Valentine's Day Dinner Guide

Where to book a romantic dinner for 2 in Dallas on Valentine's Day 2015

Consider celebrating Valentine's Day at one of these Dallas restaurants.

Photo by Malin Strandvall/Flickr

We don't put much stock in Hallmark holidays like Valentine's Day, but we're always up for dinner out at one of our many local restaurants. Here's a list of places where you can get romantic or just get dinner. Listed below are dinners for Valentine's Day on Saturday, February 14, unless otherwise noted.

Bistro 31
Special Valentine's items include oysters, tomato soup, langostine risotto, butter-poached lobster and filet, and for dessert, heart-shaped chocolate cupcake.

Bonefish Grill
Prix fixe menu with filet mignon and lobster accompanied by white truffle butter and garlic whipped potatoes. Also available, imperial topped sea bass—seasoned and stuffed with a range of freshly caught shellfish, lemon caper butter and steamed asparagus. $29. February 9-15. 817-421-3263.

Cafe on the Green
Three-course "Aphrodisiac Menu" includes choice of cardamom crispy oysters or beef tartare; lamb with celeriac mash, halibut with "forbidden" risotto or pheasant breast with gnocchi; and for dessert, molten chocolate cake with praline ice cream. February 13-14. $95, plus $30 for wine pairings selected by Master Sommelier James Tidwell. 972-717-2420.

Canary by Gorji
Four-course featuring Bulgarian feta with pomegranates, Colorado lamb & Texas quail with tabbouleh and tzatziki and wild boar & scallop with gnocchi gorgonzola crème. $79 plus tax and grat. February 14. 972-503-7080.

Cantina Laredo
Three-course dinner at all six locations includes choice of mango salad or vegetable soup with chicken; shrimp with spicy mango mole sauce, chicken breast or 7-ounce Angus filet mignon; and dessert churros or strawberry buñuelos. February 13-14. $35, plus $15 for cocktail pairings.

Carmel
Special menu offerings including Sambuca-marinated sugar-dipped strawberries. February 13-14. 972-745-1300.

CBD Provisions
The Joule's restaurant is featuring fried oyster toast with crispy oysters, harissa aioli, radishes, and their greens for $14 as well as Gulf Coast jambalaya for two with grouper, squid, shrimp, andouille sausage, pimenton aioli, cilantro, and tasso ham for $52. February 13 and 14. 214-261-4500

Cool River Cafe
Three-course menu with choice of Caesar or III Forks salad, filet and lobster Thermidor and white-chocolate crème brûlée cheesecake. February 7-15. $135 per couple. 972-871-8881.

Dallas Chop House
Three-course menu includes choice of lobster bisque, mesclun salad or steak tartare filet mignon or striped bass short ribs with parsnip puree; and bread pudding, almond brownie, lavender-vanilla bean crème brûlée or Chambord red velvet cake. February 13-14. $70 plus $25 for wine. 214-736-7300.

Dallas Fish Market
Three courses featuring special dishes such as oysters with egg sauce, salmon with ginger-lime and salmon with horseradish celery root. For dessert: lingonberry tart with brown butter ice cream. 214-744-3474.

Dallas Museum of Art
The DMA is doing an artful version of dinner and a show: access to Between Action and the Unknown: The Art of Kazuo Shiraga and Sadamasa Motonaga, and a four-course dinner with dishes such as Green Valley pea soup, hickory-smoked sea bass, and vanilla panna cotta. 6-10 pm. $90 per person or $75 for DMA Partners; wine package is an additional $40 per person. Reserve online or call 214-922-1818.

Dee Lincoln Steak & Burger Bar
Appetizer choices include scampi shrimp, roasted poblano bisque or arugula salad. Entrées include chicken breast, rib-eye with scalloped potatoes or black cod with risotto. For dessert: turtle cheesecake. February 13-14, at Dallas and Plano locations. $55. 214-754-4949 (Dallas) or 972-519-1642 (Plano).

Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House
Special Valentine's Day menu includes oysters, shrimp remoulade, tuna tartare, bone-in filet, rib-eye, lamb, salmon and sesame tuna. 972-490-9000.

El Chico
Special menu includes tableside guacamole, mixed grill for two, fajitas and strawberry nachos, which are also available à la carte for $3.99. February 3-15 at 13 area locations.

Eureka
Valentine's Day cocktail is a raspberry chocolate kiss with Prichard's Double Chocolate Bourbon, raspberry gomme syrup, and red grapefruit juice. February 9-15. $11. 972-993-2222.

Fearing's
Fixed-price menu in addition to regular menu includes lobster with fettuccine, strip loin steak, and a duo dessert of buttermilk-passionfruit cupcake and double chocolate strawberry parfait. February 13-15 from 6 pm. $100. 214-922-4848.

Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck
Six-course menu featuring poached West Coast oyster, blue fin tuna toro, Thai lobster tail, crispy duck leg with ginger-duck jus and petite winter root vegetables. February 13-15. $125 with optional wine for $50 more. 214-741-5560.

Front Room
Three-course menu includes appetizers such as Scottish salmon, bibb lettuce soup, or Seville salad with oranges and grapefruit. Entrées include branzino, coq au vin or grass-fed rib-eye. Desserts include cheesecake with strawberries, chocolate peanut butter trifle or white chocolate coconut cream pie. $59, plus $25 with wine. 214-219-8282.

Garden Cafe
Four-course meal featuring mushroom duxelles tart with duck confit, poached egg and Hollandaise and blackened lamb rib chops with risotto and boules de tomates. Doors at 7 on February 14. $60, BYOB, no corkage fee. 214-887-8330.

Gin Mill
Three-course menu includes spinach or arugula salad, strip steak, seafood stew with crusty bread, and flourless chocolate torte. $35. 214-824-3343.

The Grape
Three-course menu is $65, plus $25 for wine. Reservations required for February 14 and recommended for February 13 and 15. 214-828-1981.

Hibashi Teppan Grill & Sushi Bar
Choice of four romantic dinners from the hibashi or sushi chefs with three-, four- and six-course options including shrimp tempura, heart-shaped sushi rolls, 10-piece sashimi adventure, a Valentine's sushi platter, and desserts such as cheesecake or red velvet cake. February 13-15. From $50 to $98 for two. 972-620-3474.

Holy Grail Pub
Five-course beer dinner with cheese plate, mussels, winter greens, lamb chops and trifle. 6 and 8:30 pm. $65. 972-377-6633.

Hotel St. Germain
Fixed-price multicourse dinner is $125 on February 13-14; $95 on February 12 and 15. 214-871-2516.

Kitchen LTO
Four-course menu with choices including oysters Rockefeller, duck slider, smoked salmon, chicken-fried lobster and waffle, lobster bisque, and iceberg or butter lettuce salad. Entrées include tenderloin, chicken-fried rib-eye, Arctic char or pork short rib. For dessert: pink chocolate fondue, Maker's Mark banana pudding or mini chocolate fudge waffle. February 12-14. $79. 214-377-0757.

Lazaranda
Three-course dinner for two with sautéed shrimp and squash blossom empanada, scallop and beef filet brochette with bacon, bell peppers and onions in a red wine sauce, served with creamy lobster rice and sautéed garlic green beans and passionate crepes filled with sauteed fruit and served with walnut ice cream. February 13-15. $37.95. 972-866-8900 for reservations.

Malai Kitchen
Five-course tasting menu including steamed dumplings with duck, shrimp, scallions and chili soy; slow-braised Penang curry short ribs and pan roasted halibut. $55 with optional wine pairings for $35. February 14. 214-599-7857.

Max's Wine Dive
Five-course dinner for two. Oysters, potato leek soup, smoked salmon, beet carpaccio, lobster tortelloni, tenderloin and short rib or Diver scallops. For dessert, choice of chocolate cake or crème brûlée. $100 per couple, $50 extra for wine.

The Original Pancake House
Limited-edition chocolate-cherry crepes filled with rich milk chocolate and Montmorency cherries, simmered in their signature Danish Wine Sauce. February 14-15. $8, at all six area locations.

Pakpao
Two prix fixe menus feature dishes such as steamed mussels, drunken noodles, striped bass, Cornish hen, forbidden rice with pandan panna cotta and coconut-chocolate truffle. $45. 214-749-7002.

Peak & Elm
Three-course dinner with complimentary glass of wine from Times Ten Cellars includes mixed green salad with Texas grapefruit and cucumber; Modelo-braised chicken chocolate-pasilla mole or red snapper with spinach and rice; and strawberry tamales for dessert. Vegan options available. 5, 7 and 9 pm. $35. Call 214-824-7617.

Perry's Steakhouse
Three-course menu features lobster bisque, pork chop, filet mignon, ahi tuna and the milk-chocolate peanut-butter candy bar. February 13-14. $60 before 5:30 pm, $75 6 pm or later.

Public School 214
Anti-Valentine's three-course featuring entrees including bangers & mash with chicken and herb sausage, bacon & brussels mash and caramalized onion au jus as well as a Colorado lamb burger with brie, arugula and tomato cranberry jam. $35. February 13-15.

The Ranch at Las Colinas
Multicourse menu includes bacon-wrapped shrimp and blue corn waffle, shrimp and lobster bisque, fried green tomatoes, striped bass, filet with fingerling potatoes, and dark chocolate tart. February 13-14. $69, or $99 with wine. 972-506-7262.

Sangria
Special Valentine’s Day items include tomato bisque, oysters, lobster paella, Diver scallops with filet mignon and for dessert, chocolate bomb with raspberry puree.

Sea Breeze Fish Market & Grill
Seafood feast for two for takeout includes shrimp cocktail, crab-stuffed lobster, salad, sides and Key lime pie. February 13-14; order by February 10. $80. 972-473-2722.

Ser Steak+Spirits
Fixed-price menu includes choice of shrimp ceviche,  oysters Rockefeller, Texas quail, tomato bisque, spinach salad, chocolate-rubbed filet of beef, salmon,  chicken breast , and chocolate lava cake for two . February 13–15. $95, $145 with wine. Includes access to Bubble Lounge. Bubble Lounge is only $25 and includes dessert and champagne. 214-761-7479.

Taverna
Special Valentine’s Day items include bisque, tomato and burrat, mache salad, fettucine pasta, risotto with shallots and shrimp, pork loin and Diver scallops and flourless chocolate cake for dessert.

III Forks
Three-course menu with choice of III Forks salad or lobster bisque, filet and lobster tails, and a chocolate dessert. February 7-15. $155 per couple. 972-267-1776.

Thirteen Pies
Half off all bottles of bubbles and rose on February 14. Celebrate with pizzas and champagne.

Toulouse
Special Valentine’s Day items include oysters, bacon wrapped asparagus, roasted beet and herb salad, Diver scallops with mushroom risotto, crab and lobster soufflé, lamb lollipops and chocolate lava cake.

Veritas
Six-course, day-after-Valentine's dinner with chef Jon Stevens of Stock & Barrel includes grilled country bread, celeriac salad, goat cheese dumplings, Georges Bank flounder-wrapped diver scallop, pork belly and candied carrot croissant bread pudding. Vegetarian and pescatarian substitutions are available with one-week advance notice. February 15. $62. Email jon@stockandbarreldallas.com.

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Food trends

Dallas-Fort Worth pitmasters lead Texas’ growing halal BBQ boom

Levant BBQ

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FORT WORTH, Texas (RNS) — At 9 am on a scorching Saturday in June, nearly 100 people were already lined up outside Goldee’s BBQ, a small, wooden-shack restaurant.

First in line was 30-year-old Thanh Huynh, who had been sitting in a lawn chair on the joint’s rustic porch since 6:30 am.

“I have, like, a whole list, and I’m going to spend lots of money here. It’ll be worth it,” he said, laughing while rattling off a long order of meats and sides from his phone’s Notes app as a sweet, smoky scent from nearby pits hung in the air.

Opened in 2020 by a group of his friends, the restaurant was named the No. 1 barbecue spot in the state by Texas Monthly a year later, and then won a Bib Gourmand award from the prestigious Michelin Guide, given for “great food at a great value.”

The restaurant serves classic Texas barbecue like craft pork belly, sausage, and ribs. But it also offers halal brisket, turkey, and lamb.

"Halal" means meat raised and butchered in accordance with Islamic guidelines. It refers to the method in which the animals are slaughtered, one that focuses on humane treatment, cleanliness, and acknowledging the value of life — similar in concept to kosher food in Judaism.

A growing number of halal places have opened around Fort Worth in recent years, and there are also non-halal restaurants that use halal beef, such as burger institution Kincaid's, the new Burger Vault in Keller, and the forthcoming Tick Tock Taco in Colleyville.

Growing Texas trend
At a time when Republican leaders are increasingly targeting the state’s growing Muslim communities, halal barbecue joints like Goldee’s are thriving in Texas. Across the state, Muslim pitmasters are gaining recognition for putting their own spin on one of Texas’ most iconic culinary traditions.

Goldee's Barbecue is an acclaimed BBQ joint in Fort Worth. Goldee's Barbecue/ Facebook

At least a dozen barbecue spots now serve halal meats, including Yearby’s Barbecue & Waterice, run by Black Muslim couple CJ and Sabrina Henley, soon-to-be in Plano; and Levant Mediterranean BBQ, a restaurant with locations in Houston and Frisco and whose all-beef menu includes a brisket shawarma sandwich.

“Now there are so many options, and for us to have highly rated barbecue, it’s a blessing,” said Haris Ghaffar, who drove an hour from Celina and stood in 90-degree weather for nearly two hours with a friend for the halal options at Goldee’s.

Growing up in the 1990s, Ghaffar said a McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish sandwich was one of the few halal meals he could eat while dining out. Back then, halal food was seen as serving a small community. Today, it’s a multibillion-dollar industry that’s part of the American culinary mainstream, said James Beard Award‑winning food writer Farhan Mustafa, who wrote about the rise of American halal barbecue for Bon Appétit magazine in 2025.

“Halal food is American food,” said Mustafa, who is based in Seattle. “It belongs on your plate. It belongs in the casual chat. It belongs in hip hop tracks. It’s the most American thing there is.”

Mustafa said Muslims are part of a growing list of communities putting their stamp on Texas barbecue. “Whether they’re first, second or third-generation Muslims or Muslim Americans or just Americans, they’re bringing what they know and what excites them,” he said.

More than salt and pepper
Texas barbecue is typically defined by salt-and-pepper brisket and pork ribs, but this new crop of halal pitmasters are adding inventive twists, often based on their own family heritages.

Zain Shafi, a pitmaster and co-owner of Goldee’s, previously ran Sabar Barbecue, a food truck that offered Pakistani-infused halal dishes, such as brisket with rub that included spices like bay leaf and coriander.

Sabar was nominated for Best BBQ in CultureMap's 2025 Tastemaker Awards, and made the list of Texas Monthly's Top 50 Barbecue Restaurants of 2025. The restaurant was also featured in a recently published BBQ book Texas BBQ: The Art of Low and Slow. He closed Sabar in December 2025 after two years.

Sabar BBQ Sabar Barbecue offered a Pakistani twist on BBQ. Sabar Barbecue

Shafi brought tandoori smoked turkey to Goldee’s menu. And sourcing halal cuts, he said, was a natural choice because they are “the highest quality” meats.

Goldee’s chef and part owner Nupohn Inthanousay also blends his Laotian heritage, serving a smoked Lao “sai oua” sausage with sticky rice and a fiery, tangy dipping sauce.

At Kafi BBQ in Irving, owner Salahodeen Abdul-Kafi brings halal Wagyu beef and Iraqi spices to classic Texas barbecue, challenging what he said is the “traditional old guard of Texas barbecue.”

“My goal at Kafi BBQ is to make the best barbecue in Texas,” Abdul-Kafi said. “I have not been shy about that at all, and making the best barbecue in Texas does not necessarily have to include pork.”

A former Silicon Valley tech worker, he moved to Texas six years ago in search of a Muslim community. On weekends in his backyard, he smoked brisket for friends. By 2024, he bought a smoker and opened Kafi BBQ.

He said he spent months testing and perfecting recipes and finding local producers. Abdul-Kafi attributes his obsession with crafting a stand-out menu to the Islamic concept of “Ihsan”— an Arabic term meaning doing something with excellence for the sake of God.

On a Sunday afternoon this summer, the restaurant’s red booths were packed with diners, drawn to menu items like the 13-spice Wagyu brisket, pomegranate-glazed beef belly burnt ends and Iraqi-inspired spicy beef sausage.

“That sausage, I’d probably put it at the top sausage I’ve ever had, and we eat barbecue a lot. This place is unique,” said Jonathan Tate, a Fort Worth resident who came to Kafi BBQ with a friend after reading about it on a Facebook foodie group.

“I don’t necessarily have to have it halal, but it’s nice to know they took good care of the food, the meat,” his friend Jon Sklar said, before going back in line to order oxtail.

Meat at Kafi BBQ in Irving. Kafi BBQ

'We love barbecue'
Although political rhetoric against Muslims in Texas has become increasingly hostile — some GOP lawmakers even discussed a ban on halal food at a conference this month — pitmasters like Abdul-Kafi see the rise of halal barbecue as an effective counterargument.

“It’s an example of exactly the opposite of what the Islamophobes talk about, right?” he said. “They say, ‘oh, Muslims don’t integrate, they stay alone, they don’t help society and all this stuff.’ And it’s like, I’m sitting here contributing to the most well-known cuisine of Texas.”

One of the diners at Kafi BBQ, Houston native Muhammad Sohail, 23, said the restaurant reflects who he is — a proud Texan and Muslim. “This place is super important because I can see halal within the culture of Texas, which is my culture at this point,” Sohail said. “We love the food. We love meat. We’re Muslims and we love barbecue.”

After finishing a big lunch with 10 relatives, Areeba Ali, a Dallas native of Indian heritage, said the restaurant’s appeal cuts across communities, which she said is evidence that halal barbecue isn’t a niche but resonates broadly with Texans. “If you look around in the restaurant, you see everybody in there — it’s not just one demographic in there,” Ali said.

For Mustafa, that success is ultimately a testament to the resilience of Muslim American communities.

“No matter how much they try to erase us, our food is here to stay,” he said. “You will see the power of just good food and the fact that most people really seem to understand that this is just as American as anything else.”

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This story was written and produced by Religion News Service and distributed by The Associated Press. It also includes information from the CultureMap archives.

halal halal barbecue muslim communities pitmasters religion texas texas barbecue trends culinary traditions goldee's barbecue