Department Store Dining

The 2 Dallas restaurants where reservations are now impossible to get

The signature popovers of the Zodiac Room

Photo courtesy of Lisa Crossett

If you're one of those people who wants dearly that which you cannot have, then this is your moment, as there are two restaurants in Dallas right now where you cannot get a reservation.

In a weird and bittersweet cosmic convergence, they're both located inside fashion retailers.

Cafe Dior by Dominque Crenn is the just-opened restaurant inside the new Dior boutique in Highland Park Village.
Zodiac Room is the about-to-close restaurant inside the storied downtown location of Neiman Marcus, the luxury department store.

Their lack of availability is for opposite reasons. Cafe Dior is new and buzzy. Zodiac Room is about to close. That means there are limited seats and a scramble to get them.

Cafe Dior by Dominique Crenn
Cafe Dior is the fashionable new restaurant located inside the recently-opened Dior store at 58 Highland Park Village, with a menu overseen by Michelin star recipient chef Dominique Crenn.

Dior cafes in general have a buzz of their own — there are a limited number of exclusive cities with Dior cafes that include London, Paris, Miami, and Tokyo.

And each location has a distinction: "Monsieur Dior," the nickname for the cafe in Paris, walking distance from the Champs-Élysées, is a tourist destination unto its own. The Dior Cafe in Tokyo has a tie-in with French pâtissier-chocolatier Pierre Hermé.

The distinction at the Dallas cafe is having Crenn, a brand-name chef whose accolades include coming in at No. 10 on Robb Report's 50 Most Powerful People in American Fine Dining, as well as James Beard Awards and appearances on TV shows including The Next Iron Chef, Chef’s Table, and Top Chef France.

She's devised a menu said to be inspired by Dior dress designs. Regardless of inspiration, you'll find department store cafe classics such as a chicken salad sandwich and the obligatory consomme. The cafe also hosts an afternoon tea with its own menu of sandwiches and desserts.

The reservation situation: The cafe's official opening date was announced as February 22 — but they actually opened oh-so-quietly on February 19, and Dominque herself was in town to oversee the opening. Reservations can be made on Seven Rooms, beginning February 23 — but there are no open tables through April. (This info comes from a staffer; the Seven Rooms site is kind of a cluster.)

Zodiac RoomZodiac Room

Zodiac Room
The Zodiac Room is the storied restaurant located inside the Neiman Marcus store in downtown Dallas, which is sadly closing due to a landlord dispute.

The closure is a loss for downtown as well as the end of a socio-cultural institution — "so central to the legend and history of Dallas that it's hard to imagine the city without it," as one former employee said — "a store that was always more than a beautiful place to shop."

Neiman Marcus got hit hard by the pandemic but reopened in August 2020. The Zodiac Room, however, remained closed for more than a year after that, before reopening in 2021. (Other downtown dining legends like the French Room have yet to fully recover.)

The Zodiac Room was one of the city's most venerable restaurants, with its modern take on old-world glamour: warm, inviting, elegant, in a store with all those same traits and more. The historical significance of Neiman Marcus to Dallas surely played a role in the Zodiac's perennial appeal. But so did its delicate menu featuring puffy popovers with strawberry butter, cool mandarin orange souffle with chicken salad, and its complimentary cup of consomme — its preservation of a genteel, slightly Southern civility that's increasingly hard to find.

When CultureMap Dallas introduced its very first list of the 10 Best Restaurants in Dallas in 2013, shortly after the site launched, the Zodiac Room was of course one of the 10. The Zodiac was always a frontrunner for ladies who lunch, for where to take your out-of-town guests during the holidays. And it stayed au courant, exploring cuisines such as vegan, while paving the way for an entire category of department-store cafes — including newcomers like Cafe Dior.

The reservation situation: The store will close on March 31, and the Zodiac Room is entirely booked up until that date. (Half Price Books has a copy of the 2014 Neiman Marcus Cooks cookbook, if you want to try making those popovers yourself.)

closings openings

Gobble gobble

Where to feast on Thanksgiving Day 2026 at Dallas restaurants

Photo courtesy of III Forks

Thanksgiving spread at III Forks.

The 2026 holiday season is upon us, and Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays because it revolves around food, and are thankful for that.

The big day of feasting falls on Thursday, November 26, and Dallas-area restaurants are already getting in gear. From fine-dining dinners and traditional turkey plates to glorious brunch buffets and menus with a global twist, there are plenty of ways to let someone else do the cooking.

The list below focuses on dine-in options, from family-friendly feasts to lavish spreads. All meals take place Thanksgiving Day only, unless noted. Reservation information and more details can be found on restaurant websites.

Here’s where to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal at Dallas-area restaurants in 2026. And check back often. This list will grow as more restaurants unveil plans and menus.

Alára: The modern Mediterranean restaurant in Oak Lawn will offer a five-course Thanksgiving-inspired prix fixe meal November 25 and 27 (but will not be open Thanksgiving Day). Menu features caramelized butternut squash ravioli, turkey roulade, and Turkish coffee-crusted hanger steak. Desserts include chocolate lava cake and wine-poached apple. Vegan and gluten-free options available; the regular à la carte menu will also be served. $125 per person.

Asador: Renaissance Dallas Hotel restaurant will serve a Thanksgiving brunch buffet with an antipasto display, made-to-order omelets, New York strip carving station, herb-roasted turkey with giblet gravy, cranberry marmalade, brioche-apple stuffing, green bean and carrot casserole, and mac & cheese made with Vermont cheddar and smoked Gouda, plus assorted desserts. 10 am-3 pm, last seating at 2:30 pm. $90 per adult, $30 for children ages 6-12.

ASTRA Kitchen + Lounge: The restaurant inside HALL Arts Hotel in the Dallas Arts District will serve a Thanksgiving prix fixe dinner featuring roasted pumpkin bisque, Southwest turkey roulade with cornbread stuffing and jalapeño cranberry sauce, and grilled filet mignon. Desserts include sweet potato crème brûlée and pecan pie with vanilla gelato. A Thanksgiving brunch will also be served from 6:30 am-3 pm. $85.

Blue Mesa Grill: The Southwestern restaurant will serve a Thanksgiving buffet with roast turkey, smoked brisket, red chile-glazed ham, grilled salmon, cranberry-jalapeño relish, stuffing, mashed potatoes, butternut squash, green beans, and holiday pies. Additional stations offer made-to-order omelets, tacos, and Belgian waffles. 9 am-4 pm. $50 per adult, including mimosas and other beverages; $20 for children ages 6-11; free for children 5 and under. A Thanksgiving Family Pack to-go, featuring turkey and many trimmings, is also available for pre-order and pickup November 24-25; $175, details here.

Centrale Italia: Preston Hollow Italian restaurant will serve a three-course Thanksgiving lunch with starters including butternut squash bisque with crab, pumpkin ricotta tortelloni, rock shrimp risotto, and roasted sweet potato with goat cheese and cranberry. Entrées include roasted turkey with Italian sausage-focaccia stuffing, grilled salmon, Barolo-glazed short rib, and Parmesan-crusted halibut. Desserts include pumpkin cheesecake, apple-blueberry crostata, tiramisu, and molten chocolate cake. 11 am-3 pm with a la carte specials repeated 4-9:30 pm. Lunch: $60 per person.

Crown Block: The restaurant atop Reunion Tower will serve an all-you-can-eat Thanksgiving buffet with carving stations featuring prime rib, Cajun-fried and roasted turkey, and bone-in ham. Other offerings include green bean casserole, cornbread dressing, truffled deviled eggs, mac & cheese, sushi, fresh oysters, shrimp cocktail, smoked salmon, and gourmet cheeses. Desserts include bourbon pecan pie, caramel apple pie, pumpkin cheesecake, and dark chocolate silk pie. 11 am-6 pm. $165 per person. An early Thanksgiving brunch buffet will feature holiday favorites and à la carte options on November 22, 10:30 am-2:30 pm. $80.

Docent Steak: The new Harwood steakhouse will offer an à la carte Thanksgiving menu with bacon-wrapped quail legs, a seafood tower, baby spinach salad, cuts of meat, and sides including a colossal baked potato, mac & cheese, and asparagus. 5-8:30 pm.

HALL Park Hotel: The Frisco hotel will serve a Thanksgiving buffet with chef-attended carving stations featuring black truffle-rubbed prime rib, slow-roasted turkey with brown butter sage gravy, and apple cider pork belly. Other dishes include broiled salmon with blood orange cranberry gastrique, wild mushroom brioche dressing, and maple-glazed carrots with pecans. Desserts include pumpkin caramel cake, salted caramel apple pie cheesecake, pecan pie cookies, and gingerbread cupcakes. 11 am-4 pm. $95 per adult, $35 for children.

The Henry Plano: The Legacy West restaurant will be open on Thanksgiving, serving its year-round dishes including cheesy truffle popovers, sprouts and squash salad, braised short rib, harvest bowl, mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, molten butter cake, and banana sticky toffee pudding. Prices vary.

Jashan: The Michelin Guide-recommended Indian restaurant in Plano will offer a Thanksgiving prix fixe meal for families, alongside its regular menu. Available November 25-27. Prix fixe: $250 for a family of four.

Kona Grill: The NorthPark Center restaurant will offer a Thanksgiving menu with traditional roasted turkey breast, whipped potatoes, green beans, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce ($36), or macadamia nut-crusted turkey with shoyu cream and cranberry sauce ($39). A kids' turkey plate is $17, and pumpkin pie is $16. Available for dine-in and takeout Nov. 12-29; Thanksgiving takeout pickup 11 am-4 pm.

Luna Roja: The Mexican restaurant inside Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Dallas will serve a three-course Thanksgiving dinner featuring Tijuana Caesar salad, ancho-orange roasted turkey with charred poblano mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, chile-mole turkey jus, and cinnamon tres leches. $45 per person.

McRae’s American Bistro & Cocktails: The East Dallas restaurant will serve a two-course Thanksgiving dinner with a choice of tomato soup or Granny Smith salad, followed by roasted turkey breast, cornbread dressing, garlic mashed potatoes, green beans amandine, and cranberry sauce. À la carte options include filet mignon, salmon meunière, and lemon caper chicken. Bourbon pecan pie and vanilla crème brûlée are among the desserts. 11 am-6 pm. Prix fixe: $39 per adult, $15 for children under 12.

Mercat Bistro: The French bistro will serve a three-course Thanksgiving brunch with smoked salmon, Quiche Lorraine, croissant eggs Benedict, turkey, steak frites, and desserts including pain perdu, chocolate tart, and beignets. Dinner options include escargot, roasted cauliflower soup, roasted turkey, petite filet, Parisian gnocchi, and pumpkin cheesecake. Brunch 10 am-3 pm, $75 per adult and $30 for children 12 and under; dinner 5-10 pm, $85 per adult and $35 for children 12 and under.

Nobu Dallas: The Japanese restaurant will serve a Thanksgiving brunch buffet featuring sushi, pastries, desserts, chef-attended stations, and a turkey carving station. 11 am-2 pm. $95.

The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas: The resort’s expansive Thanksgiving Mercato buffet will feature seafood, smoked salmon, artisan cheeses and charcuterie, herb-roasted turkey, hand-carved prime rib, cider-glazed ham, sweet potato casserole, and Cacio e Pepe prepared in a cheese wheel. Desserts include pumpkin profiteroles, spiced pumpkin crème brûlée, apple pie cheesecake, and maple pecan mille-feuille. 12-9 pm. $155 per adult, $55 for children ages 5-10.

Saint Ann: The Harwood Street restaurant will serve a three-course Thanksgiving brunch with butternut squash soup, seared salmon, roasted turkey breast, and smoked brisket hash. Desserts include pumpkin pie, chocolate meringue pie, and apple pear crumble. 11 am-4 pm. $60 per person, $25 for children 12 and under.

Silver Fox: The Richardson steakhouse will serve slow-roasted turkey with Grandma’s gravy, cornbread dressing, whipped potatoes, candied yams, sugar snap peas, and spiced cranberry sauce. Kentucky bourbon pecan pie and pumpkin pie are among the desserts. 12-6 pm. $45 per adult, $20 for children 12 and under. A family meal pack with the same menu is also available for takeout, with prices varying by group size. Preorders begin November 17.

Stillwell’s Steakhouse: The Hotel Swexan steakhouse will offer its regular à la carte menu alongside a Thanksgiving turkey roulade with stuffing, butterscotch heirloom carrots, spiced Texas pecans, gravy, and cranberry mostarda. Bookings begin at 5 pm.

III Forks: Both Addison and Frisco locations of the steakhouse will serve a three-course Thanksgiving dinner with spice-rubbed turkey, Grandma’s gravy, cranberry-orange relish, sausage-sage cornbread dressing, creamed potatoes, maple-glazed yams, and roasted autumn vegetables. Desserts include Kentucky bourbon chocolate pecan pie and pumpkin pie cake. 11 am-8 pm. $45 per adult, $20 for children 12 and under. A turkey family meal pack is also available for takeout, with prices varying by group size. Preorders begin November 17.

Winsome Prime: Dallas restaurant will serve its full brunch menu along with a Thanksgiving dinner option of smoked turkey or Hawaiian-glazed ham with two sides, including cornbread dressing, garlic truffle mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, or greens, and cranberry sauce. Desserts include Mama’s carrot cake and sweet potato pie. 10 am-4 pm. $35 per person.

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