The Observer’s Top 100 Restaurants

As we skid into the holiday season, certainly you’re looking for a way to woo loved ones, coworkers and partners in crime. It’s a crucial time to remember our local restaurants; this year has been harsh on the restaurant industry. Making plans at a non-chain, locally owned restaurant will keep our local economy thriving and our dining scene vibrant. And we’ve got a great guide for that below.

We have some other round-ups to check out, including the best places to book your holiday party, where to make reservations for Thanksgiving, best places to pick up a turkey to go, and a holiday pub crawl list.

Our aim with the Top 100 Restaurants in Dallas is to give you the boots-on-the-ground truth about the variety of local haunts that give this city its color and texture. We’re eating right next to you at the steakhouses, pizza spots and hidden gems that we all adore, regardless of what national-level attention they may or may not garner. The Top 100 tells the local story because we live it every day.

The Dallas dining scene continues to experience growth with a constant supply of new concepts, even in the face of high-priced real estate and increased food and labor costs. While we cover as many restaurants as possible, we love shining the light on the local spots that are our friends and neighbors, as opposed to a faceless corporation opening the next location of their chain.

The list starts with newbies, classics, upscale hidden gems and top neighborhood restaurants, and then breaks out into barbecue, Hispanic and Pan Asian favorites.

Finally, you’ll find the top 100 restaurants that have closed so far this year, demonstrating the challenges restaurateurs face despite being lauded. There are no guarantees in this difficult business, but the best way to ensure Dallas continues to be a vibrant place to live and thrive is to get out there and eat.

Our work never ends: we’ll continue to share our experiences at restaurants across the city because where we eat is a reflection of our city, its residents and its values. Challenging times only make local journalism more important, and we’ll continue to highlight the very best that Dallas has to offer.

Best New Dallas Restaurants and Noteworthy Additions

These restaurants opened in 2024 or perhaps underwent a noteworthy change, like The Heritage Table, which (finally) reopened after closing during the pandemic.

• Cenzo’s Pizza & Deli, Oak Cliff
• Even Coast, Far North Dallas
• Georgie, Knox-Henderson
• Goldie’s, Lake Highlands
• Goodwins, Lower Greenville
• Green Point Seafood and Oyster Bar, Knox-Henderson
• The Heritage Table, Frisco
• The Mayor’s House By Selda, Oak Cliff
• Mot Hai Ba, East Dallas
• Radici, Farmers Branch
• South Polk Pizzeria, South Dallas
• Tango Room, Design District
• Tatsu, Deep Ellum
• Turan Uyghur Kitchen, Plano
• Uchiko, Plano

Upscale Dallas Hidden Gems

From dry-aged steaks in a posh setting to moody speakeasies with pre-Hispanic dishes, these spots make the Dallas dining scene special.

• Ayahuasca, Oak Cliff
• Barsotti’s, Oak Lawn
• Billy Can Can, Victory Park
• Cafe Momentum, Downtown
• El Carlos Elegante, Design District
• Encina, Bishop Arts
• Gorji Restaurant, Far North Dallas
• José, Park Cities
• Kendall Karsen’s Upscale Soul Food, South Dallas
• Kitchen + Kocktails, Downtown
• Knife, Park Cities
• Knox Bistro, Knox-Henderson
• Lucia, Bishop Arts District
• Quarter Acre, Lower Greenville
• National Anthem, Downtown
• Nonna, Oak Lawn
• Roots Southern Table, Farmers Branch
• Rye, Lower Greenville
• Sachet, Oak Lawn
• Sister, Lower Greenville
• Tei-An, Arts District
• TJ’s Seafood Market, North Dallas
• Town Hearth, Design District
• Via Triozzi, Lower Greenville

Top Local Neighborhood Favorites in Dallas

These restaurants foster a sense of community and familiarity. By locals for locals; needs not wants. Like the salmon tacos from Milagro Taco Cantina in West Dallas. 

• AllGood Cafe, Deep Ellum
• Al Markaz, Carrollton
• Armoury D.E., Deep Ellum
• Bilad Bakery and Restaurant, Richardson
• Cosmo’s Restaurant & Lounge, East Dallas
• Cris and John, Far North Dallas
• Fattoush Mediterranean Kitchen, Arlington
• Gemma, Old East Dallas
• Harwood Arms, Harwood District
• Jimmy’s Food Store, East Dallas
• Jonathon’s Diner, Oak Cliff
• Jamaican Cook Shop, Mesquite
• Ka-Tip Thai Street Food, Dallas Farmers Market
• Kumar’s, Plano
• Las Almas Rotas, Fair Park
• La Calle Doce Oak Cliff, Oak Cliff
• Loro, East Dallas
• Ly Food Market, Oak Cliff
• Maskaras Mexican Grill, Oak Cliff
• Milagro Taco Cantina, West Dallas
• Partenope Ristorante, Downtown
• The POT Baked Potato Bar, South Dallas
• Resident Taqueria, Lake Highlands
• Revolver Taco Lounge, Deep Ellum
• Southside Steaks and Cakes, South Dallas
• Taco Y Vino, Bishop Arts District
• Thunderbird Pies, Lakewood
• Will Call, Deep Ellum
• Yia Yia’s House of Gyros, Mesquite
• Zoli’s, Addison

Barbecue Restaurants in Dallas

Smoke rings are taken seriously around here. Here are the Dallas spots that know how to meld a soft pink hue into a crunchy bark.

• Baby Back Shak, Cedars
• Cattleack Barbeque, Farmers Branch
• Hutchins BBQ, McKinney
• Smokey Joe’s BBQ, South Dallas
• Zavala’s Barbecue, Grand Prairie

Hispanic Restaurants in Dallas

From comforting plates of Tex-Mex to plantains and fried chicken at a Honduran spot. Be sure not to miss the Oak Cliff institution, Limon’s.

• Del Sur Tacos, Oak Cliff
• El Come Taco, Old East Dallas
• El Pueblo, Oak Cliff
• Limon’s, Oak Cliff
• San Pedro’s, Northwest Dallas

Pan Asian Restaurants in Dallas

North Texas is rife with dumplings, yakitoris and bowls of ramen. Here are our favorites. 

• Damasita Izakaya, Northwest Dallas
• Ebesu Robata & Sushi, Plano
• Edoko Omakase, Irving
• Fat Ni, Carrollton
• La Me, North Lake Highlands
• Mr. Max, Irving
• Ngon Vietnamese Kitchen, Lower Greenville
• Peak Restaurant and Bar, Irving
• Saigon Block Restaurant, Richardson
• Sichuan Folk, Plano
• SpicyZest Restaurant, Farmers Branch
• Sushi Robata, Far North Dallas
• Tei Tei Robata, Knox-Henderson
• TEN Ramen, West Dallas
• Wu Wei Din, Multiple Locations

Closings

Unfortunately, we’ve already lost a few good ones this year. With the cost of everything, it’s honestly no surprise. Many of these places have plans to live on in different forms, and we’ll be sure to keep you posted on those developments.

• CheapSteaks, Deep Ellum
• Niwa Japanese BBQ, Deep Ellum
• Ookuma Japanese Burger, South Dallas
• Pangea Restaurant & Bar, Garland
• Petra & The Beast, East Dallas & Lakewood
• Swank, Oak Cliff