13 New Venues in Dallas-Fort Worth for Summer 2023 Meetings and Events

Combining Swiss tradition with Texan hospitality, the grand Hôtel Swexan opened in June in Dallas’ Harwood District. The high-design luxury property includes five culinary concepts, a 20th-floor rooftop infinity pool with 180-degree views, and a museum-quality art collection. Guests can stay in 124 guest rooms and bespoke suites equipped with best-in-class in-room amenities like five-fixture baths and floor-to-ceiling windows. Planners can use 12,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including two ballrooms and three private meeting rooms. Inspired by Parisian design, the gathering spaces feature opulent touches like custom brass chandeliers and antique fireplaces.

In February, The Pool Club at Virgin Hotels Dallas became available for private events. Located adjacent to the rooftop pool, the modern, 1,731-square-foot, coastal-inspired space is available for alfresco events for up to 123 for cocktail receptions, 50 for theater-style setups, and 27 for classroom-style events. For larger groups, the space can be reserved in conjunction with the nearby deck area, secret garden, and/or The Manor, another event space. The hotel, which offers 268 guest rooms and suites, also boasts three additional F&B outlets.

Ice House, an indoor-outdoor beer garden, opened at Omni PGA Frisco Resort in May. The casual atmosphere here offers guests a place to kick back, relax, enjoy cornhole, hit some golf balls, and have fun over Texas-sized drinks and barbecue favorites like smoked meats, fried okra, and campfire beans. Between the inside and outside, the venue seats 300 guests.

Sandman Signature Fort Worth Downtown Hotel made its debut in March in the historic W.T. Waggoner Building, a former bank originally constructed in 1920 and recognized by the National Register of Historic Places. Located one block from the Fort Worth Convention Center, the property maintains original details like teller cages, vaulted ceilings, and marble flooring. The 20-story, 245-room hotel includes three spaces for meetings that are equipped with TV screens, projector screens, webcams, and other amenities to drive productivity. The 448-square-foot Lone Star Room seats 14 around a boardroom table; the 300-square-foot Long Horn Room seats six; and the 400-square-foot Corporate Lounge accommodates 10 guests. An on-site Japanese restaurant, Musume, is set to open this summer.

Crown Block opened in April in downtown Dallas’ iconic Reunion Tower. The stylish restaurant and bar occupies the 18th floor of the building, offering guests jaw-dropping 360-degree views of the city. The kitchen focuses on steak and seafood, with standout dishes like the Rosewood Ranch strip steak, bone-in filet mignon, and salmon steak stuffed with blue crab. In addition to the main restaurant, the venue includes a 17th-floor private event space, The Crown Room, which accommodates 250 for cocktail receptions and 200 for seated meals. For smaller groups, semiprivate areas are available.

The Epic development in Dallas became home to a Komodo, a Southeast Asian-inspired restaurant, in April. Guests can enjoy dishes like Chinese barbecued pork ribs, Peking duck, crab lo mein, and Japanese wagyu beef. The space offers a cosmopolitan vibe, with artistic lighting, patterned banquettes, bright wallpaper, and illuminated cutout columns. Spanning 22,500 square feet, the contemporary, indoor-outdoor spot spans two stories and seats 270 diners. The venue also includes a tucked-away private lounge/nightclub, complete with a DJ booth and a full bar, that can be reserved for groups.

Texas culture takes center stage at Trick Rider, the upscale steak and seafood concept that opened in May at Omni PGA Frisco Resort. From the 9-foot-high crystal horse chandelier to the subtly stitched leather stars on the banquettes to the rodeo-inspired wall art, the space celebrates the Lone Star State at every turn. In total, the restaurant can seat 115 in the main dining room, 22 at the horseshoe-shaped bar, and 15 in the private dining room. The menu features in-house dry-aged meats and imported seafood, with elegant dishes like Australian lobster tail, rack of Colorado lamb, and tomahawk steaks.

May brought the debut of The Saint, an Italian-inspired steakhouse with a Texas twist. The menu emphasizes ingredients sourced locally in Texas, like mushrooms from Arlington, ricotta cheese from Dallas, and beef from Ennis and Houston. Guests can savor dishes like bluefin tuna crudo, Texas quail picatta, and (of course) a robust selection of top-quality steaks. The ambiance follows a sinners-and-saints theme, with contrasting elements like moody lighting, playful wallpaper patterns, soft leather chairs, and exposed ceiling beams. In total, the 4,900-square-foot venue seats 120 guests in the dining room, 12 at the bar, and 12 in the private dining room.

Authentic Korean barbecue spot JOA opened in Koreatown in April. The 4,000-square-foot space seats 110 and offers an inviting atmosphere and approachable menu. Meat takes center stage here, with options including beef, pork, shrimp, and rack of lamb, all of which are served with shareable sides like pickled vegetables, chilled cucumber soup, and potato salad.

Mister O1 opened its second location in the area in May. The pizza concept specializes in artisanal, thin-crust pies made with outstanding ingredients, complemented with calzones, salads, burrata, and a robust menu of Italian wine and beer. The modern eatery in Grapevine measures 4,000 square feet and seats 50 inside. Eight additional seats are available on the patio.

A third location of Leela’s Pizza & Wine opened in Uptown Dallas in April. The bar serves 16 wines on tap, which guests can enjoy alongside Roman-style pizza, fresh salads, and shareable boards. Adorned with warm woods and live greenery, the 1,700-square-foot neighborhood restaurant seats 68 guests.

Set in Deep Ellum’s historic Continental Gin Building, retro-inspired martini bar Tina’s Continental debuted in April. Spanning 800 square feet, the upbeat venue seats 43. In addition to beer, wine, and cocktails, the menu offers two categories of martinis: a "designer series" of six artisan concoctions and a “custom build” option for guests to choose their own ingredients.

Also new to Omni PGA Frisco Resort is Lounge by Topgolf, an upscale sports bar with craft cocktails, a chef-driven menu, and immersive fun. Diners can munch on elevated dishes like green pea hummus, Arctic salmon with couscous, and smokehouse pizza. In the Swing Suites, small groups can gather to practice their games on a high-tech simulator or play video games like bowling and hockey. The space seats 200 guests in total, with the simulator bays serving as natural gathering spots for smaller parties.