Leap Day Special: 10 Places in Dallas to Dine Every Four Years

You have an extra day, make it count. Get married. Get a tattoo. Adopt a new (or old) puppy. Or eat lots of pie. All those things are reasonable ways to mark a bonus day.

We've gathered restaurants that every Dallasite should visit once every four years, for better or worse, iconic or irreverent. Some places are restaurants you should visit only once every four years, while others are places you should visit at least every four years. You decide which is which.

Bob's Steak and Chop House

4300 Lemmon Ave.

Clearly, Dallas is not lacking in fine steakhouses. But there's something particular about the brass-polished refinement of the original Bob's on Lemmon. It opened in 1993 in a city that is a conveyor belt of the next-new-things. Bob's has held steady, still serving that one big carrot with service that is smart, doting and unpushy. A friend from decades past used to like to scout the bar for a sugar daddy while nibbling on her dinner plate. I hope she's long been beef-fattened and happy.

Celebration Restaurant

4503 W. Lovers Lane

Many online reviews for Celebration mention long-time family traditions. "Nostalgic" pops up a lot. People dined here growing up and when they're back in town, they can't wait to go again. The menu is classic Americana favorites like chicken-fried steak, meatloaf, fish and chicken. It's a throwback place that may have fallen off your radar, and it's quite time to get reacquainted.

El Fenix

1601 McKinney Ave.

The original El Fenix opened more than 100 years ago at a location that is now closed but the downtown restaurant is an iconic place to put down huge plates of Tex-Mex and sip margaritas. It's standard. It's basic. And that's what makes it great. Something about the old building off McKinney feels like stepping back in time.

Fearing's

2121 McKinney Ave.

Chef Dean Fearing is a Dallas gem. The noted "father of Southwestern cuisine" helped etch out a special place for Dallas culinary lore, always with a huge smile on his face. He started straight out of culinary school at The Mansion, where he spent 20 years before opening Fearing's inside the Ritz Carlton in 2007. From tortilla soup and mesquite-grilled wagyu steaks to live music on the patio with a cold drink, Fearing's is a Dallas icon (the man and the restaurant).

Joe T. Garcia's

2201 N. Commerce St., Fort Worth

We don't go to Cowtown often, but when we do, Joe T's is a likely stop. From the sprawling patio, multiple water accouterments, speedy service and huge plates of Tex-Mex, no one has a bad time here — unless they imbibe in too many of those easy-flowing Everclear-laced margaritas. Something else that still makes this place so iconic is it's still cash only. That's another fun thing you can do on Leap Day: visit an ATM. Show the kids some actual cash.

Kalachandji's

5430 Gurley Ave.

When was the last time you had a vegetarian Indian buffet inside a Hare Krishna temple? This longstanding Dallas restaurant is adjacent to a temple with tranquil courtyard seating. Lunch and dinner at Kalanchandji's are buffet style with more than a dozen dishes and cost around $15 and $18, respectively. You'll never hear a word of advertising from this East Dallas gem; for more than 40 years it's been sustained on word-of-mouth alone. 

Keller's Drive-In

6537 E. Northwest Highway

Keller's on Northwest Highway opened in 1965. The menu is simple: burgers, fries, tots, onion rings. The buns come spotted with poppy seeds and the patties are smashed, not because that's what the cool kids are doing now, but rather because that's how they've always done it. Another tip o' the hat to nostalgia here is that two people can load up on burgers and fries for less than $20. And, they take cards now.

The Magic Time Machine

5003 Belt Line Road

Every kid needs to roll through The Magic Time Machine at least once. Since 1979, an eccentric cast of servers has entertained dates and families at this Addison location. The salad bar is in a candy-apple red 1952 MG-TD Roadster. Make reservations to sit in a particular scene and order a Roman Orgy for just $19.99 per person, which comes with all the meats. Most important, there are plenty of big boozy drinks. Be sure to explain to the kids that before there were iPads, this is how parents entertained kids at restaurants.

Medieval Times

2021 N. Stemmons Freeway

How many times do you drive past Medieval Times and not even think about it? We're just so used to seeing that foreboding castle we forget it's full of horses, falcons and jesters all jousting and toting flags. Mainly though, where else can you drink booze, eat with your hands and scream at people? (Well, besides home. But no horses there.) Tickets are about $68 and include a four-course meal. Kid tickets are $40.95.

Reunion Tower, Crown Block

300 Reunion Blvd. E

Crown Block is the current tenant atop Reunion Tower and, unfortunately, the space doesn't spin anymore (booooo!). But it's still an iconic Dallas spot and it's good to get a bird's eye view of things 18 floors up. Plus Crown Block plates a pretty special meal, with all the bells and sparklers you'd expect. Reservations are highly recommended.