Southwestern in Dallas

7700 W. Northwest Highway Park Cities

214-378-8686

American, Breakfast, Brunch, Mexican, Southwestern, Tex-Mex, Sponsor, Menu

The meal to have at this area favorite is the Mexican breakfast buffet. Families in their post-church Sunday best line up for the omelet bar, and Tex-Mex offerings such as the chicken and mushroom enchiladas with chipotle cream sauce and waffles. The rest of the menu, with as many ingredients locally sourced as possible, is marked by higher-end Mexican and Tex-Mex specialties such as slow-roasted natural chicken with caramelized honey-ancho glaze and the blue-corn-crusted mahi mahi with roasted poblano aioli. Of course, tacos make an appearance, but we're talking beef tenderloin tacos here. The décor follows suit with clean and colorful appointments. Reservations are most definitely recommended.

3 articles

Abacus

4511 McKinney Ave. Park Cities

214-559-3111

Asian Fusion, New American, Southwestern, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

Since 1999, Abacus has represented the quintessence of creative dining injected with a good dose of common sense. Today, its neutral-beige interior feels like a time capsule from 1999; its menu, an abrupt collision between Texas steakhouse and Japanese sushi bar, is similarly dated. The good news is that the food can still be good, and occasionally great. Even better, the happy hour is one of the best deals in Dallas. Half of the menu is elegant renditions of Southwestern grilling classics — venison steaks, rib-eyes, quail, mac and cheese — and the other half is sushi. The Texas game side of the menu is the more successful. Best of all is an exceptionally well-cooked venison tenderloin, a bold red medium rare and the tender, simply grilled stuff of meat-fueled dreams. Two lamb chops are similarly divine and crusted in pecans.

38 articles

Asador

2222 N. Stemmons Freeway Downtown/Deep Ellum

214-267-4815

Eclectic, Southwestern, American, Critics' Pick

Being a casual bistro inside of a four-star hotel has its benefits like validated parking with an optional valet and high class ambience. The updated lobby's marble finishing offers a cool, sleek look and candlelight offers warm ambience that is striking and sophisticated. Aside from the absence of the famous chandelier, Asador stays true to the nearly three decades old hotel. In keeping with the casual theme, Asador's open dining room makes the restaurant an extension of the hotel lobby. The high ceilings and contemporary furnishings lend the dining room elegance, but the exposure to the lobby reminds diners they're eating in a hotel. Entree prices run in the $20 to $38 range, yet waiters are in jeans. Customers in the dining room can watch ESPN beaming from plasma TVs in the bar area. Tourist-heavy groups of diners adorned in jean shorts and baseball caps make up most of the clientele. The self-described American cuisine menu veers toward Latin and Southwestern influences while staying true to its organic intentions. Ingredients for every dish are beautiful and fresh.

9 articles

Blue Mesa Grill

14866 Montfort Dr. Addison

972-934-0165

Brunch, Mexican, Southwestern, Tex-Mex, Recommended

The meal to have at this area favorite is the Mexican breakfast buffet. Families in their post-church Sunday best line up for the omelet bar, and Tex-Mex offerings like the chicken and mushroom enchiladas with chipotle cream sauce and waffles. The rest of the menu, with as many ingredients locally sourced as possible, is marked by higher-end Mexican and Tex-Mex specialties like slow-roasted natural chicken with caramelized honey-ancho glaze and the blue-corn-crusted mahi mahi with roasted poblano aioli. Of course, tacos make an appearance, but we're talking beef tenderloin tacos here. The décor follows suit with clean and colorful appointments. Reservations are most definitely recommended.

6 articles

Blue Mesa Grill

7700 W. NW Highway, Ste. 740 Park Cities

214-378-8686

Southwestern, Restaurants, Recommended, Menu, Slideshow

The meal to have at this area favorite is the Mexican breakfast buffet. Families in their post-church Sunday best line up for the omelet bar, and Tex-Mex offerings such as the chicken and mushroom enchiladas with chipotle cream sauce and waffles. The rest of the menu, with as many ingredients locally sourced as possible, is marked by higher-end Mexican and Tex-Mex specialties such as slow-roasted natural chicken with caramelized honey-ancho glaze and the blue-corn-crusted mahi mahi with roasted poblano aioli. Of course, tacos make an appearance, but we're talking beef tenderloin tacos here. The décor follows suit with clean and colorful appointments. Reservations are most definitely recommended.

11 articles

Blue Mesa Grill

8200 Dallas Parkway Plano

214-387-4407

Mexican, Southwestern, Tex-Mex, Recommended, Best Of

The meal to have at this area favorite is the Mexican breakfast buffet. Families in their post-church Sunday best line up for the omelet bar, and Tex-Mex offerings such as the chicken and mushroom enchiladas with chipotle cream sauce and waffles. The rest of the menu, with as many ingredients locally sourced as possible, is marked by higher-end Mexican and Tex-Mex specialties such as slow-roasted natural chicken with caramelized honey-ancho glaze and the blue-corn-crusted mahi mahi with roasted poblano aioli. Of course, tacos make an appearance, but we're talking beef tenderloin tacos here. The décor follows suit with clean and colorful appointments. Reservations are most definitely recommended.

6 articles

Cafe Gecko Richardson

1381 W. Campbell Rd. Richardson & Vicinity

972-373-4359

Southwestern, American

Clark Food & Wine

1920 Greenville Ave. East Dallas & Lakewood

214-515-5500

American, Eclectic, Small Plates, Southwestern, Recommended

The concept behind Clark Food & Wine in Lowest Greenville may be difficult to grasp -- smoked brisket shares the menu with roasted beets and goat cheese -- but it’s not difficult to find a decent bite here. Start with the crab salad, which boasts a generous serving of crab meat, and move on to the array of simple smoked meats. The poultry is solid, all the way down to the tiny quails; The brisket is iffy. If the weather is nice, grab a seat on the patio, peruse the wine and cocktail list and get ready to put in a session. There are many little plates perfect for casual grazing, including brisket meatballs in a sweet glaze, asparagus paired with a runny egg and Parmesan cheese, avocado toast and a number of flatbreads. See our review..

7 articles

Cool River Cafe

1045 Hidden Ridge Rd. Irving/Las Colinas

972-871-8881

Southwestern, Steak, Bars and Clubs, Music Venues, Recommended, Menu

Las Colinas is known as a part of town where business happens. Top executives from all over the country travel to this section of North Irving to buy, sell, merge and do all sorts of other businessy things. And when the day is done, many of these tycoons can be found seated at the richly appointed wood bar at Cool River Cafe. But you don't have to be fluent in business jargon to earn a seat at the bar. Folks from the surrounding North MacArthur neighborhoods fill Cool River Cafe as well, drawn to its wide selection of beers and delicious food. A massive screen lines a far wall, eliminating any trace of a bad seat in the house, and the scotch and cognac menu invites you to flex your wallet muscles, no matter how big or small.

17 articles

Gators Croc & Roc Rooftop Restaurant, Bar , and Group Dining of the West End / Dallas

1714 N. Market Downtown/Deep Ellum

214-748-0243

American, Southwestern, Tex-Mex, Music Venues, Bars and Clubs, Menu

Though Gator's Croc & Roc is located in Dallas' West End, everything from the 'gators hung from the rafters to the cheery wait staff to the frozen drink machines behind the bar make this casual party bar and restaurant feel like Bourbon Street. These drink machines churn out brightly colored specialty drinks ranging from margaritas and strawberry daiquiris to Blue Hawaiians and the, um, "Lethal Weapon 2." The menu enhances the New Orleans feel with its predominantly Cajun and seafood dishes. Gator's also offers burgers, sandwiches, salads and a few Tex-Mex favorites. Its website touts the nightly "racy" piano entertainment. And new patrons shouldn't be surprised to see folks dancing atop Gator's snow-white grand piano. The space can be rented out for private parties, and it's a popular spot for bachelor/ bachelorette parties.

Live Oak Music Hall & Lounge

1311 Lipscomb St. Fort Worth

817-926-0968

Burgers, Gastro Pub, Southwestern, Bars and Clubs, Music Venues, Performing Arts Venues

Young Fort Worth professionals and show-goers alike flock to Live Oak Music Hall and Lounge for the bar’s wide selection of craft beers and for its large, theater-style stage. Modern décor, roomy booths and track lighting greet you on one half of the building, while the stage’s giant red curtains slide open for live music and accentuate the 20-foot ceilings on the other side. A huge rooftop patio — more than 1,000 square feet — overlooks the Fort Worth skyline, with surround-sound speakers carrying a live feed of the bands performing inside.

7 articles

Love and War in Texas

2505 E. Grapevine Mills Circle Grapevine

972-724-5557

Southwestern, Steak, Bars and Clubs, Menu

If you couldn't already tell by the name, the folks at Love & War in Texas are very proud of the Lone Star State. So proud that they created a bar and grill with Texas as the theme. Located on Grapevine Mills Circle, the road that wraps around Grapevine Mills Mall, the watering hole attracts nearby residents and out-of-town mall-goers alike. Whether people come for the Texas-themed food, the Texas-sized beers on draft or the performances by up-and-coming Texas country bands is anyone's guess. But one thing is certain: Much hard work has gone into the authenticity of the place-from the old saloon-style doors to the cowboy hats on the bartenders. If you're looking for a place to celebrate your state pride, this is your bar.

4 articles

Love and War in Texas Plano

601 E. Plano Parkway Plano

469-443-0015

Southwestern, Music Venues, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

It's no secret that Texas, unlike most (or all) other states in this country, is obsessed with itself. You shouldn't mess with us. We're like a whole other country. We even have cookware modeled in the shape of our state. Have you ever seen a saucepan the shape of Ohio? That's what we thought. And the folks at Plano's Love and War in Texas are as enthusiastic as the rest. With a menu highlighting dishes from across the Lone Star State (divided into areas like the border, the Hill Country, the Piney Woods, etc.), they embrace the full range of Texas cuisine. Portions are -- ready for the pun? -- Texas-sized, and the staff accurately reflect our reputation as the "friendly state." There's live music Wednesday through Saturday; it's usually country, and it complements the rustic atmosphere of the massive restaurant.

9 articles

Nuevo Leon

12895 Josey Lane #100 Carrollton/Farmers Branch

972-488-1984

Mexican, Southwestern, Best Of

Founded by Luis Ramirez and David Treviño, Nuevo Leon melds dishes from South-Central Mexico, a lush region famous for its fiery spices and guisos (meat and sauce with chiles and vegetables), and the arid Northeastern region famous for its charcoal-grilled steaks. The first unit opened in Farmers Branch in 1994, and a second followed on Greenville Avenue in 1997. This location at Oak Lawn and Hall, in the space that was formerly an extension of the Oak Cliff Italian restaurant Vitto, is approaching its first anniversary. And their Mexican food, inspired by family recipes, is generally stellar.

4 articles

Ozona Grill & Bar

4615 Greenville Ave. East Dallas & Lakewood

214-265-9105

American, Southwestern, Bars and Clubs, Music Venues, Best Of, Menu, Readers' Choice

Ozona Bar and Grill is named after the tiny, unincorporated West Texas town of Ozona. A town that happens to be the one-and-only town in all of the vast expanse that is Crockett County, and whose motto happens to be "The Biggest Little Town in the World." So Ozona's a fitting name for a bar and grill with "The Biggest Little Award-winning Patio In Dallas." With trees, vegetation and fencing separating the multi-level patio from Greenville Avenue, it's no wonder that the place is a popular happy hours (and beyond) spot for such a great cross-section of Dallas. Naturally, the patio's typically hoppin' in the summer months. The menu offers everything from Tex Mex to steaks to burgers and chicken-fried steak.

29 articles

Reata Restaurant

310 Houston St. Fort Worth

817-336-1009

Southwestern, Recommended, Best Of

Relocated from its Bank One Tower perch to a more grounded tabernacle of cowboy cuisine and artifacts, Reata maintains its deft touch with domesticated hoofed foods, game, grits, tamales and calf fries, a culinary abuse of the bovine family jewels. But the décor is as much of a show as the food with cowboy murals, displays of collectable saddles and boots, a picture gallery of Fort Worth mayors and a rooftop patio cultivated with Texas flora. You can even wear your hat at the table (but don't whittle the table legs with your spurs).

7 articles

S&M Eats

3906 Maple Ave Uptown/Oak Lawn

469-215-1235

American, Latin American, Southwestern, Spanish, Street Food, Tapas, Tex-Mex, Wraps, Recommended

Take out kitchen serving brined and braised meats for arepas, tacos, and boleo's. Fresh variety of sauces made daily.

Tin Star

13710 Dallas Parkway North Dallas

972-458-2000

Mexican, Southwestern, Best Of, Menu

Specialty tacos are nothing novel, but that hasn't stopped restaurant chains from going over the top. Tin Star Taco Bar is a perfect example. The restaurant is the home of the cheeseburger taco. Naturally, innovation never rests. The cheeseburger taco (served with cheddar, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle relish bacon and yellow mustard) is joined by permutations like the bacon and blue-cheese burger taco. After that, the standard breakfast tacos and twists on classic selections like the roasted pork with honey-chipotle barbecue sauce, shredded lettuce and jack cheese seem downright pedestrian. As the company proudly claims, this is "food you can't find anywhere else."

2 articles

Tin Star

8687 N. Central Expressway Northeast Dallas

214-363-6629

Southwestern, Restaurants, Best Of, Menu

Specialty tacos are nothing novel, but that hasn't stopped restaurant chains from going over the top. Tin Star Taco Bar is a perfect example. The restaurant is the home of the cheeseburger taco. Naturally, innovation never rests. The cheeseburger taco (served with cheddar, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle relish bacon and yellow mustard) is joined by permutations like the bacon and blue-cheese burger taco. After that, the standard breakfast tacos and twists on classic selections like the roasted pork with honey-chipotle barbecue sauce, shredded lettuce and jack cheese seem downright pedestrian. As the company proudly claims, this is "food you can't find anywhere else."

3 articles

Via Real

4020 N. MacArthur #100 Irving/Las Colinas

972-650-9001

Mexican, Southwestern, Recommended

Twenty years and the progenitor of upscale Mexican is still cruising along. And they still take "upscale" seriously: fish tacos feature a thick, barely seared salmon filet. Black bean soup feels hearty and earthy, until the prickly heat of fresh chiles creeps in. After all this time, it's still worth a visit.

2 articles

Southwestern in Dallas

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