Credit: Adobe Stock, Paramount+

I’m from Oklahoma. Tulsa, to be exact, which was once the “Oil Capital of the World. So I ‘ve known a landman or two in my life. You can recognize those in the old bidness by their swagger and their ostrich-skin boots. They’re slick talkin’ with a parlance mixin’ talk of mineral rights, title documents, maps, leases, and maybe a few cuss words and “thank you, ma’ams” just for good measure.

Some drama. Some salty characters. Fort Worth native Taylor Sheridan has tapped straight into the real-life soap opera of gushers, dry holes, and oversized egos with his streaming series “Landman,” where the drama flows thicker than crude. The Paschal High School graduate certainly scored some black gold with his TV series “Yellowstone,” “1883,” “1923,” “Tulsa King” and now “Landman.”

Jon Hamm as Monty Miller at the Rivercrest Country Club (Credit: Paramount+)

This popular TV series, which debuted in November 2024, is now producing its second season and again Fort Worth gets a starring role as a backdrop. That means lead actor Billy Bob Thornton has brought the swagger of his character Tommy Norris to the streets of Cowtown, tyin’ up traffic and closin’ down streets. Yes, Fort Worth hot spots like the Petroleum Club, of course, and Rivercrest Country Club are part of the Texas oil sagas. Street closings are posted weekly so regular commuters can avoid the resulting traffic drama. (Visit Fort Worth has a handy Google map of all the filming locations.)

No Complaints

Parker County Peach frozen custard is one the specialties here this time of year.

One person who is not complaining about street closures or traffic snarls is Bourke Harvey. Harvey is a Tarrant County restaurateur, and he says “Landman” crew filming around Cowtown has business booming—and he’s not mad about it.

“It’s been really good,” he said. “I know there’s pros and cons with ‘Landman’ with the traffic and all. There’s lots of people complaining, but not only do I not have any complaints, but it’s been good for business.”

Bourke Harvey

Harvey owns Westland Hospitality, the crew behind rescuing some of Cowtown’s taste traditions. At least three of his eateries have had the pleasure of kicking it with the “Landman” crew.

Curly’s Frozen Custard at 4017 Camp Bowie Blvd. was serving up its cool specialties last summer when actor Jon Hamm, who played oil tycoon Monty Miller, strolled up for some of the stand’s most popular summer specialty, the Parker County peach frozen custard. Evidently, he walked up, and the astonished staff got the confirmation he was exactly who they thought he was.

“Yep, I’m Jon Hamm,” he said, according to Harvey’s recounting of the story. “This is big-time Hollywood,” Harvey said, “and he was very nice.”

Second Season

Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris and Ali Larter as ex-wife Angela Norris at The Patch Cafe (Credit: Paramount+)

This year, many of the scenes that look like a West Texas bar have really been filmed at The Patch Cafe, 9840 Camp Bowie West Blvd, the location once home to Dayne’s Craft Barbecue. Across the street is JD’s Hamburgers. The hamburger joint is a laid-back spot with Southern-celebrated items like fried green tomatoes, burger baskets, banana pudding, and fruit cobbler.

Both Hamm and leading man Billy Bob Thornton, who plays Tommy Norris, have turned up at JD’s Hamburgers. A specialty of the house now is called the Jon Hammburger. Want to know the ingredients? It’s beef, fried bologna, cheese, and the restaurant’s signature “sister sauce.”

Harvey has one more restaurant rendezvous with the cast. His Magdalena’s catering and events will be providing the food for the cast party when the series wraps its second season. Those not invited might have to settle on celebrating with a Jon Hammburger instead.