18 Best Restaurants in Dallas

If you're looking for a real barbecue in Dallas, you need to eat at Lockhart Smokehouse. It is named after Lockhart, Texas, which is known as the "Barbecue Capital of Texas," and serves barbecue that is pulled straight from the smoker and served in custom cuts at the counter. 

You may place as many orders as you like, so feel free to sample a wide range of dishes. Crowd favorites include the ribs, brisket, and sausages from Kreuz Market, a renowned barbecue joint in Lockhart. Add-ons like onions, pickles, bread, and crackers are complimentary with every order.

You might never want to eat at another sub shop after trying one of Jimmy's Food Store's legendary sandwiches. This family-owned and -operated grocery store and deli in the city's historic district has been turning out what many consider to be the best sandwiches in town since 1966. 

The Italian Stallion will take care of you if you're hungry. Huge slices of pepperoni, porchetta, and mortadella, among other Italian cold cuts, fill the sandwich to overflowing. Saturday afternoons can be quite crowded. Consequently, if you're looking for peace and quiet, weekday visits are your best bet.

There’s more to a meal at Tupinamba Cafe than just the delicious traditional Tex-Mex fare served in a retro setting. It's all about making your mark on Texas' past. According to legend, Froylan Dominguez, the man behind the original Tupinamba Cafe, left Mexico with his family's recipes in tow during the Mexican Revolution of 1910. 

Tupinamba Cafe is still run by the Dominguez family and serves the same recipes they've been using for generations. The margaritas, fajitas, and Tupy Tacos (their signature deep-fried tacos) are all excellent choices. The tacos, when dipped in Tupinamba's spicy salsa, are a tried and true hangover cure, so take the word of the locals.

When you dine at Arthur's Steakhouse, you can expect 5-star cuisine, nightly live entertainment, and old-school service. You can expect to dine alongside affluent locals who are interested in the restaurant's traditional menu and atmosphere. You can order steak tartare, escargot, Champagne brie soup, or oysters Rockefeller. 

The oil paintings, statues, dark woods, and glittering crystal chandelier make you feel like you've been invited into the home of a wealthy friend who wants you to feel at ease. After opening in 1948, the eatery has changed locations three times. It is now situated in Addison, North Dallas.

In-the-know locals and visitors from further afield have long lined up at Keller's Drive-In for its low prices and high-quality burgers and beer. Since 1965, it has been a place where people from all walks of life come together; the parking lot is home to everything from flashy Mercedes to leather-clad motorcycles to trucks to sedans driven by families. 

Don't get out of your car; a waiter will come to take your order. The Special No.5, which features a double patty, tomato, cheese, lettuce, and a special house dressing, is always a safe bet. Free grilled onions are provided. Don't forget to bring cash because they don't accept cards.

Tolbert's Restaurant is a Dallas/Fort Worth landmark serving authentic Tex-Mex cuisine just 5 miles from DFW Airport. Locals and tourists alike have made the half-hour trip ever since founder Frank X. Tolbert and his son created their signature dish, the Bowl of Red, in 1976. 

There are many delicious vegetarian options on the extensive menu. Tacos, steaks, burritos, fajitas, sandwiches, salads, and much more are all on the menu. Tolbert is great for families thanks to its casual atmosphere and separate children's menu.

Just 15 minutes from the heart of Dallas, Rafa's Cafe Mexicano has been a neighborhood staple for decades with its authentic and affordable Tex-Mex fare. The Mexican eatery has been a neighborhood staple for decades, and its brightly colored walls and framed cactus prints are just as appealing today as they were back then. while you peruse the extensive menu, relax with a margarita.

You can't go wrong with anything at Rafa's Cafe Mexicano, but the chicken fajitas, carnolas, or the chile rellenos are all excellent choices. Don't be surprised if you plan a low-key dinner and end up staying for a couple of hours.

If you're spending the day exploring Downtown Dallas, stop by AllGood Cafe for a bite to eat in between museum visits. The restaurant is open every day of the week for breakfast, brunch, and lunch, and serves dinner Thursday through Sunday. 

Tostadas, pico de gallo, and refried beans accompany the eggs. Moreover, the grilled cheese is topped with thick slices of roasted green chili peppers. Plan your trip to Dallas so that you will be there on a weekend night when the Americana bands perform on the small stage so that you can get a feel for the local music scene.

If you get hungry after a night of exploring Dallas's Deep Ellum entertainment district, you must stop by the world-famous Fuel City. Getting there takes less than 5 minutes. There is a cash-only taco stand in the gas station that is open around the clock and serves delicious breakfast tacos at low prices.

A tiny window serves as the ordering point, and once your food is ready, you can either eat it on the tiny patio outside (when the weather permits) or take it with you. Longhorn cattle native to Texas may be spotted nearby if you time your visit correctly.

Located in the heart of Old East Dallas, the family-run La Popular Tamale House serves authentic Mexican cuisine. If you're in the mood for some real-deal homemade tamales, you've found the right spot. You can buy a dozen tamales, each of which is made fresh every day. Chicken in a tangy sauce, pork roast, and spicy USDA prime choice are all on the menu. 

Vegans and vegetarians can enjoy savory tamales stuffed with vegetables or pinto beans seasoned with jalapeno and spices. Burritos, breakfast tacos and Menudo de res, which is a hangover soup loaded with meat, spices, and chilies, are also available at this restaurant, which is known primarily for its tamales.

The Indian and Pakistani communities in the Dallas area have relied on Al Markaz for over twenty years. There are still some of the original workers here, and the lunch special is as good as ever. Its long history and affordable prices remain major draws, but the kitchen also turns out plenty of tasty food, such as hearty lentil stews and the best butter chicken for at least a dozen miles. It's a lot of fun to go during the evening hours during Ramadan, when dozens of families all show up at once to break their fast with massive meals.

Noodles and dumplings are the specialty dishes at Arirang. Whether it's the hand-pulled noodles or the freshly crimped dumplings stuffed with chopped kimchi, the dough at this Carrollton restaurant is the best you'll find. 

Keep your distance from the noodles in spicy eggplant sauce; the locals take the term "spicy" very seriously. Like the savory sesame broth, the noodles in this dish are a sesame flavor bomb that will only appeal to die-hard sesame lovers. 

If you're undecided, go for Soup No. 4, a noodle soup with dumplings; if the dumplings break and meat slips into the broth, the soup is even better.

When it first opened in 2015, the Armoury D.E. set out to provide Deep Ellum with the best cocktails, food, and live music it had seen in years. The Armoury has stayed true to its roots as a casual eatery, serving a wide variety of Hungarian comfort foods and other delectable items that don't quite fit in any other category. Don't forget to inquire about the burger of the week while you're there. In addition, the bar's refined musical taste extends to the free live shows held in the backyard.

Seven smoke-kissed, pepper-dusted, and perfectly tender baby back ribs make up a half slab at this barbecue joint. The meat stays attached to the bone and can be removed with a light tug. The boudin plate comes in second, but the boudin itself is excellent, especially when dipped into the accompanying cup of sauce. The small dining area features a 20-year retrospective of critical acclaim for legendary blues musicians.

Cabrito is the main attraction at Dallas's one and only goat grill that serves the traditional Monterrey style. Enjoy a meal of goat with charro beans and the house's excellent salsas while gazing through the glass kitchen wall at the massive pit, above which the goat's legs, shoulders, and ribcages stand like planted flags. 

The best taco-making experiences in Dallas are rarely as good as this one. A single serving of cabrito, with all the accompaniments, is sufficient for one person to feel full or for two people to feel full after sharing an appetizer.

This restaurant, which first opened in Richardson before relocating to Garland in 2018, is widely considered to be among the finest Pakistani dining options in the greater Dallas area. 

Try the naan at BBQ King stuffed with spiced potatoes or sprinkled with sesame seeds and chopped cilantro. Haleem, a porridge-like soul food made of lentils, ground meat, wheat, ghee, ginger, and fried onion, calls for these as side dishes.

This restaurant's renditions of traditional Italian dishes, such as spaghetti and meatballs, fried calamari, and veal Parmesan, are impeccable. If you can, save room for the espresso-based tiramisu and the cannoli filled with cinnamon cream; they're among the best desserts you'll find anywhere. The retail section of Carbone's sells wines, frozen ravioli, and one-pound tubs of Sunday gravy to go.

Tucked away among the warehouses, factories, and nightclubs of Harry Hines Boulevard, Chilangos serves a limited menu of tacos, horchata and spicy elote cups. The decor is a stylish ode to Mexico City, with the order counter styled after a market stall, Topo Chico bottles repurposed as flower holders at each table, and words of culinary wisdom painted on the walls. 

There aren't many taco options, but you can get any of them costra-style, with your fillings encased in a golden blanket of crisp molten cheese. After that, a flour tortilla is stretched to its limits to accommodate the cheese pocket.

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