Best Things to Do in Dallas

No trip to Dallas, let alone Texas would be complete without diving face first into a tray of smoked meats. Opened nearly a decade ago along the Trinity River when it was still a desolate area, this divey joint joined the heralded Texas Monthly Top 50 list based on their smoky brisket, ribs and sausage. They also fry a mean chicken and serve incredible sides that make it vegetarian friendly. 

With a family lineage that goes back to the original Black’s BBQ in Lockhart, Texas, this branch of barbecue has only elevated Dallas’ smoked meat scene. Located in the historic African American neighborhood of Deep Ellum, which is now a bustling entertainment district, this restaurant lets you taste the post-oak flavors of Central Texas without making the three-hour drive. 

Keller’s Drive-in’s car hops have been delivering thin, juicy griddled patties to driver’s side windows since 1950, long before smashburgers were in vogue. They’re so old school that they did not accept credit cards until recently. 

Situated in an old gas station, Maple & Motor manages to deliver a grease-stained tribute to low-class cool with their no-frills hamburger cooked their way. Don’t sleep on the fried baloney sandwich or golden fried tater tots. 

Not many hotel restaurants tend to garner much attention, much less become an epicenter for a burgeoning restaurant empire, but bad-boy chef John Tesar has done both here. Connected to the Highland Dallas hotel lobby by a shared bar, this is one of the best steakhouses in town with its dry-aged meats, bacon sampler and Ozersky burger.

Generally regarded as the best Tex-Mex in town, this staple serves some of the best combo plates and frozen margaritas. Don’t sleep on the cheesy chicken stuffed jalapenos, but prepare for a nice kick of heat. 

With a nod to Dallas’ Tex-Mex history, this relative newcomer to the genre offers stellar food and classic cocktails in an old Spanish revival mansion in the Uptown neighborhood. After you tackle their signature akaushi Wagyu fajitas, be sure to peep the Fort Room that displays Neiman Marcus bags from its heyday as a fashion icon. 

While not exactly Tex-Mex, this is the one joint to go to for amazing authentic Mexican street tacos. Be sure to order the spit-roasted pastor shaved from the trompo or campechano tacos. If you come during the late-night hours, ask about the speakeasy next door that specializes in mezcal and tequila. 

It’s no one wonder the Bowen House always makes the top bar lists in town. With a daily happy hour from 4-6 p.m. and an incredible food menu with dishes like monkfish piccata and cacio e pepe, this bar found in the city’s oldest house (circa 1874) stays relevant. Tell the barkeeps your poison of choice and allow them to work their magic.

Situated in the Oak Cliff neighborhood’s funky Bishop Arts District, an area that used to be an artist’s mecca and has transitioned  to a dining and drinking destination, Atlas has come out swinging. Its stunning design flirts with Victorian-Gothic, and its internationally themed cocktail list (think daiquiri for Cuba) has great original drinks like the guana-bama rama. Be sure to ask about their speakeasy.

This East Dallas cocktail bar will transport you to the 1970s with classic movies playing on a VCR, a vintage cash-only juke and furniture reminiscent of Grandma’s house — you’ll wish you wore polyester clothing. While the cocktails are sharp and potent, the real standout here is the food. Owner Jackson Tran serves some of the best Vietnamese cuisine in town. All together, this spot is perfect for late-night drinking. 

Considered Dallas’ oldest bar, this nautical-themed dive with Christmas lights and a tree hanging year-round is the anchor of the bar-heavy Lower Greenville Avenue neighborhood. Sadly, the original jukebox was replaced by a digital music machine, but the drink prices remain low and the drinks remain strong.

Built during 1931, this was the first shopping center in America, one that became a prototype for all others across the country. It’s located in the lavish Highland Park, a Dallas annex imagined by Beverly Hills founder Wilbur David Cook. The stores here are on the upper end of upscale, though it’s worth strolling through to admire the historical significance of buildings and their Mediterranean-Spanish architecture. Thankfully, there are dining options here that won’t break the bank such as Mi Cocina, Cafe Pacific and Bistro 31.

Set in the old stomping grounds of notorious gangsters Bonnie and Clyde and John F. Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald, this stretch of early-20th century buildings is now home to art shops, boutiques and clothing stores, cigar shops, live music venues, restaurants and bars. The district has only expanded over the years to accommodate the growing crowds but remains a walkable, cozy neighborhood.

Somewhere between an architectural wonder and an art museum, this midcentury-modern Dallas stalwart has provided guests with a visual playground. Huge, museum-quality sculptures dot its atriums and paintings by big-name artists hang on its walls. This mall made a resurgence after it appeared on Jessica Simpson’s reality TV show. Since, shoppers have rekindled their relationship with NorthPark when so many other malls in major cities have shuttered.

This old Dallas two-lane vein divides blocks of small boutiques, eateries and places to pamper oneself from Preston Road all the way to the Inwood Village shopping center. If time permits, catch a flick at the historic Inwood Theatre. Or have dinner at Chef AQ Pittman’s Jose or coastal-themed Hudson House, followed by a drink at longtime neighborhood dive bars Inwood Tavern or Time Out Tavern, where baseball legend Mickey Mantle hung out.

Artists from Picasso to Dali have had their storied pieces displayed on the walls of the Dallas Museum of Art. Among the permanent displays here are 24,000 works of art spanning 5,000 years of human creativity. While there, slide over to the neighboring Crow Museum of Asian Art, a privately owned collection from ancient eras to contemporary times. 

A mecca for conspiracy theorists, this building that housed the schoolbook depository where Lee Harvey Oswald Jr. worked was once under threat of demolition before history-minded people swooped in. Today, it is a museum dedicated to the Kennedy assassination and his presential legacy with exhibits touching upon his political rise to fame, successes and failures and also the conspiracy theory aftermath surrounding his death.  

If the weather permits, take an outdoor self-guided tour through these gorgeously manicured gardens of various botanicals and landscaped grounds. It has lakeside views and glimpses of the famous downtown skyline. Be sure to check the website as events occur year-round. 

A genuine honky-tonk with a stage played by young musicians and music veterans alike. They also can brag about having one of the best burgers and cheapest drinks in Deep Ellum. Commemorate your visit by participating in the decades-long tradition of taking a Sharpie to the wall. Or a seating booth. Or a beer sign. Anything goes here. 

Merely a distant memory, jazz no longer resonates off the walls of Dallas’ older bars. And then there’s The Balcony Club, where jazz reigns supreme every night of the week. The entrance is located by outside stairs connected to the historic Lakewood Theater on the second floor. Drinks are cheap and, as always, please tip the band. 

Nestled in the Bishop Arts District, this New Orleans-themed jazz bar even has its own namesake band. It doesn’t hurt that the owners also own Frenchmen All Day cafe in New Orleans and regularly bring in brass band talent from there, too. When the musical notes aren’t flying, classic jazz vinyl spins on the record player. Best enjoyed with an Aviation or Sazerac drink. 

Is this a hotel or an art museum with extremely eclectic displays? Why not both? Located on the edge of downtown, this quirky hotel offers anything but normal. You can enjoy the oddities found in every nook and cranny here while taking in a stunning view of Dallas with a cocktail or relaxing by their resort-style tropical pool with a colorful mural of Albert Einstein sticking his tongue out at you. 

Opened in 1912 by Adolpus Busch (yes, of the Anheuser-Busch family), this Beaux-Arts hotel was built by European craftsmen and modeled after a German castle. For a decade, it was the state’s tallest skyscraper and is now Dallas’ most iconic downtown building. It retains an old-world European feel with dark woodwork and wall-sized fireplaces, but offers modern amenities such as a classy lobby bar, rooftop pool and bar and the newly reopened Rodeo Bar adjacent to the lobby. The French Room restaurant is a place for special occasions while the more laid-back City Hall Bistro located in the lobby offers upscale dining without the upscale attire.