James Beard award-winning chef Tyson Cole's Austin-based sushi paradise has been a hot-ticket reservation since the restaurant opened near Uptown in 2015. And for good reason: The menu features an exquisite lineup of nigiri and sashimi as well as innovative takes on Japanese dishes. Fresh, high-quality ingredients shine with crowd-pleasers like thinly sliced flounder with candied quinoa, and oak-grilled escolar dressed in ponzu and citrus marmalade. The drinks list impresses as much as the food. Don't even think about skipping the fried milk for dessert. Pro tip: The restaurant keeps around 40% of its tables available to walk-ins, plus you can find many of the same menu items upstairs at Uchiba.
Recommended for Best Restaurants because: Uchi is where to go when you want to dine out at someplace trendy and indulge in inventive Japanese small plates.
Ilene's expert tip: For discounted bites and drinks, check out Uchi's happy hour, daily from 4 to 6:30 p.m.
After closing temporarily in late 2021, this legendary steakhouse atop the Hilton Anatole hotel has now reopened. And if the views alone don't wow you, then the food surely will. Now under the direction of executive chef Richard Hoffmann, the globally inspired menu focuses on hand-selected, top-quality USDA Prime beef, American Texas Wagyu, and specialty game along with fresh fish and seafood. Start off with bone marrow slathered in green apple butter, then follow up with one of the prime steaks, all of which can be enhanced with add-ons like a blue cheese crust or foie gras. If beef isn't your thing, consider the grilled elk rack with mango chipotle chutney. To compliment the meal, find handcrafted cocktails, and a global wine collection boasting over 350 varietals.
Recommended for Best Restaurants because: SER is where to go for a special night to remember.
Ilene's expert tip: Score $10 cocktails and glasses of wine, Tuesday- Thursday 5-6:30 p.m. Be sure to have your valet parking ticket validated before leaving.
From its start, Cafe Momentum has had all the makings of a great restaurant: a relaxed ambiance, reasonable pricing, and creatively prepared food. But above all, this place doubles as a nonprofit that provides culinary training to at-risk youth. Featuring a seasonal New American menu, dishes run the gamut from house-made charcuterie platters to smoked fried chicken with all the fixings and coffee-rubbed, locally sourced NY strip. Drink-wise, there's a terrific selection of wine starting at $25 a bottle as well as craft beer. Also, because the staff is paid a living wage, any tip you wish to leave will be considered a donation to the restaurant's mission.
Recommended for Best Restaurants because: Cafe Momentum is a terrific, reasonably priced option for date night as well as a family get-together.
Ilene's expert tip: Complimentary valet parking is available in the parking garage adjacent to the restaurant.
Named by the New York Times 2022 list of "50 places in America we're most excited about right now," Sister is the sibling to Design District hot spot, The Charles. The restaurant showcases Italian-Mediterranean inspired cuisine in a playful, relaxed setting intended to evoke a neighborhood trattoria vibe. The menu boasts house made pastas and wood-fired specialties some of which include a grilled za'atar focaccia topped with mortadella and giardiniera relish, chicken marsala with black truffles, and a take on pasta Bolognese made with wild boar and rye mafaldine pasta. A succinct list of mostly Italian wines and cocktails are also on offer. The banana budino is a must for dessert.
Recommended for Best Restaurants because: Sister is a terrific dining option for a date night.
Ilene's expert tip: Try to snag a table on the patio. Reserve in advance, spots fill up fast.
This sleek, moodily lit Dallas Arts District haunt has long been lauded as one of the city's best Japanese restaurants. Helmed by renowned chef Teiichi Sakurai, the extensive menu features an array of sushi and sashimi (flown in fresh from Kyushu, Japan) along with a variety of both raw and cooked dishes. Sakurai's specialty is hand-crafted soba noodles, which can be ordered cold or warm and come with an assortment of rich broths and sauces. The omakase (tasting menu), while not easy on the wallet, is the best way to experience all Tei-An has to offer. Don't skip dessert, the soba ice cream with black honey is worth saving space for. Did we mention the rooftop terrace?
Recommended for Best Restaurants because: When you want to venture beyond the usual sushi selections, Tei-An promises an tasteful experience on every plate.
Ilene's expert tip: Tei-An offers 3 omakase experiences, ranging from a pre-theatre 4-course for $100 (available the first hour of opening time) to a base omakase for $120 and a premium omakase for $250. All omakase dinners must be reserved at least three days ahead. Note that there is a self-parking garage as well as a valet available.
Meaning 1-2-3 in Vietnamese, chef Peja Krsticthat's tiny Lakewood eatery has garnered rave reviews by local and national critics alike as a destination for first-rate cooking. The specialty is modern French Vietnamese cuisine, which translates to imaginative, colorful dishes such as steamed buns filled with braised brisket and topped with shallot marmalade; kimchi-foie gras dumplings; and a banana leaf wrapped grouper tossed with jasmine rice teaming with herbs, jicama, peanuts, and sweet lap cheong sausage. To drink? The Southern Buddhist, with hibiscus infused gin, citrus and lemoncello. Desserts like buttermilk beignets with chocolate ganache and coconut creme are also not to be missed.
Recommended for Best Restaurants because: Mot Hai Ba is the only place in the metroplex that features an inventive take on Vietnamese cuisine.
Ilene's expert tip: Score 20% off all wines, by the bottle or glass on Wednesdays. Note that this isn't a place for large groups. Also, it's best to reserve before coming.
Arguably one of the best Italian eateries in the city is now located in the space that formerly housed sibling restaurant, Macellaio's. Which means, diners will not only find Lucia's rotating menu of house-cured meats, handmade pastas, wild game, and seafood, but also enjoy it all in larger digs complete with an al-fresco patio. The menu changes seasonally, but recent arrivals include dishes like semolina gnocchi with mushrooms and crispy chicken skin, and a duck leg stuffed with foie gras sausage and figs. Must-tries include housemade charcuterie and foie-gras-stuffed prunes. Desserts are also worth pursuing.
Recommended for Best Restaurants because: Lucia is the place to go when you crave authentic Italian, but can't spare the time or dime to go to Italy.
Ilene's expert tip: There is a small parking lot behind the restaurant as well as a parking lot at the corner N. Bishop and 9th. Reservations open every day at 9 a.m., and all reservations must be made through the website. Also note that you can place your name on a wait list to be notified in the case of cancellations.
More than a decade in, celebrity chef Dean Fearing's eponymous restaurant in the swanky Uptown Ritz Carlton remains a consistent favorite with its sophisticated (yet unpretentious) vibe and locally sourced, modern Southwestern cuisine. The menu shuffles often, but expect to see things like barbecue shrimp tacos; chicken fried quail; glazed antelope; and some of the tastiest Texas Wagyu-Angus steaks in town. Pro tip: snag a seat in Dean's kitchen where you can have a ringside view of the action and perhaps a chat with the exuberant Fearing himself. Save space for the banana pudding tart or anything chocolate.
Recommended for Best Restaurants because: Fearing's is where to go when you fancy a special dinner out on the town.
Ilene's expert tip: If you can't score a table in the restaurant, you can enjoy a meal in the Rattlesnake Bar without a reservation. Also, don't miss the free guacamole and mini-margaritas on offer at 6 p.m. in the hotel lobby. Note: Valet parking is free for guests of Fearing's.
Located in an alley that was once cutoff from public access, this Deep Ellum cantina comes by way of James Beard-nominated chef Regino Rojas of Revolver Taco Lounge and La Resistencia tasting room. As with his other restaurants, Gastro Cantina is an all in the family affair with a menu that draws on Rojas' Michoacan roots as well as the multi-cultural culinary influences of Mexico. Standouts include grilled Japanese Hamachi collar served with handmade corn tortillas and pineapple pico de gallo, and wontons stuffed with Michoacan style cabrito birria. Also on offer are tacos loaded with everything from seared duck breast and grilled trout. Don't sleep on the cocktail lineup or the Sunday brunch buffet.
Recommended for Best Restaurants because: Gastro Cantina is where to go for creative Mexican food in low-key surrounds.
Ilene's expert tip: Score 5 Michoacán style enchiladas or 3 mini pork carnitas tacos along with Mexican beer for $15 during Happy Hour, from 3-6 p.m. Monday-Friday. Margaritas are ½ price too.
Chef Junior Borges' sleek Brazilian restaurant has been a runaway hit since opening in the Village entertainment district in 2021. And it's easy to see why. Unlike typical rodizio-style steakhouses, Borges pays tribute to his cultural heritage by presenting a modernized version of his home country's diverse cuisine. Expect to find everything from Asian-inspired fluke tartare served with bonito cream and finger lime vinaigrette to piri piri chicken, wagyu picanha, and a superb wood-fired whole octopus with green garlic-chili vinaigrette. The best way to tackle the menu is to come with friends who like to share. Whatever you order, don't pass up the daily bread course.
Recommended for Best Restaurants because: Meridian is where to go when you want innovative Brazilian food and cocktails.
Ilene's expert tip: Score Happy Hour specials on select snacks, cocktails, wines by the glass and bottled beers from 4:30 to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. Note that there is complimentary valet parking, just be sure to pick up a validation ticket when you dine. There is also self-parking available in the garage for $3.