Ready for the Spotlight? What to Order in Dallas For Attention

Ghosted for a date?

Wore a new outfit that nobody saw?

It’s 2025, we don’t beg for attention, and now we don’t have to. There’s always a time to see and be seen, and these dishes around Dallas guarantee you a spot on center stage.

Selfie light not included.

Tableside Tiramisu from Monarch

1401 Elm St. (49th Floor) Are people turning their heads because they think this tiramisu needs time to sit to taste properly, or are they turning their heads to see potentially Dallas’ first-ever tableside tiramisu? Doesn’t matter. They’re looking at you. Monarch brings out this flashy dessert on wheels with a full moka pot for the coffee, plus a mascarpone mousse, homemade lady fingers and chocolate shavings to garnish. A $35 dessert never tasted so good.

Amaro Transfusion Cocktail from Branca Room

324 W. Seventh St. As a blood bag slowly drips Pasubio Vino amaro, six grapes port, aloe, Carpano classico vermouth and Penelope bourbon into your cocktail glass, you’ll have all the time you need to take photos, enjoy the limelight and watch as one of Branca Room’s classic cocktails comes together in front of you. And that’s just the first round. Society of Joeseon, featuring butterfly pea-infused Haku vodka, is the perfect spectacle for round two.

Pig’s Head Carnitas from CBD Provisions

1530 Main St. This show-stopping platter from CBD Provisions starts with a whole Berkshire pig’s head, which is carefully brined for several days, then slow-steamed until it’s fall-apart tender. Right before serving, it’s roasted at a high temperature to achieve a gorgeously crispy, golden skin that shatters with every bite. What arrives at your table is a feast and a conversation starter. Surrounding the head are housemade tortillas, fresh salsas, radishes and herbs that encourage family-style dining. A heads-up: this dish requires 48 hours’ notice, so be sure to plan for the spotlight.

10-Pound Phorrito from Cris and John

5555 Preston Oaks Road Nothing screams head-turner more than this off-menu, 10-pound phorrito from Cris and John. Chicken, rice noodles, basil, bean sprouts, jalapenos, onion, hoisin and sriracha are all packed into this whopper that’s 16 inches long, and definitely bigger than your head. Snag a seat in the dining room and take in all the glory.

Dessert Storm Platter from Crown Block

300 Reunion Blvd. The dining room at Crown Block is a classy and seductive dining room with people dressed in their finest attire. Which means a foot-high sparkler shooting out of this birthday dessert platter is the perfect way to make everyone else’s dinner conversation about you. The $30 dessert is called the Dessert Storm, and it comes with cinnamon doughnut holes, caramel corn, fruity pebble ice cream cones, cake pops and cotton candy framing a lit sparkler held up by sprinkles in the center.

Nacho Tower from Happiest Hour

2616 Olive St. Out of all of Happiest Hour’s Team Happytizers, the nacho tower is by far the most ridiculous. Beef picadillo, black beans, queso, cotija cheese, pico de gallo, pickled jalapeños, guacamole and sour cream are stacked into a mini (clean) HH trash can and dumped onto a silver platter for you and four or more of your friends. If that doesn’t garner the number of eyes you need, try the footlong mozzarella sticks or the Big Happy Burger, which is a five-pound beef patty with a pound of bacon, a pound of cheddar, lettuce, tomato, pickled jalapeños, tobacco onions, happy sauce and five pounds of fries.

Bottle Service at Komodo Lounge

2550 Pacific Ave. The lounge inside Komodo is the epitome of Las Vegas nightclub culture. Neon lights everywhere. Everyone’s phone is out documenting the moment. And what better way to make the headlining story of everyone’s Instagram than to order over-the-top bottle service? There is no menu posted online, but you know the drill. Custom signs, light sticks, sparklers, Ace of Spades Champagne signs and best yet, all eyes on you. Soak in the glory.

CRAZYSHAKES from Black Tap

2475 Victory Park Lane The shakes at Black Tap are a diabetic’s worst nightmare. The restaurant’s trademark crazy shakes are piled high with the most ridiculous toppings that will have people intrigued or disgusted. The New Yorker has an icing and graham cracker rim, strawberry syrup and vanilla milkshake inside, and a full slice of cheesecake on top of it. That pales compared to the Brooklyn Blackout, which has a chocolate frosted rim with mini chocolate chips topped with TWO chocolate brownies, whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. They defy all laws of gravity and you may get lingering eyes just to see if you can finish the damn thing.

Chocolate Piñata from Uncle Julio’s

All locations A busy night at Uncle Julio’s is ideal for ordering the chocolate piñata from the dessert menu. The hanging globe of dark chocolate is filled with homemade churros and fresh fruit. To get to the sweets inside, they give you a rather large bat to bust it open. Make sure your table is center stage in the dining room, and the night is yours.

Fajitas

From anywhereIs your order at a Mexican restaurant swayed because of the dopamine rush fajitas come with? We all know the drill, but it never gets old, and that steamy plate will always make heads turn. The akaushi wagyu fajitas from Las Palmas have the environment and clientele to inflate that ego for the rest of the evening, but any place you go has a 100% success rate for making you the final course.

Your Birthday at El Ranchito

610 Jefferson Blvd. We love the mariachi bands at El Ranchito. And if it’s your birthday, there’s no better place for party vibes in North Texas than at this Mexican gem in Oak Cliff. You’ll never see so much money pinned to shirts. Have a couple margs and soon you’ll be handing out dollar bills too.