Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathleen Tolbert Ryan.
Hi Kathleen, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In the words of Kathleen Tolbert Ryan:
I was born in Dallas in the 1950’s. I lived in Dallas through my twenties, and in DFW my whole life.. I graduated from UNT. My dad was the well known Dallas News journalist, author, and Texas historian, the late Frank X. Tolbert. My dad chose chili as one of his topics of interest through the years. He wrote a book about chili, ( A Bowl of Red), columns about chili, and established the annual Original Viva Terlingua Chili Cook-off in 1967, which is continuing in it’s 59th year! Chili became a big part of my life as a result. My dad and my artist brother, the late Frank X Tolbert 2, started a chili parlor in downtown Dallas at 802 Main Street in 1976, “Tolbert’s Native Texas Foods and Museum of the Chili Culture”. We will celebrate the 50th year of Tolbert Chili Restaurants in October of 2026. The original Tolbert’s was formerly a pharmacy and soda fountain place and fried chicken after that. Tolbert’s became very popular with journalists. I started helping them run the restaurant in 1977. We were a lunch place, with occasional live music shows at night. Stevie Ray Vaughan played at Tolbert’s a few times before he became famous. I stayed involved with the restaurant, and the chili cookoff through the years, as my husband Paul Ryan and I also raised our 2 boys, Patrick and Steven. There were 7 Tolbert Restaurants in Dallas through the years. The only one currently running, with its 20 year anniversary coming up in May of 2026, Tolbert’s Restaurant & Chili Parlor is in Grapevine. www.tolbertsrestaurant.com My husband and I opened it in 2006. We have live music every night, while also serving lunch and dinner, with a full bar, 7 days a week. I also became President of the Original Viva Terlingua Chili Cook-off in 1995. www.abowlofred.com It is a non-profit 501c3 charity dedicated to raising money for the cure and treatment of ALS, and local causes in the Terlingua, Tx area. It is a chili championship/festival with food contests, vendors, and live music. In 2025 we raised a total of 134k for charity. The Terlingua chili championship is held the first Saturday in November every year.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We had lots of challenges through the years. Various partners and investors have been involved, providing much needed financial help as well as some being a bit difficult to deal with. Landlords selling out our space a couple times, forcing us to relocate. We have weathered economic downturns, Covid, and changes in consumer behavior/tastes, etc. I also worked through breast cancer treatments in 2008-2009. In remission since.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are a full service lunch and dinner restaurant and bar serving food and drinks every day at 11:00 until close. We often host large parties and on occasion have reserved the entire restaurant for guests. We have a full stage with live music every night. We are famous for chili, the State Dish of Texas, and have a strong southwestern menu and food items. For live music, we have very popular cover bands and some original music as well.
We are also very proud of the non-profit charity we help run, Original Terlingua International Frank X Tolbert- Wick Fowler Memorial Championship Chili Cook-off. An event held in Terlingua Texas for about a week around the 1st Saturday in November for now going on 59 years. A 501c3 charitable organization.
What matters most to you?
My family first, friends, and striving to keep our restaurant and charitable non-profit chili cook-off moving forward in positive ways that help people.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tolbertsrestaurant.com and www.abowlofred.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tolbertsrestaurant and https://www.facebook.com/TERLINGUACHILI/
