Stalwart Dallas Steakhouse Dakota’s Makes a Comeback in Downtown

Dakota’s, the legendary Downtown Dallas steakhouse that closed in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, is ready to make a comeback.

The restaurant is set to reopen its doors on September 13 after a months-long closure under new owner Meredith McEneny, wife of prolific Dallas restaurateur Tim McEneny, according to a press release. As previously reported by Eater, Dakota’s closed its doors for good in May 2020 as dining rooms across the state were forced to close their dining rooms to stem the spread of COVID-19. McEneny took over the space in January 2021, with plans to “overhaul” the restaurant’s kitchen and make aesthetic updates to the dining room.

The restaurant’s dining room is decked out in hand-cut Italian marble, classic dark-wood paneling, and gas lamps intended to evoke that classic steakhouse vibe. The collection of black and white photos, which hung on the walls at Dakota’s for its first 37 years, will also be making a comeback, and the glass-encased elevator that takes diners from the street level underground will, of course, still be in use.

Chef Ji Kang will helm the kitchen, coming to Dakota’s after helming the kitchen at Sloane’s Corner. Classic steak cuts from Allen Brothers beef will be on the menu, plus a slew of new side dishes including roasted parsnips and broccolini. At lunch, diners can score buttermilk fried chicken sandwiches and a steak frites special that’s priced at $19.84 as a nod to the restaurant’s first year in operation.

Dakota’s is set to kick open the doors for lunch and dinner service on September 13. In the meantime, diners can score a reservation via OpenTable.

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