Few athletes are more recognizable around these parts than Michael Irvin. Now, the Cowboys legend is putting his name and number on Playmakers 88, a new sports bar and restaurant in The Colony in place of Knockout Sports Bar.
Its grand opening will be marked by two special events this weekend. Starting Friday, July 12 at 5 p.m., guests will walk the blue carpet as they enter the restaurant for a special evening. There will be live music along with food and drink. Irvin will be there for pictures and to welcome patrons.
Saturday’s festivities are from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with Irvin again as the main attraction. The day will kick off with a ribbon-cutting with The Colony Chamber of Commerce. The football legend will stay afterward for photos and autographs. They will also be raffling off several pieces of memorabilia signed by Irvin, including a jersey and a football.
“I am truly honored to create an upscale sports bar and restaurant where sports fans can cheer on their favorite teams and athletes while enjoying great food, cocktails, and company,” Irvin said in a press release Tuesday.
The release also mentioned that a portion of proceeds from the weekend would be donated to the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Dallas. The charitable contribution comes a few weeks after Irvin announced that his wife Sandy has early onset Alzheimer’s during a pre-opening event at the restaurant.
The restaurant’s signature feature, the Cowboys Ring of Honor, sits prominently above the spacious bar. Portraits of Irvin and his fellow Triplets — Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith — greet guests when they enter the establishment. More than 50 TVs are in and around the restaurant while more Dallas sports memorabilia adorns the remaining wall space.
For those arriving with empty stomachs, Playmakers 88 brings the culinary talents of Chef Rassaun “RJ” Johnson. The menu will feature sports bar classics like burgers and wings, but also pastas and seafood like crab cakes, shrimp and salmon.
Playmakers 88 opened in June 2024 at 5005 State Highway 121, The Colony.
