Since 1956 Norma's has kept the home fires burning, serving breakfast all day, along with Southern comfort food like chicken-fried steak, smothered pork chops and their trademarked Mile-High Pies. All five restaurants across North Texas have the proper kitschy American diner essentials, but one thing we love about Norma's is they're just good people. Every Thanksgiving at the original Oak Cliff location they offer free meals to those who might not otherwise be able to enjoy one. Here you'll get good cooking and good pie served by good people with a slogan of "eat dessert first."

Hat Creek Burger Company is a fast-casual restaurant out of Austin that offers fenced-in playgrounds for the kids and good food and booze for their adult keepers. The menu has gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian and dairy-free options, and any of the burgers can be made as a salad. There's the requisite chicken nuggets on the menu and milkshakes that can make for good bribes. And wine. Did we mention that? So taking the kids out doesn't feel so much like punishment.

Yellow Rosa is a special place. The entrance to the Deep Ellum cantina has speakeasy vibes (look for a sign on the sidewalk). Once inside, it feels like an escape to a cantina in a Mexican town. Yellow Rosa has a seasonal cocktail menu, but our favorite drink isn't even on the menu: Ask for a frozen mango margarita, smooth and strong with a smear of Tajin covering half the glass. Yeah, we'll lick it before each sip. It's that good. Bonus feature at Yellow Rosa: Thursday's $5 margarita menu. The weekend brunch is lively and fun, and there's usually a mariachi band on Sundays.

This is a pancake worth getting out of bed early for. Snooze's pineapple upside down pancake is a signature piece. A fluffy buttermilk pancake is studded with ample chunks of caramelized pineapple, then covered with a house-made vanilla creme. It honestly channels tres leches energy. On top is a big dollop of mostly cinnamon butter. You can order real maple syrup for it if you need it (you don't, but you certainly won't get any side-eye from us about it). They were serving these pancakes in the VIP area of the Observer's Morning After Brunch event last year and a group of us parked nearby and made repeated trips to their stand; we didn't eat all the pancake samples that day, but we sure did try.

Want to grab drinks and a bite before the game? Of course you do. That's why you go. The pregame. Happiest Hour is within walking distance of the American Airlines Center, and it's surrounded by other restaurants and bars, plus it has a great rooftop view and lawn. Before games, it's a sea of jerseys. And despite how busy it can get, the service is always on point. And the food — from salads to a roasted half chicken — is good. For a wow factor, get the foot-long fried mozzarella logs for the table from the Team Happytizers menu. Five come in an order, so that's 5 feet of fried cheese according to AP math. Other group options include a nacho tower. Nach-O Tow-er clap, clap, clap-clap-clap!

Empanadas are a Latin favorite consisting of the perfect formula of dough plus filling. Depending on the country, empanadas can be sweet or savory. But just like it absolutely owns soccer, no other country does empanadas like Argentina. Empa Mundo is a mainstay in Irving that offers a mostly Argentine selection of baked empanadas, which come with the oil-and-herb godsend known as chimichurri. The restaurant's star is the traditional meat pie criolla, but no less impressive is the best vegetarian empanada in DFW: the humita empanada, a richly thick creamed corn stuffing perfectly complemented by the soft crunch of the tapa. The divey joint with walls plastered with international bills gives the place a true street-food feel.

Katie Rose-Watson truly knows the joy of cooking. With her infectious enthusiasm for a well-crafted dinner party, she has accrued a substantial following and some copycats. A few years back, Watson started throwing dinners for friends inspired by Disney movies. These are not kids' birthday décor to go along with a Tom Thumb-bought Elsa cake. We're talking sophisticated dinner parties inspired by the settings, themes, stories, details and color palettes from Disney films including Pirates of the Caribbean and popular films such as Indiana Jones. The Rose Table is also for non-Disney adults, those food lovers who appreciate that presentation is a fundamental ingredient in cuisine.

La Stella Cucina Verace has big stiletto shoes to fill, given its prominent spot in the Arts District, across from the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center and Winspear Opera House. Chef Luigi Iannuario, a native of Italy, serves refined plates of pasta, seafood and grilled meats in this stunning space. Twirl your fork into a mound of house-made pappardelle, and grab plenty of rich wagyu beef Bolognese with a touch of ricotta for a bite that delivers emotionally. The fresh seafood dishes are numerous, including specials. Guests range from casual diners to those on a fancy night out.