There's certainly plenty of variety on offer at this colorful restaurant and bar where you'll find everything from authentic Salvadoran fare to Mexican and Tex-Mex specialties. It's part of a successful, family-owned mini-chain (fifteen in total, including twelve in the DFW area) that got its start by opening Dallas' first Salvadoran restaurant back in 1986. As with the original, there remains a focus on dishes from Salvador with hits including the likes of pupusas, (griddled tortillas filled with cheese and meat) and fried plantains topped with sour cream. But the line-up also covers everything from tacos, enchiladas and fajitas to grilled quail, pork tenderloin and even ribeye steak. And better still, the prices are easy on the wallet, as most main courses come in at under $15. Drinks wise, expect to find an array of exotic mojitos and margaritas as well as wine, beer and sangria. Don't overlook the desserts, Gloria's tres leches cake is legendary.
Recommended for Greenville Avenue's Best Restaurants because: There's always a party vibe at Gloria's thanks to its well-priced Pan-Latin fare and killer cocktails.
Ilene's expert tip: Gloria's offers Happy Hour all day Sunday through Thursday, and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday.
Opened in 1985, destroyed by fire in 2010— and resurrected again in 2011, yet throughout it all, the popularity of this family-owned eatery and jazz bar hasn't waned. And its appeal continues, partly, no doubt, because of its feel-good vibe and reasonably priced menu of eclectic Italian fare. Not only that, but Terilli's also offers some of the best (and free) live jazz music in the Metroplex. There's a great looking rooftop patio too. As for food, the menu runs the gamut from crab claws and shrimp scampi to pastas and wood grilled specialties. However, a meal here isn't complete without an order of Italchos, a cross between nachos and pizza, with handmade pizza chips and an assortment of toppings. And be sure to check out the martini line-up, they make around fifteen unexpected combinations— including one with chocolate liqueur and vanilla vodka.
Recommended for Greenville Avenue's Best Restaurants because: There's as much buzz about the live music line-up at Terilli's as there is about the food.
Ilene's expert tip: Terilli's is open for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch, plus it offers happy hour seven days a week from 4— 7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and all day and night on Monday.
Tucked in next to the historic Granada Theater, this rustic, wood-clad restaurant and beer garden turns out an eclectic roster of farm-to-table food and inspiring cocktails, plus a terrific selection of beer— that includes at least sixty varieties by the bottle. And it's a popular spot, not just for dining before a concert next door, but also with families and in-the-know locals— thanks to its oasis-like feel, welcoming staff and refreshingly friendly prices. Plus there's an enormous rooftop patio and free live music on tap every night of the week. Ambience aside, the focus is on healthy eating with a menu (non-GMO and mostly organic) that offers something for everyone— ranging from kale Caesar salads, stuffed avocados and fully loaded flat breads to southwestern veggie chili, blackened wild salmon and grass-fed burgers. For dessert, forgo the usual offerings and try one of the adult root beer floats—loaded up with vegan ice cream and booze infused whipped cream. Weekend brunch— with eggs Benedict galore and $4 Bloody Marys is equally delicious.
Recommended for Greenville Avenue's Best Restaurants because: Sundown at Granada is a perfect place to please both herbivores and carnivores. Plus, it has one of the best rooftop terraces on the street.
Ilene's expert tip: In addition to daily happy hours Sundown offers weekly drink specials, including 1/2 price draft beers on Tuesdays, 1/2 price on whiskey & scotch on Wednesdays and half price on all bottles of wine every Thursday. Check Facebook for more details.
Don't let the lackluster strip locale fool you, this cozy Greenville Avenue mainstay set the benchmark for Middle Eastern-Mediterranean cooking, and it's still in the top rank twenty years on. And with its welcoming service, low prices and extensive repertoire of mouth-watering Turkish, Lebanese and Persian tapas offerings, it's easy to see why. The menu features everything from delicious dips— including what's been billed as the best hummus on the planet, to salads, kabobs and main courses like sautéed shrimp in pomegranate sauce and grilled quail with couscous. Not to be missed are the pirashkis, a Persian-style wrap stuffed with meat or vegetables and then pan-fried. Terrific daily specials and live Spanish guitar music on weekends— keep this place roaringly busy. Best to book ahead, just in case.
Recommended for Greenville Avenue's Best Restaurants because: Colorful, crowded and delightfully delicious, this long-established neighborhood stalwart produces Middle Eastern cooking of the highest order.
Ilene's expert tip: Cafe Izmir offers specials everyday which include things like discounted tapas and $15 bottles of house wine or sangria. Check the website for more details.
Often billed as one of the most romantic restaurants in Dallas, this much-loved neighborhood stalwart oozes old-fashioned glamour with its dimly-lit Victorian decor, intimate little nooks and a menu that shines with comforting, Francophile classics. Expect old school bistro-style dishes to cover everything from escargots to beef tartar, lobster thermidor and roasted duck. Not to be missed is the champagne brie soup, it's legendary. Equally impressive is a wine list that includes over 150 bottles from around the globe, many of which are priced at less than $50. There's also an extensive selection available by the glass too. End with one of the souffles, they never fail to impress. Keep an eye out for the three-course set menus, which can usually be found during weekend brunch and on holidays.
Recommended for Greenville Avenue's Best Restaurants because: St. Martin's is arguably one of the most romantic bistros in town, it also offers terrific live piano music every night and during Sunday brunch.
Ilene's expert tip: Be sure to check St. Martin's Facebook page for happy hours, wine tastings and special dining deals.
Finding ramen in Dallas is hardly difficult, but finding seriously slurpable soup noodles that will knock your socks off isn't always so simple. Enter Wabi House, a sleek, wood-lined izakaya-style spot that's been taking the city by storm ever since it opened on lower Greenville in 2015. Among the choice offerings are five different ramens that range from spicy miso and dry garlic to tsukemen (a dipping ramen) and an intense, pork broth packed tonkotsu with chashu, soft egg, mushrooms, butter corn, scallions and black garlic oil. They also make a killer mushroom broth-based version that packs just as big of a punch as its pork-enriched counterparts. Equally good are non-ramen options like fried shiitake mushrooms dressed up with bone marrow butter and karaage— fried chicken served up with spicy aioli and salty-sweet watermelon. Wash it all down with some sake, or better yet, go for one of the craft cocktails. We like the Greenville Escape with vodka, lime, mint, soda and honeydew puree.
Recommended for Greenville Avenue's Best Restaurants because: For seriously exceptional ramen and other tasty Japanese delights, look no further than this sleek spot.
Ilene's expert tip: Join the Wabi fan club online to receive updates on specials, perks & events. Also note that free parking is available behind the restaurant as well as on the adjacent lot near Good Records.
With its cozy, rustic surrounds, seamless service and sensibly priced repertoire of smartly executed bistro cuisine, it's easy to see why this Greenville Avenue fixture has enjoyed an enduring appeal for over four decades. In addition to a chalkboard filled with nightly specials, the menu takes a spin through Gallic greats, such as housemade charcuterie, moules frites, steak frites and roasted chicken. And it also includes hits like braised lamb tartines topped with onion jam and an onion soup that's out of this world. Speaking of hits, The Grape's signature cheeseburger (only offered on Sunday and Monday) was named best in the state by Texas Monthly. The reasonably priced wine list is of a caliber to match the food and includes around two dozen options by the glass. Be sure to save room for desserts, the chocolate terrine is simply irresistible.
Recommended for Greenville Avenue's Best Restaurants because: The Grape offers amazing bistro fare at an equally amazing price point—no wonder the place has been a Dallas mainstay of over four decades.
Ilene's expert tip: Along with monthly wine tastings and weekly specials, The Grape offers happy hour Monday through Friday with discounted wine, cocktails, beer and bar snacks. Check the website under menus for hours and details.
The folks behind Remedy have taken the traditional soda fountain concept into the 21st century by serving up-to-date versions of favorite countertop classics out of a handsomely chic space. You'll find house-made sodas in flavors like kaffir lime and Meyer lemon, sundaes topped with hemp seed brittle and an array of egg creams that can even be spiked with booze. If you're hankering for something more substantial, Remedy has that covered too. Executive chef and former Top Chef contestant Danyele McPherson whips up everything from upscale fried bologna sandwiches and pork belly BLTs to shrimp with bacon-cheddar grits and southern fried duck confit. And save room for pie, specifically the coconut pie — topped with swirls of meringue and candied coconut, it's insanely good.
Recommended for Greenville Avenue's Best Restaurants because: Remedy offers the best cocktails, milk shakes and upscale comfort food in Dallas.
Ilene's expert tip: Remedy offers $2 house-made sodas, $5 highball cocktails, $4 deviled eggs and cheeseburgers for $6.50. during its weekday happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m.
There may be a Southern tinge to the menu at Rapscallion (run by the same team behind the popular French-inspired bistro, Boulevardier in Bishop Arts) —however don't come here expecting your typical southern comfort fare. Sure, you'll find some of the usual soul food suspects (think: fried chicken, collard greens and cornbread ) coming out of the kitchen, but when was the last time you had tea brined and spit roasted fried chicken that was served with a Szechwan mala sauce? Or how about cornbread, stuffed with duck confit and topped with a blend of cultured butter and sweet sorghum? And those are not the only things going rogue on the menu, there's also everything from ras el hanout-spiced goat kebabs to duck & dumplings, grass fed pimento cheese burgers and dry aged beef carpaccio crowned with pickled mushrooms, candied peanuts and a cured egg yolk. The eclectic repertoire extends to the drinks list —where standouts include the likes of cinnamon toast punch and floats made with rum, ginger beer and horchata ice cream.
Recommended for Greenville Avenue's Best Restaurants because: For inventive food and cocktails in a laid-back setting, Rapscallion ticks all the boxes.
Ilene's expert tip: Rapscallion offers a host of specials, including Tiki cocktail Tuesdays; Throwback Thursdays- featuring 5 classic cocktails for $6 each until 7 p.m.; 1/2 price cocktails on Fridays until 7 p.m. and Sunday Night Flights - with mix and match spirits on offer from 4:30 to close.
This rustically-modern eatery, with a menu majoring in inventive farm-to-table fare— has been making waves with locals ever since it landed on Greenville Avenue at the end of 2015. Which isn't really surprising since the kitchen is headed up by one of the city's top chefs (and part owner), Graham Dodds, the same guy who put Henderson Avenue's Hibiscus restaurant on the foodie map. While the menu changes often, depending on the chef's local finds (some of which he harvests from his urban garden on the patio), expect to see everything from smoked lamb brisket with sweet onion purée and hominy flapjacks topped with braised pork to showstopping vegetarian dishes like a charcuterie board featuring lentil sausage and foie gras made with sunchoke puree. It's just as well that portions are large enough to share as you'll undoubtedly have a difficult time choosing just a few. Whatever you do, be sure to kick start your meal with one of the signature Wayward Son cocktails— made with gin, chartreuse and jalapeno.
Recommended for Greenville Avenue's Best Restaurants because: Wayward Sons is one of the most talked-about restaurants in the city.
Ilene's expert tip: Weekend brunch, served Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. is equally worthy of a visit. But be sure to reserve online in advance, the place packs in hungry crowd.