{"id":209599,"date":"2026-03-18T10:06:15","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T10:06:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/209599\/"},"modified":"2026-03-18T10:06:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T10:06:15","slug":"i-love-lucy-bluebonnet-cafe-goes-viral-near-fort-worth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/209599\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I Love Lucy\u2019 Bluebonnet Cafe goes viral near Fort Worth"},"content":{"rendered":"

HALTOM CITY<\/p>\n

Bluebonnet Cafe<\/a> has \u201cI Love Lucy\u201d<\/a> toys, \u201cI Love Lucy\u201d posters, \u201cI Love Lucy\u201d memorabilia and 1950s \u201cI Love Lucy\u201d TV reruns<\/a> in a constant loop on dining-room TVs.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople think I\u2019m obsessed,\u201d co-founder Judy Quiroz said.<\/p>\n

I never thought of her that way. For 32 years, Bluebonnet has been mostly a popular local breakfast and plate-lunch cafe<\/a> at 2223-A Haltom Road, 1 mile north of Airport Freeway.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t a tourist must-see.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, thanks to TikTok and Facebook, it\u2019s on travel tip lists as the \u201cI Love Lucy Cafe.\u201d<\/p>\n

More than 300,000 users have viewed Facebook or TikTok videos of Bluebonnet and of celebrity tribute artist Rhonda Medina<\/a>\u2019s January visit as late comedian Lucille Ball.<\/p>\n

\"Part Part of the vast collection of \u201cI Love Lucy\u201d memorabilia at Bluebonnet Cafe, in a file photo from June 26, 2011. Joseph Daniel Special to the Star-Telegram <\/p>\n

So, Medina will return at noon March 22, visiting lunch diners over their Bluebonnet turkey and dressing, meat loaf or chicken-fried steak<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomebody put us on TikTok<\/a> \u2014 it just took off,\u201d Quiroz said.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always gone to the Bluebonnet for the homestyle lunch plates or the big breakfast biscuits.<\/p>\n

\"Biscuits Biscuits and gravy at Bluebonnet Cafe in Haltom City, Texas, seen June 26, 2011. Joseph Daniel Special to the Star-Telegram <\/p>\n

Now I find out I should have been going for Quiroz\u2019s nostalgia collection of \u201cI Love Lucy\u201d items, Coca-Cola antiques, Betty Boop<\/a> cartoons, Western movie posters and Rod Stewart merch.<\/p>\n

The 1950s nostalgia fills three dining rooms.<\/p>\n

The amount is mind-boggling.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is one of the biggest amounts of Lucy memorabilia,\u201d a commenter wrote for Quirky Roadside USA.<\/p>\n

\"Chicken-fried Chicken-fried chicken with a side of fried okra and carrots, broccoli and cauliflower among the \u201cI Love Lucy\u201d memorabilia at Bluebonnet Cafe in Haltom City, Texas, unchanged since this scene January 16, 2004. Aimee Santos Special to the Star-Telegram <\/p>\n

Let me put this in perspective.<\/p>\n

When \u201cI Love Lucy\u201d ended its original TV run, I was 2 years old.<\/p>\n

When Carlos and Judy Quiroz started cooking and serving food like this at another old local restaurant, the Cactus Flower Cafe, I was 27.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s just say that was a lot of biscuits ago.<\/p>\n

The Bluebonnet has never changed.<\/p>\n

The chicken-fried steaks are exactly the same. The wheat rolls and buns are exactly the same. The cinnamon rolls are exactly the same.<\/p>\n

\"Chicken-fried Chicken-fried steak, a roll, carrots and mashed potatoes at Bluebonnet Cafe in Haltom City, Texas, shown Oct. 27, 1998. That\u2019s exactly how it looks today. Charlie Harper Special to the Star-Telegram <\/p>\n

The hours are limited. The restaurant is open only for breakfast and lunch Thursday through Sunday. That may be why it\u2019s stayed open.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople don\u2019t eat out nearly as much during the week as on weekends,\u201d Judy Quiroz said. \u201cWe want to be open just four days and keep up our consistency.\u201d<\/p>\n

She\u2019s not really a huge \u201cI Love Lucy\u201d fan.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t get me wrong,\u201d she said. \u201cI like the show. It\u2019s funny. But I can\u2019t recite the dialogue.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Celebrity Celebrity tribute artist Rhonda Medina on a January 2026 visit to Bluebonnet Cafe in Haltom City, Texas, the \u201cI Love Lucy Cafe.\u201d Courtesy of Bluebonnet Cafe <\/p>\n

But Medina, the tribute artist, can.<\/p>\n

She performed as Ball for 20 years. She re-enacts scenes.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy goal in life is just to bring love and laughter,\u201d she said by phone.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think \u2018I Love Lucy\u2019 does all that.\u201d<\/p>\n

With gravy.<\/p>\n

\"Chicken-fried Chicken-fried chicken, okra, carrots and broccoli at Bluebonnet Cafe. Aimee Santos Special to the Star-Telegram <\/p>\n


\n \"Profile
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Bud Kennedy\u2019s Eats Beat<\/a><\/p>\n

Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/p>\n

Bud Kennedy is celebrating his 40th year writing about restaurants in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has written the \u201cEats Beat\u201d dining column in print since 1985 and online since 1992 \u2014 that\u2019s more than 3,000 columns about Texas cafes, barbecue, burgers and where to eat.
\n Support my work with a digital subscription<\/a>
\n