Mark Wahlberg to Sip Tequila and Walk Pink Carpets in Dallas This Week

Mark Wahlberg is in Dallas for two separate events this week. Both involve a new line of tequila, Flecha Azul, which the actor — who starred in one of the most underrated movies of all time, Daddy’s Home 2 — has backed.

Celebrity endorsements of tequila, and its cousin mezcal, are on trend. Recently we caught a glimpse of Aaron Pual and Bryan Cranston of Breaking Bad at a Total Wine & More. The Rock was in town last summer promoting his Teremana tequila.

It’s got us all asking, what ungodly amount of money do tequila makers have to land these big endorsements?

Wahlberg will be signing bottles from 1 to 3 p.m. on Friday, March 3, at Spec’s at 9500 N. Central Expressway. Fans are encouraged to arrive early. DM us if you’re camping out.

Flecha Azul was launched by Mexican PGA golfer Abraham Ancer and entrepreneur Aaron Marquez in 2020. Like all tequilas, it is sourced from single-estate-grown agave in the Mexican state of Jalisco. There are five expressions: blanco, reposado, anejo, anejo cristalino and extra anejo.

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La Neta is part dining room and part swank cocktail lounge.

Lauren Drewes Daniels

On Thursday, March 2, Wahlberg will walk the pink carpet at the new La Neta in Deep Ellum to celebrate its grand opening event, with a side of tequila. Part lounge and part modern Mexican restaurant, this glitzy Las Vegas import serves Flecha Azul tequila. This media-only event isn’t open to the public. But assuming they approve our questions for Wahlberg about Daddy’s Home 2 (namely, when will Daddy’s Home 3 be out) we’ll have some photos and a report later.

The executive chef at La Neta is Christian Galvan, a Texas native who has worked at Whiskey Cake and P.F. Chang’s. Sous chef Jessica Christain is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu and has trained with chefs Stephan Pyles, Wolfgang Puck and Lisa Garza.

La Neta is already taking reservations and has been quietly operating for a week now. The restaurant is located in a walkway adjacent to the Pittman Hotel, at the bottom of The Epic building at 2525 Elm St. in Deep Ellum (not to be confused with the massive similarly-named development in Grand Prairie).

The menu here is similar to the Las Vegas location, but with some local additions and ingredients. There’s a full range of Mexican appetizers, many with a pescatarian slant: ceviche, Baja-style oysters and tuna tartar with salsa, avocado and tortilla chips. Mains include lobster enchiladas, pastor pork chops, fajitas and salmon Veracruz. There’s a paella for the table and, under “BIG F*#K’N TACOS” a whole lobster taco.