Best Restaurants for a First Date

Where to eat in Dallas right now: 10 best restaurants for a first date

Thanks to the flower and chocolate industries, February has become the month of romance, climaxing on February 14, the most romantic day of all. If you're already coupled, then you'll want to refer to our list of restaurants serving Valentine's Day specials. If you're not, then it's time to get back on the horse.

Here's our list of the best restaurants for a first date.

Adair's Saloon
This Deep Ellum dive is the place to go if you're putting out a profile of casual and street-savvy. Its anything-goes atmosphere provides a good cover for a wealth of potentially embarrassing moments, and the cheeseburger and fries will present as a good surprise. The walls are notoriously covered with graffiti; if the date goes well, you can add your own initials enclosed in a heart.

Baboush
With more than a dozen restaurants, West Village is a sure thing for first dates. But he who chooses Baboush gets extra points for being plugged in to this sultry spot. Between the satin pillows and the Moroccan cuisine with kebabs and hummus to share, you'll feel transported. Belly dancers and hookah pipes add a little exotic wildness, and — best of all — Baboush is also affordable, providing a big bang for the buck (and less money down the drain if the date turns out to be a dud).

Foundry/Chicken Scratch
Funky compound combining a restaurant with an outdoor bar feels laid-back and relaxed. No pressure, man. The food is fabulous, with great salads, rotisserie chicken, homey sides, and the signature chicken biscuit sandwiches — almost everything priced under $10. Frequent live music gives you that extra something, making this first-date option more like a night out and not just dinner.

Mercat
An offbeat location helps guarantee that you won't have to fight for a table at this chic bistro, but it's not empty either. It can be your "discovery." It also offers you the chance to look worldly. "Does this remind you of Paris?" you can ask, without ever admitting you've never been. Whether you have or not, the atmosphere at Mercat is Euro-charming with its fine china and Moulin Rouge bar. There are dishes to share, such as the charcuterie, and a split of sparkling Mumm's is $12.

The Mint
Thai restaurant with two branches is a hip place that feels cool without trying too hard. The Asian-fusion menu has enough intrigue to please congenial gourmands. Atmosphere is upscale without being fussy, serene but not whisper quiet. You definitely don't want your first date to be too quiet. Most of the clientele is young and attractive, so you'll acquire some of that by sheer proximity. And if the date doesn't go well, you can console yourself with an impeccable dessert cake.

Oddfellows
Casual Oak Cliff restaurant feels unique, yet with a familiarity that's relaxing for a first date. There are beverages on both ends of the spectrum — excellent espresso drinks or cocktails and beer on tap — and a menu with burgers, grilled chicken, and mac and cheese that's a little bit comfort food, a little bit gourmet. After dinner, you stroll Bishop Arts and gaze in the shop windows, just like Rene Russo and Pierce Brosnan did in A Thomas Crowne Affair.

Saint Rocco's
Don't mistake this for a culinary experience. Other than a killer arugula salad and some decent pizza, Phil Romano's Saint Rocco is not much more than a dumbed-up Macaroni Grill. And it's in Trinity Groves, a suburban mini-mall with drive-up parking that's plunked close to downtown. But it has the atmosphere down. Its warm colors, top-notch lighting, and old-school Sinatra all combine to make you feel invincible, like Phil.

Urban Vines
The phrases "wine bar" and "next to White Rock Lake" are pretty persuasive on their own. Service can be oblivious, but the wine flights help ease the pain. There's a bistro menu with well-executed flatbreads, salads, panini, and craft beer. Urban Vines also has an outdoor garden and some kind of discount every weeknight, such as half-priced wine by the glass on Thursdays. A Thursday night is a fun change of pace for a first date, right?

Whisk Crepes Cafe
The Sylvan Thirty center off I-30 west of downtown is an option when you feel like foraging for inner-city grub but have already done Bishop Arts and Trinity Groves. Crepes are one of those cuisines ripe for special occasions, and Whisk comes through with savory options and sweet. Split a savory first such as one filled with smoked salmon, mozzarella, and cherry tomato, then move on to the sweet: raspberries, coconut ice cream, and chocolate sauce. They're BYOB, so you can stop for a bottle of wine at CiboDivino next door.

Yutaka
Chef Yutaka Yamamoto's eponymous restaurant is one of the better-rated sushi spots in Dallas, and a favorite of local chefs. Go ahead and casually mention that to your date; doesn't hurt to show you're in the know. The menu has all sorts of crossover; in addition to sushi, there are items such as crab tacos and beet salad. If dinner is a success, you're in Uptown, and can catch a nightcap at any of the countless bars nearby.

Oddfellows serves food that's a little comfort, a little gourmet.

Photo courtesy of Oddfellows

Oddfellows serves food that's a little comfort, a little gourmet.

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Closure News

Mexican bar and restaurant on Dallas' Ross Ave closes after only 4 months

dallas.culturemap.com

A Mexican hangout from San Diego has departed Dallas: El Chingon, which served Mexican food, cocktails, and a clubby atmosphere near downtown at 3404 Ross Ave., closed on Sunday, September 6, after a mere four months.

The venue, which opened its doors on May 1, blamed the closure on the city of Dallas' code compliance department, citing repeated procedural issues that ultimately persuaded the operators that closing was the only option.

The short lifespan has to be a record, especially given the extensive investment made on the space — an abrupt ending to what was a prolonged birthing by GBOD Hospitality Group, the San Diego owners, who invested more than four years and millions of dollars to get it open.

"Our goal was simple: give Dallas the best, most Chingón experience we possibly could," their statement said. "And Dallas showed up for us…. Unfortunately, almost from the beginning, operating that vision became a constant fight with the City."

"We dealt with repeated Code Compliance visits, citations, and ongoing challenges to our Certificate of Occupancy and restaurant use," their post said. "Over time, it became increasingly clear that El Chingón simply was not what the City wanted us to be. Events, programming, dancing, the way we used our space — nearly every part of the experience became another opportunity to find fault with our identity."

El Chingon operated as a high-energy restaurant, bar, and nightlife destination known for its “Bad Ass Mexican” cuisine. The concept was founded in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter in 2017, where it built a following for its lively programming and street-food menu of tacos, burritos, and shareable bites.

It's part of GBOD Hospitality Group, a San Diego outfit founded by brothers Raymond and Patrick Davoudi, with third partner Joe Santos, who owns San Diego bars such as Havana and Prohibition Lounge. Dallas was the third El Chingon, following San Diego and Fort Worth, where a location opened in 2020 and has not experienced the issues that befell the Dallas outpost.

The company first acquired the Dallas location in 2022, and began what felt like a never-ending period of reconstruction and renovation of the rundown brick structure, first built in 1945, which years ago had been home to a wholesale floral shop.

"We made changes," they said. "We worked with City officials. We worked with the neighborhood. We hired consultants and attorneys. We met with elected officials. We repeatedly tried to find a reasonable path forward while continuing to operate the restaurant we spent millions of dollars building. Instead, the scrutiny intensified."

"Eventually, there comes a point where fighting City Hall becomes a bigger part of running the business than serving the people who came through our doors. So, City Hall wins this round."

They've since put the property up for sale but did hint that they might reopen, stating that "we have not given up on Dallas."

"We still believe in this city. We still believe there is a place here for what El Chingón does. And we hope that in the coming years, we will have the opportunity to invest in Dallas again and once more be part of this community," they said. 'For now, thank you, Dallas. For every taco. Every tequila. Every celebration. Every packed night. Every memory. Stay Chingón. This isn’t goodbye forever."

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