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A black tray holds sliced brisket, sausage, pickled veggies, and bowls of mac and cheese and potato salad.
Barbecue and mac and cheese at the Douglas in Snider Plaza.
The Douglas

11 Essential Park Cities Restaurants

Where to dine in University Park and Highland Park

by Courtney E. Smith Updated
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Barbecue and mac and cheese at the Douglas in Snider Plaza.
| The Douglas
by Courtney E. Smith Updated

The Park Cities are actual cities within a city with Highland Park and University Park forming the neighborhood. It is bordered by the Dallas North Tollway on the west, Central Expressway on the east, Northwest Highway on the North, and Lemmon/Wycliff/Fitzhugh on the south.

Don't let the perfectly groomed trees and beautifully lit shopping centers fool you. While there are luxurious spots to eat, there are just as many relaxed places for fried chicken, Thai, and Asian street food. It’s also home to the best bagels in the city and some of the top seafood restaurants.

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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.

Rex's Seafood and Market

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This is for sure the place to go for oysters with a martini and also a solid stop for fresh, seasonal seafood. One can also order some excellent sushi-grade fish here. Try the steamer bowl, and don’t overlook the seafood salads and pasta. Do make a reservation from Thursday to Saturday. It can be hard to get a walk-in table.

6713 W Northwest Hwy, Dallas, TX 75225
(214) 758-0566
(214) 758-0566

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Malai Kitchen

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Drop in for Southeast Asian cuisine, with heavy influences from Thailand and Vietnam. This spot is owned by a local husband-and-wife duo, Braden and Yasmin Wages, and the kitchen makes everything, down to its sauces, from scratch. Try the spicy crispy beef samosas to start, and then get the Ga Xao Sa (lemongrass chicken) and Kao Soi (chiang mai noodles with shrimp) to share. Pair the meal with one of six beers it brews in-house in its Southlake location. 

6130 Luther Ln, Dallas, TX 75225
(972) 373-4434
(972) 373-4434

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Montlake Cut

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One can’t go wrong with crudo or ceviche at this place and a mains menu that reads as much like a steakhouse as a seafood restaurant. But the actual piece de resistance has to be the Nick-Coise salad, named after owner Nick Badovinus. And if there’s a more extensive and impressive list of white wines in the city, we’ll eat a copy of it in our Nick-Coise.

8220 Westchester Dr b, Dallas, TX 75225
(214) 739-8220
(214) 739-8220

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Douglas Bar and Grill

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Looking for a solid plate of barbecue without leaving the Park Cities? The Douglas is top of the list. It’s also a wonderful place for a steak dinner (or lunch), and the Douglas burger is nothing to sleep on — and frankly, a daunting challenge. 

6818 Snider Plaza, Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 205-5888
(214) 205-5888

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Bubba's Cooks Country

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Get a fried chicken plate for a great price at this longstanding Dallas favorite. The mashed potatoes with cream gravy are heavenly, and the green beans are an excellent choice to convince yourself it’s healthy. Fun fact: Bubba’s also serves a mean breakfast. 

6617 Hillcrest Ave, Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 373-6527
(214) 373-6527

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Kuby's Sausage House

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Pop into the restaurant at this meat market and enjoy a lunch plate of schnitzel, wurst over sauerkraut and red cabbage, or a Ruben sandwich worth writing to the motherland about. It also does breakfast, and the German favorites include potato pancakes and kasseler rippchen with eggs and country potatoes. 

6601 Snider Plz, Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 363-2231
(214) 363-2231

Red Stix Street Food

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Fill that belly with Asian street food at this fantastic spot owned by Chef Uno Immanivong, including filling and savory rice and noodle bowls, wok-creations with a ton of available substitutions, and Roboto Japanese-style barbecue on skewers.

6501 Hillcrest Ave, Dallas, TX 75205
(972) 913-4883
(972) 913-4883

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Shug's Bagels

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If you want bagels, Shug’s is one of the top choices for the whole city. If you want a bagel-based breakfast sandwich with eggs, bacon, sausage, cheese, and pretty much any condiments your heart desires, Shug’s is where it’s at. Prepare to stand in line, especially on the weekends, knowing the wait will be worth it.

3020 Mockingbird Ln, Dallas, TX 75205
(469) 526-5050
(469) 526-5050

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Cafe Pacific

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Escape into a restaurant that’s part neighborhood, part white tablecloth steakhouse, and part European bistro. Steak and seafood are the things here, and go in for the classics: New England clam chowder, the crab Louie salad, and lemon sole almandine are highlights. 

24 Highland Park Village, Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 526-1170
(214) 526-1170

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Javier's Gourmet Mexicano

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This classic Dallas restaurant is a leader in Mexican food and serves arguably some of the best carnitas around. It also features a cigar bar and lounge, where the humidor is open, and the whiskey and tequila are free-flowing. 

4912 Cole Ave, Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 521-4211
(214) 521-4211

Also featured in:

Café Madrid

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Of course, there’s a wonderful tapas option in the Park Cities. Stop in for glasses of great Spanish wine paired with sausages and cheese from the country, carne ajo, and mejillones con azafrán o salsa de tomate (mussels in saffron sauce or tomato basil and caper sauce). And whatever you do, don’t skip the three-milk flan for dessert. 

4501 Travis St, Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 528-1731
(214) 528-1731

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Rex's Seafood and Market

6713 W Northwest Hwy, Dallas, TX 75225

This is for sure the place to go for oysters with a martini and also a solid stop for fresh, seasonal seafood. One can also order some excellent sushi-grade fish here. Try the steamer bowl, and don’t overlook the seafood salads and pasta. Do make a reservation from Thursday to Saturday. It can be hard to get a walk-in table.

6713 W Northwest Hwy, Dallas, TX 75225
(214) 758-0566
(214) 758-0566

Malai Kitchen

6130 Luther Ln, Dallas, TX 75225

Drop in for Southeast Asian cuisine, with heavy influences from Thailand and Vietnam. This spot is owned by a local husband-and-wife duo, Braden and Yasmin Wages, and the kitchen makes everything, down to its sauces, from scratch. Try the spicy crispy beef samosas to start, and then get the Ga Xao Sa (lemongrass chicken) and Kao Soi (chiang mai noodles with shrimp) to share. Pair the meal with one of six beers it brews in-house in its Southlake location. 

6130 Luther Ln, Dallas, TX 75225
(972) 373-4434
(972) 373-4434

Montlake Cut

8220 Westchester Dr b, Dallas, TX 75225

One can’t go wrong with crudo or ceviche at this place and a mains menu that reads as much like a steakhouse as a seafood restaurant. But the actual piece de resistance has to be the Nick-Coise salad, named after owner Nick Badovinus. And if there’s a more extensive and impressive list of white wines in the city, we’ll eat a copy of it in our Nick-Coise.

8220 Westchester Dr b, Dallas, TX 75225
(214) 739-8220
(214) 739-8220

Douglas Bar and Grill

6818 Snider Plaza, Dallas, TX 75205

Looking for a solid plate of barbecue without leaving the Park Cities? The Douglas is top of the list. It’s also a wonderful place for a steak dinner (or lunch), and the Douglas burger is nothing to sleep on — and frankly, a daunting challenge. 

6818 Snider Plaza, Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 205-5888
(214) 205-5888

Bubba's Cooks Country

6617 Hillcrest Ave, Dallas, TX 75205

Get a fried chicken plate for a great price at this longstanding Dallas favorite. The mashed potatoes with cream gravy are heavenly, and the green beans are an excellent choice to convince yourself it’s healthy. Fun fact: Bubba’s also serves a mean breakfast. 

6617 Hillcrest Ave, Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 373-6527
(214) 373-6527

Kuby's Sausage House

6601 Snider Plz, Dallas, TX 75205

Pop into the restaurant at this meat market and enjoy a lunch plate of schnitzel, wurst over sauerkraut and red cabbage, or a Ruben sandwich worth writing to the motherland about. It also does breakfast, and the German favorites include potato pancakes and kasseler rippchen with eggs and country potatoes. 

6601 Snider Plz, Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 363-2231
(214) 363-2231

Red Stix Street Food

6501 Hillcrest Ave, Dallas, TX 75205

Fill that belly with Asian street food at this fantastic spot owned by Chef Uno Immanivong, including filling and savory rice and noodle bowls, wok-creations with a ton of available substitutions, and Roboto Japanese-style barbecue on skewers.

6501 Hillcrest Ave, Dallas, TX 75205
(972) 913-4883
(972) 913-4883

Shug's Bagels

3020 Mockingbird Ln, Dallas, TX 75205

If you want bagels, Shug’s is one of the top choices for the whole city. If you want a bagel-based breakfast sandwich with eggs, bacon, sausage, cheese, and pretty much any condiments your heart desires, Shug’s is where it’s at. Prepare to stand in line, especially on the weekends, knowing the wait will be worth it.

3020 Mockingbird Ln, Dallas, TX 75205
(469) 526-5050
(469) 526-5050

Cafe Pacific

24 Highland Park Village, Dallas, TX 75205

Escape into a restaurant that’s part neighborhood, part white tablecloth steakhouse, and part European bistro. Steak and seafood are the things here, and go in for the classics: New England clam chowder, the crab Louie salad, and lemon sole almandine are highlights. 

24 Highland Park Village, Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 526-1170
(214) 526-1170

Javier's Gourmet Mexicano

4912 Cole Ave, Dallas, TX 75205

This classic Dallas restaurant is a leader in Mexican food and serves arguably some of the best carnitas around. It also features a cigar bar and lounge, where the humidor is open, and the whiskey and tequila are free-flowing. 

4912 Cole Ave, Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 521-4211
(214) 521-4211

Café Madrid

4501 Travis St, Dallas, TX 75205

Of course, there’s a wonderful tapas option in the Park Cities. Stop in for glasses of great Spanish wine paired with sausages and cheese from the country, carne ajo, and mejillones con azafrán o salsa de tomate (mussels in saffron sauce or tomato basil and caper sauce). And whatever you do, don’t skip the three-milk flan for dessert. 

4501 Travis St, Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 528-1731
(214) 528-1731

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