date nights

2 Dallas steakhouses woo slots on OpenTable's most romantic list

Valentine's Day doesn't have to be the only day that gets a designated date night.

Photo courtesy of Dakota's Steakhouse

Just in time for Valentine's Day, restaurant reservation service OpenTable has unveiled its 2025 list of the top 100 most romantic restaurants in America, and two entrancing eateries in Dallas made the cut: Dakota's Steakhouse and Perry's Steakhouse & Grille.

The list was compiled using more than 10 million restaurant reviews based on six metrics, including diner ratings, the percentage of reservations made in advance, and more. Qualified restaurants were ranked not by score, but by the percentage of reviews that included the tag “romantic."

The two Dallas steakhouses were among four total Texas restaurants that made the list.

Dakota's Steakhouse has been operating in downtown Dallas for nearly 40 years, and is famous for its subterranean location. OpenTable recounts the property's storied past, beginning with its former owners, the First Dallas Baptist Church.

"[O]nce occupied by the First Dallas Baptist Church, a clause in the deed prohibited any future owner from selling alcohol on former church grounds," the website says. "When the owners bought the space, they were determined to have a restaurant anchor their international headquarters. A loophole was discovered – 'on the ground' does not include 'below ground,' so the land was excavated, and the restaurant was born."

The restaurant is renowned for its intimate atmosphere, assisted by its iconic 1,800-square-foot underground courtyard.

"When visiting the restaurant, patrons descend 18 feet underground in a canopied glass elevator, accessed from street level, for a culinary experience unlike any other," the website says. "This cool oasis is complete with a 20 foot, 5-tiered granite water wall, multi-tiered landscaping, lava rock fire pit, and black granite bar."

The restaurant serves high quality Allen Brothers beef cuts that are dry aged for a minimum 28 days, and popular dishes on the menu include the 36-ounce porterhouse steak for two, the crab cake lollipops, and the 18-ounce lamb chop. An indulgent array of desserts and an extensive wine list round out the restaurant's robust offerings.

Dakota's Steakhouse Dallas Dakota's steaks are top-quality. Photo courtesy of Dakota's Steakhouse

Perry's Steakhouse and Grille operates several locations throughout Texas, but its Park District location stood out above the rest in OpenTable's list. The steakhouse also boasts a romantic atmosphere throughout its two-story building, according to its profile.

"The first level features a beautiful island bar that opens up to a spacious patio dining area flanked by fireplaces and semi-private areas," its OpenTable profile says. "Ascend the stunning staircase wrapping the massive wine tower to find an expansive main dining room with four private dining rooms – a perfect spot to enjoy Perry’s award-winning menu."

Diners frequently laud Perry's impeccable staff in addition to its delicious lunch and dinner menus.

"Excellent dining experience as always! Delicious food, creative dishes, wonderful attentive service," one reviewer wrote.

For Dallasites who will be taking a romantic weekend trip elsewhere around the state for Valentine's Day, OpenTable has two more suggestions on its romantic restaurants list:

Truluck's Ocean's Finest Seafood & Crab in Austin (Truluck's also has locations in Dallas, Houston, and Southlake)
Bohanan's Prime Steaks and Seafood in San Antonio

"Valentine's Day dining has gone through a major vibe shift over the years, and this year sees a continuation of that, with couples, double dates, and groups of friends planning to dine out for the occasion," said Robin Chiang, Chief Growth Officer of OpenTable, in a release. "Between OpenTable's breadth of restaurants and resources, there's something for everyone — from fine dining to the cozy neighborhood Italian spot — and our annual Top 100 Romantic Restaurants list and curated guides are great places to start."

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Tacos To Come

2 new concepts from Chilangos Tacos team headed to Dallas' Greenville Ave

Chilangos Tacos

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Signage in the windows points to a new stop along Greenville Avenue’s taco trail: Tacos Richy is preparing to open at 3606 Greenville Ave., near Martel Avenue in East Dallas, across from LG Cafe.

The new street taco shop comes from EMPWR, a hospitality group whose concepts include Chilangos Tacos and Dulce Churro.

The group is also poised to open Brazamar, a Mexican restaurant, in the adjacent space in Lowest Greenville. Brazamar will be a Mexican restaurant centered on “fire dining.” The name combines brasa, Spanish for ember or grill, and mar, meaning sea, offering a clue to its focus on grilled meats and seafood.

The more casual Tacos Richy is expected to serve Mexico City-inspired street food, including gringas — similar to quesadillas but folded like oversized tacos — and tacos al carbon, according to signage posted on Tacos Richy’s Instagram page.

Involved in both restaurants is EMPWR director Jon Garay, a Mexico City native and Southern Methodist University graduate who co-founded Chilangos Tacos in 2019. The concept now boasts half a dozen locations, including shops in Plano, East Dallas, at the AT&T Discovery District, and outposts in Nashville and Las Vegas.

Garay moved to Dallas from Mexico City, as did his Chilangos Tacos partner, chef Joel Mendoza. (Chilango is slang for a resident of Mexico City.) Garay got his start in Dallas in 2018 with La Botana Taco Bar, an Uptown food truck where he and Mendoza developed recipes, including birria tacos.

Garay has not responded to a request for an interview about the new Greenville Avenue restaurants.

The Chilangos menu may offer an idea of what to expect at Tacos Richy. It features tacos and quesadillas with a choice of carne asada, pastor, pollo, barbacoa, or caramelized mushrooms. Prepared in the Mexico City style, they're topped simply with onions, cilantro, and salsa.

Tacos Richy says on Instagram that sauce will be an important component of the menu. “Color. Heat. Flavor. Every taco needs a signature salsa. The brushstroke that finishes the masterpiece,” they say.

They also note that "every masterpiece begins with a base," and that theirs is maíz (corn). "It begins with masa, ground, pressed, warmed by hand.

"Tacos Richy has offered only a few hints about its plans on Instagram. In a recent post, the restaurant wrote in Spanish, “Lo que comenzó como una idea se está convirtiendo en algo que llevamos tiempo preparando. Por ahora no podemos contarle mucho, pero vaya preparándose, porque lo que se viene está muy, muy Richy."

That translates loosely to “What started as an idea is turning into something we've spent some time preparing. For now we can't tell you much, but get ready, because what's coming is very, very Richy.”

Another post teases, “You’ve seen the name, you’ve seen the signs, but you still have no idea what’s coming.”

In other words, stay tuned.

EMPWR describes itself as a hospitality group that celebrates Mexican Heritage. It aims to “create spaces that feel honest, inclusive, and alive.”

Neither restaurant has announced an opening date, but updates are being posted on Instagram.

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