manage these spaces. When the LFMP kicked off, the City Council had to approve every single vendor.
There was a lot of political maneuvering. The city wanted a certain percentage of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) and local minority-owned businesses. This is great for the city’s economy, but it meant that some of the older, "legacy" brands got squeezed out during the transition. Cool River was a victim of a changing tide that prioritized variety and local representation over the established steakhouse guard.
The Las Colinas Legacy
If you’re genuinely craving that specific Cool River vibe, the airport is no longer the place. You have to head over to the Las Colinas area. While many of the original 90s-era steakhouses in DFW have struggled or rebranded, the Cool River name still carries weight in the suburbs. It remains a "special occasion" spot for a certain generation of Dallasites who remember when a business deal wasn't official until it was toasted with a glass of Macallan 12.
The Las Colinas location maintains that classic steakhouse DNA:
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- Hand-cut steaks that actually have flavor.
- A bar scene that feels grown-up.
- Live music on the weekends that isn't just a guy with an acoustic guitar.
- A humidor that serves as a reminder of what the airport location used to be.
Lessons for the Modern Traveler
The story of Cool River Love Field is really a story about the evolution of Dallas itself. We’ve moved from a city that defined luxury through "bigness"—big steaks, big cigars, big hair—to a city that defines it through "curation."
When you walk through Love Field now, you’re seeing a version of Dallas that wants to be seen as sophisticated, tech-forward, and diverse. The loss of Cool River was a necessary part of that growth, even if it feels a little bit sad for those of us who remember the "good old days" of the old terminal.
If you are flying out of DAL today, you have to plan differently. You aren't going to find a place to disappear for two hours in a cloud of cigar smoke. You’re going to find high-end tacos at The Common Ground or a quick glass of Moët at the champagne bar. It’s faster. It’s cleaner. It’s probably better for your arteries.
Actionable Steps for Navigating Love Field Post-Cool River
Don't go to the airport expecting a 1990s steakhouse experience. It doesn't exist anymore. Instead, do this:
1. Check the Concessions Map Early
Love Field is a "U" shape now. Most of the better sit-down dining is concentrated in the center of the terminal (the "heart" of the airport). If you’re at the far ends of the gates, you’re stuck with grab-and-go.
2. Aim for the "The West Village" of DAL
The area near the entrance to the gates is where you’ll find the more upscale options like Cantina Laredo (another CRO brand) or Mockingbird Taproom. If you want that "sit down and ignore the world" feeling, these are your best bets.
3. Visit the Las Colinas Original
If this article made you nostalgic for a 22-ounce bone-in ribeye, just drive the 15 minutes from Love Field to the Las Colinas location. It’s the only way to get the authentic experience without the TSA pat-down.
4. Use the "Love Field" App
The airport has a surprisingly decent app that shows real-time wait times for food. Since the terminal is smaller than DFW, things get crowded fast. If a place looks full, it probably is, and there isn't a "hidden" lounge around the corner like there used to be.
The era of Cool River Love Field is over, but the brand’s influence on Dallas airport dining is still visible. It set the bar for the idea that airport food didn't have to be terrible. Even though the leather booths are gone, the expectation for quality remains, and that’s a legacy worth acknowledging.