The husband-and-wife owners of The String Bean: Restaurant and Bar in Richardson opened their original Dallas-area location in 1980.
The original menu had four entrees, two sandwiches and three desserts. After moving the restaurant twice and starting a family, the couple settled in Richardson in 2010.
Dakota Gibson, the couple’s youngest son, started at the current location when it first opened 11 years ago.
Dakota now manages the eatery at 1310 W. Campbell Road and said his parents worked through many ups and downs before it became a local staple.
“They basically took a big gamble when they first came to this location,” Dakota said. “They took out a loan, decided to move, and it just blew up. [They] were able to pay all [their] loans and debts back within a year.”
Dakota said the current space allowed for an outdoor patio, an expanded bar and even a children’s playroom. All those factors helped the company find success, he said.
The menu is mostly recipes created by Debbi and Joe, and it has grown considerably since 1980, Dakota said. The String Bean is known for its home-style southern cooking, its various Tex-Mex options and a popular dessert menu, he said.
“There have always been about four faithfuls,” he said. “The pot roast, meatloaf, chicken fried steak and our marinated chicken breast.”
The company also offers rotating daily specials and a weekend brunch.
Dakota said the staff feels like a family, and some employees have stayed with the business since it started. Long-time server Renee Diebold has been with the restaurant for 31 years and even invested some of her own money into the company, he said.
Dakota said while his father was working for a food distribution company to help support the restaurant, his mother would work overtime.
“She was here more than she was home for sure—50-plus hours every week, just to make sure it was staying afloat,” he said. “It has definitely been a labor of love.”
The String Bean: Restaurant and Bar
1310 W. Campbell Road, Ste. 101, Richardson
972-385-3287
www.thestringbean.com
Hours: Sun.-Wed. 11 a.m.-8 p.m., •Thu.-Sat. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
