The Top 100 Places to Eat and Drink Near Katy Trail Ice House
-
Rank 1. 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 2. The Mansion Restaurant
French New American
-
Rank 3. 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 4. 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 9. 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
-
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Steakhouse · Best of Big D
- D Magazine 2024 · The Best New Restaurants in Dallas
-
Rank 11. 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.
-
Rank 12. Christies
Cocktail Bar
A breezy sports bar in a casual neighborhood setting where the drinks are oversized and silly—mimosa soup, sangria towers, and something called the F*** It Bucket—and every corner, inside and out, bristles with televisions. The sprawling patio and rooftop make this an especially good spot to catch the local teams when the weather cooperates.
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Sports Bar · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer The Ultimate Dallas Bar Guide
-
Rank 13. 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
-
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Restaurant for a Special Occasion · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer Splurge Worthy Spots · The Top 50 Restaurants in Dallas Right Now
-
The Grapevine moved a mile down the road in 2023 but kept the same crew and same spirit—a sprawling neighborhood bar where you'll find families, regulars, and whoever else wants a seriously strong drink and some karaoke. The kitchen cranks out boudin balls, and there's enough outdoor space that the crowd never feels cramped, which is probably why everyone ends up here eventually.
- D Magazine 2024 · BEst Bar Resurrection · Best of Big D
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Come Back · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer The Ultimate Dallas Bar Guide
-
-
-
-
-
-
Rank 21. 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
-
-
-
- Dallas Observer 2023 · Best Coffee Shop · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Place to Have Coffee and Not Work · Best of Dallas
-
-
-
-
Rank 28. Mercat Bistro
Bistro French
Mercat Bistro occupies a Dallas dining room where marble tables and round-backed chairs summon the unhurried rhythms of a Parisian neighborhood fixture. Escargots, French onion soup, moules frites—the canon is honored without fuss, and the open kitchen thrums with a warmth that rewards those who ask for it.
-
-
-
-
- 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 38. 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
-
-
-
-
Rank 42. 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.
-
Rank 43. Ascension Coffee
Coffee
-
-
Rank 45. The Meteor Dallas
Coffee
-
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Fried Chicken · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer 2023 · Best Fried Chicken · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2023 · Best Fried Chicken · Best of Big D
-
-
A rooftop-and-lawn sports bar near the AAC where groups cluster around lounge seating and the vibe is relentlessly social—the kind of place that doesn't let you sit quietly in a corner. The mozzarella sticks come in a five-foot-long order, and the TVs are everywhere.
- Dallas Observer 2023 · Best Place to Pregame an Event at the AAC · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer The Ultimate Dallas Bar Guide
-
-
Rank 50. 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 52. 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
-
-
Rank 54. Peticolas Brewing Company
Beer Bar
Peticolas is a small locally owned brewery in a West Dallas industrial building that helped put the city's craft beer scene on the map with brews like Velvet Hammer, a deceptively smooth imperial red ale. The split-level taproom is always tuned to some soccer match—Champions League or regional Mexican soccer—and has foosball, ping pong, and shuffleboard upstairs for when the field goes quiet.
- Dallas Observer 2023 · Best Local Brewery · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Taproom · Best of Big D
- D Magazine 2024 · Best Brewery · Best of Big D
-
-
Rank 56. 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
-
-
-
-
-
Rank 61. 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
-
-
-
-
- Wine Enthusiast 2025 · Top 50 New Restaurants
- Texas Monthly 2025 · Honorable Mentions · Texas’s Best New Restaurants
-
-
-
- D Magazine 2024 · Best Meal With a View · Best of Big D
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Tea Time · Best of Big D
- Eater The 38 Essential Dallas Restaurants
-
-
-
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Upscale Dessert · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Steakhouse · Best of Dallas
- Eater Steak · 14 Iconic Dallas Dishes Locals and Tourists Must Try
-
-
-
Rank 74. 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.
-
-
Rank 76. 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.
- Dallas Observer 2023 · Best Wine Program · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2024 · Best Place to Go On a Monday · Best of Big D
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
-
-
-
-
-
-
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 87. Slow Bone
Texas-Style Barbecue
- Texas Monthly 2025 · The 50 Best BBQ Joints in Texas
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Barbecue · Best of Dallas
-
-
- Dallas Observer 2025 · Best Italian Market · Best of Dallas
- D Magazine 2025 · Best Downtown Market · Best of Big D
-
Rank 90. 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
-
-
- 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
-
Rank 93. 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 94. 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
-
-
-
-
Rank 98. 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 99. 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.
-
- Dallas Observer 2024 · Best Oxtail · Best of Dallas
- Dallas Observer Neighborhood Staples and Gems · The Top 50 Restaurants in Dallas Right Now