The Top 100 Places to Eat and Drink Near Baby Back Shak
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- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Chicken Wings · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer Barbecue Shops · The Top 50 Restaurants in Dallas Right Now
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Rank 2. Lee Harvey's
Dive Bar
Wood paneling, neon beer signs, and a patio that draws dogs and their people make this a Dallas dive bar where you can actually breathe and be yourself. The onion rings with chipotle aioli are the kind of bar snack that keeps you ordering rounds longer than you planned.
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Rank 5. Four Corners Brewing Co
Beer Bar
Four Corners Brewing Co. is a sprawling neighborhood brewery in The Cedars with an industrial taproom outfitted with inventive light fixtures and serious brewing equipment visible behind the bar. They've scaled up from home operation to full production, but the real draw is the experimental seven-barrel system where they're always testing smaller-batch, one-off beers.
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Bar Game Night · Best of Big D
- D Magazine 2024 · Best Taproom · Best of Big D
- Dallas Observer The Ultimate Dallas Bar Guide
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Rank 7. Opening Bell Coffee
Coffee
A longtime Dallas music venue disguised as a coffee shop, Opening Bell has hosted Leon Bridges and other now-famous acts on its open mic stage, and the crowd still comes to catch the next local breakout. The Black Eye—a 16-ounce drip coffee spiked with two shots of espresso—will wire you through sets, or grab a beer and a sandwich if you're here to listen rather than stay caffeinated.
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Rank 8. Midnight Rambler
Cocktail Bar
Dark and moody downstairs at the Joule, this subterranean cocktail bar channels speakeasy glamour with a mirrored liquor wall that glows like the crown jewels. The bartenders work with genuine precision on both classics and more obscure drinks, and they'll nail whichever direction you're heading.
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Top 10 Nominee · Best U.S. Hotel Bar
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service · Gabe Sanchez
- Food & Wine 2025 · The Top 10 Hotel Bars in the US
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Rank 9. Mike’s Gemini Twin
Dive Bar
A Cedars bar that splits the difference between a neighborhood dive and somewhere the bartenders wear suits, Mike's Gemini Twin serves dirty martinis made with fresh-pressed olive juice and anchovy-stuffed olives alongside Meats by Linz hot dogs pulled from a roller grill. Pool table, darts, a decorative stripper pole, and a tiny back patio give the place its flirty, dark, unpretentious swagger.
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Bar With a Stripper Pole · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Hot Dog · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer The Ultimate Dallas Bar Guide
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Rank 10. Starship Bagel
NY-Style Bakery
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Outstanding Bakery
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bakery
- Bon Appétit The Very Best Bagels in the US (Yes, Outside New York)
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Rank 11. Partenope Ristorante
Neapolitan Pizza
- 50 Top Pizza 2025 · #17 · 50 Top Pizza USA
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Pizza · Best of Big D
- D Magazine 2024 · Best Sandwich: The Super Jeff · Best of Big D
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- D Magazine #49 · The 50 Best Restaurants
- Dallas Observer Neighborhood Staples and Gems · The Top 50 Restaurants in Dallas Right Now
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- James Beard Awards 2023 · Nominee · Best Chef: Texas · Reyna Duong
- Dallas Observer 2023 · Best Vietnamese · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2023 · Best Bánh Mì · Best of Big D
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Rank 15. Ginger's
Cocktail Bar
Ginger's is a subterranean cocktail lounge in the historic East Quarter where knowledgeable bartenders sling solid drinks against a good music playlist, all without the velvet-rope attitude. The vibe is glamorous but genuinely welcoming—the kind of place that wants you to come as you are rather than dress for the occasion.
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Cocktail Bar · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Bar Stools · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer The Ultimate Dallas Bar Guide
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- D Magazine 2023 · Best Reclamation Project · Best of Big D
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Live Music Venue · Best of Big D
- D Magazine 2024 · Best Live Music Venue · Best of Big D
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Rank 17. Catbird
Cocktail Bar
Climb to the ninth floor of the Thompson Hotel and squeeze through a flower tunnel into Catbird, an art deco fever dream of geometric prints, fireplaces, and a bedazzled Russian doll that feels like a surrealist gallery collided with a swanky lounge. Cocktails lean playful—think gin sippers infused with green tea and cold foam concoctions made with mineral water—and the rooftop wraps around the city like you've unlocked a secret level.
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Hotel Bar – U.S. Central
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Regional Honoree · Best U.S. Hotel Bar – U.S. Central
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Regional Honoree · Best U.S. Hotel Bar – U.S. Central
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- D Magazine 2025 · Best Tea Time · Best of Big D
- D Magazine 2024 · Best Meal With a View · Best of Big D
- Eater The 38 Essential Dallas Restaurants
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- D Magazine 2025 · Best Ramen · Best of Big D
- D Magazine 2024 · Best Ramen · Best of Big D
- D Magazine 2023 · Best Ramen · Best of Big D
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- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Texas · Regino Rojas
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Best Chef: Texas · Regino Rojas
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Mexican · Best of Big D
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- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Italian Market · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Downtown Market · Best of Big D
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A straightforward neighborhood bar in Deep Ellum that fills up with the AAC crowd before games and shows, with a kitchen turning out solid burgers, chili cheese dogs, and club sandwiches. The kind of place where you might come for one drink and the food and company keep you there much longer.
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Rank 26. Brick & Bones
Cocktail Bar
A Deep Ellum bar with unhurried charm that pours six house cocktails priced right and knows how to move a crowd without the scene. The small kitchen does a 24-hour-brined Mexican-inflected fried chicken that arrives shattering-crisp, and the whole place has the feel of old Deep Ellum before the polish arrived.
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Late-Night Grub · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Fried Chicken · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer The Ultimate Dallas Bar Guide
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- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Oxtail · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer Neighborhood Staples and Gems · The Top 50 Restaurants in Dallas Right Now
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- Texas Monthly 2023 · Honorable Mentions · Texas’s Best New Restaurants
- Dallas Observer 2023 · Best Steakhouse · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2023 · Best Steakhouse · Best of Big D
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Rank 31. Dot's Hop House & Cocktail Courtyard
Cocktail Bar
Dot's is a sprawling Deep Ellum brunch spot with a massive dog-friendly patio where you can nurse a hand-crafted cocktail and order duck fat cheese fries or avocado toast bruschetta. The 99-tap beer menu and the Strawberry Smokeshow cocktail keep the place buzzing whether you're stopping by for a casual daytime meal or settling in for a longer session.
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Beer Selection · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer The Ultimate Dallas Bar Guide
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Rank 32. Three Links
Beer Bar
This Deep Ellum bar runs nonstop with a relentless live music calendar, nearly every night after 7pm bringing in everything from local punk to indie rock behind a modest cover charge. Cheap Tullamore Dew and rotating taps keep the crowd loose and the place perpetually buzzing.
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Bathroom · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2023 · Best Live Music Venue · Best of Big D
- Dallas Observer The Ultimate Dallas Bar Guide
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- Dallas Observer 2023 · Best Bar Vibes · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2024 · Best Mexican · Best of Big D
- D Magazine 2023 · Best Late-Night Eats · Best of Big D
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Rank 34. Armoury D.E.
Cocktail Bar
A Deep Ellum bar with a mission to pair excellent cocktails and live music, Armoury D.E. serves Hungarian comfort food alongside a rotating burger special in a casual, convivial space. The real draw is the back patio, where free shows happen regularly and the music curation matches the care that went into the drink list.
- Dallas Observer 2023 · Best Bloody Mary · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Bar Food · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer The Ultimate Dallas Bar Guide
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A Latin American restaurant and bar where the tequila and mezcal list goes deep, and even the cocktails come with mythological backstories served with real care. There's live music in the back room, The Limbo Room, where the sound system and sightlines rival venues twice the size.
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Rank 40. Monarch
Italian
High above Dallas in The National, Monarch offers the kind of room that makes you want to dress up—all expansive elegance and city views from 1401 Elm. The kitchen moves between handmade pastas and wood-fired meats with equal confidence, while the wine list sprawls across continents. It's celebratory dining that takes its setting as seriously as its plate.
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Rank 48. Double Wide
Dive Bar
A dive bar masquerading as a trailer park, Double Wide pours cheap, potent cocktails under string lights and serves as a refuge when Deep Ellum gets too packed. The real draw is the outdoor patio lined with salvaged toilets and road signs, plus a music venue across the way that hosts bands and DJs most nights.
- Wildsam The 50 Most Essential Bars in America
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Happy Hour · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer The Ultimate Dallas Bar Guide
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A no-frills downtown bar with hockey on the screens and a kitchen that takes soul food seriously, Ye Olde Scarlet Pumpernickel keeps regulars coming back for smoked meatloaf with proper sides and a weekend pork tenderloin sandwich that justifies the trip. The whiskey selection is thoughtful, the craft beer list is solid, and the whole place has that lived-in comfort of a neighborhood joint that happens to be downtown.
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Rank 53. Fearing's
Southwestern New American
Inside the Ritz-Carlton, Chef Dean Fearing's dining room reads traditional steakhouse but operates by its own rules. A Lone Star mosaic of raw tuna, wagyu, salmon, and barbecued eel arrives like stained glass; baklava s'more pivots toward pistachio marshmallow and burnt rosemary ice cream. American cooking with Southwestern swagger, built on surprise.
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Rank 54. Revolver Taco Lounge
Mexican
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Texas · Regino Rojas
- Texas Monthly 2023 · #5 · Texas’s Best New Restaurants
- D Magazine 2023 · Best Mexican · Best of Big D
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Rank 56. Tatsu Dallas
Sushi
Ten counter seats in a gin distillery building demand advance planning, but Chef Tatsuya Sekiguchi's edomae omakase—moving from delicate Alaskan salmon to briny Hokkaido uni to Maine eel—justifies the hunt. Rice and fish arrive in perfect proportion, each piece shaped to your preference, the ritual of a single seating binding strangers into witnesses of his craft.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Omakase · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Omakase · Best of Big D
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Rank 59. Crown Block
Steakhouse
A revolving restaurant atop Reunion Tower, where floor-to-ceiling windows frame Dallas sunsets while diners in business attire order rare steaks and triple-cooked fries. The circular dining room seats over 200 but fills fast since its 2023 opening, requiring advance reservations.
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Rank 61. Tatsu
Omakase Sushi
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Best New Restaurant
- D Magazine #4 · The 50 Best Restaurants
- Dallas Observer Splurge Worthy Spots · The Top 50 Restaurants in Dallas Right Now
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Rank 64. Sushi Kozy
Sushi
Chef Paul Ko's omakase unfolds across a cypress counter in a spare, modern room, opening with composed bites that wander far from tradition—duck confit in phyllo, sea bass crudo with tarragon and apple—before settling into nigiri of restraint and precision: kanpachi kissed with shiso, anago dusted with sansho. The kitchen trades cozy intimacy for elegant refinement.
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- Dallas Observer 2023 · Best Restaurant with a Mission · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer Classic Dallas Restaurants · The Top 50 Restaurants in Dallas Right Now
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Rank 67. The Mansion Restaurant
French New American
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- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Elizabeth Blau - Blau + Associates
- Dallas Observer 2023 · Best Restaurant for a Special Occasion · Best of Dallas
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Rank 72. Tei-An
Japanese Noodles
In a stark, gallery-like space in the Arts District, Tei-An grounds itself in the ritualism of handmade noodles—soba and udon served hot or cold with both classical and unorthodox accompaniments. The kitchen moves beyond its foundations with equal command, turning out tempura and grilled eel alongside tonkatsu, each dish executed with the precision of someone who has thought through every detail.
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Omakase · Best of Dallas
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- D Magazine #8 · The 50 Best Restaurants
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Rank 73. Las Almas Rotas
Mexican
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Margarita · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2023 · Best Agave Bar · Best of Big D
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Agave Bar · Best of Big D
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Rank 74. Mamani
Contemporary French
Chef Christophe De Lellis, formerly of Joël Robuchon in Vegas, opened this polished Dallas outpost around elevated bistro cooking and impeccable technique. Dover sole in brown butter and a textbook Paris-Brest suggest a kitchen that respects classical foundations while a serious wine list rewards the curious diner.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- Texas Monthly 2025 · Dishes We Wanted Seconds Of: Rosa Sposa · The Best Things in Texas
- D Magazine 2025 · The Best New Restaurants in Dallas
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Rank 75. Lucia
Italian
In the Bishop Arts District, David Uygur works from Italian foundations, building dishes around seasonal Texas produce and house-made pasta with the restraint of someone who trusts his ingredients. The menu turns with the seasons; wine leans Italian. Jennifer's warmth at the door makes the small room feel like it's been waiting for you.
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Nominee · Outstanding Restaurant
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Nominee · Outstanding Chef · David Uygar
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Nominee · Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker · Maggie Huff
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- D Magazine 2024 · Best Asian Barbecue · Best of Big D
- D Magazine 2023 · Best Asian Barbecue · Best of Big D
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- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Best New Restaurant
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Non-Dallasy Dallas Bar · Best of Big D
- D Magazine 2025 · The Best New Restaurants in Dallas
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Rank 78. Ayahuasca Cantina
Mezcal Mexican
You enter through a cafe's back hallway into a moody speakeasy where every bottle behind the bar hails from Mexico and cocktails trace the country's drinking history from pre-Columbian fermentations through modern riffs. The kitchen matches that ambition with pre-Hispanic dishes like octopus in ink and stone-cooked broths, prepared with enough authenticity that servers will happily decode the menu.
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bar
- Esquire 2024 · The Best Bars in America
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Margarita · Best of Dallas
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Rank 79. R.L.Blues Palace 2
Dive Bar
A longtime Dallas blues venue on Grand Avenue where live music happens most weekends and the crowd skews decidedly grown-folk; it's BYOB, so people drift in with beer and snacks like they're settling in for the long haul. The place has had its share of closures and resurrections, but it endures as the kind of room where you go to hear the real thing.
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A narrow slip of a bar in Oak Cliff where bartender Hugo and chef Hugo fuss over cocktails with the same intensity they bring to small plates—the Ron Kon Cafe comes topped with a housemade Mr. Black and Guinness reduction and salted plantain puree. It's the kind of place where you meant to stay for one drink and instead linger through several, nursing oysters and watching two people who clearly love what they do.
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Seafood · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Seafood · Best of Big D
- D Magazine 2025 · The Best New Restaurants in Dallas
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- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Side: Grilled Leeks · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Restaurant in Oak Cliff · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2025 · The Best New Restaurants in Dallas
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Rank 82. Saint Valentine
Cocktail Bar
Two experienced bartenders—one formerly of Deep Ellum's Black Swan—pour cocktails with names like Big Booty Trudy at this slinky East Dallas spot that carries itself with a studied cool. James Beard-nominated chef Misti Norris runs the kitchen, turning out obnoxiously good bar food like furikake fries that deserve a Mai Tai alongside them.
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Regional Honoree · Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. Central
- Texas Monthly 2025 · Dishes We Wanted Seconds Of: Loaded Nugs @ Rainbowcat · The Best Things in Texas
- Eater Best New Bar
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Rank 83. Stillwell's
Steakhouse
On the seventh floor of the Hôtel Swexan, a clubby steakhouse named for a legendary Texas rancher serves drinks and seafood towers alongside HWD beef from the restaurant's own Akaushi breeding program north of the Red River. The white-jacketed staff move with the precision of a well-oiled machine, letting the meat speak for itself.
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Rank 84. El Carlos Elegante
Mexican
The wood-fired grill anchors a warm dining room where crab cakes give way to pork al pastor and house-made masa for tableside taco assembly. Charred okra and Mexican chocolate pot de crème round out a menu built on grilled meats and shareable plates, paired with a serious tequila and mezcal program.
- D Magazine 2024 · Best Restaurant Patio · Best of Big D
- D Magazine 2023 · Best Tequila Drink: The Negroni-ish · Best of Big D
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
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- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Brunch · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Brunch · Best of Big D
- D Magazine 2024 · Best Burger · Best of Big D
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Rank 86. Bar Colette
Cocktail Bar
Ruben Rolon, who built the drinks program at a Michelin-recognized restaurant, now runs this upscale cocktail bar where every drink takes days to develop and classics get thoughtful reinterpretation. The carefully curated spirits and global wines pair with refined bites like sashimi, and you'll need a reservation to secure a seat at this Dallas standout.
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Best New Bar
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Cocktail Bar · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Hugo Spritz · Best of Big D
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Rank 89. Billy Can Can
Texas American
- Dallas Observer 2023 · Best Chili · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine #21 · The 50 Best Restaurants
- Eater The 38 Essential Dallas Restaurants
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Rank 90. Katy Trail Ice House
Texas Beer Bar
A sprawling patio off the Katy Trail where the beer list skews all-Texas and the crowd leans outdoorsy and thirsty. This ice house does Texas whiskeys and venison chili with the kind of casual, colorful ease that makes you want to stay longer than you planned.
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Spot on the Katy Trail · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Bar Patio · Best of Big D
- Dallas Observer The Ultimate Dallas Bar Guide
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Rank 91. Apothecary
Avant-Garde Cocktail Bar
A discreetly unmarked cocktail lounge where mixologists spend months perfecting each drink and the menu reimagines itself entirely each year—find the dark, quiet room on Greenville and settle in for what the staff could spend hours explaining. The seasonal themes get genuinely playful, like the year they paired a dirty martini with deviled eggs shaped to match.
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bar
- Spirited Awards 2025 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. Central
- Eater The 38 Essential Dallas Restaurants
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- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Fish and Chips · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Bloody Mary · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Veggie Burger · Best of Big D
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Rank 93. LadyLove Lounge & Sound
Cocktail Bar
Tucked into a quiet Bishop Arts corner with red-dimmed lighting and velvet-and-leather vibes, LadyLove is a lounge that strikes the rare balance of being intimate enough for conversation and lively enough for dancing. DJs spin on weekends, themed nights keep things fresh, and cocktails like the Rude Boy (tequila, aloe-peno syrup, lime) cost less than the beer.
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Lesbian Bar That Isn’t a Lesbian Bar · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Dance Party · Best of Big D
- D Magazine 2024 · Best Dance Party · Best of Big D
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Rank 95. Written By The Seasons
Contemporary New American
In the Bishop Arts District, a bright room hums with the rhythm of a kitchen that lets the season dictate its moves. Carrots arrive dusted with dukkah, branzino glazed in harissa, vegetables commanding the plate with the same authority as protein. The cocktail list shifts with the calendar, and the focaccia alone rewards a visit.
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Vegetarian Friendly · Best of Big D
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Eater The 38 Essential Dallas Restaurants
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- Wine Enthusiast 2025 · Top 50 New Restaurants
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Place to Celebrate an Anniversary · Best of Big D
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Rank 98. Quarter Acre
New American
Chef Toby Archibald's intimate Dallas dining room channels a New Zealand-inflected aesthetic while his cooking balances classical technique with international flourishes, from pristine raw preparations to fire-kissed finishes. The tasting menu unfolds as a personal, seasonally calibrated narrative rather than a greatest-hits collection.
- Texas Monthly 2024 · #3 · Texas’s Best New Restaurants
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Chef · Best of Dallas · Toby Archibald
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Tasting Menu · Best of Big D
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