I've been asked a few times by various folks for restaurant recommendations for Dallas.

So here are a few of the places I've taken out-of-town FTers who have come to visit. (And to clarify, I don't take my out-of-town friends to eat or drink anywhere I wouldn't go normally....)

Abacus

http://www.guidelive.com/profile/294183/

The Green Room

http://www.guidelive.com/profile/101904/

Sambuca

http://www.guidelive.com/profile/101898/

Il Sole

http://www.guidelive.com/profile/294046/

Monica's Aca Y Alla

http://www.guidelive.com/profile/101910

The Blue Goose

http://www.guidelive.com/profile/101309/

Esparzas

http://www.guidelive.com/profile/104570

Joe T. Garcias

http://www.guidelive.com/profile/104831

Citizen

http://www.guidelive.com/profile/294186/

The Library

http://www.guidelive.com/profile/105800

Via Real

http://www.guidelive.com/profile/100275/


[This message has been edited by techgirl (edited 11-24-2002).]

I had a meal at the Mansion, and was a little
disappointed. For the money & its reputaion I thought the service was little
short and the food a little gregarious but not great. Real glad I went. I
met Dean Ferring (Chef).
I had a fabulous dinner at
the York Street retsauarnat at 6047 Lewis 214-826-0968. I also had a
wonderful latin lunch at La Duni 4620 McKinney Ave 214-520-7300.

Excellent dining in Dallas. Head on up to Addison and there are tons of nice restaurants. Lawry's the Prime Rib, 3 Forks, "Texas de Brazil" and Fogo de Chao, Kobe Steaks, tons of other options.

I'm suprised nobody's posted this yet:

A great Italian restaurant near White Rock Lake, Alfonso's. Fantastic Chicago-style pizza! Also, the proprietor is our own PETEFLYS. Alfonso's is located at 718 N. N. Buckner Blvd. (Loop 12), (214) 327-7777.

Very nice sushi, sashimi, robata, and other Japanese buffet at Osaka out in Plano.

Every Wednesday night, Papacitos in Arlington has all-you-can-eat lobster for $29.99. They serve you whole lobsters (tails are 4-6 oz), and service is prompt, until the bugs are gone. My record is 5. Two co-workers devoured 9 each. Not even close to the record, which we were told was 31.

Besides stellar food, The Green Room has one of the best wine lists in Dallas. All of the waitstaff know their way around the wine list, especially Chris. Message to out-of-towners: don't be put off by the funky neighborhood and outside appearance. Food & drink are first class.

For homemade Tex-Mex try Avila's on Maple; for more upscale try Javier's, and also Ciudad (same owner as Monica's Aca y Alla). All are great.

[This message has been edited by globalguy (edited 12-03-2002).]

[This message has been edited by globalguy (edited 12-03-2002).]

I had dinner at Abacus this weekend and was disappointed. The room is modern, but very loud, ok service and the food is very elaborate but not tasty enough for the price. The lobster shooters taste like fish balls to me.


I had a very good lunch at the Lonesome Dove Bistro in Ft Worth stockyards.


[This message has been edited by GM99 (edited 12-16-2002).]

Just go to Addison http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/wink.gif

Tokyo One and Fogo de Chao right next to each other.

My two favorite restaurants http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/biggrin.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by jfe:
Just go to Addison http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/wink.gif

Tokyo One and Fogo de Chao right next to each other.

My two favorite restaurants http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/biggrin.gif</font>If you like Tokyo One, Osaka in Plano might be a very nice surprise.

For those who like the churrascarias (ala Fogo de Chao), I also like Texas de Brazil. They have three locations - Addison (Restaurant Row), Fort Worth (a short walk from Sundance Square), and Uptown (in that fabulous building where The Joint used to be).

We did New Years Eve at the one in Addison this year and I found the meat to be OH SO wonderful and the wine list to be full of reasonable gems.

This is one of those highly debatable topics, but I'm going to throw it down and name my personal favorite:

Kincaid's on Camp Bowie

Kincaid's (officially the Charles Kincaid Grocery and Market) has been a fixture since long before I was born. I can remember my grandmother's maid taking me with her grocery shopping and then stopping off at Kincaid's for a quick lunch at the counter and a flirt with the grill boy.

These days, Kincaids no longer sells groceries (although the old waist high counters still have lots of vintage product underneath them) but does fire up the best burger around.

What makes it good?

Well, it has everything to do with "meld"... you know, the way the bun sticks to the cheese which sticks to the meat? The buns are lightly toasted on the grill, the veggies always fresh and sized just right.

Some folks love their fries, but I am a Texas traditionalist and always go for fried okra and ranch dressing as a side for my bacon cheeseburger.

Kincaids seems to always be packed during the day - many of the locals skip the clubhouses at Rivercrest and Shady Oaks CCs and instead head to Camp Bowie to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with all the other westsiders at the family style long tables (or stand at the old counters).

Service is bare bones - you queue up, order off the old letterboard, the counter girl will write your name and order on a white paper sack. Head over to the register and tell them what you ordered, grab a drink, and wait for your sack to be filled.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm....

I'll put my vote in for the Hole in the Wall on Harry Hines just south of LBJ.

It's been around forever and lives up to its name. It's basically a bar that seems to cater about 50% to bikers and 50% to blues fans.

But the burgers are handmade and some of the tastiest around. They'll come wrapped in paper, dressed with mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion & pickle (or however you request). Doubles available, but the singles are pretty generous.

The fries suck (greasy and sometimes undercooked). There's a few other things on the menu (BLT, CFS, chicken sandwich) but I've never seen anyone order them.

There's music every night (except Sunday, when they're closed), some of the best blues in town, actually. In particular, check out the Wednesday night jam. Once the music starts, the place fills up, and and if it's too cold for the patio, you may have a hard time finding a spot to eat.

No cover, $5 annual membership to drink alcohol.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by GM99:
I had dinner at Abacus this weekend and was disappointed. The room is modern, but very loud, ok service and the food is very elaborate but not tasty enough for the price. The lobster shooters taste like fish balls to me.</font>

I'm sorry to hear that one of my favorites was disappointing.

I do agree with you that the room can be loud... although I actually like not being able to hear the conversations of those at the table next to me (since no one ever said Dallasites were quiet by nature).

I'm still a huge fan of the lobster shooters... although now that I have the recipe I think I'm very likely to make the "sake" (broth) as a stand-alone dish.

The dessert menu has had some rotation lately... a Godiva chocolate soup has been added with lots of neat stuff in it. It was too-die-for. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/biggrin.gif

Has anyone here tried Steel? I've been there twice and found it to have the freshest sashimi in the city. They told me it is flown in daily from a seafood purveyor on the W Coast. I used to live in Tokyo. We'd go to the Tsukiji fish market and buy stuff. Steel is as close as I've had to that. Other than sashimi, I've not tried any of the Vietnamese dishes there. Any opinions on those? One caveat: the wine list is a little pricey.

My vote.....ADAIR'S in Deep Ellum. They cook'em on an old fashioned steel griddle. Don't be in a hurry though. Adair's is not a fast food joint, as it takes 20 minutes to cook the thick patty. Any place that serves cold Pearl beer and a burger with a whole jalapeno on top rates A+ by me.

GLOBALGUY,
Ditto on your recommedations, will add that anyone going to Avila's try their house specialty, Spinach Enchiladas and Javier's
Shrimp Barra Navidad. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

Coming into town next week and eating at:

Sunday - Fogo de Chao
Monday - Oceanaire Seafood Room (Westin)
Tuesday - Star Canyon

How did we do as far as choices?

Well, if you eat at Fogo on Sunday, you may not be hungry until Tuesday...

http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by tfjim:
Coming into town next week and eating at:

Sunday - Fogo de Chao
Monday - Oceanaire Seafood Room (Westin)
Tuesday - Star Canyon

How did we do as far as choices?</font>

Very well... I haven't been to Oceanaire yet, but I keep hearing great things about it... and Star Canyon has been a (by reputation) "destination restaurant" since it opened in the early 90s.

Ok, so a short recap on our dining experiences. Just to let you know, our company held it's annual (beer) sales convention in Dallas this year. The main body in attendance is our collection of wholesalers from around the country. Imagine a few thousand millionaires in one city and you get the picture.

Sunday: Fogo de Chao (pronounced 'Fogo de Show)
Well this place lived up to its billing as a place to gorge yourself on meat. I took advantage, and I'm not a large guy at all. It was a 3 hour eating extravaganza of all meat products. I tried everything and decided I liked the house specialty beef the best. The chicken and pork offerings were a bit too 'smokey' for my tastes.

Monday: Oceanaire (in the Westin hotel)

The highlight of the trip. Eating out on my company's dime is usually an extravagant affair, so I'm surprised to say that this place is probably the best restaurant I've eaten at during the last 2-3 years. No exaggeration. In terms of food, service, and atmosphere it was top-notch. The appetizers were great, entree of Chilean sea bass was phenomenal, dessert was totally over the top (two desserts per table of six was too much). The service was simply head and shoulders above anything I've had recently. To cap it all off the decor was fantastic and the atmosphere even on a Monday night was electric.

Tuesday: Star Canyon (as mentioned above, an old standby)

I would consider this pick something of a compromise. We had a group (9) dinner at 5:30pm in order to finish in time for the private John Mellencamp & Sheryl Crow concert being staged for our convention. We've been there before and the location is good for downtown convenience. Obviously, the early arrival meant we were well cared for. Our meals were all quite good, though the menu seemed a bit limited and 'old'.

***************

So, all in all a great dining trip. Dallas as a convention city is not all that great. Any change of locale whatsoever requires jumping in a cab for a minimum 15-20 minute drive. Thankfully there are lots of cabs around (some don't smell so great). However, the restaurants are simply fantastic. I think you have an incredible pool of serving talent to draw from. And the patrons are an obviously sophisticated bunch.

Some other locations that colleagues visited and had nice reviews include: Abacus, Bob's, The Palm.

My sorority alum group held a wine tasting at this venue last night.

Wow!

An impressive selection of unusual wines... many that I've enjoyed on my international travels and a few neat domestics too. The majority of the wines in the store (and all of those on the walls) are $15 or less per bottle.

The wines in the store are all grouped by "taste" rather than by varietal. All have a store written description highlighted and "useful" pairing suggestions (like "tastes great with Thai take-out" or "serve with bbq").

I was thrilled to find this place and I will definitely return to purchase wine soon.

They have a tasting bar with selections rotating daily. Single glasses are $4 to $4.50 and flights (red or white) are $8 to $10. On Saturdays, they have a guest chef in during the afternoons to demo cooking and discuss wine pairings.

I'm hooked... and may have to post a FT wine tasting night there soon!

As a California wine lover who travels to the Dallas area regularly, I am always interested in finding places that serve a variety of good, and not too expensive, wines.

Your post caught my attention, but it doesn't identify the place you are talking about. Please elaborate on it, and any others you care to share.

Thanks.

Best Cellars is located on Knox Street (one block over (west) from Restoration Hardware.

I don't have any additional information (phone/specific address/hours) but I CAN tell you what we tasted:

- Reserve Saint-Channelle NV
- Red Hill Reisling 2001 (New Zealand)
- Santa Julia Viognier 2001 (Argentina)
- Terra Sana Rouge 1999 (South of France)
- Castas de Santar Dao 2000 (Portugal)
- Bonny Doon Framboise

Six glasses (healthy pours - more generous than a normal flight) over two hours made for a FUN party. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/biggrin.gif

The store probably had about 200 wines total... and of those, over 150 were $15 or less (many $10 or less). The assortment was not your "usual" heavily marketed wine list and had several treasures I've found at off-the-beaten-path vineyards.

Also, with Knox-Henderson being such a trendy upmarket neighborhood, the crowd was young and professional.

While Thai Orchid is definitly not a 5 star dining establishment it is one of my favorite Thai Restaurants. I make a point to head over everytime I am in Dallas. It is in a strip mall on Restaurant Row in Addison but the prices are reasonable and the food is all very fresh and cooked to order.

http://www.torchid.com/

Check out Marty's on Oak Lawn. They've got a unique licence that lets them both serve wine in-store as well as at retail. So the wine list is the entire store inventory, served at dinner with no mark up.

Review: http://www.guidelive.com/profile/103134/

Marty's is great too... lots of range there (from bargain wines to rare vintages). I also enjoy popping into Tony's on Oak Lawn when I'm looking for a particular French or Italian wine - they are heavy on the European vineyards.

I went back to Best Cellars last night to meet up with a girlfriend before dinner... we split a bottle of an unusual sparkling muscat from Valencia, Spain before dinner. They waived my corkage fee since I also purchased a mixed case for home.

Dined at Fishbowl on Knox Street last night.

Has never been a "favorite" of mine, but it was across the street from Best Cellars where we started and since I was looking to dine solely on sashimi, it would give my companion more options.

I think that the a la carte sushi and sashimi here is excessively priced, but that the chefs combo plates are a good value.

My companion had a tuna roll ($6) and a soft shell crab roll ($12). The tuna roll was spicy (there appeared to be a slight layer of wasabi between the tuna and rice) - and fresh looking. Her soft shell crab roll looked disappointing to me (I'm used to having them at places where the roll is served with large protruding pieces of the crab - and here it was clearly trimmed) - but she said the flavor was good. For $18, I was disappointed in the amount of food on her plate.

I ordered the chef's choice sashimi plate for $20 and was VERY pleased. Several varieties of sashimi (14 pieces total) including ahi, salmon, mackerel, squid, yellowtail, and snapper. The cuts were very generous and I was filled up nicely.

The service (we sat in the bar/lounge, not the dining room) was a bit disappointing. Our server seemed miffed that we would not be ordering their fancy $12 cocktails... and was slow to come around to fill water glasses (we had to ask). At the end of the meal, my companion paid cash and he never returned with her change (which was around $25 of the total bill) and copped attitude when she finally had to call him over to ask about it.

All in all, I think I will return for their Thursday night patio specials again (one of the best deals in Dallas with $1 Sake and $1 Sushi) or perhaps one of their dining prix fixe events, but not the best Uptown choice for sushi with so many other standouts nearby.

Tonight was night one of Restaurant Week.

One of my girlfriends had been dying to hit the M Crowd's French eatery for some time (the M Crowd being a Dallas restaurant ownership group) so we headed to West Village to Paris Vendome.

Like much in the West Village, Paris Vendome is another neighborhood transported to metro Dallas. If it weren't for the valet out front, I could swear the patio was on a Parisian boulevard, not in a parking lot off McKinney. The interior is LA-meets-brasserie, but without the Disney-esque drama. In other words... very French, but not in-your-face.

The service, sadly, was typical Dallas. As we had a Restaurant Week reservation, the hostess only sat us with Restaurant Week paper menus. I asked to see a wine list and a regular menu - (as a former snooty colleague of mine once snipped at a waiter, "Its called upselling... you ought to try it").

Nothing on the Restaurant Week menu sounded wonderful... no wonder they didn't want to present the regular menu beside it... when we figured out we could get a better three courses for the same $30 (and get the same three wines paired for much less than the additional $25 they were charging for the pairings), we were both amused and annoyed. (Amused because we saw diners all around just ordering off the RW menu... and annoyed because the restaurant was clearly profitting from their ignorance.)

I had the escargot... and while the little critters themselves were good, the butter tasted slightly off. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/frown.gif My girlfriend had a mixed green salad with lemon vinigrette. The baby greens were beautiful... and oh-so-simple.

We both decided to go with the "signature" dish of Paris Vendome... the PV burger. This would be the Dallas version of the $49 hamburger... ours is $16 and is stuffed with foie gras and braised shortribs and served with a cone of pomme frites. In a word, heavenly. I popped mine off the bun and enjoyed it with a knife and fork.

None of the desserts sounded that stellar after we had that delight, but against our better judgment, we ordered anyway. We both ended up ordering the double chocolate mousse with raspberry cream. I was not impressed and wished we had gone next door to Paciugo for gelato instead. The mousse was served with a fork (??!!) and came piped on a salad plate in a presentation that looked much like three turds with a pinkish puff in the middle. Three blueberries sat in small pools of raspberry sauce to form a triangle around the turds.

Service was painfully slow and relatively uninformed... our waiter seemed to have graduated from Chilis or Fridays within the last month. The atmosphere is odd too... everyone from folks in shorts on a shopping break to dressed up business folk entertaining clients. The restaurant needed some background filter... either slightly louder music or better white noise.

All in all, I would skip this place if offered the opportunity to dine there again... if one must dine at an M Crowd place, stick to one of their other venues. Chris Ward is completely out of his element with everyday French. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/frown.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by techgirl:
the PV burger. This would be the Dallas version of the $49 hamburger... ours is $16 and is stuffed with foie gras and braised shortribs</font>

I can't picture this in my head. Do the foie gras and shortribs actually comprise the "burger" or are they stuffed into ground beef?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by techgirl:
Tonight was night one of Restaurant Week.

One of my girlfriends had been dying to hit the M Crowd's French eatery for some time (the M Crowd being a Dallas restaurant ownership group) so we headed to West Village to Paris Vendome.
</font>


What other Dallas restaurants are owned by the M Crowd?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Sweet Willie:
I can't picture this in my head. Do the foie gras and shortribs actually comprise the "burger" or are they stuffed into ground beef?</font>

They are "in" the burger... it appears to be a normal hamburger until you cut into it and then you see a bit of the "string" from the shortribs. You can't actually see the foie gras, but you can taste it... like butter melted into the burger. Yum!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Herb687:

What other Dallas restaurants are owned by the M Crowd?</font>

Mi Cocina
Taco Diner
The Mercury
Mercury Grill

I think they also had Taqueria Canonita (which is now a Taco Diner) in Las Colinas. I notice the one in Las Vegas at the Venetian is still open though.

I'm not a big chain restaurant fan at all. My friends know this too. So when Restaurant Week rolls around each year, I'm always amused at folks who want to go eat at chains. A couple of folks suggested Palomino (I mean, HELLO?!... every week is Restaurant Week there with the coupons they constantly send me that seem to imply they are a week away from going under).

I did, however, give in to my friend Jodaho on his suggestion that we dine at Mortons. And I should note that this was a BIG sacrifice for me as I had just done Mortons in San Francisco with a colleague a couple of weeks before.

So... here is my review of Restaurant Week at Mortons in Dallas.

RW reservations were noted by the staff... when we were seated we were given RW week menus rather than the regular menus. (Note to restaurants participating in RW... you SHOULD at least offer to add on additional items... not all of us are such cheap .......s that we might not spend additional money beyond the $30... hell, I even had to ASK for a wine list. Tacky, tacky, tacky.) We also got to skip the usual cart presentation (Meat 101, as I've heard it called).

Our first course was a choice between a casear salad or a Mortons salad with bleu cheese. I had the Mortons and my friend had the caesar. I don't particularly like hard-boiled egg... so it would have been nice to know in advance that the salad came coated in egg (and that it was pretossed with the dressing... so it was impossible to try to pick out lettuce that wasn't dripping with bleu cheese).

Our second course was a choice between a single cut filet, chicken, or salmon. All had sauce but since we both wanted beef all I recall is that came with beirnaisse. We both had our steaks rare and they came out a delicate pink. A single cut is MORE than enough for me (I had leftovers for lunch today) and all entrees came with a separately plated side of broccoli with hollandaise sauce (on the side) and a plate of mashed potatoes (with a choice to add in butter, sour cream or bacon added tableside).

Dessert was a choice of NY cheesecake or nothing. We (of course) chose the cheesecake. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/wink.gif It was good like a fresh baked cheesecake should be... great texture and taste. Mmmmm...

Overall, I would give the food itself a 7 out of 10, the service a 4 out of 10, and my opinion of Mortons remains that it is a great place to go if you need to entertain 10 or 15 clients in a private room and you have your basic easily impressed "don't eat out much" types. It is a lousy place for a date (tables are too close together) and a bad place to go for good service unless you are spending $200 a head.

http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/biggrin.gif

My server last night at Smith & Wollensky told me that the Mortons in Addison closed recently.

(I guess North Dallas "Steakhouse Row" really HAS hit its saturation point!)

Been to the Morton's in Addison and could not agree more that it should be closed.

------------------
"The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You"

[This message has been edited by JAWS_II (edited 08-25-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by techgirl:

(I guess North Dallas "Steakhouse Row" really HAS hit its saturation point!)</font>

More proof of this. I ate last weekend at Copeland's on Beltline. They now have added an 2nd, separate menu of their "steakhouse" offerimgs, including prime steaks, and steak-housy sides. Hardbound and everything.

It's just a matter of time before the local McDonalds offers a Prime McRib. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/eek.gif

Great recommendations here.

I'm bringing this back to the top since I have a short trip coming up - any recommendations for a good Tex-Mex or BBQ place between DFW and the Dallas Parkway area? Those mom-and-pop Tex-Mex places (or even the more upscale ones) are always a favorite.

Thanks.

Since it hasn't been mentioned, Truluck's Steak & Stone Crab is an excellent choice, whether you order Stone Crab appetizers or the "full blown" meal. Truluck's steak, especially the filet, is excellent. I recently dined with a lady-friend at the Addison location.

------------------
"The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You"

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Pietro:
I'm bringing this back to the top since I have a short trip coming up - any recommendations for a good Tex-Mex or BBQ place between DFW and the Dallas Parkway area? Those mom-and-pop Tex-Mex places (or even the more upscale ones) are always a favorite.</font>


While definitely upscale and not a mom-and-pop place, I would recommend Ciudad as the best Mexican restaurant in Dallas. Although bear in mind that this is not Mexican food as we have come to know it but rather elegant continental Mexican cuisine (Mexico City cuisine is what they purport to be). Owner Monica Greene is the local authority on Mexican food and also owns Monica's Aca y Alla, a more casual Mexican restaurant in Deep Ellum.

As a side note, I've noticed a definite lack of good mom-and-pop authentic Mexican places here in the Dallas area. The selection of good, cheap hole-in-the-wall taco stands is nothing here like it is in LA and the SF Bay Area, for example.

Several of you have asked about Mexican/Tex-Mex places in Dallas. While Ciudad is very good, it is way expensive. (I'm cheap) My all-time, hands-down,would-eat-there-every-night place is Ojeda's.
Standing on Maple Avenue among laundromats and used tire stores, the iron gates and security guard will make sure your Lexus or Mercedes in still intact after you are full from enchiladas. The salsa is very hot and the chips are the best around. Have a designated driver if you want to enjoy a margarita, too!When my Mom visits me, we make no stops from the airport to Ojeda's.

The best hamburger lunch deal is Gazeebo Burger on Royal at Preston. For $5.70, you can have a cheeseburger, fries and a soda. Fuddrucker's style, you can load up with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles. Be sure to take someone with you to get a table while you order.

Lastly, the best pizza I have found is Brother's pizza on Montfort between Alpha and LBJ (by Target). It is NY style, with lots of cheese and a great thick crust. By no means a fancy place, but the pizza makes up for it. Lunchtime they serve by the slice. At my office, we order from there all the time.

Enjoy!

I go for the cheaper places, myself.

Mexican - generally El Fenix. I'm relocating back to DFW in a few weeks so I'll probably start sampling Mexican restaurants.
Buck n Loons in Arlington - Good bar food and awesome burgers.
Bobby V's in Arlington - Best damn cheese sticks I've ever had.
Campisi's Egyptian Restaurant - Actually Italian. I've heard it is mob owned.
Best BBQ I've had in Dallas is Mike Anderson's on Harry Hines.

I'm going to be in DFW with two of my never-been-to-the-US Spanish colleagues at the end of the month. I'd like to take them out for a couple of nice "American style" dinners, stuff they have probably never had before.

We're going to be out in the boonies at something called the Gaylord Texan Resort, which I gather is close to the airport, but will have a car. Hopefully there will be something in the vicinity that FTers can recommend.

I'd like to do a nice steak place - Morton's, Ruth's Cris - one night and BBQ the next. Neither is afraid of meat. :)

We're also going to hit a diner type place for a typical American breakfast one day also, plus fried chicken if I can find a Popeye's (not for breakfast).

There you have it, FT: Can you recommend some places? Anywhere in the city is OK, though I would prefer not to have to stray too far if we can help it.

Thanks everyone!

Oh, PS - what about a hotel? The people hosting the event recommended the La Quinta Airport. Um...gonna have to go ahead and say no to that. Is there a Wyndham or *wood property?

Has anyone here tried Steel? I've been there twice and found it to have the freshest sashimi in the city. I've not tried any of the Vietnamese dishes there.

I have not been, but have seen and heard high marks for Steel ^ ^ ^ , I WILL stop next time in Dallas.

The GAylord Texan is located in Grapevine, north of DFW airport, but not by much. One think you may want to decide is if you would like to dine in Dallas or Ft. Worth. You are basically the same distance from either city.

Steak- Dallas: Bob's Steak and Chop House (2 locations)
Del Frisco's
III Forks
Al Biernat's
Ft. Worth: Blade's Prime Chop House
Reata
Chisholm Club

BBQ- Dallas: Sonny Bryant's
Peggy Sue's
Fort Worth: Angelo's
Railhead (One location in Colleyville, about 12-15 minutes from the Gaylord)

For chicken, probably Celebration, but there are Popeye's around.

I'm going to be in DFW with two of my never-been-to-the-US Spanish colleagues at the end of the month. I'd like to take them out for a couple of nice "American style" dinners, stuff they have probably never had before.

We're going to be out in the boonies at something called the Gaylord Texan Resort, which I gather is close to the airport, but will have a car. Hopefully there will be something in the vicinity that FTers can recommend.

I'd like to do a nice steak place - Morton's, Ruth's Cris - one night and BBQ the next. Neither is afraid of meat. :)

We're also going to hit a diner type place for a typical American breakfast one day also, plus fried chicken if I can find a Popeye's (not for breakfast).

There you have it, FT: Can you recommend some places? Anywhere in the city is OK, though I would prefer not to have to stray too far if we can help it.

Thanks everyone!

Oh, PS - what about a hotel? The people hosting the event recommended the La Quinta Airport. Um...gonna have to go ahead and say no to that. Is there a Wyndham or *wood property?

Each year, one of D-FW's most eagerly anticipated culinary events is KRLD's restaurant week. The fund-raiser benefits the North Texas Food Bank and the Lena Pope Home.

This year's dates are Aug. 16 through Aug. 22. During this time, diners can enjoy a special fixed-price, three-course meal for only $30, and $6 of that amount will go directly to one of the charities.


Restaurant Week dinners include a specially selected appetizer, entree and dessert – ordering off the regular menu is not included in this special price. Tax, gratuity and drinks are also not included.

Restaurant Week 2004 (http://www.guidelive.com/feature/180/)

I was calling around earlier this week and several of the more popular restaurants (Abacus, Dragonfly, The Mansion) in town were already sold out of Restaurant Week reservations for the entire week. I imagine these places heavily "yield manage" their Rest Wk inventory.

I was calling around earlier this week and several of the more popular restaurants (Abacus, Dragonfly, The Mansion) in town were already sold out of Restaurant Week reservations for the entire week. I imagine these places heavily "yield manage" their Rest Wk inventory.
Don't know about this year, but last year Dragonfly had both their regular & their Rest. Week menus going. They dropped the regular one and we had to ask for the RW menu -- you think they would have had it noted on our rez! So, if you want to take an FT chance and play the game, make a regular reservation and see what happens.

Abacus was all RW menu... and it was OUTSTANDING! We were seated 40 minutes late, but each got comp'ed a big flute of Vieuve Cliquot for the wait! Needless to say we are booked again this year!!

Smith and Wollensky had a fabulous menu last year. It was basically their regular menu... pick an appetizer, pick an entree, pick a dessert. They also ran wine pairing specials. One of the best bangs for the buck.

Abacus is always also great. We didn't get in for this year but did get into Jaspers instead.

For those who are Abacus fans, perhaps it is time to do another FT tasting dinner there. Last year we had a dozen folks, most from out of town, for nine courses with wine. Truly memorable!

Ah... good! Just wanted to make sure it got used.

We did Smith & Wollensky last night and it was a 180 from last year's experience. The service was rude and rushed (our steaks were on the table before the appetizers were even finished) and the menu was reduced from last year's offerings.

A colleague dined at Abacus last night and reported disappointing service there. She stated that they waited nearly 30 minutes between courses and that the atmosphere seemed almost chaotic. Drink orders were forgotten and incorrect dishes brought out. This does NOT sound like the Abacus I'm used to!

We do Jaspers tomorrow... I hope to report back something glowing!

I hope to report back something glowing!
I hope so as well, would hate to see the quality decline that much.

Have to wonder what the restaurants are thinking, serving a poor/limited menu, harsh service, then they wonder why the avg Joe has no interest in finer cuisine.

I agree. I've always looked at Restaurant Week as being a chance to sample a handful of places to see them highlight a "best of" type selection.

I recognize that the reduced prices mean that they lose a lot of their margin but rather than look at it as a loss, I see it as a promotional cost.

If folks like what they see, they will rave about it to their friends and return. If they don't, they will tell tons of people "wow... it sucked and imagine how much worse we would have felt if we had spent $60 instead of $30!"

A lot of these restaurants treat their Restaurant Week customers like cockroaches who are bottom feeding... and yeah, it IS a good price... and like coupons, will bring the cheapies out of the woodwork. At the same time, many foodies mark the event on their calendars and use it to hit a different place every single night.

Half the time I end up ignoring the Restaurant Week menu and ordering off the standard menu too just because I like those offerings better. At S&W last night, they offered me a choice of menus when I was seated... when I asked to see both, they stated that we either did RW or regular... but that the whole table had to do the same. Their loss. My friend wanted the RW but I was actually prepared to look at the regular selections in lieu of the RW reduced menu!

Too bad about Abacus -- it was very chaotic there last year too, but our waiter was OUTSTANDING and we never had an issue ourselves.

We did Suze on Wed night and it was great. I've been wanting to get there for 4 years and we will definitely be back. We love small, intimate places and service was superb and not rushed at all.

Tonight it's Al Biernat's and I know he tries hard to never let things go astray!

I've had two pretty good restaurant week experiences this year. Steel on Wednesday night was very good. They only presented our table with the RW menus but the options were varied and tempting enough to where none of us felt compelled to ask for the regular menu. Interestingly, Steel's RW menu was actually 4 courses (appetizer, soup/salad, main, dessert) plus a sorbet palate cleanser before the main so clearly they were making an attempt to put on a good show for RW customers. And their strategy worked as I now can't wait to return for a non-RW meal.

Went to the Oceanaire last night. There the RW menu was printed down at the bottom of the regular menu. We had no issues ordering a regular menu appetizer before the RW set menu (actually we were encouraged to do so - seems like a no-brainer that a restaurant would want to get patrons to order more!). Service was good and leisurely paced (perhaps a tad slow?). Clearly they weren't trying to herd the RW cheapos out the door. Overall the impression wasn't quite as positive as Steel the night before but Oceanaire still gets good marks from me.

I'm chalking Wednesday (my S&W, my colleague's Abacus) up to an oddity. I've been dining at Abacus almost since it opened and have NEVER had a lackluster meal there. S&W, on the other hand, has been rumored to be on a downslide since arriving in Dallas. From what I've heard, my great experience there last year is the exception rather than the rule. (And it might have also been helped that our waiter last year was a transplant from NYC's Cite, one of my regular spots there.)

Jaspers last night was spectacular. Service was a 10 (very nonrushed, nonintrusive... our waiter sinced that my friend and I were going to talk for a good while and watched carefully for interludes where he could drop in). The food was wonderful as well. I will state that I still prefer Abacus... Asian/seafood is more my deal than American/meat. For those who don't like to branch out quite as far as Abacus forces, however, Jaspers is a gem. While it is not likely to be the first place I seek out if I want a meat and potatoes fix (Dallas has far too many good steakhouses including Bob's right down the block), that strip has great shopping and I could easily see myself popping in for soup and salad and a nibble of dessert (much like I treat The Mansion).

Won't be able to try any additional restaurants before this closes out on Sunday... but rumor has it that many (Jaspers, Abacus, S&W all among them) are extending through next weekend. If that is the case, I may try more next week when I get home from traveling.

Gourmet Mag’s (Oct 04) “Big Deal / Good Deal” restaurants for Dallas/Ft Worth

Big Deal = Gourmet, Elegant food
Good Deal = “cheap” local’s spots

Big Deal Restaurants:

Aurora
4216 Oak Lawn Avenue
Dallas
214.528.9400

York Street
6047 Lewis Street
Dallas
214.826.0968

Good Deal Restaurants:

Oishii
2525 Wycliff Avenue
Dallas
214.599.9448

Joe T Garcia's
2201 North Commerce Street
Fort Worth
817.626.4356

Since Sweet Willie has bumped this thread up, and since I'm going to Dallas next week and so was searching the subject, here are my favorite restaurants when I'm visiting Dallas:

For steak, most definitely Del Frisco's. Huge servings, including some very tasty sides, and most excellent beef.

For seafood, Cafe Pacific (24 Highland Park Villsge, Cross Street: Mockingbird Lane). A bit pricey and a bit elegant, but good.

Since I'll be there for four nights this time, I'll have to try some of the other suggestions listed in the thread.

Since Sweet Willie has bumped this thread up, and since I'm going to Dallas next week and so was searching the subject, here are my favorite restaurants when I'm visiting Dallas:

For steak, most definitely Del Frisco's. Huge servings, including some very tasty sides, and most excellent beef.

For seafood, Cafe Pacific (24 Highland Park Villsge, Cross Street: Mockingbird Lane). A bit pricey and a bit elegant, but good.

Don't overlook Patrizio (right across the driveway from Cafe Pacific in Highland Park Village). Patrizio serves quite good Italian fare at very affordable prices in a fun, people-watching setting. Can be very noisy but it's the best Italian food at its price level.

Also, to second a recommendation by Sweet Willie further up in this thread, I tried Steel for the first time this year during restaurant week and was quite impresseed. If Japanese/Vietnamese fusion in a hip, modern setting is your thing, you should definitely visit Steel. According to guidelive.com they have free sushi in the bar for Wed. night happy hour; I'll have to check that out sometime...

Then you must try either La Duni! It is mentioned by the OP and is still outstanding, having added a second location a few months back!

Possibly the best Latin/South American food I have had outside of that vast region of nations! And they have a killer, exceedingly well-priced wine list. Duni, the wife of the team, is famous for her cakes and pastries! See La Duni (http://www.laduni.com/)

...
As a side note, I've noticed a definite lack of good mom-and-pop authentic Mexican places here in the Dallas area. The selection of good, cheap hole-in-the-wall taco stands is nothing here like it is in LA and the SF Bay Area, for example.


Cuquitas (the original on Henderson or the one at Coit & Spring Valley) is certainly a GREAT mom&pop place. I'll usually see people I know who grew up in El Paso when I'm there (a good sign!). Just don't go on Tuesday as they are closed then.

I've heard good things about Calle Doce (seafood), but haven't made it there yet.

Javier's is the place to go for "upscale" Mexico City cuisine!

If I had time for one well-priced meal in DAL/DFW and didn't want Mexican, I'd go to Celebration Restaurant (http://dallas.citysearch.com/profile/34451532/dallas_tx/celebration_restaurant.html?cslink=search_name_non cust&ulink=search__searchslot4_520__0_profile_2_1). (I think my favorite Mexican was a mole poblano dish in SLC (no, really!).) Part of why I like it is fond childhood memories, but part of it is certainly the good-quality (i.e., not greasy and gross) Texas home cooking.

I second Sambucca as a great place - check the music though as they have a wide range, if in town for a couple of nights one of the nights will suit your fancy.

I've lived in Dallas for the past three years, and Patrizio in Highland Park Village has really slipped in terms of quality. Now, it just seems to be one of those restaurants where the Park Cities socialites go to be seen (and get drunk off peach bellinis). I think the best affordable Italian places in that area would be Campisi's, although it has a terrible atmosphere, or Penne Pomodoro in Snyder Plaza--small menu though.

The best steak I've ever had was at Bob's Steak and Chop House. I'm not big into Texas BBQ, but Peggy Sue is probably my favorite BBQ place in Dallas.

Someone before mentioned Buck and Loons in Arlington. The burgers are decent, but the real reason to go is for their mug of cheap beer (it even says on the menu "Cheap Mug of Beer-don't ask what kind it is). For $1.50 you get a mug the size of a small child ^

A) It's Esparza's, not Esparanza's.
B) It's overrated in my opinion.
C) You're obviously just trying to boost your post count.

Gotta firmly disagree with you on count b... but I dine there at least once a week (sometimes several) so I might be biased! :p

La Calle Doce - asked about upthread - is fabulous. I should that the family has been struck by tragedy recently though with the gruesome kidnapping/murder of one of their sons who was a manager. Amazing seafood cocktails.

As far as Patrizios, I've been known to resemble that. Mmmmm... peach bellinis and shopping!

While we are dishing on restaurants:

Had dinner at Tom Tom last night. Quick service, reasonable menu. I still miss Annie @ Liberty Noodles, but this will do in a pinch and West Village is a great location. I had the sashimi dinner for a switch up - $20 for 16 generously cut pieces.

Heading to a fundraiser at Arcadoro tomorrow night... will update on whether the food has gotten better or worse.

Fishbowl, mentioned upstream, is (and has been) closed.

My favorite sushi at the moment is Blue Ocean in Coppell (not to be confused with the sushi chain, Blue Fish). Peter & Kim (the owners) also own several other suburban Asian restaurants that are popular (Empress of China, for one). Helps that I know the entire staff and have drank with them at the bar on a few occasions. When that occurs, it also helps that I live stumbling distance from there!

Had Christmas Eve dinner at Daddy Jacks this year - it sucked. Bad service, bad food... not what I expect from what was my favorite restaurant several years ago.

Went to a function at La Duni Latin Cafe last month. Was very pleased... the tres leches cake is to die for (they also have a stand-alone bakery counter).

Had Christmas Eve dinner at Daddy Jacks this year - it sucked. Bad service, bad food... not what I expect from what was my favorite restaurant several years ago.

I ate there a few weeks ago. I didn't have a problem with the quality, although I'd agree that it isn't what it used to be. I mainly noticed that while the entrees are the same price as before, the sides are not a la carte, effectively a $5-6 increase.

I really miss Momo in Deep Ellum, but I'm glad they're still on Knox and in Addison.

Oh my goodness - I can't believe that no one has mentioned The Capital Grille for delicious steaks! I love that place!

A little place that is romantic and has this totally yummy "Dynamite" sauce that is a must on anything I order there is The Mercury .

For Mexican I haven't really branched out but my fav is Mi Cocina near the corner of Campbell and Coit.

Great - this has made me hungry! :p

SMU sorority girls are also known to do the same!!! :D

And my parents want to know why I always want to eat there when I visit. :p

TechGirl reminded me of the Empress of China family of restaurants. Empress of China (Coppell, off Macarthur) itself isn't too bad, and they've got some great lunch specials. When I was interning for company in Coppell, I think I ate there for about three weeks straight. Another great place, owned by the same people, is right up the street, Pan-Acean offers some awesome North/South Asian fusion cuisine. The noodle dishes there are amazing. Also they opened up a new joint on Northwest Hwy. (between DAL and the Tollway), Howard Wangs BBQ or something like that. Not bad at all for "Asian BBQ," although when I was last there in January, they hadn't recieved their liquor license yet.

There is one restaurant on the list that I didn't see. It is probably the most overlooked place which has some of the best meals and a fabulous wine list. Paul's Porterhouse (http://www.paulsporterhouse.com/) off of Northwest Hwy & I35E. They do beef and some fish & game as well. The proprietor, Paul, is still there every night. It is in an area which used to be restaurant row. Try it. You'll like it.

Had a great dinner two weekends ago at Taste at 2400 Allen St. at State in Uptown Dallas (not to be confused with State & Allen Lounge which shares an owner and an address with Taste). It's a great find and I can't wait to return. Menu can only be described as eclectic (some Spanish influences, some Asian, some Italian). We had the pork osso buco and tenderloin of beef over sweet potato canneloni. The tenderloin was a special, not on the regular menu, but must be frequently offered as its pictured on the Guidelive review (checked the review later, a few days after dining there).

IMHO the Guidelive review doesn't do the pork osso buco justice at all. It was excellent; the peanut sauce treatment was very mild (from the menu description I was worried it would overpower the pork; it didn't).

Ate outside on the patio which was nice (has heaters). Dining room inside is fairly small, contemporary decor. Decent selection of wines by the glass. Cheese board appetizer option looked intriguing but I passed. Most entrees ranged from about $19 to $26. While the menu is quite limited (I think there were fewer than 10 main courses listed), most of the choices sounded great.

Check it out if you're needing a nice dinner in Uptown. I think it's a great find.

If you happen to be way up in Plano (Legacy/Tollroad area), give Jaspers a try. Really good. (Kent Rathbun. Same guy that does the previously mentioned Abacus).

A steak joint I like close to downtown Dallas is Nick and Sam's.

Love the Maytag blue cheese potato chips at Jasper's!

Nick and Sam's is great... don't know how we missed mentioning that one thus far. Its in the "old" Lawry's location (many years ago) and is a spectacular dining room setting. They are also tied in with one of the new "private" clubs that has opened up down that way.

There is one restaurant on the list that I didn't see. It is probably the most overlooked place which has some of the best meals and a fabulous wine list. Paul's Porterhouse (http://www.paulsporterhouse.com/) off of Northwest Hwy & I35E. They do beef and some fish & game as well. The proprietor, Paul, is still there every night. It is in an area which used to be restaurant row. Try it. You'll like it.
Wow -- is that place still around?! They used to advertise on radio all the time, but no more and I thought they bit the dust.

I haven't been there since that was still restaurant row! Must try it again, as the prime rib was killer and that HUGE slab of cheddar they plop on the table was a great way to start things.

York Street is still our all time fav in our end of town, though!

If I had time for one well-priced meal in DAL/DFW and didn't want Mexican, I'd go to Celebration Restaurant (http://dallas.citysearch.com/profile/34451532/dallas_tx/celebration_restaurant.html?cslink=search_name_non cust&ulink=search__searchslot4_520__0_profile_2_1). (I think my favorite Mexican was a mole poblano dish in SLC (no, really!).) Part of why I like it is fond childhood memories, but part of it is certainly the good-quality (i.e., not greasy and gross) Texas home cooking.

My wife and I stumbled upon Celebration while driving around when we first moved to DFW. Great homestyle cooking and reasonable prices!

My wife and I stumbled upon Celebration while driving around when we first moved to DFW. Great homestyle cooking and reasonable prices!

Glad you enjoyed it! There aren't many places in DFW that are still there since my childhood and that sate even my grown-up tastebuds, but this is one.

Speaking of childhood restaurants, PeachesBB and I checked out the new Kincaids today after our bank run.

The outside is classic suburban strip mall... so I worried immediately how my favorite burger joint would translate in sterile Southlake.

I need not have worried... inside, you'll find a very close (although larger) reproduction of the original Chas. Kincaid Market - complete with open grill, letterboard sign, standup grocery counters w/ magazines, picnic tables, vintage wall decor, hanging promo "blow ups", and orders taken on white paper sacks.

My fried okra tasted as crisp as always (and came with the required ranch dressing without asking), my burger was super fresh, and the canned sodas cold. We didn't save room for deviled eggs or fried pies, but both were present. Despite the 1 pm time we arrived, there was a wait for orders and the dining room was crowded. Were it not for the parking lot out the window in lieu of the red brick, I could have sworn I was in Fort Worth!

Cheap Eats according to City Search http://dallas.citysearch.com/bestof/winners/2005/cheap_eats

1. Angry Dog
2726 Commerce St, Dallas, TX
Bar and grill in Deep Ellum famous for its namesake hot dog, good burgers and spicy chicken wings.

2. Vietnam Restaurant
4302 Bryan St, Dallas, TX
This Vietnamese restaurant personifies cheap, authentic, fantastic food in a low-key setting.

3. Sammy's Barbeque
2126 Leonard St, Dallas, TX
White-collar lunch crowd lines up for brisket and killer sides at this cheerful Uptown joint.

4. Veracruz Cafe
408 N Bishop Ste 107, Dallas, TX
Sample authentic dishes from coastal Mexico's Veracruz in the Bishop Arts District.

5. Royal Thai
5500 Greenville Ave Ste 802, Dallas, TX
Attentive service, peaceful surroundings and beautiful food make each dining experience worthy of superlatives

Agree with the Angry Dog at #1. We eat there a lot before going to see bands in Deep Ellum.

Haven't been to Sammy's (have never worked downtown) but friends seem to like it.

Have never heard of #2 or 4.

#5 (Royal Thai) was a favorite hangout when I was in the Jaycees. I never liked the place - I've gotten sick after eating there more than once. I was actually turned off Thai food for a while because of that place.

Hi, sorry if I've missed a link for this, but I wanted to let you road warriors know that this is KRLD Restaurant Week in Dallas. Some really great restaurants in town are offering 3 course meals for $30. Many of the restaurants are continuing the specials on into the next two weeks. You can get a list of participating restaurants at:

http://www.krld.com/show.cfm?content=restweekparticipants

Worth a shot if you're on an expense account!

Yup... this is the steal of the year! We are heading to Iris tonight... :)

Our favorite restaurant in Dallas is Cafe Pacific. It is located in Highland Park Village, corner of Preston Road and Mockingbird. About half-way between downtown and Galleria area.

Great fresh seafood and very reasonable wine list. Clubby atmosphere with many Highland Park (very affluent) regulars, but not snobby.

I would add a couple

Green Papaya (http://www.guidelive.com/portal/page?_pageid=33,97400&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&item_id=5978) - Vietnamese

Excellent food at a great price, would reccomemd the Bo Luc Lac

For mexican, we go to Matt's Rancho Martinez, Lakewood (http://www.guidelive.com/portal/page?_pageid=33,97400&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&item_id=12814) , the Bob Armstrong dip is great with the chips!

Ranchman's Cafe (http://www.guidelive.com/portal/page?_pageid=33,97400&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&item_id=2570)
For those of you with a car, and who are there at weekends, I think its Texas ' oldest steak restaurant. There is not much in Ponder BUT this place, pretty cool, basic, but fun!

Northern burbs have a lot of relatively new Malayasian, and Indonesian, and non-standard Thai, indian and panasian restaurants. Most are listed in the fri or sat dallas newspaper(forgot which).

Almost every one is better than any one in the Wash DC area, particularly for low-mid priced dining.

I will be staying at the Fairmont and am looking for some cheap Tex-mex and BBQ, without having to go very far. Any suggestions?

Great stuff so far on this thread!

In the "definitely under $50 pp", I would strongly recommend Mercado Juarez (http://www.mercadojuarez.com/). The 1901 West Northwest Hwy location is not too far from DFW/Grapevine.

Granted its not the best sushi (probably average), but I love stuffing my face at the 2 all you can eat japanese restaurants. There are a couple...tokyo one in addisson and Osaka in Plano. Lunch is around $15, with dinner around $25. Dinner they have everything at lunch + sashimi + shabu shabu.

I havent been to Toyko one recently, but I love Osaka and eat there everytime I am home. I've never left them unsatisfied!

A couple other restaurants I really like are Houstons (amazing spinach/artichoke dip and ribs) and melting pot (fondue, also a chain..but still very good)

In the "definitely under $50 pp", I would strongly recommend Mercado Juarez (http://www.mercadojuarez.com/). The 1901 West Northwest Hwy location is not too far from DFW/Grapevine.

SERIOUSLY??!! :eek: Sorry for the shock... I really think that place would have gone out of business years ago were it not for the cheap prepay "express lunch" that caters to Las Colinas office workers who have set lunches. Save for good chips, I have never found a redeeming quality about either that location or the gigantic one in Fort Worth.

If you guys are in Grapevine, you are already next to one of the best Tex-Mex spots around - Esparzas (right off Main Street in an old house). We also have lots of good suggestions on the other thread (referenced above).

A great Thai spot also loved by FTers is Thai Chili. They have two locations - one in Las Colinas (great for business lunches) and one in Southlake Town Square. Both are equal distance from where you'll be - the one in Southlake is a bit more upscale and larger - and you can cool your palate with ice cream from Milwaukee Joes... possibly one of the best ice cream parlours around!

(BTW... near Grapevine and DFW are practically the same thing. You are talking about a drive time difference of anywhere from 2 to 10 minutes depending on which side of DFW you are staying on. Didn't know if you knew that or not --- they look like different areas but it really isn't worth moving properties unless you need the stay credits. :D )

Our Company is paying for the stay at Gaylords and the friend I'm traveling with is on a limited budget which resulted in booking the Hyatt through Priceline. She'd rather save her travel budget for food and entertainment.

We'll definately try the Thai place and Esparzas.........having Pad Thai for dinner tonight but here on the northern tundra it's challenging to find really great places in the suburbs of MN.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll keep checking back for more. Happy to find out about the art festival in Fort Worth.

If you will around the weekend of the Art Festival, definitely come join the FT group on Friday night. We have our own private party space (VERY hard to come by for that weekend) in a hot spot... and it will be a great crowd.

Definitely check out guidelive.com as well for their Top 100 lists and some other "best of" lists in various genres.

I highly recommend the soups at Thai Chili - they are among the best I've had outside of Thailand.

If you are a sushi fan, another great place within about a ten minute drive of the Gaylord is Blue Ocean - its a neighborhood joint in Coppell - just head due east on 121 and its on the corner of MacArthur/121 (in a 7-11 shopping strip). Don't let the strip mall part scare you - once you step inside, you forget where you are - the sushi is excellent (and I'm a sushi snob) and the owners (Kim & Peter) are there working their arses off every night to keep the restaurant in tip top shape so service is always good despite the crowds they draw.

Try Houstons on Preston

Del Frisco's Double-Eagle Steakhouse, and a place that was introduced to me by FT, Abacus.

M8

Since we are suggesting chain restaurants like Houstons, why don't we go ahead and state that there is a PF Changs in Grapevine and (soon to be) a Cheesecake Factory in Southlake? :confused:

:confused:

Again, depending on how far out of Grapevine you want to cruise, if you head towards Plano, a little restaurant "miniland" has developed at the Shops at Legacy (Tollway & Legacy) - Jaspers (sister restaurant of my personal fav Abacus that M8 endorses above), Bobs (great steakhouse), Naan (Pan-Asian), and at least a half-dozen other great restaurants (including good Italian and two good Tex-Mex places) as well as the wine bar Cru. The area has lots of shops and an "indy" movie theatre so its a great place to spend an evening.

C'mon, techgirl, Houston's is a great place to eat, has consistantly great food that is not "chain food," the one on Preston is a great people watching place for anyone wanting to "see" Dallas peeps, and teaming it with pf changs is like teaming Dominos with Fireside Pies (http://www.guidelive.com/portal/page?_pageid=33,97400&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&item_id=5128), which, BTW, is becoming a "chain" too.

For heaven's sake... you just sent the OP to Legacy, which is a faux urban village in the far north of McMansionville Plano, with suburban copies of all-original urban core bistros, cafes and steak houses, and you are complaining about Houston's?!
:confused: ;)

OP... if you can get into Dallas proper, try something Local (http://www.guidelive.com/portal/page?_pageid=33,97400&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&item_id=11138). It's more than 50 bucks. Or search the top 100 via the pizza link site.

Best of fun to you! ^

Houstons has 33 locations nationally. I'm not knocking their food... but if the OP wants something that is distinctly "Dallas", sending him to a California chain is a bit off the mark. While I love several of the Hillstone group's restaurants - particularly Gulfstream & Rutherford Grill), I wouldn't say they are a "Texas thing".

Despite its location, you can't tell me Jaspers isn't excellent. And you can't convince me that going to Houstons (a California-based chain) is a uniquely Dallas experience. ;)

Hey, didn't mean start a debate.

Considering that some consider a "chain" as anything with more than 1 location, a local chain can be on the list. Some of my favorite places for a casual dinner out at home could be considered local Twin Cities chains (Axel's, Sidney's etc). Being slightly retentive, I have added the suggestions from here to the "folder" along with menus and reviews found online. Thanks all!

One place my girlfriends and I have stuck on the "need to check out" list is Kenny's Wood Fired Grill (http://www.guidelive.com/portal/page?_pageid=33,97400&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&item_id=39101).

I've followed Kenny's career through various Dallas restaurants (always seafood, always good) and its nice to see he finally has his OWN place.

St. Martin's Wine Bistro (http://www.stmartinswinebistro.com/welcome.htm)

This place is muy romántico. The perfect place to take the wife, misstress, or both!

The food is excellent, and there is live jazz and/or piano bar type music.

M8

I always try to go to La Calle Doce on trips to Dallas. It's hard to find good Mexican seafood in many cities.

Bob's Chop House

There are two locations but the one downtown has a great ambience.

The Green Room in Dallas is my favorite restaurant - maybe in the world. Marc is an incredible chef. That being said, I have not been there in a couple of years. So, I am reluctant to stand behind this 100%. Restaurants change. Some quicker than others.

Bob's on Lemon gets a yes vote - more for crowd than food, although the steaks are great.

I really like Via Real in Las Colinas. The oversized margaritas are awesome. Keep in mind I grew up in Las Colinas and went to Via Real when it was on Beltline at Northgate.

These are the three places I will definitely take the significant other when she visits Dallas this summer.

Of course we will go to OTB (on Copeland?) by the Ballpark in Arlington before a baseball game (tradition for me), and I will take her to the Dairy Queen near the ranch. Although I think Whataburger is probably better for burgers.

Chuy's needs to be included in any Dallas (or Austin) mexican food discussion.

Instead of Cafe Pacific, I tend toward Patrizzio's. Same owner (Jack Knox) and same shopping center (HP Village). I have not been to Plano location.

Primo's on McKinney is a scene on Tuesdays, and the food is really good. Neighbor Breadwinners is an awesome breakfast/brunch spot.

Cafe Express is a chain, but it's good if you want a healthy salad. Surprisingly I had coffee there for the first time last week, and it was horrible. My latte tasted burned.

With regards to chains and salads, I really like the Cobb Salad at Champps.

Daddy Jacks (on Greenville) has great lobster. I haven't been there in AGES, and it might not even be there anymore. Again, restaurants change too frequently.

Sam

Bob's Chop House

There are two locations but the one downtown has a great ambience.

I can vouch for Bob's. It's great.

If you want an "experience", then try the M&M Steak House on NW 28th street in North Fort Worth near the historic Fort Worth Stockyards. Go west from Main St. about 1/2 miles, it's on the right (north side) of the road. Cash only and the Christmas lights are up all year inside. Hugh cheap steaks and cold cold beer. Don't let the appearance stop you. It's been there for over 50 years.

Try out Kincaides hamburgers on Camp Bowie Blvd in Fort Worth for a great burger.

Have fun and welcome to Metroplex.

DFWBOB

Daddy Jacks (on Greenville) has great lobster. I haven't been there in AGES, and it might not even be there anymore. Again, restaurants change too frequently.

Sam

Daddy Jacks is still there. Just avoid lower Greenville Ave on the weekends or carry a gun.

I agree with every last one of Sam's recommendations.

And I too love Bob's. They, along with Nick & Sams and Pappas Bros, comprise the steakhouse trifecta for me.

Thanks for the suggestions

One last question- Which of the following would you suggest
Fogo de Chao
Texas de Brazil
Boi Na Braza

Boa Na Braza is my favorite of the three - its also closest to where you will be staying. Of the three, I always feel the least rushed there and find that the service is best. I occasionally crave their garlic tenderloin.

All three are good though - I would put Texas de Brasil above Fogo de Chao. If you go for TdB, I would recommend the Fort Worth or downtown locations over Addison. At the Addison location, I always have had to wait at least 30 minutes past my reservation time on weekends.

I am going to be in Dallas in July on business and want to take some clients out to a fairly upscale restaurant for a steak. Looking to spend up to around $100 - $150 per head.

Any recommendations of where we should go? :)

What part of Dallas will you be staying and/or meeting in?

I've got three or four good suggestions but would definitely want to tailor to neighborhood/area.

In Order

Bobs on Lemon Ave

Al Bernaise on Oak Lawn

Capital Grill (Chain) in the Crescent Shops

If you like a variety of steaks, Dallas has a couple of Brazilian Steakhouses or Churrascaria. They are awesome for steak lovers. :)

On the North side of Dallas in the Addison area, there is a Texas de Brazil and a Fogo de Chao. I have eaten at both and while they are both very good, we prefer the Fogo de Chao. There is also another one, which I haven't had a chance to eat at by DFW called Boi Na Braza. I'll get around it to soon though.

In Order


Al Bernaise on Oak Lawn



LOL, that would be Al Biernat's. :p

I'd second the recommendation of Biernat's, but I would give a higher one to Nick & Sam's on Maple Ave. No way is Capital Grille in the same league though.

Farther north, I'd recommend Chamberlain's Steak & Chop House in Addison.

A few of the ones I was going to mention (specifically Al Biernat's and Bob's) have already been mentioned.

I'm a huge fan of Pappas Bros and its often a choice for our firm when entertaining. They really bend over backwards for their clientele and I've never had less than impeccable service there. Request one of their high-back booths - its almost like having a private conference room and I know that they spent a good deal of money getting their accoustics set so that you can't hear conversations at the table next door. I know many folks who go there to ink deals.

Al Biernat merits a special mention - he was the general manager of The Palm in Dallas for many years and a lot of us followed him to his new spot when it opened in '98 and left The Palm for good. Al is definitely "the host with the most" - he works the dining room and you will definitely feel like a VIP regardless of who you are.

Nick & Sams would have made my list in the late 90s when I was frequenting them regularly. Sadly, they have had a high degree of staff turnover (with folks scattering to places like Nobu) and I've had some sub-par experiences in there.

One GOOD (and not widely publicized) benefit of Nick & Sams is that the owners also own a couple of "private clubs" near the restaurant that are frequented by the social set around town. If you dine in the restaurant, they will be happy to put your name (for your dining party) on the door list that evening if you so desire some "scenery" after dinner. ;)

On the north end of town (Addison/Plano), I'm inclined to recommend Chamberlains. The tollway has become steakhouse central but its a buyer beware market, in my opinion.

The Brazilian steakhouses around town are abundant - I don't know that I would recommend them for a formal client dinner though. Too many interruptions (getting up to go to the salad bar, constantly stopping conversation for the parade of meat that comes every two minutes, and generally LOUD dining rooms).

One caution on Nick & Sam's to pass along - it can be VERY noisy. So noisy in fact, that normal conversation can be difficult. I'd be hesitant to take clients there if I anticipated needing to talk extensively or do a deal over dinner.

One caution on Nick & Sam's to pass along - it can be VERY noisy. So noisy in fact, that normal conversation can be difficult. I'd be hesitant to take clients there if I anticipated needing to talk extensively or do a deal over dinner.

Agree 100%. Its more of a "the deal is closed" kind of place than a "lets do a deal" place. For the latter, Pappas wins for me every time.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Some great information :)

Sorry for not getting back to you sooner. We will be staying at the Hilton Anatole. Main reason we are staying here is because the client we are going to visit is based on Stemmons Freeway... so it is pretty near by. I am not sure where this is in relation to some of the mentioned restaurants though?

Thanks for the replies everyone. Some great information :)

Sorry for not getting back to you sooner. We will be staying at the Hilton Anatole. Main reason we are staying here is because the client we are going to visit is based on Stemmons Freeway... so it is pretty near by. I am not sure where this is in relation to some of the mentioned restaurants though?

Pappas is a few miles north on Stemmons at the Northwest Highway exit (head west on NW Hwy) and you will see the GIANT Pappas sign.

Bobs, Nick & Sams, Al Biernats, Capital Grille, and Texas de Brazil are all due east/southeast of the Anatole. Als is on Oak Lawn which is an exit off Stemmons as you head towards downtown (go under the bridge/left and follow Oak Lawn for about two miles). The others are on streets directly off Oak Lawn.

Chamberlains, Fogo de Chao, and Boa Na Braza are too far for you to considere unless someone enjoys driving and doesn't plan to drink.

My vote is either for

Sullivan's Steak House on the tollway
17795 Dallas Pkwy
Dallas, TX 75287-7316
(972) 267-9393)

or

Dell Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House
5251 Spring Valley Road, Dallas, Texas 75240
(972) 490-9000

Sullivans offers a nice pre-dinner bar to share a drink while waiting for table (if the night is busy); as well as a classy piano player in the background.

Their steaks are seasoned wonderfully - but the kicker for me is dessert - they have a Baked Alaska the size of a 10 gallon hat they bring to your table... Truly a sight to see.

As for Del Frisco's - they've got a GREAT Cigar Lounge in the restaurant, that reminds me of an old boys club with the rich woods and leather chairs. It's nice to enjoy a stogie and scotch after dinner. And - quite a few women-folk partake in the cigar ritual too! If I recall correctly - I believe their steaks were a might tastier than Sullivans too (I'm guessing it has to do with the salt rub they put on them)

I've taken clients to both (on Big Blue's expense account) -- and have never had a bad experience.

Hope your dinner goes well - love to hear which one you eventually chose, and how the experience went!

The two that ExecPlatinum_Lord mentions are good... but be advised they are a 20 to 30 minute drive (each way) from the Anatole where the OP is staying.

What is the best TexMex place in Dallas/Fort Worth?

Completely subjective question that is bound to get many different answers from both locals (who are more likely to reference hole-in-the-wall spots) and past visitors (who tend to reference chains) but here are a few of my favorites (chain or otherwise):

* Best nachos, best guacamole, best salsa - Anamia's (three locations in the northern suburbs)

* Best enchilada dinner on special - El Fenix (and their chips/salsa are great too)

* Best brunch spot (which would mean migas for me) - Blue Goose (preferably on the patio at the original on Greenville Avenue where you can watch the world go by)

* Best margaritas in a dive-y place - Esparzas (in Grapevine - in the summer you can sit out on the front lawn in a plastic lawn chair and mingle in the scene which includes a LOT of pilots/FAs)

* Best margaritas in a nicer place - Mi Cocina (many locations) - The Mambo Taxi - two will get you sauced, three will knock you on your arse

* Best margaritas in an upscale place - Via Real (by the Four Seasons Las Colinas) - good local people watching and nice strong $18 margaritas

* Best mariscos - La Calle Doce in Oak Cliff - don't go alone after dark

* Best tacos - if you aren't brave enough to hit the small taco vans that are around, hit one of the Deep Ellum joints for some good stuff (I like Sol's Taco Lounge) before you see a band

* Best healthy for you queso served by Dallas' best known transexual - Monicas Aca y Alla (the photo of her peeing standing up is no longer in the men's room, but the fun times remain - you can eat your goat cheese queso with no guilt and feel free to jump in if a conga line springs up out of the blue)

* Best alterna-chips - Blue Mesa (fried plantains are mixed in with the tortilla chips for some hearty eats)

* Best "not on the menu" Tex Mex - the Bob Armstrong dip at Matts

* Best take the out-of-towners there spot - Joe T. Garcia's in Fort Worth (why this place stays popular is beyond me, but everyone always wants to go there when they visit!)

* Best "if the police dine there, it must be good" spot - Fiesta on Hemphill in Fort Worth (been going there since I was a kid and its got the best family sized portions around)

* Best "local spots"- Danals (owned by the same family that owns the supermercados of the same name, this is about as good as authentic gets)

* Best "good things come out of Lubbock" spot, part I - Abuelos (but order the las mejores de la casa - and with spinach and potatos instead of beans/rice - for the REALLY good stuff)

* Best "good things come out of Lubbock" spot, part II - Don Pablos (yes, its a chain, but its good when you have the "only eat at chains" folks in tow)

* Best "see and be seen" Mexican - Primos on McKinney, natch

* Best place to spot Elvis, or at least pick up a date trying - Chuys (corner of Knox/McKinney)

* Best "not true Tex-Mex, but a great joint nonetheless with really cheap beer and a cool scene" - Fuzzys Taco Shop on Berry St. (across from TCU) in Fort Worth

While not a true "Tex-Mex" place, the best burrito in town would be Freebirds. Think of Chipotle, except really good and really big. ;)

And as techgirl mentions, the El Fenix chips and salsa really are very good. Their chips are definitely different from most everyone elses. But very tasty. ^

Great. Now I'm craving Freebirds. Their quality does vary greatly depending on who puts your burrito together. It may also take a few tries before you figure out which combination goes best together for your taste.

While not a true "Tex-Mex" place, the best burrito in town would be Freebirds. Think of Chipotle, except really good and really big. ;)

And as techgirl mentions, the El Fenix chips and salsa really are very good. Their chips are definitely different from most everyone elses. But very tasty. ^

I thought you had to be an Aggie to go to Freebirds...:p

:confused: Then why is one in Austin in the shopping center with the HEB closest to UT?
I thought you had to be an Aggie to go to Freebirds...:p

I thought you had to be an Aggie to go to Freebirds...:p

The same thought crossed my mind! :D

(Its okay... UT spawned my beloved Texadelphia!)

Completely subjective question that is bound to get many different answers from both locals (who are more likely to reference hole-in-the-wall spots) and past visitors (who tend to reference chains) but here are a few of my favorites (chain or otherwise):

* Best nachos, best guacamole, best salsa - Anamia's (three locations in the northern suburbs)

* Best enchilada dinner on special - El Fenix (and their chips/salsa are great too)

* Best brunch spot (which would mean migas for me) - Blue Goose (preferably on the patio at the original on Greenville Avenue where you can watch the world go by)

* Best margaritas in a dive-y place - Esparzas (in Grapevine - in the summer you can sit out on the front lawn in a plastic lawn chair and mingle in the scene which includes a LOT of pilots/FAs)

* Best margaritas in a nicer place - Mi Cocina (many locations) - The Mambo Taxi - two will get you sauced, three will knock you on your arse

* Best margaritas in an upscale place - Via Real (by the Four Seasons Las Colinas) - good local people watching and nice strong $18 margaritas

* Best mariscos - La Calle Doce in Oak Cliff - don't go alone after dark

* Best tacos - if you aren't brave enough to hit the small taco vans that are around, hit one of the Deep Ellum joints for some good stuff (I like Sol's Taco Lounge) before you see a band

* Best healthy for you queso served by Dallas' best known transexual - Monicas Aca y Alla (the photo of her peeing standing up is no longer in the men's room, but the fun times remain - you can eat your goat cheese queso with no guilt and feel free to jump in if a conga line springs up out of the blue)

* Best alterna-chips - Blue Mesa (fried plantains are mixed in with the tortilla chips for some hearty eats)

* Best "not on the menu" Tex Mex - the Bob Armstrong dip at Matts

* Best take the out-of-towners there spot - Joe T. Garcia's in Fort Worth (why this place stays popular is beyond me, but everyone always wants to go there when they visit!)

* Best "if the police dine there, it must be good" spot - Fiesta on Hemphill in Fort Worth (been going there since I was a kid and its got the best family sized portions around)

* Best "local spots"- Danals (owned by the same family that owns the supermercados of the same name, this is about as good as authentic gets)

* Best "good things come out of Lubbock" spot, part I - Abuelos (but order the las mejores de la casa - and with spinach and potatos instead of beans/rice - for the REALLY good stuff)

* Best "good things come out of Lubbock" spot, part II - Don Pablos (yes, its a chain, but its good when you have the "only eat at chains" folks in tow)

* Best "see and be seen" Mexican - Primos on McKinney, natch

* Best place to spot Elvis, or at least pick up a date trying - Chuys (corner of Knox/McKinney)

* Best "not true Tex-Mex, but a great joint nonetheless with really cheap beer and a cool scene" - Fuzzys Taco Shop on Berry St. (across from TCU) in Fort Worth

I think someone likes their texmex;)

I think someone likes their texmex;)

Yeah that is a great overview thanks Techgirl. ^
I had a great time in Texas about a year ago and am going back for more in May so I will try out some of these places!

Oh and I happen to be in my Long Horns shirt today :D

Although it wasn't mentioned in the list, Cabo Grande in Downtown Fort Worth is a great place for lunch. Habanero Shrimp Salad is highly recommended. I think I'm gonna hit that place for lunch tomorrow.

:confused: Then why is one in Austin in the shopping center with the HEB closest to UT?


I dunno, but the one in Houston (Shepherd Plaza) is nothing but burgundy vehicles in the parking lot with "Former Student" stickers and other assorted A&M bling.

* Best place to spot Elvis, or at least pick up a date trying - Chuys (corner of Knox/McKinney)


No mention of Chuy's is complete without the secret jalapeno ranch sauce with chips. That stuff is liquid crack.

Shudder.

I dunno, but the one in Houston (Shepherd Plaza) is nothing but burgundy vehicles in the parking lot with "Former Student" stickers and other assorted A&M bling.

I had my first business trip to Dallas, TX last week (I live in Sherman Oaks, Cali) and let me tell you, I was blown away by all of the fabolous restaurants. Who knew???

A couple of highlights. First of all if you are ever in Dallas (or perhaps just Texas for that matter) you have to induldge in what they call "Tex-Mex". Now, I live in the L.A. area and we do have good latino food, but nothing like this marvel referred to as Tex Mex. I went to this place called CHUYS (originated in Austin, TX) and it was so incredible. I had beef fajitas, queso, and the best damn margarita I have ever had. Seriously!!
On to Sushi.....never thought Texas would be a place to get great fish, but DEEP SUSHI in an area called DEEP ELLUM (right outside of downtown Dallas) was the best Sushi I have ever had, and I do mean ever. I always eat at JINPACHI in West Hollywood, and although I will continue to do so, it will pale by comparison. Now, for the biggest surprise. My favorite food in the whole world is steak, by leaps and bounds. Rare prime beef with a fine pino noir makes my world turn. Here at home I eat at several places, such as ARNIE MORTON'S and THE PALM. So, in my five days in the Big D I went to two steak houses, Bob's Chop House and Kirby's Steakhouse. My first meal was at Bob's and I was very impressed, but let me just cut to the chase, the very next night we went for steak again, and this time we went to what is referred as "Dallas's orginal specialty steakhouse", Kirby's on Greenville Ave. All I can say is WOW!!!! This place left me speechless. First of all it had a very comfortable atmosphere that seem to fuse casual with formal almost perfectly, with a really cool James Dean mural from what my server told me was from the movie THE GIANT. Everything was going great and got only better when the best crab cake, salad, 10oz Prime Roquefort Filet, and ala' carte menu I have ever, ever had. The steak was so tender and succulent, the Susie's Mash Potatoes, and sauteed mushrooms were perfection as well. The wine list was complex and interesting and the service was not overdone or stuffly, and attentive enough for us to ask for that server again. His name was Keith Jones. The manager gave me his card and told me about the company (they have five other locations) and gave me his card. If you are in Dallas, and want a steak, Bob's was great, it really was, but Kirby's was not only better but the best steak I have ever had, and I mean that literally. Call Rick Shew at 469.348.4694 (very nice man) and ask for Keith Jones as your server. Oh, and have some Tex Mex at Chuys, and never judge a book by it's cover! Dallas, TX was flat, hot, and surprisingly pretentious, but I had some of the best food I have ever had. Ever.

Oh, one more place, we had itallian at Terillis also on Greenville ave and that place had really cool live music and wonderful itallian food. More to come when I go to St. Louis for the first time next week.

www.kirbyssteakhouse.com

www.guidelive.com (links to the other places, plus much more)

Any suggestions for St. Louis?

well, welcome to FT. I assume your post is in jest, however, I agree that much to my amazement, Dallas does have some very nice restaurants. My prior restaurant experiences in dallas were pre-liquor(dallas, not me).

I was very plesantly surprised by the number and the quality of the south-east asian restaurants. they are also very reasonably priced when compared to the DC area. The tapas restaurants are also quite good. The true mexican restaurants have some great dishes that are hard to come by (like goat)

I do not know how one compares steak houses or tex-mex or chains.

Dallas has some great food, and yes, they have good Tex-Mex but I think Houston and Austin have Dallas beat in that category.

The Big D has some great fine dining, especially near downtown, though you can find good stuff in the Galleria area.

The way I can compare tex-mex or steaks? Easy. Flavor, quality, and ambiance. Chuys had a freshness and a spice like no other. Plus, wonderul queso and didn't I mention those margaritas?! Deep Sushi was so incredible, I mean they had the best rolls I have ever had in my life. I talked about Kirbys so much because it really was the best steak I have ever had. Plus, they had great seafood and a wonderful wine list ( I have been to good steak houses that did not have either). I have not really experinced food in Houston, TX but no way does Austin has better food than Dallas. No way! Give me one example. Funny though, Chuys orginated in Austin (and hey, I like Austin better than Dallas, pound for pound, but not the food) and there is a few in Houston. Plus, I see that Kirby's Steakhouse has a location in the Woodlands ( saw it on the there website www.kirbyssteakhouse.com) which looks to be rather close to Houston. My favorite place on the planet? Blue Water Grille in NYC (Union Square). That is unbeatable! Anyway, thanks for corresponding.

The way I can compare tex-mex or steaks? Easy. Flavor, quality, and ambiance. Chuys had a freshness and a spice like no other. Plus, wonderul queso and didn't I mention those margaritas?! Deep Sushi was so incredible, I mean they had the best rolls I have ever had in my life. I talked about Kirbys so much because it really was the best steak I have ever had. Plus, they had great seafood and a wonderful wine list ( I have been to good steak houses that did not have either). I have not really experinced food in Houston, TX but no way does Austin has better food than Dallas. No way! Give me one example. Funny though, Chuys orginated in Austin (and hey, I like Austin better than Dallas, pound for pound, but not the food) and there is a few in Houston. Plus, I see that Kirby's Steakhouse has a location in the Woodlands ( saw it on the there website www.kirbyssteakhouse.com) which looks to be rather close to Houston. My favorite place on the planet? Blue Water Grille in NYC (Union Square). That is unbeatable! Anyway, thanks for corresponding.

I was talking about in the Tex-Mex category... There are some real hole-in-the-wall type places in Austin that serve good, make that amazing, Tex-Mex.

As far as steaks and other food options, yes, Dallas beats Austin and Houston hands down, though Houston has some great options. Austin has a lot of good food, you just have to stay off the highways and actually explore the city to find it. I don't consider Chuy's to be very good. I prefer Juan-in-a-Millions for a good, quick, Tex-Mex breakfast ($4) and Eastside Cafe on Manor Rd. for a good lunch and dinner (all veggies are grown there)

Just read through Texas Monthly and see where most of their top picks come from, mostly Dallas, Houston, and Austin.

I had a friend who actually told me someone would probably think my posting was B.S.
I did not believe him until now. Look, I am just someone who stumbled onto this forum and was just blown away by how many great restaurants were in Dallas, TX. Look out for my St. Louis posting and this time I will try and not be so excited.:confused:

I had a friend who actually told me someone would probably think my posting was B.S.
I did not believe him until now. Look, I am just someone who stumbled onto this forum and was just blown away by how many great restaurants were in Dallas, TX. Look out for my St. Louis posting and this time I will try and not be so excited.:confused:

I believe you and welcome to FT. I will try Kirbys next time in Dallas. To me, Chuys is only ok. Of course I am in SAT which has very good tex-mex and mex, and before I lived on the border, which is the best and cheap. Have not been too impressed with Tex Mex in Dallas. Went to El Feniz and it was gross. They used either powedered cheese or a cheap knock off of velveta for their cheese enchildas. The Beer was very cold though, I can give them credit for that.

There is an amazing Austin Indian restaurant that has a location in Addision. Beautiful people in black turtlenecks...and qulity Indian food. Can't be beat!

I believe you and welcome to FT. I will try Kirbys next time in Dallas. To me, Chuys is only ok. Of course I am in SAT which has very good tex-mex and mex, and before I lived on the border, which is the best and cheap. Have not been too impressed with Tex Mex in Dallas. Went to El Feniz and it was gross. They used either powedered cheese or a cheap knock off of velveta for their cheese enchildas. The Beer was very cold though, I can give them credit for that.

I agree that you really can't find very good Tex-Mex in Dallas. Having grown up in West Texas and Corpus Christi and travelled extensively throughout the state, I would have to say that San Antonio is my first choice for Tex-Mex followed closely by Austin. Dallas does have a lot of excellent steak options but they're mediocore in the other food catagories. Houston...ehh it's a nice place to go for seafood but otherwise you won't find "a place to write home to mom about" that you can't find elsewhere. And yes...El Fenix is an absolute joke. Joe T's in Ft Worth is turning into the same thing. They're both tourist traps and their concern with packing in as many people as possible and rushing out the food within 5 minutes of you ordering has really killed 1) the quality of their product and 2) the atmosphere and experience one has when dining there. For Tex-Mex...I'll stick to my now sporadic trips Austin and San Antonio for quality food. In the mean time, I can go to Mi Cocina and/or Luna de Noche for a good meal that's not over the top. Oh...and even though they don't have a location in the city, I still love going to Abuelo's for a chimichanga when I have the opportunity! :)

I agree that you really can't find very good Tex-Mex in Dallas. Having grown up in West Texas and Corpus Christi and travelled extensively throughout the state, I would have to say that San Antonio is my first choice for Tex-Mex followed closely by Austin. Dallas does have a lot of excellent steak options but they're mediocore in the other food catagories. Houston...ehh it's a nice place to go for seafood but otherwise you won't find "a place to write home to mom about" that you can't find elsewhere. And yes...El Fenix is an absolute joke. Joe T's in Ft Worth is turning into the same thing. They're both tourist traps and their concern with packing in as many people as possible and rushing out the food within 5 minutes of you ordering has really killed 1) the quality of their product and 2) the atmosphere and experience one has when dining there. For Tex-Mex...I'll stick to my now sporadic trips Austin and San Antonio for quality food. In the mean time, I can go to Mi Cocina and/or Luna de Noche for a good meal that's not over the top. Oh...and even though they don't have a location in the city, I still love going to Abuelo's for a chimichanga when I have the opportunity! :)

I am not sure Houston's biggest lure is seafood. There is a ton of good Mexican (not just Tex-Mex) food and amazing Chinese food (Mingh's off of Montrose and Westheimer).

When I was in the Dallas area the place for good Mexican was Mercado Juarez (there are a few spread throughout town). They have some of the best carnitas I have ever tasted.

Mama's Daughters was also a favorite for great home cooking. Cornbread, country fried steak, and all the fixin's. mmmm :D

Mama diner? In Dallas?? That is funny! Sounds more "Texan" than Dallas.:p

Mama diner? In Dallas?? That is funny! Sounds more "Texan" than Dallas.:p

Yeah, it is called Mama's Daughters and the location I went to wasn't in the greatest part of town (just south of 635 and just east of 35) but the food was amazing and it is absolutely packed come lunch time.

Dallas real estate values go up and down depending upon who built what mall when. I think Galleria is only a few blocks from there, and that is a seriously expensive piece of real estate. two blocks down from Galleria is a great Thai restaurent, in and across from a pawn shop, a check cashing place, etc. all in bright yellow signs.

I found this site to be pretty good for reviews: (at least for the things I am interested in).

http://www.guidelive.com/portal/page?_pageid=33,97299&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

It was a garbage site 6 months ago, but they must have hired the chief progammer from US, UA, or starwood(joke,joke,& even bigger joke) to clean up the site.

The place I am talking about is here: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=2610+Royal+Lane,+Dallas,+TX&sll=32.90647,-96.983571&sspn=0.017907,0.040169&ie=UTF8&ll=32.895696,-96.890252&spn=0.008955,0.020084&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1

Which is not a good part of town. They actually have a website (not the greatest quality): http://www.mamasdaughtersdiner.com/

Folks with long layovers at DAL or coming in for a short trip should definitely check it out.

Glad you discovered Kirby's, as well as Bob's -- truly 2 of the best steak places here. Next time, try Al Biernet's -- equally impressive. And Al is the best guy around... owner, host and gentleman to all who enter!

Thanks for the tips! I am going to Dallas for the second time in two weeks and I will try some of the places recommended here. I love Texas and agree they have some great TexMex. I am heading to Mexico after so I will compare the two styles of Mexican!

Oh and I am going to Billy Bob's for a few drinks which should be good fun!

Thanks for the tips! I am going to Dallas for the second time in two weeks and I will try some of the places recommended here. I love Texas and agree they have some great TexMex. I am heading to Mexico after so I will compare the two styles of Mexican!

Oh and I am going to Billy Bob's for a few drinks which should be good fun!

One of the TexMex locations I mentioned (Mercado) is located a few blocks from Billy Bob's. Head South on 287 (Main St.) to E. Northside Dr. and take a left. Follow that over the railroad tracks to Mercado Dr. and the restaurant is right there. If you reach I-35W, you've gone to far, turnaround and it's on your right. :)

Billy Bob's is great! Gotta do some dancing while you're there.

[QUOTE=mctrees02;7699697]I Joe T's in Ft Worth is turning into the same thing. They're both tourist traps and their concern with packing in as many people as possible and rushing out the food within 5 minutes of you ordering has really killed 1) the quality of their product and 2) the atmosphere and experience one has when dining there.QUOTE]

I have been told by a local friend of mine that Joe T's is a great place and a must eat for Tex Mex. :confused:

I have been told by a local friend of mine that Joe T's is a great place and a must eat for Tex Mex. :confused:

It really depends on what you want. I grew up in Fort Worth - I can't stand Mercardo Juarez. I will pass on even darkening their doorstep as I haven't ever had a meal there that didn't make me sick.

I'm not a big fan of Joe T. Garcia's either. Locals either LOVE or HATE the place a