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A platter from the omakase offerings at Sushi | Bar Dallas.
Sushi | Bar Hospitality

The 12 Hottest Restaurants in Dallas, December 2023

Hot this month are Matt McCallister’s latest kitchen, the re-opened Henry’s Majestic, and an underground omakase spot

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A platter from the omakase offerings at Sushi | Bar Dallas.
| Sushi | Bar Hospitality

New restaurants are opening rapidly in Dallas, and this map answers the vital question, “Where are the buzziest places to eat right now?”

In this month’s update of the Eater Dallas Heatmap, fall seems to be tentatively approaching. December brings a surprising opening with a kitchen helmed by Matt McCallister, the grand return of Henry’s Majestic, and an omakase sushi experience in a subterranean room.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Harvest at the Masonic

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Locals know that the former Harvest was so hard to get a reservation at that one had to plan weeks in advance. Well, this stalwart on the Square moved to a three-floor location, a renovated Masonic lodge, that should help ease the strife of getting a table. There are some new dishes on the menu, and some old favorites remain. And there are four distinct dining experiences to enjoy — the first floor has booths with artwork featuring several of the farmers and ranchers it works with, plus a gorgeous bar tucked away in the back. The second floor is a green and pink dining room built for its chef. The third floor has a more relaxed, speakeasy vibe with navy blue walls and dark wood furniture, where the whole menu is available, along with live music and a full bar. 

McRae's American Bistro & Cocktails

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Those who live in Far East Dallas know there aren’t enough good places to eat around these parts. Mike McRae, who has Table 13 in Addison and Stan’s Blue Note on Greenville, opened this bistro and it covers the gamut, food-wise. While the menu is very Texas-forward with a good dose of bar food, the mains are classic American fare: salmon, pork chop, filet mignon, halibut, and quail.

Pearl Sushi

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Looking for a new sushi spot? Look no further. Pearl is helmed by chef Shine Tamaoki, formerly of Nobu Dallas. He’s crafted the menu to reflect Japanese dishes and include flavor profiles from his hometown of Yamanashi, which sits in the shadow of Mount Fuji.

Green Point Seafood and Oyster Bar

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Brothers Greg and Nik Katz, the former of whom is behind Beverly’s and Clifton Club, opened a casual spot for lunch and dinner, with Gulf seafood, northern oysters, cocktails and bubbly, and a giant horseshoe-shaped bar.

Maison Chinoise

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What is contemporary Chinese cuisine, we asked when speaking to the chefs and owners that created this new restaurant. The best answers might be found on its menu, among the American Chinese dishes that diners already know. It’s the roasted Berkshire pork char siu, crispy pastrami egg rolls, Alaskan king crab salad, and wok-fried lamb shoulder. It’s contemporary cooking done with Chinese traditional methods with flourishes to style it.

Petra and the Beast

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The return of Misti Norris’s Petra and the Beast, in its new Lakewood location, It’s in a big, gorgeous, homey space with dining nooks, a large bar, and a chef’s counter for the food nerds who like to see not only their plates come out but what everyone is eating (and it’s a great spot to talk to the staff). Norris tells Eater Dallas she’s getting bored with the opening menu already so expect a full overhaul soon. This is a destination for food adventurers — Norris continues to play with textures, cooking methods, and flavor profiles to push boundaries.

Via Triozzi

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When we went to Via Triozzi before it opened for a photo shoot, we got to try several dishes. The bolognese served with tagliatelle became a dish we obsessed over. It’s that good. Owner an executive chef Leigh Hutchinson oversees a kitchen with daily house-made pasta (it makes a difference) and breads, and has crafted a menu from family recipes and her favorite tastes of Italy.

UnaVida

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The interview with chef Matt McCallister, who developed the menu for this spot, made it sound so good. Simple food, simply done with lots of options for vegetarians and vegans. While we’re skeptical about the QR code service experience, it’s not mandatory here and a solid all-day cafe option that doesn’t break the bank is always welcome. Especially for the work from home crowd.

Looking for lunch or an early dinner in Downtown? A new option just popped up with a pair of highly pedigreed chefs. Jennie Kelley was one of the masterminds behind Frank, a must-try pop-up that ran for years in the city, and Brandon Moore who ran the kitchen at Ocean Prime. The duo previously collaborated at Better Half. Now, they’re doing a very nice lunch and what they call “aparitivo hour” food from 3 to 7 p.m., which includes Detroit-style pizza, shared plates, natural wines, local beers, and batch cocktails.

Sushi | Bar Dallas

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Omakase anyone? This spot in the East Quarter offers a 17-course experience in a pair of subterranean rooms that hold only 12 guests. Its an intimate eating experience, obviously, with fish flown in daily from Japan, Australia, and California. A meal costs is $165 per person, with curated sake and wine pairings available at an additional cost. A $50 deposit per person is required with a reservation.

Henry's Majestic

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The wonderful Henry’s Majestic is back (in a new location) and obviously needs to land on the heatmap. If the patio at the OG spot was your jam, it’s got that and more. Like, a lot more. The outdoor space at the new Henry’s has a massive patio that is dog-friendly, features multiple fire pits, al fresco dining, live music, and a new late night program that includes food trucks on weekends. The same great food and atmosphere are there, with some new menu items, and now it’s running a zero-waste cocktail program.

F1 Smokehouse

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Graham Elliot and Felipe Amenta have opened their barbecue spot in Fort Worth. But there are no paper plates, steel trays, or rolls of paper towels here — it’s strictly china, cloth napkins, and real silverware. The menu isn’t a by-the-pound structure either, it’s strictly sandwiches and entrees presented as meals and not a vehicle for meat.

Harvest at the Masonic

Locals know that the former Harvest was so hard to get a reservation at that one had to plan weeks in advance. Well, this stalwart on the Square moved to a three-floor location, a renovated Masonic lodge, that should help ease the strife of getting a table. There are some new dishes on the menu, and some old favorites remain. And there are four distinct dining experiences to enjoy — the first floor has booths with artwork featuring several of the farmers and ranchers it works with, plus a gorgeous bar tucked away in the back. The second floor is a green and pink dining room built for its chef. The third floor has a more relaxed, speakeasy vibe with navy blue walls and dark wood furniture, where the whole menu is available, along with live music and a full bar. 

McRae's American Bistro & Cocktails

Those who live in Far East Dallas know there aren’t enough good places to eat around these parts. Mike McRae, who has Table 13 in Addison and Stan’s Blue Note on Greenville, opened this bistro and it covers the gamut, food-wise. While the menu is very Texas-forward with a good dose of bar food, the mains are classic American fare: salmon, pork chop, filet mignon, halibut, and quail.

Pearl Sushi

Looking for a new sushi spot? Look no further. Pearl is helmed by chef Shine Tamaoki, formerly of Nobu Dallas. He’s crafted the menu to reflect Japanese dishes and include flavor profiles from his hometown of Yamanashi, which sits in the shadow of Mount Fuji.

Green Point Seafood and Oyster Bar

Brothers Greg and Nik Katz, the former of whom is behind Beverly’s and Clifton Club, opened a casual spot for lunch and dinner, with Gulf seafood, northern oysters, cocktails and bubbly, and a giant horseshoe-shaped bar.

Maison Chinoise

What is contemporary Chinese cuisine, we asked when speaking to the chefs and owners that created this new restaurant. The best answers might be found on its menu, among the American Chinese dishes that diners already know. It’s the roasted Berkshire pork char siu, crispy pastrami egg rolls, Alaskan king crab salad, and wok-fried lamb shoulder. It’s contemporary cooking done with Chinese traditional methods with flourishes to style it.

Petra and the Beast

The return of Misti Norris’s Petra and the Beast, in its new Lakewood location, It’s in a big, gorgeous, homey space with dining nooks, a large bar, and a chef’s counter for the food nerds who like to see not only their plates come out but what everyone is eating (and it’s a great spot to talk to the staff). Norris tells Eater Dallas she’s getting bored with the opening menu already so expect a full overhaul soon. This is a destination for food adventurers — Norris continues to play with textures, cooking methods, and flavor profiles to push boundaries.

Via Triozzi

When we went to Via Triozzi before it opened for a photo shoot, we got to try several dishes. The bolognese served with tagliatelle became a dish we obsessed over. It’s that good. Owner an executive chef Leigh Hutchinson oversees a kitchen with daily house-made pasta (it makes a difference) and breads, and has crafted a menu from family recipes and her favorite tastes of Italy.

UnaVida

The interview with chef Matt McCallister, who developed the menu for this spot, made it sound so good. Simple food, simply done with lots of options for vegetarians and vegans. While we’re skeptical about the QR code service experience, it’s not mandatory here and a solid all-day cafe option that doesn’t break the bank is always welcome. Especially for the work from home crowd.

Fond

Looking for lunch or an early dinner in Downtown? A new option just popped up with a pair of highly pedigreed chefs. Jennie Kelley was one of the masterminds behind Frank, a must-try pop-up that ran for years in the city, and Brandon Moore who ran the kitchen at Ocean Prime. The duo previously collaborated at Better Half. Now, they’re doing a very nice lunch and what they call “aparitivo hour” food from 3 to 7 p.m., which includes Detroit-style pizza, shared plates, natural wines, local beers, and batch cocktails.

Sushi | Bar Dallas

Omakase anyone? This spot in the East Quarter offers a 17-course experience in a pair of subterranean rooms that hold only 12 guests. Its an intimate eating experience, obviously, with fish flown in daily from Japan, Australia, and California. A meal costs is $165 per person, with curated sake and wine pairings available at an additional cost. A $50 deposit per person is required with a reservation.

Henry's Majestic

The wonderful Henry’s Majestic is back (in a new location) and obviously needs to land on the heatmap. If the patio at the OG spot was your jam, it’s got that and more. Like, a lot more. The outdoor space at the new Henry’s has a massive patio that is dog-friendly, features multiple fire pits, al fresco dining, live music, and a new late night program that includes food trucks on weekends. The same great food and atmosphere are there, with some new menu items, and now it’s running a zero-waste cocktail program.

F1 Smokehouse

Graham Elliot and Felipe Amenta have opened their barbecue spot in Fort Worth. But there are no paper plates, steel trays, or rolls of paper towels here — it’s strictly china, cloth napkins, and real silverware. The menu isn’t a by-the-pound structure either, it’s strictly sandwiches and entrees presented as meals and not a vehicle for meat.

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