Knife

The reigning best steakhouse in Dallas isn’t as flamboyant as Town Hearth, as party-centric as Nick & Sam’s or as old-school as Pappas Bros. What matters here is the meat, most of it expertly dry-aged to deepen the flavor. Live it up with excellent seafood crudos, oxtail ravioli, an old-school aged rib-eye from a Texas ranch, some of the world’s most perfect lamb chops (which they need to be, at $17 per chop) and creamed spinach so good you’ll clean the plate. Or you can get out of Knife for under $20 if you just want one of the city’s best burgers. The question is which incredible burger to choose, from the legendary Ozersky, its thick patty adorned simply with American cheese and red onion with pickle on the side, to the Tail End with pork belly and collard greens. The choice is yours, but whatever experience you choose, Knife does it right.

Top pick: If you haven’t tried dry-aged steak before, look out for a cut of beef that’s been aged around 90 days — just enough to really deepen and enrich the flavors without getting too funky. The impossibly soft ribbons of steak taste as if they contain a thread of mild blue cheese.

Fun fact: The steak menu distinguishes between “old school” and “new school”; new school refers to the use of sous vide to ensure an even cook. (Big surprise: We prefer the old school.)