The Biggest Restaurant Openings and Closings in Dallas in 2023

This year was a roller coaster for anyone in Dallas with tastebuds and a stomach. We saw the opening of exciting new restaurants ranging from high-end cuisine to fast casual with a twist, some devastating closings of longtime favorites and the debut of businesses from out-of-town that are vying for a place on the local restaurant scene.

Here are just some of the notable openings and closings in Dallas this year.

OPENINGS

Birdie's Eastside

6221 E. Mockingbird Lane

Birdie’s Eastside was one of two debuts by local restauranteur Jon Alexis this year. Housed in a former Luby’s on East Mockingbird, this bar and grill offers a gamut of laidback American dining, including wings, wraps and burgers.

Ramble Room

6565 Hillcrest Ave., No. 150

The second Jon Alexis spot to open this year was Ramble Room, the self-described restaurant you go to when you don’t feel like going out. The menu offers classic crowd-pleasers like housemade pasta, burgers and steaks; an impeccably laidback vibe earned it the distinction of being named our Best New Restaurant of 2023.

Saint Valentine

4800 Bryan St.

A collaboration between two acclaimed bartenders, The Black Swan’s Gabe Sanchez and Tiny Victories’ Ryan Paine, Saint Valentine has quickly lived up to its hype. With a drink selection ranging from classic cocktails to more experimental drinks like the Montclair Manhattan (made with reposado tequila and chocolate mole bitters) as well as an eclectic menu of bar bites from chef Jordan Edwards, Saint Valentine has been dubbed an “instant East Dallas classic.”

Teriyaki 4 U

1111 W. Frankford Road, Carrollton

Hawaiian food has certainly had a moment over the past few years, but when chef Josh Bonee — whose CV includes Stephan Pyles Flora Street Cafe and Fine China — opened Teriyaki 4 U in Carrollton, we felt real island vibes. Elevated technique and from-scratch cooking over a charcoal grill take everything here to another level.

The Grapevine Bar

2213 Butler St.

Last August The Grapevine had to move because the land under it was sold. But the joint reopened in style in a spacious new location, the same quirky collection of furniture and a very polite neon sign asking customers not do coke in the bathroom. It’s the same friendly neighborhood dive bar it’s always been, just all grown up.

Raising Cane’s (Dallas Cowboys and Post Malone Edition)

2255 W. Northwest Highway

With dozens of locations across North Texas, it’s not easy for a Raising Cane’s opening to so much as raise an eyebrow. But when you throw Post Malone, the Dallas Cowboys and an eye-catching floor-to-ceiling theme into the mix, folks in Dallas are sure to take notice. This is the perfect place to pay homage to some local legends while enjoying the same meal you get every time you go to Cane’s. We haven't tested the theory yet, but we feel like you can probably see the giant lit blue star in the drive-thru from an airplane.

Via Triozzi

1806 Greenville Ave.

Inspired by her time studying abroad in Florence, chef Leigh Hutchinson has brought her passion and deep knowledge of Italian food to Lower Greenville. At Via Triozzi, all of the pasta is made in-house in a windowed room visible to customers. The warm, airy atmosphere accomplishes the goal of bringing a little bit of Italy to Texas.

Mister Charles

3219 Knox St.

If you’re into fine French and Italian cuisine, have some cash burning a hole in your pocket and no qualms about waiting a few weeks for a reservation, Mister Charles is the place to go. This new Highland Park favorite is dripping with luxury: marble checkerboard floors, ornate chandeliers and towering 40-foot ceilings. The food is pretty good, too.

Saaya

2511 Swiss Ave., No. 110

After the scorcher of a summer Dallas had this year, Saaya aimed to provide an oasis. A self-described “refuge to escape, indulge and recharge,” Saaya is part restaurant, part lounge; its exotic Mediterranean vibes are abetted by masterful climate control on the patio. It almost makes us foolishly wish it was summer again. Almost.

Joa Korean BBQ

2254 Royal Lane, No. 100

A new restaurant from the creators of Nuri Grill and located in its former space, Joa serves authentic, traditional Korean food in a more casual environment than its upscale predecessor. “Joa,” the Korean phrase for “I like it,” is a fitting name for an already popular addition to Dallas Koreatown’s restaurant scene.

Pearl Sushi

4640 McKinney Ave., No. 130

This sushi spot from former Nobu chef Shine Tamaoki is a sophisticated and inviting destination for those on the hunt for hgh-quality, authentic sushi. For dinner and a show, we recommend grabbing a spot at the sushi bar to watch up-close the technique and artistry that goes into each bite.

NEW TO DALLAS

Komodo

2550 Pacific Avenue

This Miami import opened in Deep Ellum this year and serves luxurious Southeast Asian-inspired cuisine with prices that might elicit an audible gasp. We think $105 for Peking duck is a bit much, but we’d be lying if we said we weren’t intrigued. If they’d lighten up on charges for parking and water, maybe we could afford to let our curiosity get the best of us.

Crown Block

300 Reunion Blvd. E.

Las Vegas-based Crown Block moved into the most visible real estate in the city: the top of Reunion Tower. This high-end restaurant serves steaks, seafood and a stellar panoramic view of Dallas. Unfortunately, what it doesn’t do is spin.

Slutty Vegan

2707 Main St.

Sluts and vegans rejoice! As if having a name that would send a Fox News viewer into cardiac arrest wasn’t sweet enough, Atlanta-based chain Slutty Vegan has vegan burgers that are genuinely tasty and an atmosphere that’s fun and raunchy in the best way. Just check out the menu items with names like “One Night Stand” and “Hollywood Hooker.”

Voodoo Doughnuts

1806 Greenville Ave., No. 120

The Portland-based chain took its sweet time landing in Dallas, but one bite of their mouthwatering confections and you’ll be quick to forgive. We recommend ordering the Voodoo Dozen for a hearty sampling of the unique flavors, then blatantly pick favorites among your friends and loved ones when choosing whom to share it with.

Black Tap

2475 Victory Park Lane, No. 120

Hailing from SoHo in New York, Black Tap touched down in Dallas this year with burgers, beers and comically ginormous milkshakes. The classic image associated with milkshakes is that of a 1950s couple sharing on a date; Black Tap’s shakes appear to be a modern update geared towards throuples, polycules and anyone who wants to share it with the boys it brings to their yard.

CLOSINGS

Thunderbird Station

3400 Commerce St.

This charming, retro-themed bar and restaurant just outside Deep Ellum closed this year after a memorable three-year run. Though she has no plans to open a new business anytime soon, owner Kim Finch tells us that Thunderbird Station’s signature cocktails and mocktails might make guest appearances at her other bars, Double Wide and Single Wide.

Homewood

4002 Oak Lawn Ave.

At Homewood, chef Matt McCallister served comfort food that was both casual and creative and made our Top 100 Restaurants list. Unfortunately, the place shut its doors in February shortly after terminating both pastry chef Maggie Huff and chef de cuisine Kerry Moffett.

Cry Wolf

4425 Gaston Ave.

Cry Wolf, an inventive yet unpretentious restaurant in East Dallas, closed suddenly in October with little explanation. The restaurant’s hyper-intimate setting (it could seat only about 30 diners) and a chef who said he wasn't so keen on getting cozy with guests couldn't have helped.

CocoAndre’s Oak Cliff Storefront

508 W. Seventh St.

CocoAndre is closing its storefront in Oak Cliff after 15 years, but this isn’t goodbye for the beloved chocolatiers. Owner Andrea Pedraza is retiring, and her daughter and co-owner Cindy will take the helm and switch to a business model that’s less labor-intensive and more geared towards growth. Saying goodbye to the colorful shop is bittersweet, but we’ll take their truffles and horchata wherever we can get them.

Matt's Rancho Martinez

1904 Skillman St.

It’s always sad when a high-quality spot shuts its doors, but it especially stings when it's been a decades-long favorite. After 34 years in East Dallas, the Lakewood location of Matt’s Rancho Martinez has closed. Luckily, other locations in the region are still alive and kicking. If you’re cool with driving to Allen, this is hardly a loss at all.

Lucky's Hot Chicken

3827 Lemmon Ave.

Consider this one both an opening and a closing. After opening its third location on Lemmon Avenue (and promising three more locations in 2023) Lucky’s Hot Chicken abruptly shuttered the new restaurant just four months after opening. The location on Forest Lane was closed as well, but the original shop on Gaston Avenue is still operating. Meanwhile, those expansion ambitions are looking a little bleak.

Strangeways (Maybe)

2429 N. Fitzhugh Ave.

This year, beloved East Dallas bar Strangeways announced that it would be closing in October after 12 years in business due to its landlord’s desire to sell the building. But hold on. It’s December and they’re still here, albeit with a skeleton crew. After an outpouring of support from regulars, owners Eric Sanchez and Rosie Ildemaro are taking legal action to prevent the sale of the building and keep the bar open. Their future is uncertain, and this is certainly a story we’ll be following closely in 2024.