The coolest bars and restaurants in town

Thrillist 47 Dallas

It's time for a new edition (easy there, Bobby Brown) of the Thrillist 47, giving you the best new and new-ish places to eat and drink. Some had to go (we hardly knew ye, Private Social), while other hot spots could not be denied (welcome, Truck Yard!). Have a look at the list (organized by hood, this isn't a ranking) and make the most of your next night out.
 

DESIGN DISTRICT/ DOWNTOWN/ TRINITY GROVES

The Cedars Social Thrillist 47 Dallas

1) The Cedars Social
1326 South Lamar St; 214.928.7700
Michael Martensen heads the boozing program at this cocktail den & eating lounge focused on well-crafted, modern 'tails.
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Central Standard Thrillist 47 Dallas

2) Central Standard
1400 High Line Dr; 847.510.2500
From the same Chicagoan folk that brought you Park Tavern and Primebar, this is a casual, beer-backed spot based on the one thing Chicago and Dallas have in common: ...the Central Time Zone?
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Ascension Coffee Thrillist 47 Dallas

3) Ascension Coffee
1621 Oak Lawn Ave Ste A; 214.741.3211
Ascension's house-roasted beans come from places like Papua New Guinea, Costa Rica, and Rwanda, where the owner sits on the board of the largest privately owned plantation in the country.
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Four Corners Brewery Thrillist 47 Dallas

4) Four Corners Brewery
423 Singleton Ave; 214.748.2739
Just on the other side of the MHH, Four Corners features fresh brews like Red's Roja to go with live music and other beer-y events.
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FT33 Thrillist 47 Dallas

5) FT33
1617 Hi Line Dr Ste 250; 214.741.2629
Matt McCallister's showcase spot's named after the number of the chef's table, which's located across from the open kitchen where they make ish like uni pancakes to go with craft 'tails.
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CBD Provisions Thrillist 47 Dallas

6) CBD Provisions
1530 Main St; 214.261.4500
Not just what you used to call whatever was in Cecil B. DeMille's fridge, CBD Provisions is also Downtown Dallas's best new "Central Business District" restaurant -- a Joule-adjacent modern brasserie from the same dudes who brought you Hibiscus and Victor Tango's (and you know those are awesome). Oh, also: absinthe-whipped, lardo-and-bacon crumble-topped Gulf oysters.
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LUCK Thrillist 47 Dallas

7) LUCK
3011 Gulden Ln Ste 112; 469.250.0679
The Local Urban Craft Kitchen -- another member of the Trinity Groves glutton -- is a smoked meat & gourmet sandwich-type place that's centered on a beer selection that's purely Texas, mostly DFW, and used as an ingredient. So if you don't like beer, you're out of... nevermind.
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DEEP ELLUM

Tanoshii Ramen Thrillist 47 Dallas

8) Tanoshii Ramen
2724 Commerce St; 214.651.6800
The definitive list of "Things That Lasted Way Too Long" is a pretty short one: the Hundred Years' War (ugh), Felicity's short hairdo (ugggggggh), and a ramen-less Dallas food scene (eh). This place is responsible for putting an end to that abomination, and -- thanks to the husband/wife duo behind Wicked Po'Boys -- it's wicked (?) good.
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Work Bar & Grill Thrillist 47 Dallas'

9) Work Bar & Grill
2618 Elm St; 214.699.6959
You know how the saying goes: "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy... unless of course you're talking about Work, the Deep Ellum bar & grill with a loose 9-to-5 theme and waitresses dressed like sexy secretaries, in which case, Jack would actually sorta be the man."
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Monkey King Noodle Co. Thrillist 47 Dallas

10) Monkey King Noodle Co.
3014 Main St; 469.206.3658
From a dude who savored on the streets of Taipei and northern China, plus trained with a noodle master in NYC, all before getting his noodle restaurant on, MKNC promises both legit ass noodles, but also a show: the guy pulls noods in the kitchen window, rolling, kneading, slapping, and stretching wheat-and-water dough into those guys you're about to slurp up.
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UPTOWN/ WEST VILLAGE

Lincoln's Steak & Burger Bar Thrillist 47 Dallas

11) Dee Lincoln Steak & Burger Bar
2626 Howell St; 214.754.4949
Because good things come in threes (Indiana Jones movies, Bronte sisters, Destiny's Children), the chick behind Del Frisco's and Bubble Bar has decided to go for the triple, adding this must-eat meat eater's paradise that's aiming for the Sky, despite being located across the street from BBC.
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Stampede 66 Thrillist 47 Dallas

12) Stampede 66
1717 McKinney Ave Ste 100; 214.550.6966
Stephan Pyles' ode to Texas has everything from insider-caliber homages to approachable treatments, e.g., chicken-fried bison.
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Belly & Trumpet Thrillist 47 Dallas

13) Belly & Trumpet
3407 McKinney Ave; 214.855.5551
Fortunately not a venue featuring jazz explorations courtesy of Louie Anderson, Belly & Trumpet's actually the the Oak folks' classy, non-encased cuisine-ery: a cozy 50-seater decked out with pink walls and ornate chandeliers, with a 15ft bar nestled in the corner.
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The Standard Pour Thrillist 47 Dallas

14) The Standard Pour
2900 McKinney Ave; 214.935.1370
Brian McCullough designed a drink menu sporting sections ranging from Sours & Fizzes, to Swizzles, to Big & Bold.
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Tate's Thrillist 47 Dallas

15) Tate's
2723 McKinney Ave; 214.954.4141
There are no mixologists here, only serious 'tenders slinging classics like 1890's Aviations, signatures including the Eternal Flame (strawberry-/jalapeno-infused teq, Citronge, ginger beer), and craft beers like Flying Dog's Gonzo Imperial Porter (given that it's a Hunter S. Thompson tribute, the porter might be a midget, a lizard, or both).
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Katy Trail Ice House Thrillist 47 Dallas

16) Katy Trail Ice House
3136 Routh St; 214.468.0600
A collab between the Barley House & Mi Cocina investors and the Bandito's owner/operators, the Ice House's admirably simple mission is to provide 50 taps so folks can "walk along the path and have a beer". Suck it, joggers!
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UNIVERSITY PARK/ HIGHLAND PARK/ OAK LAWN

Spoon Thrillist 47 Dallas

17) Spoon
8220 Westchester Dr Ste B; 855.947.7666
To determine whether or not John Tesar's a Top Chef, you could accept the judgments of a panel of experts and a hot chick who really knows a surprising amount about food, or you could visit his seafood-crazy Spoon.
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TJ's Seafood Market -- Oak Lawn Thrillist 47 Dallas

18) TJ's Seafood Market -- Oak Lawn
4212 Oak Lawn Ave; 214.219.3474
Owner Jon Alexis says his counter-service spot isn't a seafood restaurant, but he is very proud to call it "a fish market where you can eat", then buy more swimmers to take home, only to discover that, despite not being a restaurant, TJ's preps food way better than you.
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Hopdoddy Burger Bar Thrillist 47 Dallas

19) Hopdoddy Burger Bar
6030 Luther Ln, Ste 100; 214.363.2337
Rolling up I-35 to bring you locally sourced, organic, house-ground burgers, this ATX counter-service staple's named after hops (beer!) and "doddys", which for some reason's what the Scottish call Angus cows.
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East Hampton Sandwich Company Thrillist 47 Dallas

20) East Hampton Sandwich Company
6912 Snider Plaza; 214.363.2888
Painstaking sammy prep plays out in numbers like Southern fried chicken w/ pepper jack, arugula, cured bacon, avo mash & jalapeno cream sauce.
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Maple & Motor Burgers & Beer Thrillist 47 Dallas

21) Maple & Motor Burgers & Beer
4810 Maple Ave; 214.522.4400
The place is built on half-lb, hand-pounded US-beef patties & grill-seared buns, with standard fixins augmented by the likes of bacon, jalapenos, fried eggs, and Texas chili packed w/ brisket flat. The leaner point meat goes into the Flat-Top Brisket Sandwich, for which the barbecue's sliced & seared to crispness then soaked in mayo, a process that's only legal if you're within a few hundred feet of a medical school.
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ADDISON/ FAR NORTH DALLAS

Jack Mac's Swill & Grill Thrillist 47 Dallas

22) Jack Mac's Swill & Grill
19009 Preston Rd Ste 209; 972.267.2782
This neighborhood pub's got a Texas-only tap selection that routinely grabs DFW's newest crafts, which're then used to wash down madness like the double enchilada-topped Mexican burger.
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Pera Turkish Kitchen Thrillist 47 Dallas

23) Pera Turkish Kitchen
17489 Preston Rd; 972.267.4444
Since Turkey is one of the most beautiful countries you'll never visit, take a shorter trip to FND's Pera Turkish Kitchen, backed by the cousins behind Arlington's Istanbul Grill, who flew in one of their culinarily arts-y brothers from NYC to chef it up.
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Coffee House Cafe Thrillist 47 Dallas

24) Coffee House Cafe
6150 Frankford Rd; 469.248.0554
The organic, shade-grown, fair trade, Portland-hailing coffee here's blended post-roast, then brewed using handmade Italian espresso machines that quadruple-filter water. Also, their "coffee sherpa" will add adult enhancers like vodka, whiskey, or liqueur.
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Lazaranda Mexican Seafood Thrillist 47 Dallas

25) Lazaranda Mexican Seafood
5000 W Belt Line Rd, Ste 850; 972.866.890
It's the first US resto from a clan of Monterrey seafood specialists, who've outfitted their open-kitchen 100-seater with a Talavera-lined, L-shaped granite bar whose garage door allows both inside & patio seating.
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Battuto Thrillist 47 Dallas

26) Battuto
18101 Preston Rd Ste 204C; 972.930.0558
From a couple who hosted a morning radio show in Dallas for the last eight years, Battuto is a casual Italian joint erected in the former Preston & Frankford home of Bill Bates Cowboy Grill and Grover's -- a beloved bar that clearly couldn't Ernie enough money.
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PLANO/ FRISCO/ McKINNEY

Taverna Rossa Thrillist 47 Dallas

27) Taverna Rossa
4005 Preston Rd; 972.403.3321
Not just the name of Sigmund Freud's intramural basketball team, The Dream Team is now also what you might call the dudes behind Plano's live music venue-slash-craft beer hall-slash-gourmet pizza joint run by the guys who brought you both Palio's and Cadillac Pizza Pub PLUS The Grape Chef-owner Brian Luscher.
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Kenny's Smoke House Thrillist 47 Dallas

28) Kenny's Smoke House
5760 Legacy Dr Ste 4; 972.473.7478
Get meaty with pulled pork (w/ white queso, cheddar, and smoky BBQ ranch) or Kenny's "Hammered" brisket (smoked for 17hrs), named not for the pounding he gives the meat, but for the pounding he gave his liver while he was perfecting -- and often forgetting -- the recipe.
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3 Stacks Smoke and Tap House Thrillist 47 Dallas

29) 3 Stacks Smoke and Tap House
4226 Preston Rd; 469.287.9035
No longer just a descriptor for the tri-breasted chick in Total Recall, 3 Stacks Smoke & Tap House is situated right behind the only dual-breasted Hooters on Preston, but you're the boob if you opt for mediocre hot wings instead of an epic cavalcade of smoked meat.
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KNOX-HENDERSON/ EAST DALLAS

Peak & Elm Thrillist 47 Dallas

30) Peak & Elm
132 N Peak St; 214.826.7617
Go for mains like tamale pie (pictured, with La Popular's tamales covered in chili, fritos, queso fresco & onions) or tacos tapatios: prime beef taquitos with crema compuesta and a cabbage/carrot/pepper slaw that's pickled in red wine vinegar
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Truck Yard Thrillist 47 Dallas

31) Truck Yard
5624 Sears St; 469.500.0139
If you're looking for a mythical backyard in Dallas where beer and cheesesteaks and food trucks and windmills and ice cream go hand-in-hand-in-hand-in-hand-in-hand, it's time you met Truck Yard, the most epic outdoor eating and drinking spot in all of DFW (and the only one with a treehouse bar).
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DaLat Thrillist 47 Dallas

32) DaLat
2537 Fitzhugh Ave; 214.827.3200
"Midnight munchies" at this late-night chef hangout are centered around unique banh mi & pho, but don't miss the Dorito viche, an Asian-slaw chip dip that's as ridiculously simple as it is tasty.
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Joyce and Gigi's Kitchen Thrillist 47 Dallas

33) Joyce and Gigi's Kitchen
1623 N Hall St; 469.334.0799
Get stuffed on pollerita (beef bone jus over grilled sirloin, w/ crispy yucca root cake) and majadito: duck confit over risotto-style arborio rice, topped w/ an over-easy egg.
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Stackhouse Burgers Thrillist 47 Dallas

34) Stackhouse Burgers
2917 Gaston Ave; 214.828-1330
Start with one or two 6oz flat-top patties, then select cheese (cheddar, bleu, pepper Jack, Provolone, mozz) and toppings (from 'shrooms, jalapeno & cucumbers to chili, fried onions & eggs); or go with a sandwich supporting cast ranging from a coleslaw & tartar grilled tilapia to a Cuban featuring Canadian bacon.
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Goodfriend Beer Garden and Burger House Thrillist 47 Dallas

35) Goodfriend Beer Garden and Burger House
1154 Peavy Rd; 214.324.3335
The girls from Good 2 Go Taco are providing classic burgers (bleu & bacon; 'shroom & Swiss) that can be paired with specific beers, and feature beef uniquely fed grass from 10 different MO fields.
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The LOT Thrillist 47 Dallas

36) The LOT
7530 E Grand Ave; 214.321.1990
Not just where you go to talk about hot lifeguards and the fact that Rodriguez is totally gonna play for the Dodgers some day, The LOT's also an adult playground-cum-bar-cum-restaurant now open in East Dallas with a beer garden built over a filled in pool and a whooooole buncha cornhole courts.
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Mot Hai Ba Thrillist 47 Dallas

37) Mot Hai Ba
6047 Lewis St; 972.638.7468
This Lakewood Vietnamese-ery is armed with beer and bowls of pork belly. We repeat: This Lakewood Vietnamese-ery is armed with beer and bowls of pork belly.
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OAK CLIFF/ THE BISHOP ARTS DISTRICT

Boulevardier Thrillist 47 Dallas

38) Boulevardier
408 N Bishop Ave, Ste 108; 214.942.1828
Go big with lamb neck daube braised in white wine, pork skin, orange zest, cinnamon, and olives, or opt for their signature chicken, which's both sous-vide'd and grilled, doubling your pleasure in a way those tease Doublemint Gum twins never did.
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Zoli's NY Pizza TavernThrillist 47 Dallas

39) Zoli's NY Pizza Tavern
202 W Davis St; 214.942.9654
Named after the owner's late dog, Zoli's is kinda the anti-Il Cane Rosso (he owns that, too), contrasting the Napoletana with Zoli's NY slices and "hot grandmas" (we dare you to Google it).
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Driftwood Thrillist 47 Dallas

40) Driftwood
642 W Davis St; 214.942.2530
CIA grad & Abacus vet Omar Flores's menu ranges from Ugly Pug-battered merluzza (gribiche, celeriac slaw, garlic-butter frites), to a confit-leg/Nueske's-wrapped-loin duo of rabbit.
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Bolsa Thrillist 47 Dallas

41) Bolsa
614 W Davis St; 214.943.1883
Jeff Harris's menu's highlighted by Texas cheese flights and veal sweetbreads w/ smoked egg puree & bacon lardons.
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Ten Bells Tavern Thrillist 47 Dallas

42) Ten Bells Tavern
232 W 7th St; 214.943.2677
Named after one of the owners' favourite London haunts -- also frequented by Jack the Ripper -- the 7th St English pub's been built pretty much by hand, from the weaving wooden bar, to the TARDIS front door they installed because "the exterior looked a little dinky, but it's really much bigger and nicer inside".
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Smoke Thrillist 47 Dallas

43) Smoke
901 Fort Worth Ave; 214.393.4141
Purposefully setting up shop next to the Belmont Hotel, Smoke's the Austin-minded, BBQ-centric spawn of an ex-Mansion chef and the owners of Oak Cliff's Bolsa.
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FORT WORTH/ KELLER

FnG Eats Thrillist 47 Dallas

44) FnG Eats
201 Town Center Blvd; Ste 1101; 817.741.5200
Regardless of the name's true origin, they're hoping you'll find the menu F'n Good, which you will if you start with the Mini Mi (wee little banh mi sandwiches) and the J.A.C. Roqamole dip: jalapeno, apple, cheddar, Port Reyes blue cheese, avo, poblano & scallion.
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Rodeo Goat Thrillist 47 Dallas

45) Rodeo Goat
2836 Bledsoe Dr; 817.877.4628
If you've ever wondered what a burger joint in an old industrial complex would look like, RG's got your answer. Dig into house-ground burgers like the Caca Oaxaca, with chorizo, avo, pico, fried egg, queso fresco, and OJ's spicier, older brother, Tabasco mayo.
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Waters Thrillist 47 Dallas

46) Waters Coastal Cuisine
2901 Crockett St; 817.984.1110
The fishy sequel to Bonnell's, this guy's a power lunchery with empty shellfish shells worked into the interior and full shellfish shells worked onto your plate in the form of pecan wood-grilled oysters in guajillo sauce, chilled lump crab with jalapeno remoulade, and yellowfin tacos with wasabi-lime creme fraiche. And, in a nod to Bonnell's, they're throwing down meat classics like chicken-fried rabbit loin with a jalapeno & bacon-cream gravy.
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The Woodshed Thrillist 47 Dallas

47) The Woodshed
3201 Riverfront Dr; 817.877.4545
They're using three smokers, two rotisseries, two wood grills, and six different woods to pull off a menu that includes bourbon-/Coke-marinated pork shoulder tacos, bulgogi beef with house kimchi, and whole-beast feasts marketed under the name "Today's Animal".
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