Lauren Drewes Daniels
Audio By Carbonatix
What’s hot and what’s not? Well, there are a lot of theories on that here in Dallas. But despite that, OpenTable recently published its updated list of the most-booked restaurants in Dallas. Every month, it analyzes over half a million new dinner reviews and sorts the results by location to help us discover new and old favorite restaurants.
Who’s gonna tell them Dallasites are seasoned veterans when it comes to dining? This list may have been updated this month, but don’t worry – we already knew.
Il Bracco, Park Cities
Il Bracco is a consistent contender when it comes to OpenTable reservations. It serves modern takes on classic Italian dishes like the whole leaf Caesar salad, cacio e pepe with pasta made in-house and tiramisu. It opened in the Park Cities in May 2019 and has brought diners in by the droves ever since. Did you know they serve their famous Bracco, a frozen cocktail made with Grey Goose, Aperol, New Amsterdam and fresh grapefruit, by the half-gallon? They also sell full sheets of tiramisu. They’re definitely onto something. 8416 Preston Center Plaza
Crown Block, Downtown
Whether we like it or not, we all look up to Crown Block. No, literally. This restaurant’s dining room has one of the best views of the Dallas skyline, so we’d hope the city wouldn’t take it for granted. Whether people make reservations out of necessity or as an insurance policy for their evening view is up to them, but it’s easy to see why this would be at the top of anyone’s short list. The menu is a bit of a catch-all with steak, seafood and sushi, and it also does an all-you-can-eat brunch on the weekend that may just be the best value at the top of their elevator. 300 Reunion Blvd.
RH Rooftop Restaurant, Knox-Henderson
Now, this is definitely a choice one could make. An interesting one. This restaurant is on the top floor of Restoration Hardware’s 70,000-square-foot design gallery in the Knox-Henderson neighborhood. They say it blurs the lines between residential and retail, indoors and outdoors and home and hospitality. You can dine year-round in their skylit garden with olive trees, chandeliers and opulent fountains. It’s a wonder that, despite the plethora of options, people dine here and make the avocado toast one of the most popular dishes on the menu. The same menu that sells a side of truffle fries for $20. 3133 Knox St.
Kitchen + Kocktails, Downtown
We love Kitchen + Kocktails. It’s one of our top 100 restaurants. This downtown spot is all about serving generous Southern comfort dishes in a stylish and upscale environment. When owner Kevin Kelley returned from Paris, inspiration led him to open his restaurant in a prime location where people could come together and enjoy a menu of his hand-selected favorites. What people in Dallas love most here are the chicken n’ waffles, shrimp and grits and the peach cobbler, but that list easily expands at his four other locations in Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte and D.C. 1933 Elm St.
Nick and Sam’s, Uptown
It seems that after Luka was traded to the Lakers, fans decided to use all the money they saved on home games to sulk over “The Luka” on Nick & Sam’s menu. It’s a 77-day dry-aged 77-ounce New York strip served with a mushroom Barolo placed right under their tribute to the previous Mavs legend, Dirk. (Damn, still hurts.) But you don’t need to be a basketball fan to dine here. It’s been an Uptown staple for fine steaks since 1999. A half-page menu is dedicated to different steak cuts like American Prime and Australian Kobe. While they relish in tradition, they don’t shy away from newcomers, like adding red crab elote to the array of sides. That’s worth saving a seat for. 3008 Maple Ave.
Evelyn, Design District
EVELYN opened in the Design District this past spring, and clearly, it’s still riding on that grand opening high. This Old Hollywood-inspired steakhouse is one of the latest places to be seen, eat and drink in the same building. They have a main dining area where they serve caviar, wagyu appetizers and steak cuts, and plenty of seafood in a tower fashion if that’s what you prefer. If you venture out of there, try not to get lost. Three other rooms are dedicated to private, intimate or lively apres-dinner affairs. 1201 Turtle Creek Blvd.
Perry’s Steakhouse and Grille, Uptown
Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille has all the right ingredients to be one of the most booked restaurants in Dallas: an award-winning menu, Texas roots and an intimate view of downtown Dallas. Perry’s started as a butcher shop in Houston in 1979, and by 1986, tables and chairs were added to the shop. Next thing the family knows, they’re opening the very first Perry’s Steakhouse in 1993. It’s famous for its Pork Chop Friday, attentive service and upscale two-story atmosphere. Their website shows many of their running specials, including off-menu items like the award-winning white bean pork chili parked there. 2100 Olive St.
Al Biernat’s, Uptown
If you don’t have a reservation at Al Biernat’s, you’re throwing ‘bows through waves of regulars to try and get a seat. Al’s motto was and will always be “more than a great steakhouse,” and it’s easy to see why they’ve made it to this list. Everyone wants to come here for the food, but they also celebrate graduations, birthdays, engagements and other life-changing events. There are a few worn-in leather seats in Dallas that can wine and dine you with the comfort of being at home, and Al’s eponymous restaurant does just that. 4217 Oak Lawn Ave.
Sixty Vines, Uptown
Have you been personally victimized by a social media feed full of engagements, weddings and baby showers? Yeah? Then it should be no surprise that Sixty Vines took Ida Claire’s spot for most booked restaurants this month. The Uptown location of this vino destination has a glass-enclosed greenhouse with a connected wine garden. It seats up to 100 guests for a standing reception. Simply put, it’s beautiful, and it’s easy to see why Dallasites would move expeditiously to reserve an event here. Oh, and the 60 wines on tap paired with wine-country-inspired cuisine help too. 500 Crescent Court
Hudson House, Lakewood
Many Dallasites will rave about the burger and martini combo at Hudson House, and it seems everyone in Lakewood is a true fan of this duo. New York City’s West Village inspired this neighborhood restaurant. It serves American classics with a heavy draw from East Coast menu staples. The raw bar is the menu’s core, with its daily raw oyster special. Everyone loves the cheeseburger here, and they pack a quarter-pound of Atlantic lobster into the lobster roll. Don’t ever skip out on the mac and cheese. Also, allegedly, they serve the world’s coldest martini, but that’s for you to decide.
