You’ve got until 2 a.m. Jan. 1, 2020 to get to Tillman’s in the Bishop Arts District. The North Oak Cliff restaurant is closing after a New Year’s Eve goodbye party.

Tillman’s lasted for 27 years at its seat on W. Seventh Street, having been built into a former bowling alley. It was likely ahead of its time when it opened in 1992; it was another 15 years before The Dallas Morning News called the Bishop Arts District the “Bishop Eats District.” Today, the district is full of restaurants, bars, art galleries and shops — with more on the way.

Nearly every table seemed to order the s'mores at Tillman's. (Brendan Sullivan/Staff Photograp)

The restaurant was known for its eclectic Texas menu and country-cool decor.

Tillman’s has been through several redos, each with slightly different names like Tillman’s Corner, Tillman’s Roadhouse and, most recently, Tillman’s Bishop Arts. Chef Ricky Tillman, the restaurant’s namesake, died in 1997 and his wife Sara Tillman continued the restaurant operations until it changed hands.

A more-than-25-year history is a long time, and that came with some ups and downs: In 2007, people waited as long as two hours to eat Tillman’s chicken-fried steak and Frito pies. The restaurant’s s’mores — which diners roast themselves over a tiny fire placed in the middle of the table — were a unique hands-on option when they became available years ago.

But then a DMN special contributor reviewed the restaurant in 2012 and gave it a rare zero stars; we wrote that “big changes” were coming when Jeffrey Kollinger took over the business in 2016.

According to a statement from Kollinger, he decided not to renew his lease. Kollinger is involved in several other restaurants, including the coming-soon revamp of a Tex-Mex restaurant called Primo’s MX Kitchen & Lounge on McKinney Avenue in Uptown Dallas. He also operates the restaurants at the Statler hotel in downtown Dallas.

Tillman’s closed briefly in December 2019, and rumors of its end swirled. The restaurant is expected to remain open until its official New Year’s Eve going-away party.

Customers who go between Dec. 24 and 31 will get a free order of s’mores.

A special dinner menu will be available for four days: Dec. 27, 28, 29 and 31. (The restaurant is closed on Mondays, including on Dec. 30.) Options include whiskey-spiked lobster shooters; caesar salad; the famous chicken-fried steak; and more.

Tillman’s is located at 324 W. Seventh St., Dallas.

For more food news, follow Sarah Blaskovich on Twitter at @sblaskovich.