The Dallas dining scene takes itself a little too seriously sometimes. Lighten up with a visit to one of these new local bars, restaurants and cafes, places that can take a joke and dish one out, too.

The Ivy League ($15) is garnished cheekily with an obscenity printed on wafer paper.

Beth Rankin

Bourbon & Banter
The new speakeasy in the basement of the renovated Statler has it all: A phone booth where the host needs to key in a code to open the hidden door, awesome chicken liver pate and a cocktail garnished with the word "FUCK." 

In typical Ddong Ggo style, the Korean Army Stew comes topped with a melty blanket of cheese.

Kathy Tran

Ddong Ggo
This Carrollton Korea Town eatery makes it clear where it stands before you even step foot inside: Ddong Ggo is Korean for “butthole” and, in this case, refers to a chicken's, which is why its logo is an angry chicken with its, um, butthole censored by a red X. Just about everything on this menu, including the must-order Cheese Island, is swimming in melted cheese and makes the ideal late-night drunk snack.

Trick Pony's Coffee & Cigarettes cocktail. (Get it?)

Alison McLean

Harlowe MXM's Trick Pony
This cocktail bar, part of Harlowe MXM's massive new Deep Ellum complex, doesn't take itself too seriously. It changes menus and concepts a few times a year, but we loved its Bill Murray-inspired cocktail menu, which included a Coffee & Cigarettes cocktail with an ashtray full of chocolate. The Groundhog Day arrives in front of you three times in a row, with the bartender introducing it the same way each time.

¯\_(?)_/¯

Beth Rankin

Internet Cafe 2
This new Oak Cliff coffee shop — from one of the brains behind Emporium Pies — is so packed full of snark and humor, you'd be hard-pressed to find it all. First off, there is no Internet Cafe 1. Internet Cafe 2 advertised its opening on Craigslist's Casual Encounters. To join the loyalty program, you have to type your name into a text document on an old PC. The bathroom has a working landline for you to call your buds and comes with stickers that say, "I made a call from the loo at Internet Cafe 2." Grab a seat and hang out awhile — all of the tables say they're reserved, but they're not.

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