The Top 100 Places to Eat and Drink Near Cafe Madrid
-
Rank 1. Georgie
Contemporary
Georgie dresses its dining room in peachy retro-modern tones while the kitchen plays with form—crispy potato churros, roasted chicken with sauce vin jaune—without losing sight of ingredient quality and classical technique. The prices are steep, but the attentive service and indulgent desserts justify the splurge.
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Emerging Chef · RJ Yoakum
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Chef · Best of Dallas · R.J. Yoakum
- D Magazine 2024 · Best Place to Celebrate an Anniversary · Best of Big D
-
-
Rank 3. Knox Bistro
French
A bright bistro staffed by French émigrés who understand the assignment: rillettes de poisson at lunch, lapin à la moutarde and canard à l'orange at dinner, a Paris-Brest for dessert that arrives looking like it wandered out of a pastry case in the sixth arrondissement. The room resists heavy-handed Gallic theatrics in favor of something more elegant—a restaurant that lets the food speak.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- D Magazine #27 · The 50 Best Restaurants
- Dallas Observer Neighborhood Staples and Gems · The Top 50 Restaurants in Dallas Right Now
-
Rank 4. Mister Charles
Italian-influenced French
An opulent Dallas dining room where French and Italian luxury collide—Dover sole tableside, wagyu Wellington, lobster canapés—with the ceremonial flourish of baked Alaska for finale. Skilled service and substantial wine elevate an indulgent, dress-to-impress meal.
- D Magazine 2024 · Best Place for Dessert · Best of Big D
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- D Magazine #9 · The 50 Best Restaurants
-
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Seafood · Best of Dallas
- Eater The 38 Essential Dallas Restaurants
- Dallas Observer Splurge Worthy Spots · The Top 50 Restaurants in Dallas Right Now
-
-
- Wine Enthusiast 2025 · Top 50 New Restaurants
- Texas Monthly 2025 · Honorable Mentions · Texas’s Best New Restaurants
-
Rank 8. The Old Monk
Beer Bar
A neighborhood institution since 1998, The Old Monk serves impeccable pints of dark beer from around the world beneath monastery pendants and European dark-bar charm, with fish and chips that rank among Dallas's best. The well-run spot on Henderson Avenue attracts generations of regulars who drift from late-night drafts to hungover brunches, and its weekday happy hour has a reputation for danger.
- 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
-
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Espresso Martini · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Inedible Menu Item: The Teddy Bears · Best of Big D
-
Rank 10. Sachet
Mediterranean
Sunlight floods this corner room where the service feels as warm as the Mediterranean sprawl on the menu—North African spices, Levantine technique, Italian bones. Octopus arrives with freekeh; lamb settles into gigante beans. If the booths are full, the counter bar offers a front-row seat to the kitchen's assured hand.
- D Magazine 2024 · Best Place to Go On a Monday · Best of Big D
- Dallas Observer 2023 · Best Wine Program · Best of Dallas
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
-
Rank 11. Coupes
Champagne Wine Bar
Tucked into a Highland Park strip mall, Coupes is a gleaming champagne bar with gold touches and a commanding U-shaped counter that punches well above its modest address. The focus is on French bubbles and quality pours, though cocktails like the bourbon-and-peach Avoir la Pêche keep things approachable alongside the serious wine list.
-
-
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Steakhouse · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Upscale Dessert · Best of Dallas
- Eater Steak · 14 Iconic Dallas Dishes Locals and Tourists Must Try
-
-
-
-
Rank 17. Gemma
Contemporary New American
A husband-and-wife team runs this intimate neighborhood spot with the ease of people who've learned their craft in serious kitchens. The roasted heirloom carrots and Idaho trout almondine anchor a seasonal menu that turns simple ingredients into small revelations, while a warm raisin scone and Meyer lemon tart bookend the meal with understated refinement.
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Nominee · Outsdanding Hospitality
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Tater Tots · Best of Dallas
-
-
-
Rank 20. Strangeways
Beer Bar
A scrappy East Dallas craft beer bar where the eclectic wall art, curated music, and general vibe are precisely calibrated to repel people looking for mass appeal. The patio is great, the bar food punches above its weight, and flight nights and pop-up dinners keep things interesting for the crowd that gets what Strangeways is about.
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Beer Selection · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer The Ultimate Dallas Bar Guide
-
Rank 21. 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
-
-
-
At a busy Oak Lawn intersection, Barsotti's pairs a striking black-and-white dining room with an open kitchen glimpsed from the curved bar. The contemporary trattoria keeps its focus narrow: housemade pastas—linguini with shrimp scampi, lasagna Bolognese, spaghetti with meatballs—executed with straightforward competence and an all-Italian wine list to match.
-
Rank 25. Read Shop
Coffee
-
-
-
- Texas Monthly 2025 · Honorable Mentions · Texas’s Best New Restaurants
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Burger · Best of Big D
- Eater Sleeper Hit of the Year
-
-
-
-
Rank 32. The Mansion Restaurant
French New American
-
-
Rank 34. 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
-
-
- D Magazine 2024 · Best Cheese Shop · Best of Big D
- Dallas Observer 2023 · Best Cheese Selection · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Cheese Shop · Best of Big D
-
Rank 37. 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
-
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Speakeasy · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2023 · Best Place to Skip a Speakeasy · Best of Big D
-
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Place to Have Coffee and Not Work · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer 2023 · Best Coffee Shop · Best of Dallas
-
Rank 40. Ngon Vietnamese Kitchen
Vietnamese
Carol Nguyen's rustic-trimmed space on Lower Greenville channels Hanoi street food with an unpretentious hand. Green papaya salad arrives layered with herbs and house-made beef jerky; noodle bowls come crowned with chargrilled pork and imperial rolls, the cooking bright and balanced throughout. A neighborhood gathering place that serves the straightforward, well-executed thing.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- Dallas Observer Neighborhood Staples and Gems · The Top 50 Restaurants in Dallas Right Now
- Eater The 38 Essential Dallas Restaurants
-
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Tasting Menu · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2024 · Best Vegetarian Friendly · Best of Big D
- D Magazine 2023 · Best Place for Dessert · Best of Big D
-
Rank 42. Via Triozzi
Italian
- Texas Monthly 2024 · #8 · Texas’s Best New Restaurants
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Italian · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2023 · The Best New Restaurants in Dallas
-
-
-
-
The Alamo Club has the settled-in feel of a neighborhood fixture despite opening just a few years ago, with owner Austin Rogers working the room and chef Michale West turning out crowd-pleasing apps and entrées like a loaded club burger and pot roast pappardelle. It's the kind of unpretentious, all-purpose spot where you can linger over a quiet date, bring the family, or post up with friends for drinks without anyone feeling out of place.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Rank 55. 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.
-
-
-
-
Rank 59. nonna
Italian
A modest storefront off a Highland Park thoroughfare reveals itself through blind-covered windows to disclose exposed brick, modern art, and a seasonal Italian menu anchored by constants like white clam pie and Maine lobster ravioli. The pasta selections shift with supply while an all-Italian wine list balances recognizable bottles with less familiar finds.
-
Rank 60. 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.
- Texas Monthly 2025 · Dishes We Wanted Seconds Of: Loaded Nugs @ Rainbowcat · The Best Things in Texas
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Regional Honoree · Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. Central
- Eater Best New Bar
-
-
Rank 62. 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
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Rank 70. 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
-
-
Rank 72. 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
- Spirited Awards 2025 · Top 10 U.S. Nominee · Best U.S. Hotel Bar
-
- Dallas Observer 2023 · Best Chocolate Chip Cookies · Best of Dallas
- Eater The 15 Coolest Coffee Shops in Dallas
-
-
-
-
-
- D Magazine 2023 · Best Dumplings · Best of Big D
- Dallas Observer 2023 · Best Chinese · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Late-Night Eats · Best of Big D
-
Rank 79. Truck Yard
Beer Bar
A sprawling patio off Lowest Greenville where Dallasites come to spread out with a beer and breathe for a minute, Truck Yard keeps the food simple—Philly cheesesteaks, sandwiches, nachos—and the focus on their own By The Horns brewery beer. It's the kind of casual neighborhood spot where you can linger for hours whether you're there for lunch, brunch, or just looking for a country-bar vibe without leaving the city.
- Dallas Observer 2023 · Best Philly Cheesesteak: Steak Me Home Tonight Kitchen · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer The Ultimate Dallas Bar Guide
-
-
Rank 81. 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)
-
Rank 82. MộT Hai Ba
Fusion
A narrow room with wood floors and brick hides behind an auto repair shop, where Chef Peja Krstic blends Serbian roots with Vietnamese and French technique and Texas ingredients—beef brisket in steamed bao, tempura squash blossoms with nuoc cham, coconut lemongrass panna cotta with peanut crumble. The cooking is restless and curious, never settling into one tradition.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- D Magazine #7 · The 50 Best Restaurants
- Dallas Observer Neighborhood Staples and Gems · The Top 50 Restaurants in Dallas Right Now
-
-
Rank 84. Dallasite Billiards
Dive Bar
A vintage cigarette machine by the restrooms sets the tone at this dive bar where pretense goes to die—spacious patio, pool tables, shuffleboard, and darts fill the room while the bartenders sling amaretto sours that actually deserve the hype. The bar grub is solid and the whole scene says cash-only, no-frills, and exactly what you need it to be.
-
-
Rank 86. Cosmo's
Vietnamese
A corner spot with '60s lounge bones, a VHS-stacked bar, and a patio that feels miles from the street, Cosmo's pairs specialty cocktails—including a martini built with house-brewed Vietnamese coffee—with an eclectic kitchen that nails Vietnamese dishes. The garlic noodles are worth a special trip if they're available that night.
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Vietnamese · Best of Big D
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Espresso Martini · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine #44 · The 50 Best Restaurants
-
-
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Cold Brew · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2023 · Best Cup of Tea · Best of Big D
-
-
-
Rank 91. Meyboom Brasserie
Belgian Cocktail Bar
A cozy Belgian brasserie on Greenville with serious cocktail chops, especially their espresso martini that earned a spot on our best-of list. The bar bites hit just as hard—try the fried goat cheese balls with honey and a cherry-lambic drizzle—and the drinks menu spans craft cocktails, wine, and old-world beers.
- Dallas Observer 2023 · Best Espresso Martini · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer The Ultimate Dallas Bar Guide
-
Rank 92. 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
-
-
Rank 94. MĀBO
Omakase Sushi
- Esquire 2024 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Texas · Masayuki Otaka
-
Rank 95. 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
-
Rank 96. 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
-
Milo Butterfingers is a freshly renovated Dallas institution that pulls together college kids and regulars in a sprawling space with pool tables, a fireplace den, and a patio built for lingering. The homestyle kitchen keeps prices gentle while the vibe—part sports bar, part hangout, all good mood—makes it easy to settle in for an afternoon or evening.
-
Rank 98. 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 2025 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Hotel Bar – U.S. Central
-
- 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
-