Eater Awards 2019: Check Out This Year’s Finalists

It’s officially that time of the year again: we’re recognizing the best and brightest in Dallas’s restaurant scene with the 2019 Eater Awards. Back in October, we asked our trusted readers to share their picks for the best new restaurant, the best design, and the best new bar of the year.

Now, it’s time to reveal the finalists. This year, there are three finalists in each of three categories: Restaurant of the Year, Design of the Year, and Bar of the Year. Without further ado, scope out this year’s Eater Awards finalists:

Restaurant of the Year

• Homewood — Marking chef Matt McCallister’s triumphant return to the Dallas dining scene after closing his groundbreaking eatery FT33 in 2018, Homewood redefines the neighborhood restaurant in a way that isn’t boring or overly complicated.
• Salaryman — The much-awaited Japanese restaurant from popular pop-up chef (and former Lucia sous) Justin Holt hasn’t been open for long, but Salaryman is already earning seriously devoted fans thanks to a detail-obsessed yakitori menu, stellar bowls of ramen, and a true izakaya-style vibe.
• Jose — Eater 2018 Chef of the Year winner Anastacia Quinones is helping Dallas diners break out of the Tex-Mex mold at Jose with her stunning aguachiles and a constantly changing selection of tacos that’s consistently inventive.

Design of the Year

• Georgie — Technically, the doors on this new steakhouse from chef Curtis Stone don’t open until today, but Georgie is an obvious contender for one of the year’s most gorgeous new restaurants thanks a to a truly luxe and sophisticated vibe that’s somehow not over-the-top.
• Ebb & Flow — Aesthetically, this newcomer perfectly blends a little Deep Ellum grunge with tons of lush greenery, including a ceiling that’s draped entirely in florals, that makes for a welcome respite from the neighborhood’s Friday night chaos.
• Paradiso — Occupying a sprawling and bright Bishop Arts space, Paradiso is stunning indoors and out thanks to luxe furnishings and finishes, tons of natural light, and a patio that’s destined to become one of the city’s most popular new drinking destinations.

Bar of the Year

• 4 Kahunas Tiki Lounge — Absolutely worth the drive (or rideshare) to Arlington from Dallas, 4 Kahunas Tiki Lounge is a tiny oasis in the up-and-coming Urban Union development that boasts intricately crafted tiki classics, along with a friendly beachy vibe and bartenders that are downright nerdy in their level of knowledge of these island-inspired cocktails.
• La Viuda Negra — Mezcal bars are finally gaining a foothold in Dallas’s drinking scene, and this small Fitzhugh Avenue cocktail destination is serving up some of the city’s most complex, palate-challenging cocktails utilizing the smoky libation and other agave-based spirits.
• The Clover Club — A true stalwart of the Dallas cocktail scene, barman Eddie “Lucky” Campbell has struck gold yet again with the Clover Club, a vintage-inspired drinking den that boasts quality pours and excellent live jazz.

Each of these nominees has opened or really come into its own since last year’s Eater Awards winners were announced in December 2018, and each were major reasons why 2019 was such a great year to dine (and drink) in Dallas. Winners will be announced — and praised endlessly — on December 10, 2019.