This week in gluttony

These are the 9 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

Women and whiskey pair for a female-friendly happy hour this week.

Haywire

Dust off the denim for a DIY upcycling happy hour this week. Also on the list: a sky-wine wine dinner benefiting the arts, a Shakespearean pub crawl, and a tasting event celebrating women in the culinary industry. Save room for bites and cocktails celebrating a renowned Japanese chef by week's end.

Tuesday, March 5

Women, Whiskey & Wranglers at Haywire
Upcycle your own denim with patches, paint, and rhinestones ($10 per person) during this artsy happy hour featuring specials on women-created whiskey cocktails. There'll be photo ops, permanent jewelry, and hat-making, too. The event itself is free to attend and will take place from 6-9 pm at Haywire Uptown on Tuesday, Haywire Plano on Wednesday, and at sister restaurant The Ranch at Las Colinas on Thursday.

Wednesday, March 6

Booker T. Flyinghorse Benefit Dinner at Mirador
The elegant restaurant on the fourth floor of Forty Five Ten will host a three-course dinner benefiting Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Menu highlights include black bass crudo, roasted lamb, and olive oil cake. All courses will be paired with Nickel & Nickel wines. The dinner is $125, plus tax and gratuity, and begins at 6 pm. Valet parking is complimentary.

Duckhorn Wine Dinner at Le Meridien Dallas, The Stoneleigh
Five Duckhorn wines will be paired with four courses by Le Meridien chef Esayas Estifanos during this Wednesday night dinner. Standout menu items include lobster risotto with black truffle, pink salt prime strip, and maple-glazed duck breast. Dinner is $132, plus tax and service charge, and begins at 6 pm.

Thursday, March 7

Festa della Donna: An International Women's Day Celebration at Eataly
The second annual event, in partnership with the women-focused culinary organization Les Dames d'Escoffier, will feature more than 50 food and drinks stations along with live entertainment, demos, and seminars. Special guests will feature women in the world of food, including Paula Lambert (Mozzarella Company), Nikky Phinywatana (Asian Mint), and Amber Fletcher (Fletchers Original Corny Dogs). Tickets start at $95 for general admission at 7 pm, or pay $125 for VIP entry at 6 pm and special perks like premium bites and pours and a dedicated lounge.

Casa Noble Tequila Dinner at Cantina Laredo Frisco
There'll be four courses paired with Casa Noble tequila during this Mexico City-inspired dinner. Menu highlights include posole rojo, coffee and chipotle crusted carne asada, and chocolate and caramel flan. The $79.99 price, plus tax and gratuity, includes a Casa Noble tequila flight upon arrival, along with Casa Noble tequila cocktails paired with each course. Arrive by 7 pm for a reception before a seated start time of 7:30 pm.

Friday, March 8

Querceto di Castellina Winemaker Dinner at Sassetta
Sassetta at The Joule will host its first winemaker dinner featuring the restaurant’s staple Italian wine, Querceto di Castellina. The winery's founder Jacopo Di Battista will be on-hand to talk about the family-run, organic winery and agritourism in the Tuscany countryside. Highlights from the five-course menu include tomato braised meatballs with whipped ricotta, and olive oil cake with strawberry coulis and candied lemon preserves. The dinner is $140, plus tax and gratuity, and begins at 6 pm.

Art Pop-Up at Punch Bowl Social
Sweet Tooth Hotel is popping up at Punch Bowl Social in celebration of International Women’s Day. Dallas Artist Sam Lao and her "Stay Sweet" tufted mural will be on hand for meet-and-greet reception. The first 20 guests will receive a complimentary cocktail sponsored by Topo Chico. The event will run from 6:30-8:30 pm and admission is free.

Saturday, March 9

Shakespeare Dallas 2024 Pub Crawl
Sip and recite sonnets during this Shakespearian-themed pub crawl through Bishop Arts hosted by Shakespeare Dallas. Stops will include Bishop Exchange (500 N. Bishop Ave.) with check-in at 2 pm, followed by Wild Detective (314 W. Eighth Ave.) at 3 pm for a performance by Shakespeare Everywhere. Finish at Taco y Vino (213 W. Eighth Ave.) for trivia, a raffle, and prizes. Actors will perform scenes from Shakespeare plays at each location. Tickets are $20 ($15 for Shakespeare Dallas subscribers).

Taste of Nobu
In celebration of 30 years of the Nobu brand this year, chef Nobu Matsuhisa will visit select locations of the upscale Japanese restaurant including Dallas' outlet at The Crescent. Guests will partake in bites from attended chef stations paired with cocktails made with Nobu's QUI Tequila. Tickets are $275, plus tax, and the event will run 6:30-9 pm.

chefs wine cocktails news-you-can-eat

New sushi spot

Kichi Bar rolls out sushi and late-night happy hour in Carrollton

Photo courtesy of Kichi Bar

A spread at Kichi Bar.

A hidden-gem Japanese restaurant and bar is serving late-night happy hour in Carrollton’s Koreatown neighborhood: Called Kichi Bar, the restaurant showcases elevated sushi, sashimi, hand rolls, and seasonal cocktails.

Located at 2630 Old Denton Rd. #130, in Carrollton’s lively Asian dining, retail and entertainment hub, Kichi offers a modern atmosphere for social and shareable dining. Chef-owner Chris Han says it starts with strong technique in the kitchen and focusing on quality guest experience.

“From the beginning, our goal was to create a place people could come to often, not just for special occasions,” Han, a first-time restaurateur, says in a release. “We focus on consistency, quality, and making sure guests feel comfortable every time they walk in.”

Since Kichi Bar opened in August 2025, the restaurant has garnered praise online from patrons and local food social media influencers for its artistic plates and happy hour deals.

The chef at work.Photo courtesy of Kichi Bar

Sushi and sashimi menu items start at $4 and $10, or diners can opt for shareable set menus, such as the $69 Kichi sashimi set, which comes with miso soup, salad, maitake or chicken, and sashimi for two.

In addition to a range of sushi and sashimi, Kichi's menu features savory dishes such as $12 creamy uni pasta and $28 chopped lamb with truffle soy tomatoes. Han recommends their nigiris and the black cod dish.

“We go through an aging process for all our fish anywhere from 24 hours to 72 days,” Han says. Aging fish is a technique that enhances the umami flavor fundamental to Japanese cuisine.

For something sweet, Kichi serves ice cream flavors including coffee, cinnamon, and ube. And the drink lineup includes a sake martini, seasonal cocktails, and a variety of alcohol-free options such as a pineapple mint cooler.

Han began his culinary journey in college working as a server in a Japanese restaurant. At the encouragement of the owner, Han began training in the kitchen, working his way from dishwasher to learning how to make tempura and perfecting sushi rice. Since then, he’s worked at other Japanese restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth including Bluefish, Edoko, and Uchi.

Han says he appreciates Japanese cuisine for its simple flavors that allow quality ingredients to shine. His culinary philosophy, which is “guests eat with their eyes first,” informs the techniques and aesthetics at Kichi.

“My focus is to make sure to do the basics. Clean plates, clean presentation,” Han says.

Late-night happy hour starts at 9 pm, Sunday-Thursday.Photo courtesy of Kichi Bar

Kichi serves dinner seven days a week. Late-night happy hour, when select drinks start at $4 and kitchen menu items start at $5, is on tap Sunday through Thursday from 9 pm to close. Reservations are encouraged on weekends and holidays.

“We try to make our restaurant more guest focused, being near the Asian community where everything is fast paced can be a bit complicated concept for some,” Han says. “But I hope that when people dine [at Kichi Bar], they take their time to enjoy their meal. We don't push out all our food at once … we want them to enjoy their time here.”

Kichi is open for dinner service 5-11 pm Sunday through Thursday, and 5 pm-midnight Friday and Saturday.

carrollton carrolltons koreatown happy hour japanese restaurant sushi