Where to Eat

Where to eat in Dallas right now: 10 best restaurants for groups

Completely normal group of people having a completely fabulous time at Seasons 52.

Courtesy photo

February is the month for lovers. It's the month for chocolate-covered strawberries and romantic dinners for two.

Don't be that person. Be the person who's going out with your friends and ignoring what the florists and chocolatiers and jewelers tell you to do.

Here are the 10 best restaurants in Dallas to go with a group:

Americano
Restaurant at The Joule hotel specializes in Italian-American classics, including house-made pastas such as tortellini stuffed with ricotta and butternut squash, or hand-cut pappardelle with Bolognese. There are Neapolitan-style pizzas, small plates, larger composed plates, and house-cured meats and cheeses, Artisanal breads, pastries, and desserts, including gelato. The restaurant has an easygoing vibe, and the space is minimalist yet warm, with pale wood tables that are easily pushed together for big groups.

Cane Rosso
Local chain specializes in the best Neapolitan pizza in town, with pastas and ~~creative~~ starters like ~~fried artichokes with aioli~~ deviled eggs. The food's great. They have an interesting selection of beers and wine, and some not-bad cocktails. But beyond the good eating-and-drinking possibilities, all of their locations have spacious dining rooms and patios that make it easy to spread out.

Fadi's
Mediterranean/Middle Eastern buffet from Houston family exhibits tremendous variety and very good quality. It's a buffet-style pace, which you can get vegetarian-style or with meat, making this a popular go-to for vegetarians. Hummus is extra-smooth, and warm pita is made in-house. The dining room is yours to make of it what you will, and they also serve wine. Best of all, the buffet mode means that you pay for yourself, so there's no awkward haggling over the check.

Hopdoddy Burger Bar
Austin-based chain specializes in burgers, obviously, but the food is good, and there are options for all your favorite eating plans including vegans; Hopdoddy was the first in Texas to get the buzzy Impossible Burger, the lifelike burger made entirely from plants. There's beer and wine, with fast-casual service style, so you pay your own way, and you can push tables around and take over the place.

Luck at Trinity Groves
Trinity Groves restaurant and bar features variations of regional comfort food favorites including smoked meats, sandwiches, salads, and desserts. Beverages include craft beers sourced only from North Texas breweries, with up to 40 options on tap, as well as Texas wines and spirits. Like most of what's at Trinity Groves, the atmosphere is totally relaxed, and if someone in your group wants to grab a bite from a neighboring restaurant, you can still nosh together on the patio.

Manny's Uptown
Classic Tex-Mex restaurant is a family spin-off of Mia's, one of Dallas' original Tex-Mex chains. Manny is Manny Rios, brother to Ana "Mama Mia" Enriquez, the matriarch behind Mia's. His menu is similar to what's served at Mia's: fajitas, tacos, enchiladas. But people love Manny's for two things: the brisket tacos and the swirl margaritas. The Uptown branch has multiple rooms and accommodatingly greets your group with salsa and warm chips.

The Porch
Gastropub on Henderson Avenue was one of the original settlers and keeps the flame burnin with upscale comfort food and creative cocktails, which they were doing at a time when creative + cocktails was not a common pairing. Currently steered by chef Brian Zenner, their menu includes lots of appetizers that are good for sharing such as pimento cheese dip. They're roomy enough that you can show up with 5 of your besties, but reservations are best for parties of 8 or more.

Saint Ann Restaurant & Bar
Saint Ann was one of the first restaurants to settle in the Harwood District restaurant and the question you have to ask is not "Is it good for groups?" but instead, Is anyone here not in a group? The menu includes fun items such as chorizo-stuffed dates and a braised short rib sandwich, with good cocktails and a surprisingly hefty wine list. A grassy patio in front of the place stretches for miles.

Seasons 52
The selling point on this highly popular chain from Darden Restaurants is that nothing on the menu is over 500 calories, and that's certainly not a bad thing. But the food is good, the atmosphere is lively, and the booths are like football fields. The wine list is not only extensive but also changes regularly; they take their wine program very seriously, with a sommelier who procures better wines than you'd expect. View the mall setting as a plus and not a minus: You and your gang can shop after dinner.

Trinity Hall Pub
Irish pub at Mockingbird Station is one of the most congenial and group-friendly spots in town, with all kinds of seating nooks that beg to be commandeered by your office pod, spin class, or vegan dating club. That doesn't even count the easy-come easy-go patio in front. Their beer list is excellent, they have plenty of variety on their menu (including dishes designed for the vegan club), and servers that take it all in without batting an eye.

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Henderson Avenue News

Dallas bar High Fives will close on Henderson Avenue after 10 years

High Fives/Facebook

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A nightlife staple on Dallas' Henderson Avenue is closing: High Fives, the bar located at 1804 McMillan Ave., will close in early January, after more than 10 years.

According to a release, the actual closing date will be tied to the Texas Tech Red Raiders' game schedule in January.

"To all our neighbors, the Red Raider faithful, and everyone who has made High Fives their home—we are saying goodbye by raising our hands high for one last High Five," says owner Phil Schanbaum. "This establishment was built on community, spirited rivalry, and countless memories. We are deeply thankful to every single patron and, especially, to all of our incredible staff who were the heart and soul of this place."

High Fives opened in mid-2015, part of the portfolio of This & That Hospitality, the company Schanbaum founded with partner Brandon Hays, next door to its sibling bar The Whippersnapper (which was rebranded into a concept called Boogies in October 2025.)

Schanbaum says that they're unsure of what will go in the High Fives space after it closes — but that the closure "paves the way for the ongoing evolution of Henderson Avenue."

The property is owned by Acadia Realty, the New York-based company that is partnered with Dallas development firm Ignite-Rebees on a 161,000-square-foot, creative, mixed-use development currently underway on Henderson Avenue between Glencoe Street and McMillan Avenue at the eastern end of Henderson Avenue.

High Fives' closure is part of that plan to transform the quarter-mile stretch into a walkable destination featuring restaurants, retail, and office space.

"To Henderson Avenue, we look forward to further expansion and to making this street even better. We are excited for the neighborhood's renaissance, which will bring new experiences, retail, and dining concepts to the area," Schanbaum says.

Moving target
The actual closing date will depend on the outcome of the season for Texas Tech's football team the Red Raiders.

"The final chapter for High Fives will be written alongside the almighty Texas Tech Red Raiders. The bar's ultimate closure is tied directly to the team's success," the release says.

The next game day is on January 1, when doors open at 10 am.

If the Red Raiders advance past the game on January 1, High Fives will remain open for subsequent Texas Tech game days until the team's run ends. Meanwhile hours in December will be Thursdays & Fridays from 8 pm-2 am, and Saturdays: from 2 pm– 2 am.