Niwa Japanese BBQ

Niwa gives Deep Ellum a proper Japanese grill-it-yourself experience, with excellent meat cuts (grab the hanger steak and short ribs), solid noodle bowl appetizers and a plentitude of dipping sauces. Your platter of meats comes with handy labels for each type. To cope with coronavirus, Niwa underwent a modest expansion, adding a patio and briefly hosting a sandwich pop-up called Sandoitchi.

Fun fact: Because each table has its own grilling station with industrial vents, this is one of Dallas’ safest spaces for indoor dining during a pandemic. Owner Jimmy Niwa had already conducted engineering studies examining airflow and circulation years before customers began to worry about those issues.