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Sushi Bayashi at Trinity Groves.
Sushi Bayashi at Trinity Groves.
K. Davidson

The Hottest Restaurants in Dallas Right Now, March 2015

A monthly guide to the latest and greatest in Dallas dining.

by Whitney Filloon
View as Map
Sushi Bayashi at Trinity Groves.
| K. Davidson
by Whitney Filloon

It's time for a fresh update of the Eater Dallas Heatmap, a monthly guide intended to answer the age-old question: "Where should I eat tonight?"

New additions to the March Heatmap include a Trinity Groves ramen and sushi destination and two new Deep Ellum spots specializing in sausage and beer, respectively.

Added: Braindead Brewing, Luscher's, Sushi Bayashi

Removed: TJ's Seafood Market

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Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

1. Blind Butcher

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1919 Greenville Ave.
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 887-0000
(214) 887-0000
Visit Website
Avowed carnivores will feel right at home at this dark Lowest Greenville bar from Goodfriend owners Matt Tobin and Josh Yingling and chef Oliver Sitrin. Poutine is trendy right now, but nobody does it quite like Blind Butcher, particularly the insanely delicious duck version. Other menu standouts include the "tripe and tails," spicy fried pig ears, and the selection of handmade sausages (the chicken variation is always changing, and always good).

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2. Knife

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5300 E Mockingbird Ln
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 443-9339
(214) 443-9339
Visit Website
John Tesar's house of meats at The Highland Dallas is putting a fresh spin on the classic steakhouse with unusual (and unusually affordable) cuts like tri-tip and culotte. The bacon tasting gets a lot of attention, but the sleeper hit of the menu is the housemade blood sausage. The Ozersky burger is a must, and a bargain at only 12 bucks.

Also Featured in:

3. Proof + Pantry

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1722 Routh St Ste 102
Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 880-9940
(214) 880-9940
Visit Website
Misery Loves Co. (that's Driftwood partners Michael Martensen and Sal Jafar II) and chef Kyle McClelland are giving One Arts Plaza a much-needed injection of something new and exciting with a well-edited cocktail menu and shareable plates like roast chicken and a fancy ham tasting. Bone marrow with onion marshmallows sounds strange but tastes delicious.

4. Clark Food & Wine Co.

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1920 Greenville Ave
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 515-5500
(214) 515-5500
Visit Website
Craft cocktails, wine on tap, and smoked proteins galore await at this Lowest Greenville spot from chef Randall Warder. Expect trendy items like avocado toast, bone marrow, and things in jars (e.g. smoked fish dip and awesome pork rillettes) in a rustic-but-sleek, laid-back setting. Even "BBQ Snob" Daniel Vaughn was impressed by the smoked shrimp and Arctic char.

5. Henry's Majestic

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4900 McKinney Ave
Dallas, TX 75205
(469) 893-9400
(469) 893-9400
Visit Website
Killer cocktails from barman Alex Fletcher (including tasty draft options like the Vietnamese coffee-inspired 8AM) and a great patio make the newest venture from the Bread Winners team worth a visit. On the food side of things, expect housemade potato chips with creamy onion dip, oysters with pancetta and kimchi butter, and a burger dialed up with bone marrow from Hell's Kitchen contestant Roe DiLeo.

Also Featured in:

6. Neighborhood Services

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Village on the Parkway, 5100 Belt Line Road
Dallas, TX 75254
(972) 789-9639
(972) 789-9639
Visit Website
Nick Badovinus knocks it out of the park yet again with the newest addition to the NHS family. Expect the same NHS flavors you've known and loved with some new twists, including dishes like buffalo quail legs, chicken fricassee pot pie, and dry-aged steaks alongside fantastic cocktails.

7. OSO Food & Wine

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11910 Preston Rd
Dallas, TX 75230
(972) 789-1630
(972) 789-1630
Visit Website
Industry vets Michael Cox and Kelly Hightower are dazzling diners with a modern spin on Mediterranean flavors in a chic, colorful dining room. A giant pork chop milanese gets fresh with an herbal salsa verde, bacon-wrapped dates are stuffed with spicy pork chorizo, and a luscious braised lamb shank rests on a bed of fluffy apricot-studded couscous.

8. Remedy

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2010 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, TX 75206
(469) 294-4012
(469) 294-4012
Visit Website
This 1920's soda fountain-themed sibling of neighbor HG Sply Co. is already knocking it out of the park with modern versions of homey favorites like perfect fried chicken with mashed potatoes and a killer housemade bologna sandwich. Cocktails are inventive and delicious (think a kaffir lime rickey), and do not skip the dessert menu, with daily rotating options like a dark chocolate grasshopper pie and potato chip-laden sundaes. The 90's hiphop soundtrack is a nice touch.

Also Featured in:

9. Small BrewPub

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333 West Jefferson Boulevard
Dallas, TX 75208
Visit Website
The first of many exciting new additions to the Jefferson Tower redevelopment, head to Small for interesting beers, tasty and fairly priced cocktails, and a very creative menu from former FT33 sous chef Misti Norris that includes items like pig trotters, fried chicken feet, and fantastic housemade charcuterie. Leslie Brenner recently gave it three stars, no small feat for a bar.

10. Cafe Momentum

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1510 Pacific Ave
Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 303-1234
(214) 303-1234
Visit Website
Charitable pop-up sensation Cafe Momentum has found a permanent home downtown, and the kitchen of talented young men led by Chad Houser, Eric Shelton, and Justin Box is putting out refined dishes like smoked carrot pappardelle with mole chicken sausage and octopus tiradito with aji amarillo. Former Oak pastry chef Sarah Green is on desserts, but best of all: The cost of your meal goes to supporting one of the most worthy organizations in town.

Also Featured in:

11. Public School 214

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3700 McKinney Ave #148
Dallas, TX 75204
(214) 599-6234
(214) 599-6234
Visit Website
Uptown is seriously psyched for the arrival of PS214, thanks to a creative menu of fancy scratch-made bar bites like buffalo cauliflower, bacon and cheddar-stuffed tots, and chorizo mac and cheese topped with crunchy salt and vinegar potato chips. Cocktails are made with fresh juices and housemade syrups and bitters, and craft beer drinkers will find plenty to their liking. Bonus: Nutella ice cream sandwiches.

12. Smoke

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2408 Preston Rd
Plano, TX 75093
(972) 599-2222
(972) 599-2222
Visit Website
Tim Byres' unique brand of "new firewood cooking" is reaching new heights at Smoke's West Plano branch thanks to an impressive custom-built hearth in the kitchen. The Marfa-cool dining room is reminiscent of the Belmont Hotel original without being a carbon copy. Expect Smoke classics like "The Big Rib" and cabrito masa pie.

13. Braindead Brewing

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2625 Main Street
Dallas, TX 75226
(469) 286-9005
(469) 286-9005
Visit Website
Deep Ellum gets its very own brewpub with the arrival of laid-back Braindead. The house-brewed beers aren't ready for drinking just yet, but fret not, there's plenty of other stuff on tap. The menu by chef David Pena includes everything from housemade chicharrones and fancy popcorn cooked in duck fat to mussels cooked in wheat beer and the formidable T.A.B.L.E. sandwich (housemade bacon, honey sriracha aioli, arugula, tomato, avocado, and a fried egg on sourdough), and everything's made from scratch.

14. Luscher's Red Hots

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2653 Commerce Street
Dallas, TX 75226
Visit Website
The highly anticipated Deep Ellum spot from The Grape chef-owner Brian Luscher was more than worth the wait. Can't go wrong with the Wagyu Italian beef with housemade giardiniera, or gild the lily with "The Combo" (which tacks on a housemade Italian sausage link). The juicy Uncle Herky burger is also a must-try. Don't skip the fries, skin-on beauties that remain crispy even after they cool off.

15. Sushi Bayashi

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3011 Gulden Ln #106
Dallas, TX 75212
(972) 684-5906
(972) 684-5906
Visit Website
Sushi has joined the Trinity Groves lineup, and Yuki Hirabayashi is offering the neighborhood a true taste of Tokyo. The tonkotsu ramen is one of the city's better versions, and there are many other unique dishes you won't find elsewhere, from dessert udon (it's kind of like a funnel cake) to Chanpon noodles, a mixture of seafood and pork belly in a soy milk-laced pork and chicken broth.

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1. Blind Butcher

1919 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX 75206
Avowed carnivores will feel right at home at this dark Lowest Greenville bar from Goodfriend owners Matt Tobin and Josh Yingling and chef Oliver Sitrin. Poutine is trendy right now, but nobody does it quite like Blind Butcher, particularly the insanely delicious duck version. Other menu standouts include the "tripe and tails," spicy fried pig ears, and the selection of handmade sausages (the chicken variation is always changing, and always good).
1919 Greenville Ave.
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 887-0000
Visit Website

2. Knife

5300 E Mockingbird Ln, Dallas, TX 75206
John Tesar's house of meats at The Highland Dallas is putting a fresh spin on the classic steakhouse with unusual (and unusually affordable) cuts like tri-tip and culotte. The bacon tasting gets a lot of attention, but the sleeper hit of the menu is the housemade blood sausage. The Ozersky burger is a must, and a bargain at only 12 bucks.
5300 E Mockingbird Ln
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 443-9339
Visit Website

3. Proof + Pantry

1722 Routh St Ste 102, Dallas, TX 75201
Misery Loves Co. (that's Driftwood partners Michael Martensen and Sal Jafar II) and chef Kyle McClelland are giving One Arts Plaza a much-needed injection of something new and exciting with a well-edited cocktail menu and shareable plates like roast chicken and a fancy ham tasting. Bone marrow with onion marshmallows sounds strange but tastes delicious.
1722 Routh St Ste 102
Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 880-9940
Visit Website

4. Clark Food & Wine Co.

1920 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75206
Craft cocktails, wine on tap, and smoked proteins galore await at this Lowest Greenville spot from chef Randall Warder. Expect trendy items like avocado toast, bone marrow, and things in jars (e.g. smoked fish dip and awesome pork rillettes) in a rustic-but-sleek, laid-back setting. Even "BBQ Snob" Daniel Vaughn was impressed by the smoked shrimp and Arctic char.
1920 Greenville Ave
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 515-5500
Visit Website

5. Henry's Majestic

4900 McKinney Ave, Dallas, TX 75205
Killer cocktails from barman Alex Fletcher (including tasty draft options like the Vietnamese coffee-inspired 8AM) and a great patio make the newest venture from the Bread Winners team worth a visit. On the food side of things, expect housemade potato chips with creamy onion dip, oysters with pancetta and kimchi butter, and a burger dialed up with bone marrow from Hell's Kitchen contestant Roe DiLeo.
4900 McKinney Ave
Dallas, TX 75205
(469) 893-9400
Visit Website

6. Neighborhood Services

Village on the Parkway, 5100 Belt Line Road, Dallas, TX 75254
Nick Badovinus knocks it out of the park yet again with the newest addition to the NHS family. Expect the same NHS flavors you've known and loved with some new twists, including dishes like buffalo quail legs, chicken fricassee pot pie, and dry-aged steaks alongside fantastic cocktails.
Village on the Parkway, 5100 Belt Line Road
Dallas, TX 75254
(972) 789-9639
Visit Website

7. OSO Food & Wine

11910 Preston Rd, Dallas, TX 75230
Industry vets Michael Cox and Kelly Hightower are dazzling diners with a modern spin on Mediterranean flavors in a chic, colorful dining room. A giant pork chop milanese gets fresh with an herbal salsa verde, bacon-wrapped dates are stuffed with spicy pork chorizo, and a luscious braised lamb shank rests on a bed of fluffy apricot-studded couscous.
11910 Preston Rd
Dallas, TX 75230
(972) 789-1630
Visit Website

8. Remedy

2010 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX 75206
This 1920's soda fountain-themed sibling of neighbor HG Sply Co. is already knocking it out of the park with modern versions of homey favorites like perfect fried chicken with mashed potatoes and a killer housemade bologna sandwich. Cocktails are inventive and delicious (think a kaffir lime rickey), and do not skip the dessert menu, with daily rotating options like a dark chocolate grasshopper pie and potato chip-laden sundaes. The 90's hiphop soundtrack is a nice touch.
2010 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, TX 75206
(469) 294-4012
Visit Website

9. Small BrewPub

333 West Jefferson Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75208
The first of many exciting new additions to the Jefferson Tower redevelopment, head to Small for interesting beers, tasty and fairly priced cocktails, and a very creative menu from former FT33 sous chef Misti Norris that includes items like pig trotters, fried chicken feet, and fantastic housemade charcuterie. Leslie Brenner recently gave it three stars, no small feat for a bar.
333 West Jefferson Boulevard
Dallas, TX 75208
Visit Website

10. Cafe Momentum

1510 Pacific Ave, Dallas, TX 75201
Charitable pop-up sensation Cafe Momentum has found a permanent home downtown, and the kitchen of talented young men led by Chad Houser, Eric Shelton, and Justin Box is putting out refined dishes like smoked carrot pappardelle with mole chicken sausage and octopus tiradito with aji amarillo. Former Oak pastry chef Sarah Green is on desserts, but best of all: The cost of your meal goes to supporting one of the most worthy organizations in town.
1510 Pacific Ave
Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 303-1234
Visit Website

11. Public School 214

3700 McKinney Ave #148, Dallas, TX 75204
Uptown is seriously psyched for the arrival of PS214, thanks to a creative menu of fancy scratch-made bar bites like buffalo cauliflower, bacon and cheddar-stuffed tots, and chorizo mac and cheese topped with crunchy salt and vinegar potato chips. Cocktails are made with fresh juices and housemade syrups and bitters, and craft beer drinkers will find plenty to their liking. Bonus: Nutella ice cream sandwiches.
3700 McKinney Ave #148
Dallas, TX 75204
(214) 599-6234
Visit Website

12. Smoke

2408 Preston Rd, Plano, TX 75093
Tim Byres' unique brand of "new firewood cooking" is reaching new heights at Smoke's West Plano branch thanks to an impressive custom-built hearth in the kitchen. The Marfa-cool dining room is reminiscent of the Belmont Hotel original without being a carbon copy. Expect Smoke classics like "The Big Rib" and cabrito masa pie.
2408 Preston Rd
Plano, TX 75093
(972) 599-2222
Visit Website

13. Braindead Brewing

2625 Main Street, Dallas, TX 75226
Deep Ellum gets its very own brewpub with the arrival of laid-back Braindead. The house-brewed beers aren't ready for drinking just yet, but fret not, there's plenty of other stuff on tap. The menu by chef David Pena includes everything from housemade chicharrones and fancy popcorn cooked in duck fat to mussels cooked in wheat beer and the formidable T.A.B.L.E. sandwich (housemade bacon, honey sriracha aioli, arugula, tomato, avocado, and a fried egg on sourdough), and everything's made from scratch.
2625 Main Street
Dallas, TX 75226
(469) 286-9005
Visit Website

14. Luscher's Red Hots

2653 Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75226
The highly anticipated Deep Ellum spot from The Grape chef-owner Brian Luscher was more than worth the wait. Can't go wrong with the Wagyu Italian beef with housemade giardiniera, or gild the lily with "The Combo" (which tacks on a housemade Italian sausage link). The juicy Uncle Herky burger is also a must-try. Don't skip the fries, skin-on beauties that remain crispy even after they cool off.
2653 Commerce Street
Dallas, TX 75226
Visit Website

15. Sushi Bayashi

3011 Gulden Ln #106, Dallas, TX 75212
Sushi has joined the Trinity Groves lineup, and Yuki Hirabayashi is offering the neighborhood a true taste of Tokyo. The tonkotsu ramen is one of the city's better versions, and there are many other unique dishes you won't find elsewhere, from dessert udon (it's kind of like a funnel cake) to Chanpon noodles, a mixture of seafood and pork belly in a soy milk-laced pork and chicken broth.
3011 Gulden Ln #106
Dallas, TX 75212
(972) 684-5906
Visit Website

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