If you're seeking some late-night sustenance to ward off the impending hangover after a night out in Deep Ellum, look no further than Thunderbird Station. Located in a converted service station, Thunderbird is a throwback to the groovy vibes of the '70s with retro décor throughout, including a real Ford Thunderbird hung above the bar. The unpretentious comfort food here hits the spot, such as Frito pie and the bologna sandwich, offered two ways. Larry's Lunchbox is served cold with mustard, onions and cheese. Our favorite, the Boss, is served fried with cheese, grilled onion, jalapeños and secret sauce.

There are dozens of Vietnamese restaurants serving pho in the Dallas area, but one of the best is Pho Bac in Richardson. Of the 10 varieties of beef pho, our favorite is the Tai Kobe pho, which captures the essence of what a great bowl of pho should be. It is evident that Pho Bac takes the time to allow its broth to develop rich flavors that highlight the essence of beef bones and meat, resulting in a complex, well-balanced combination of flavors extracted from the bones, meats, spices and herbs. The Kobe beef melts in your mouth and is a definite upgrade from the traditional flank eye of round served at other places.

Dallas is a pizza haven with diverse styles: Neapolitan, Neo Neapolitan, Detroit, Deep Dish, St. Louis-style and New York-style. Choosing the "best pizza" is challenging, akin to picking between a Porsche and a Ferrari. For us, Zoli's NY Pizza reigns supreme. It captures the essence of traditional New York-style pizza, with a masterpiece crust that stays firm despite hefty toppings while the edges remain light and airy. For added pizzazz, they offer the option of sesame seeds or everything bagel seasoning on the crust. In addition to the dozen or so pizzas on the regular menu, Zoli's offers a creative new pizza each month that allows you to embark on a culinary journey and discover new flavor combinations.

When it comes to burgers, sometimes smaller is better. Sliders allow you to order a variety of flavors without indulging in one burger the size of a Big Mac. At SoB, locally raised organic wagyu beef from A Bar N Ranch raises the sliders a step above. Traditional sliders are offered, but we love the PB+J Wagyu, which is cooked medium rare and topped with a blackberry jam, bacon, crunchy peanut butter, American cheese and caramelized onions. It's the perfect combination of sweet and savory. And if chicken is your thing, the Nashville Hot slider is amazing: hand-battered fried chicken tossed in Nashville sauce and topped with pimento cheese, hot sauce and pickles.

Terry Black's has everything a modern barbecue restaurant needs: a family name with Central Texas bona fides; a dining room with plenty of space for you and your friends; a full bar that serves beer, bottles of wine and its own specialty cocktail; and some sublime barbecue to boot. Consider Terry Black's beef as a must-order despite the hefty price tag, as the salty bark that encases luscious fatty beef underneath is damn near barbecue nirvana. Best of all, you can get some of the city's best barbecue every day of the week, lunch or dinner, when many other shops are closed.

At Zavala's, Texas barbecue is prepared with a hefty side of Mexican influence. Sure, all the usual adjectives apply to Zavala's brisket. But there's that extra-fiery zing of spicy heat in the rub that immediately tells your mouth this is no ordinary brisket. Tuck a slice into a tortilla, drizzle some cilantro salsa on top, then take a bite into something magical, a blend of Texas and Latin traditions melded into barbecue that tastes classic, yet new and unique.

In a city full of glitzy and glamorous dining experiences, one of our favorite meals comes out of an old Subway restaurant with a home-casual vibe in East Dallas. At Cry Wolf, chef Ross Demers wouldn't have it any other way. Demers' fare includes takes on upscale dishes — think oysters, foie gras, duck eggs or perhaps an exotic protein — but served in a restaurant that shuns the snobby trappings of traditional fine dining. Every chef is a leader whether they like it or not, and Demers has assembled a team in the kitchen that shares his passion for dishes built on exquisite ingredients and assembled with artful grace. Demers puts the pomp and circumstance on the plate, then surrounds the guest in a modest venue that is comfortable, cozy and all-welcoming.

Part of the appeal of Prego's chicken-fried steak masterpiece is that it's not exactly listed on the menu. Prego's is an Italian restaurant at heart, so ordering a secret chicken-fried steak might feel rude. But if Prego's magical 14-ounce New York strip, pounded thin, battered and fried to a golden brown, is wrong, we don't want to be right. The entree swallows both the plate it's served on and the cottage fries beneath it and comes with a side of cream gravy made with drippings of ham roasted earlier in the day.

Jon Alexis already has a full dance card of restaurants in TJ's Seafood, Malibu Poke and Escondido Tex-Mex. But at Ramble Room, Alexis' newest spot in Snider Plaza, the goal was to create a restaurant you go to when you don't feel like going out. The menu is chock-full of smartly executed classics, like fresh made pastas available in half or full orders or an array of steaks, chops and fish dishes that make you feel at home. Plus, the restaurant space is casual and inviting, with top-notch service that doesn't feel overbearing. Ramble Room's menu may not break new creative ground, but sometimes we just want a great meal without the fanfare, and therein lies the Ramble Room's charm.

Be they service charges, credit card processing fees or surreptitious auto-gratuities, the add-ons that appear on more and more restaurant guest checks are a trend that we hope ends sooner rather than later. In Dallas, one restaurant shunned tipping and surcharges seven years ago and hasn't looked back. At Gorji, chef-owner Mansour Gorji did perhaps the unthinkable by raising prices across the menu by about 15 to 20 percent, then began to pay his small staff a living wage. It still works. The steaks and Mediterranean fare make for a delightfully intimate evening without relying on tips to provide the staff with pay and benefits that many of us outside the service industry take for granted.