Our Top Picks for DFW Restaurant Week

After a very interesting year, DFW Restaurant Week is back for its 24th year, offering diners a month-long opportunity (Aug. 6 to Sept. 5) to try some of Dallas’ best menus. What’s even better is 20 percent from every meal sold benefits two local charities: North Texas Food Bank and Lena Pope Home.

Here are some of my favorites that you must try!

Solo Restaurant Week:
Jalisco Norte is the only Restaurant Week location that is on the Margarita Mile. So, if you find yourself needing a table for one, this is your place. Their iconic ‘Rita Champ will pair nicely with the restaurant’s offerings: sopa de tortilla verde, pescado a la Veracruzana and Mexican churros.

Craving some self-love? Spend the afternoon shopping at NorthPark Center, followed by dinner at Eataly. This new Italian mega food store has three different restaurants inside, all of which are participating in this year’s Restaurant Week: Il Pastaio, Terra, and La Pizza & La Pasta.

Peruse through the many cultural offerings to be found in the Dallas Arts District, and then find yourself a seat at the bar of Sloane’s Corner and make some new friends. Sloane’s is offering a fantastic three-course menu with a stellar vegetarian option.

With the family:

Head to the Historic West End and explore the history of what Dallas makes so special. Stop in at Wild Bills and then have dinner at Y.O. Ranch. This Dallas staple impresses with its Western ambiance and vast selections. This year, they are offering several options to choose from, but I’d pick the red chili-rubbed salmon.

Teach your kids the coolest game of Red Light, Green Light in town at Texas de Brazil. This upscale Brazilian steakhouse features all-you-can-eat grilled meat carved tableside and a fantastic salad bar. Keep your card on green when you want more food to keep coming your way. If you are ready to pause, flip it over to the red. Who knew family fun could be so delicious?

It’s a well-known fact that kids can be picky. Let the kids play for a little bit at Klyde Warren Park, and then walk across the street to Yardbird, where they can have the two things almost all kids enjoy: fried chicken and macaroni and cheese. Rest assured, there are additional options for parents.

Convenient cuisine in your hotel:
Dragonfly, known for its innovative cuisine and dramatic interior, is the award-winning restaurant and lounge at Hotel ZaZa Dallas. While staying at this luxurious hotel, be sure to order the creamy tomato soup and Chilean sea bass.

The iconic Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek will be participating in this year’s Restaurant Week. I’d be sure to check out the pork belly and watermelon and the shrimp and grits. Pro tip: schedule your reservation late enough that you can thoroughly enjoy happy hour at the Mansion Bar down the hall.

Primo’s is still fairly new to Downtown Dallas’ iconic hotel, The Statler. This high-quality Mexican restaurant and cocktail lounge is offering several options for both lunch and dinner. And although it isn’t included in the Restaurant Week menu, I recommend trying the añejo old fashioned.

Restaurant romance:
An extensive, delectable wine list paired with the famous steaks makes Al Biernat’s a can’t-miss restaurant in Dallas. Located near the Oak Lawn neighborhood, the restaurant is offering both lunch and dinner options during Restaurant Week.

Often called the most romantic restaurant in Texas, Greenville Ave’s  St. Martin’s Wine Bistro’s quaint French décor provides the perfect ambiance to impress that special someone. And if that doesn’t do it, this menu featuring boeuf Bourgignon and filet de Saumon absolutely will!

Nothing says “I love you” like a big slice of prime rib. One of the most notable places to go for that is Lawry’s The Prime Rib in North Dallas. And if you find that doesn’t cut it for you, the famous spinning salad and C.C. Brown’s hot fudge sundae sampler are sure to do the trick.