Diners' Choice: Innovative restaurants in Dallas

OpenTable

Updated 05 December 2024

Looking for the best restaurants that are fit for foodies in Dallas? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyses nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you book, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Cafe Momentum - Dallas

4.9

4.9 (904)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Downtown

About the restaurant

Cafe Momentum is a non-profit restaurant that serves as a paid post-release internship for juvenile offenders. Youth are released from detention into the sheltered environment of Café Momentum’s post-release program. Café Momentum’s program teaches critical skills that allow youth to re-enter society in a safe, real-world environment of nurturing accountability. By participating in our program, at-risk young people rotate through every aspect of the restaurant from waiting tables to washing dishes, while working side-by-side with established chefs.

The paid internship gives them the opportunity to exercise and practice their new skills while continuing to develop leadership, social, and vocational skills for as long as they choose to maintain involvement with Café Momentum. Additionally, Café Momentum works with the Dallas County Juvenile Justice Department to serve youth deemed highest risk for incarceration.

Top review

Shawsie

Dined on 22 Nov 2024

Great service. Delicious fried chicken and breads especially the biscuits. Tasty calamari. Attentive staff. Very enjoyable experience all around.

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Experience

Trinchero Wine Dinner

Mot Hai Ba - Lakewood

4.9

4.9 (1256)

$31 to $50

Vietnamese

Lakewood / White Rock Lake

About the restaurant

Mot Hai Ba has been an East Dallas staple since 2013, offering a seasonal menu inspired by locally sourced farms and ingredients, as well as influences from France, Asia & Italy.
Our original location in Lakewood offers a cozy, intimate dining room, and a lovely enclosed patio for your enjoyment.

Due to our limited seating capacity we ask that guests adhere to the following reservation timeframes:
parties of 1 to 2 guests - 1 hour 45 minutes .
2 to 4 guests - 2 hours .
5 guests and up - 2.5 hours .

Parties of 5 and larger must call the restaurant to reserve, as a credit card hold will be required.

Top review

david

Dined 3 days ago

Favorite dining spot in Dallas hands down. Food is creative and super high quality.

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Popular dish

Kimchi and Foie Gras Dumplings

4.9

4.9 (163)

$50 and over

Mexican

Deep Ellum

About the restaurant

Offering a 4 course tasting menu in the front dining room and a 7 course tasting menu in the communal chefs kitchen table. The menu showcases dishes of Michoacan, Mexico featuring both traditional and international ingredients, flair and flavors. Experience brought to you by chef Regino Rojas, multi time nominated chef for James Beard Award and numerous accolades all together. Purepecha was named Best Tasting Menu by D Magazine August 2024 issue, named Best Restaurant by D magazine December 2023 issue.

Please contact us directly for groups up to 14 people.

Unable to accommodate to vegan, vegetarian or pescatarian, these requests will not be accepted. Thank you for understanding.

No shows and cancellations with less than 72 hours notice will be charged a $120-$180 cancellation fee per person. Online cancellation cut off is 72 hours before the reservation and not able to be cancelled. Cancellations are not accepted over the phone or email. Thank you for respecting our policy

Top review

Matthew

Dined on 8 Dec 2024

Absolutely amazing! Kitchen table Chefs Tasting Menu was fantastic. You are in the kitchen as they prepare your meal, but that have created a much more “homey” style kitchen rather than the traditional commercial kitchen. The food and explanation of the menu as you eat is fantastic! The Mezcal selection is amazing as well. If you don’t rent out the whole table (8 guests I think) you will be seated with others which could be good or bad depending on your luck. I would rent out this table for a group in a heartbeat and enjoy a night of cocktails and amazing food. I will 1000% be going back. Maybe try the main dining room and traditional experience, but that will be hard since I know what the kitchen holds for its guests. I can tell why he won Beard Awards.

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Experience

7 Course $180pp Chefs Kitchen Table

Experience

4 Course $120 pp Front Dining Room

Uchi Dallas

4.8

4.8 (4042)

$50 and over

Sushi

Uptown

About the restaurant

:: ADDITIONAL RESERVATIONS AVAILABLE ON RESTAURANT WEBSITE ::

Located in Uptown, the third location of Uchi made its debut in 2015. Melding the best offerings of Chef Tyson Cole’s first three restaurants (Uchi Austin, Uchiko, and Uchi Houston), the menu includes hot and cold tastings, makimono, yakimono, tempura, sushi, and sashimi. Reservations are encouraged and can be booked online up to 1 month in advance. Walk-in bar seating is available and is subject to wait times. Patio seating is weather permitting and may be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. We look forward to serving you, Kanpai!

Top review

Shanthi

Dined 2 days ago

The place was booked - we enjoyed our evening. This is our second time and we will be coming back again

Uchiba Dallas

4.8

4.8 (1530)

$31 to $50

Sushi

Uptown

About the restaurant

:: ADDITIONAL RESERVATIONS AVAILABLE ON RESTAURANT WEBSITE ::

A bar concept located on the 2nd floor from Chef Tyson Cole that incorporates elements of Uchi & expands that into a cocktail experience. Reservations are encouraged and can be booked online up to 1 month in advance. Walk-in bar seating is available and is subject to wait times. Patio seating is weather permitting and may be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. We look forward to serving you, Kanpai!

Top review

Katherine

Dined 7 days ago

Overall great experience! Plates great to share! Our waiter was great giving his favorite dishes and they were espectacular! Definitely will be back again!

Niwa Japanese BBQ

4.8

4.8 (1045)

$31 to $50

Japanese

Deep Ellum

About the restaurant

LOCATED IN THE HISTORIC DEEP ELLUM NEIGHBORHOOD OF DALLAS, TX.
Niwa provides an authentic yakiniku experience, featuring premium in–table smoke–free grills.

Prepare premium grade beef, seafood, vegetables and more at your own table while enjoying a wide selection of Japanese sake, beer, and craft cocktails. Eating at Niwa is always an exciting experience, perfect for dinner with family, or a fun night out with friends.

Top review

HaileyVIP

Dined 4 days ago

I come to Niwa weekly and there’s a reason I always keep coming back! Joe, Steven, Alex and Angel are always wonderful and pay close attention to my allergies. The food is fantastic and not overpriced. Jimmy has stopped by my table a few times on separate occasions and is always an absolute gem to talk to. The food, staff and ambiance are 1000/10 and I will always recommend this place to everyone I know! If you can’t make up your mind when looking at the menu a few of my favorites are the filet, hanger steak, 44 farms short rib, pork jowl, zucchini, mushroom medley, ajitama eggs, wagyu deviled eggs and you can’t leave without getting a bag of the spicy OG Wagyu Boyz beef jerky, it is to die for!

Quarter Acre

4.8

4.8 (294)

$50 and over

Global, International

Greenville Avenue

About the restaurant

Quarter Acre, a welcoming neighbourhood restaurant combined with an upscale dining experience, is inspired by Chef Toby Archibald’s world travels and New Zealand roots. When you enter Quarter Acre, you will be transported to a place of warmth and character. A journey from the earthy green musk of the New Zealand rainforest to the cool blue of the Pacific Ocean.

The Culinary Experience:
Enjoy food prepared using both classic and modern techniques with a strong influence placed on local and national, seasonal produce. At the same time, global ingredients will also have their place at the table, in particular items from Toby’s home country of New Zealand, such as fresh seafood and unique meats and flavours.

When dining with us, Quarter Acre accepts cash, debit, and credit card. A 3.4% convenience fee will be added to all payments made by credit card.

Top review

DylanVIP

Dined 3 days ago

The Quarter acre team made or evening so special. We had Sergio and he made our night with his excellent service. We will definitely return!

El Carlos Elegante

4.8

4.8 (99)

$31 to $50

American

West Dallas

About the restaurant

El Carlos Elegante is a Mexican-inspired eatery that is open for dinner service and showcases beloved Latin cooking traditions through the chef team’s talent and creativity. Patrons can enjoy large cuts of high-end, Argentinian-style wood-fired meats and fish, a stunning crudo selection, house-made tortillas, as well as traditional masa-based dishes relevant to the heart of Mexico. The restaurant also features a seasonal craft cocktail menu and a standout Mezcal program, as well as a global list of wines and champagnes.

Top review

Rebecca

Dined today

We went to El Carlos Elegante and were blown away on all levels by the quality of this restaurant. I felt like I was transported out of the “food scene” of Dallas to a genuine culinary experience that was about more than just food OR feeling. It was elegant, yet homey, delicious and well thought out. I felt like i was being hosted by the staff, not simply served. It’s clear this is place that is about serving people and going beyond the expectation. This easily climbed to one of my favorite restaurants, second only to Pasqual’s in Santa Fe NM. Great work, El Carlos!

Maple Landing

4.7

4.7 (76)

$30 and under

American

Medical District

About the restaurant

Maple Landing is the latest restaurant to open in the Dallas love Field area! Sharing a space with Social Pie, we are a laid back “wanna be “ dive-bar with a nod to the aviation history of Love Field & Southwest Airlines. Stop in for a Burger, Bourbon, Brisket or Beer before work or your next flight.

Top review

RichardVIP

Dined on 14 Nov 2024

The whiskey dinner at Maple Landing was remarkable in many ways. The whiskeys presented were introduced and explained by the provider. The quality was superb. The food was exceptional, always interesting and artistically presented. Again, explanations were provided with each course, regarding the unique ingredients and methods of preparation. I can't wait till their next whiskey dinner event. A real gourmet treat!

Derby Dallas

4.6

4.6 (108)

$30 and under

American

West Dallas

About the restaurant

Derby is located inside The Shop - a state-of-the-art facility for car and motorcycle enthusiasts to indulge all aspects of their passion. Our Culinary Team creates elevated comfort food with a southern influence, classic technique, and modern interpretation.
Local beers, hand-crafted cocktails, and a curated list selection of high-end spirits. Open to the public for lunch, happy hour, dinner, and weekend brunch in Central Dallas.

Top review

Aaron

Dined on 6 Dec 2024

Great place for casual business lunch. Will be back.

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