Photo by Lauren Drewes Daniels
Audio By Carbonatix
Dining on a patio is an art form in Dallas.
Between our two main seasons: that feeling when you open the oven and the heat hits your face, summer, and a wind chill so low your bones are cold, winter, there are small windows where the weather is just right.
So it’s no surprise this article is getting a proper spruce-up, because right now we’re in that small window. And just like that, the entire city is out to play.
This is the non-exhaustive list of our favorite patios in Dallas. Some obvious. Some not as much. If you can’t find one of your favorites, check out our rooftop dining list before you throw hands.
Go out there and soak up the sun, a plate of nachos and a beverage of choice before it gets too hot (or cold again, who knows what will happen around here).
Las Palmas
2708 Routh St., Uptown
Quick Bite: See and be seen, fantastic food, drinks and service.
The owners of Las Palmas are staples of the Dallas culinary scene because service is exceptional across all their concepts (Mike’s Gemini Twin, Bowen House, Urbano Cafe and St. Martin’s). This lush and opulent yet relaxed restaurant in Uptown is a Tex-Mex haven. The food is everything you need it to be, and the service is fast. Yes, there’s usually a wait on the weekends, but it’s a big space and things move fast. You could also always walk a block over to Bowen House for a cocktail; it is another space with great outdoor seating. A twofer!
Cafe Madrid
4501 Travis St., Knox-Henderson
Quick Bite: As European as it gets in Dallas, absolutely lovely, cozy.
Cafe Madrid somehow captures an old-world charm that is impossible to invent and hard to find in these parts. If you can’t book a trip to Spain, come here for authentic Spanish tapas while sipping sangria on the patio. This is not a patio to be “seen” but a place to absorb and relax. Check out the flamenco dances every first Friday.
S&D Oyster Company
2701 McKinney Ave., Uptown
Quick bite: New Orleans-style patio with a cozy and romantic feel.
The interior of S&D Oyster Company may scream the 70s with its carpeted floors and red-and-white checkered tablecloths, but the patio is a delicious gateway to a slow, lingering lunch or dinner. Enclosed in brick, this intimate space is outfitted with wrought-iron seating, flickering lanterns and a small fountain that screams NOLA. Gulf-style seafood is served southern style in dishes like New Orleans bar-b-q shrimp, seafood gumbo and grilled oysters.
Birdie’s Eastside
6621 E. Mockingbird
Quick Bite: Big family-friendly spot, upscale fare.
This East Dallas restaurant has become a neighborhood favorite, not just because of its great fare and service, a trademark of owner Jon Alexis’ restaurants, which include The Ramble Room, Escondido, and TJ’s Seafood. Birdie’s is also popular for its large outdoor space, where the kids can be kids (be reasonable here, however), and people who are easily annoyed with kids can also have space. There’s plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, TVs and a big (but still one-page) menu. There’s flatbreads, game day fare, bowls, wraps and sandwiches. It all goes down easier with some fresh air.
Chelsea Corner
4830 McKinney Ave., Uptown
Quick Bite: Popular hangout, lots of TVS, dogs and 20-ish energy. Great food.
Chelsea Corner features a large, climate-controlled patio with plenty of TVs, fake grass, and lounge-like seating made comfortable by numerous fans and misters (or heaters, as needed). The menus are all seasonal, and the energy is always good. Happy hour (Monday – Thursday, 4-6:30 p.m., and Friday, 11 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.) includes a variety of craft beers for $6 and cocktails from $9-11. If you’re over 30, beware, drinkers here are fresh off the SMU campus.
Lauren Drewes Daniels
Cold Beer Company
3600 Main St., Deep Ellum-ish
Quick Bite: Low-key, little bit grunge, pimento grilled cheese and big beer menu.
Cold Beer Company, just outside of Deep Ellum, recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, and we consider it one of the most under-the-radar patios in the city. The beer list is large (24 on draft, 36 cans), and a grilled pimento cheese sandwich helps soak it up. It’s no frills here. Just come hang out, have a drink and enjoy yourself. Maybe watch a game. End of Tweet.
Goodfriend Beer Garden and Burger House
1154 Peavy Road, East Dallas
Quick Bite: East Dallas hangout, Anthony Bourdain burger, great music.
We’ve mentioned the burger here, right? Of course, we have. While they have a cheeseburger that would make Anthony Bourdain proud, the patio here is perfect for their big beer list and stellar playlist. Bring your best puppy dog here to watch sports under the partially covered covering and feel like a local even when you’re clearly not. Please note that Goodfriend is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Service is spot on, and they have a Crunchwrap, Frito Pie and fried pickles.
The Grapevine Bar
2213 Butler St., Medical District
Quick Bite: Longtime Dallas bar for eclectic crowd; strong drinks, great staff. Big space.
The patio at the freshly resurrected Grapevine Bar is the platonic ideal of a neighborhood hangout spot, almost like a sitcom set that’s come to life. The area is spacious, with plenty of tables so that you and your core friend group don’t have to hear the background characters’ conversations. There’s both a stage and a basketball court, for endless antics. And finally, the unmistakable neon sign bearing the bar’s name is a perfect marker for your audience to immediately know where you are, so you don’t have to work it into your dialogue unnaturally. Central Perk from Friends and McLaren’s Pub from How I Met Your Mother should be afraid.
Ida Claire
5001 Belt Line Road, Addison
Quick Bite: Diverse vibe with Southern influence, Airstream trailer in back and vinyl hour some nights.
We previously wrote about Ida Claire’s delta-8 cocktails, which we highly recommend. Pair one of those with the easy-breezy patio on a sunny day plus live music on Friday nights, and you’ve got a 5-outta-5-star experience. You can even snag reservations in the Air Stream trailer parked out back; it’s cozy and great for your knitting group. The menu features a variety of Southern staples, including chicken and waffles, hot honey chicken, biscuits, shrimp and grits, and ribs.
Far-Out
1906 S Haskell Ave., Fair Park (ish)
Quick bite: West Texas-inspired restaurant and patio helmed by a James Beard-recognized chef.
Far-Out is frankly, far out from inner-city Dallas, in one of our most overlooked neighborhoods. Motifs from Marfa and West Texas pull together this renovated Quonset hut from the 40s. Chef Misti Norris, previously of Petra and the Beast, and beverage director Adam Mercado, previously of Brass Ram and Billy Can Can, continue to create small, but robust menus using seasonal ingredients. The interior has its own allure, but a post-dinner beverage on Far-Out’s patio is worth the venture off I-30.
Katy Trail Ice House
3127 Routh St., Uptown
Quick Bite: Sits on Dallas’ most popular walking/running trail, all the people, all the drinks, fast service.
The Katy Trail Ice House is a massive tree-shaded beer garden along the Katy Trail, which means you can sit there and sip a beer and think about that time you tried jogging. (Coulda thrown a rock further.) A bad time is just not to be had here. The service is excellent for such a large space; each section, even on the patio, has its own dedicated server who’s always available while runners (the fun kind) bring food and drinks out. Summer and winter, and every space in between, is fun out there. Get some fresh air and think about that time you almost ran.
Lauren Drewes Daniels
La Reunion
229 Bishop Ave., Bishop Arts
Quick Bite: Quaint, lovely, great people watching, cafe and bar; locals’ favorite.
Head down to the Bishop Arts District on any lovely day, and you’ll be charmed by the easy vibes and foot traffic. Pull up a chair at the patio at La Reunion for some true European cafe vibes (if you sorta squint). This cafe and bar is a hangout with digital nomads and remote workers. In the evening, the cafe vibes ease into a neighborhood bar feel. The spot is open from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday – Friday and 10 a.m. – 2 a.m. Saturday – Sunday. That’s an all-day cafe.
Libertine
2101 Greenville Ave., Lower Greenville
Quick Bite: Pub with great drinks and fare, great for people watching.
This restaurant and bar along Lower Greenville is a snug dark pub inside, but a few years ago, they cleared out the parking spaces in front and built a long patio. There’s no place better to sip a dark beer with a little nip in the air and take in the vibe. Did you know Tuesday is steak night at The Libertine? Sure’nuff. Get a steak or burger with a cocktail for $20. Sold! The beer selection features a diverse range of local, Texan, and European options. Check out the robust scotch and whiskey selections too. We’re fans of the Muenster fries.
The Old Monk
2847 N. Henderson Ave., Knox-Hendrson
Quick Bite: Great food, beer and service, easy-going Irish pub vibes.
This small but mighty patio in the Knox-Henderson neighborhood has old bones; it’s been around for more than 25 years. If you prefer to sip on a draught European or Belgian beer while enjoying a formidable burger, The Old Monk is your home. Also here: some of the best fish and chips in the city. It’s within walking distance of two sister pubs: Skellig and Spider Murphy’s, each with its own good patio scene.
HG Sply Co.
2008 Greenville Ave., Lower Greenville
Quick Bite: Healthier than your average bar with great people-watching.
Lower Greenville is one of the rare pedestrian-friendly spaces in Dallas. We’re talking blocks of sidewalks. Blocks! Many tables and chairs offer front-row views for people-watching. Along with the aforementioned Libertine, HG Sply Co is one of our faves, where you can get nurtiment and spirits (it’s what their sign says). There’s also a nice indoor-outdoor bar to perch at. The menu has a hunter-gather vibe, Paleo dishes and strong cocktails to waste away a pleasant afternoon.
Truck Yard
5624 Sears St., Lower Greenville
Quick Bite: Lively atmosphere, fun food, funner drinks.
After a $2 million nip and tuck a couple of years ago, the Truck Yard is better than ever: additional weather-friendly patio space, fire pits and new bathrooms. Here, you can enjoy a beer from Second Rodeo Brewing, whose brewmaster, Dennis Wehrmann, comes from a long line of German brewers. The menu keeps things simple, featuring hot dogs and cheesesteaks (some of the best, mind you), as well as nachos. There are also some food trucks on-site. One thing about this spot: no TVs. Here, they prefer you interact with humans.
