Things To Do
Rodeo Goat
Some of our favorite burgers in Dallas, right around the corner from both the Virgin and DoubleTree hotels. Classic cheeseburgers, specialty burgers, delicious cheese fries, and cold beer.
Delucca Gaucho Pizza & Wine Dallas
Ever been to Texas de Brazil or Fogo de Chao? This is that, but with pizza. And really good pizza, at that. Servers walk around offering you nonstop slices, from traditional to creative (for example, elotes and chicken tikka masala), plus multiple dessert pizzas! Bonus points: it's walking distance from the Virgin Hotel.
Meddlesome Moth
Right across the street from the Virgin Hotel, this is one of our favorite places in Dallas for unique, chef-driven small plates for dinner but they also offer an incredible brunch and one of the city's best craft beer lists.
Avila's Mexican Restaurant
Tye's and my absolute favorite place in town for Tex-Mex and even more traditional Mexican food. We used to go here every Friday night and still stop by as often as we can. It's a small, family-owned restaurant where everything on the menu is homemade and delicious. Some of our favorites: tamales, mole enchiladas, fajitas, the Mexican Cobb salad, and the pozole.
Mike's Chicken
We love a bit of a dive, and you will not get better fried chicken than at Mike's, which is connected to a coin laundry and used to actually be called Laundromat Chicken. Outward appearances aside, this is some of the best fried chicken and homemade sides you will ever eat!
Derby Restaurant Dallas
If you are a car lover, or even just a food lover, we highly recommend this delicious restaurant attached to a car club garage where you can eat while looking out over dozens of classic, rare, and high-end collectors' cars and motorcycles. The food is great at all times of the day, but we especially love their brunch!
Javier's Gourmet Mexicano
One of our favorite places for upscale Mexican food. The unique ambiance can't be beat! Also check out the cigar bar next door, and don't miss out on their margaritas (at your own risk).
Terry Black's Barbecue
Thank you, Austin, for sending this delight to us Dallasites. Some of the best BBQ in town with delicious sides and sauces. The brisket and pork ribs are hard to beat, but everything is good. Go here for lunch and take some time to explore the fun shops in Deep Ellum to walk off some of the barbecue (or walk a couple of blocks down the street for fresh, hot, NOLA style beignets at Le Bon Temps or to Emporium Pies for a slice, which is what we would do).
il Bracco
One of our favorites for Italian classics like cacio e pepe, bolognese, or (Taylor's favorite!) spicy gemelli with vodka sauce. Don't skip the fresh-made focaccia bread with whipped ricotta!
Blue Sushi Sake Grill
A weekly staple in our house for consistently good sushi and small plates, it has a fun ambience, great sake options, and offers lots of fun and unique rolls. Some of our favorites are the tuna tower, the Godzilla Bomb and Spanish Fly rolls, and the specialty blue kani nigiri.
Uchi
We would be remiss not to mention the happy hour fancy sushi that kicked off our relationship. If you are a sushi lover or just love trying creative and interesting new food, you'll love this place. They also have a killer happy hour menu if you want to grab just a couple of cocktails and small plates. I can't even describe the menu here since it changes frequently, but the hama chili, madai crudo, wagyu hot rock, and fried milk dessert are all menu staples and can't-miss items. It's pricey and requires a reservation, but you will not be disappointed!
Parliament
Our favorite cocktail bar in Dallas, walking distance from our house. The bartenders here are geniuses and every cocktail is delicious, fresh, and unique. Cheers!
Katy Trail Ice House
A fun place to go sit outside (weather permitting, though there are heaters in the winter) right off the Katy Trail to enjoy beer and cocktails in a relaxed atmosphere. It's pet-friendly and always a hit with guests!
Celestial Beerworks
This is our absolute favorite brewery and our go-to destination when we have guests from out of town. It's a very small microbrewery that specializes in IPAs, and particularly in juicy, smooth, hazy IPAs. There's a beer here for everyone and nothing is better than grabbing a table and playing a couple of board games with friends over delicious beers at this fun little hidden gem!
The Mansion Bar
This is our favorite upscale bar in town that makes you feel like you stepped out of Dallas and into Manhattan. Not only is it beautiful and cozy with its marble floors, mahogany beams, stained glass windows, and large fireplace, their classic cocktails are hard to beat. They also have a great live band on weekends, so it's the perfect place to grab a martini and slide into a comfortable leather chair and enjoy the music and conversations with friends.
Dallas Museum of Art
We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful art museum here in Dallas - every visitor should go at least once! No matter what you like, there is something here for you. From ancient artifacts to the Renaissance to Impressionism to current artists, the curators at the DMA do a fantastic job of making sure our relatively small (at least compared to NY, Chicago, and the like) covers all the bases.
Free Play Arcade - Dallas
A weekend full of bowling and classic arcade games sounds like a recipe for a good time, and Free Play is one of our absolute favorite places in town. A flat fee cost of entry gets you unlimited access to the best selection and most carefully maintained classic and modern arcade games we have ever found (and trust us - Tye has looked far and wide). It's the perfect place to indulge in a bit of nostalgia or try out a new game or two. Plus, their cocktails, beer list, and thin crust pizzas are top notch!
Topgolf
The perfect place to practice your drive while simultaneously relaxing and enjoying some good food and drinks with friends. No golfing experience required - take it from Taylor.
Bishop Arts District
The absolute cutest area to walk around and browse the unique shops, grab a cup of coffee or bite to eat, and just enjoy the laid-back, neighborhood vibe. There is a ton of fun street art and something new to be found around every corner, but these are just a few of our favorites. To eat: Paradiso (Mediterranean), Lockhart Smokehouse (BBQ), Lucia (Italian), Oddfellows (Brunch), Eno's (Pizza) To drink: Reveler's Hall (Cocktails and live NOLA-style Jazz), Mermaid (Champagne and oysters), The Wild Detectives (Coffee, cocktails, and books) To buy: The Wild Detectives (again, it's a favorite for us and their curated book collection is fantastic!), Spinster Records, Society (amazing small-batch candles!)
Highland Park Village
Highland Park Village is an architecturally stunning Dallas classic with lots to offer. Browse the designer boutiques, grab a coffee and cupcake at Bird Bakery, or stop by Mi Cocina for some of Dallas's most well-known Tex Mex. There is nowhere more beautiful to spend an afternoon!
American Airlines Center
If you can, we highly recommend catching a Mavericks game while you're in town! This is one of our absolute favorite things to enjoy together (and you know it's fun if it's led to Taylor having interest in a sport). Take some time to explore the Victory Park area around AAC, check out the new Dirk Nowitzki statue outside the arena, then head in to enjoy the best basketball team you'll ever see. LET'S GO MAVS!