10 romantic restaurants for date night in Dallas

The most romantic restaurants in North Texas—an eclectic mix of iconic barbecue joints, taquerias, and candlelit retreats—offer a nest for every pair of love birds.

Couples who lust after beach getaways can hit a Mayan Riviera-inspired spot in Park Cities. In Uptown Dallas, a white-tablecloth dining room delivers steaks and “accessories” (filet mignon with blue cheese crust) to those craving classics with a twist. At a century-old bar and tea salon downtown, a cozy fireplace and golden ceiling set the stage for opulent romance.

Read on for a guide to the 10 most romantic restaurants in Dallas. All you need is an appetite and the cool confidence you’ll get from booking your date-night table in advance.

Diana Spechler

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Updated January 31, 2023

Haywire - Uptown Dallas

Price: Expensive

American

East Dallas

4.6

1733 reviews

The second location of this restaurant with an upscale bar atmosphere just opened in Uptown, and it’s just as much fun as the Plano Haywire. Though the vibe centers on drinking, the menu is far from pub grub. Delicious Southern dishes — fried green tomatoes, cornmeal-crusted catfish, shrimp and white-cheddar grits — meet recipes straight from the Texas-Mexico border: spicy tortilla soup, charred jalapeño creamed corn, and grilled chipotle meatloaf with smoked tomato poblano salsa. Add to that a long steak menu and any cocktail you can imagine.

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Miriam Cocina

Price: Moderate

Contemporary Mexican

Downtown

4.8

1009 reviews

If the way to your date’s heart is through the stomach, book a table at this neighborhood favorite. Dominican chef Miriam Jimenez cooks up traditional Mexican dishes, throws in a little Tex-Mex, and adds some recipes from the D.R., too. Think house-made mole, lobster tacos on blue corn tortillas, and brisket enchiladas with Oaxaca cheese. Wash dinner down with a cold Mexican beer or a michelada, or one of the house specialty cocktails, such as the house mimosa made with prosecco, Italian bitters apéritif, orange or mango habañero juice, and fresh fruit. Colorful wall art lends the space a sleek, contemporary ambiance, and the bar itself is another work of art.

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Uchi Dallas

Price: Very Expensive

Sushi

Uptown

4.8

3881 reviews

From the most celebrated collection of Japanese restaurants in Texas, Uchi makes for the perfect romantic evening in the Arts District with its low ceilings, dim lighting, high-quality sake selection, and recipes only James Beard Award-winning chef Tyson Cole could dream up. Inventive dishes include thinly sliced flounder with candied quinoa and olive oil, smoked amberjack with yuca crisp and marcona almond, and Japanese sea bream with Asian pear. Cole trained under sushi masters in Tokyo and beyond, and his name is now synonymous with greatness in the Texas sushi world. His restaurants in Austin and Houston are just as popular and impressive.

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Monarch

Price: Very Expensive

Italian

East Dallas

4.7

358 reviews

Nothing says “I love you” quite like zipping your date up the elevator of a skyscraper to the forty-ninth floor to dine surrounded by glass walls that offer the most stunning 360-degree bird’s-eye view of the city. Award-winning chef Danny Grant’s modern Italian fare includes prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella salad and a whole menu of house-made pasta dishes (the black truffle risotto is a don’t-miss). Add wine pairings and impeccable service and you’ll see why Monarch, despite its newness, is one of the most talked-about restaurants in Dallas.

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Pangea Restaurant and Bar

Price: Expensive

American

Garland

4.6

2611 reviews

Nothing spells romance quite like the unexpected, so check out this eclectic international restaurant set in the suburbs. Chef Kevin Ashade’s roots in African and Jamaican cooking fuse with recipes from all continents, rendering Pangea’s menu a round-the-world trip, all from the comfort of your table in Garland. Spacious but cozy, casual but top-quality, Pangea delivers delicacies such as snow crab scampi in creamy butter sauce, thyme- and rosemary-crusted lamb chops, and Ashade’s coq au vin that toppled Bobby Flay in Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay.

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Ocean Prime - Dallas

Price: Expensive

Seafood

Uptown

4.7

5419 reviews

America’s favorite upscale steak and seafood chain from Cameron Mitchell Restaurants is among the gems of Dallas’s Uptown fine-dining scene. If you want a romantic night out on the town, this white-tablecloth restaurant almost makes it too easy, delivering classic elegance complete with flawless wine service and mix-and-match steaks and “accessories.” That translates to dishes such as filet mignon with béarnaise sauce, blue cheese crust, or even a whole lobster tail. Like any steakhouse worth its salt, Ocean Prime’s sides — smoked gouda tater tots, black truffle mac and cheese, bacon creamed spinach — steal the show, and they’re perfect for sharing.

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Tulum

Price: Expensive

Contemporary Mexican

Turtle Creek / Oak Lawn

4.3

1093 reviews

Always delicious

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Baboush

Price: Moderate

Middle Eastern

Uptown

4.7

387 reviews

If you can’t swing a romantic getaway to Morocco, you can at least book a table at Baboush for Moroccan and Lebanese dishes served in a space modeled after a Marrakesh marketplace. Moroccan lanterns light the ceiling, brightly colored poufs accent the more conventional furnishings, and mosaic patterns throughout the restaurant complete the Eastern Mediterranean vibe. Share some hummus, kebabs, and tagines while sipping a blackberry cocktail. For dessert, the baklava is a standout.

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Reata

Price: Expensive

Southwest

Fort Worth Downtown

4.6

7497 reviews

For a one-of-a-kind cowboy dining experience, bring your date to Fort Worth’s most iconic restaurant and enjoy the Texas-centric fare, from chicken-fried steak with cracked-pepper cream gravy to jalapeño- and cilantro-crusted Texas red fish to dessert tacos with caramelized bananas and chocolate “gravy.” Since 1996, locals and tourists alike have flocked to Reata for its famous steaks, distinctly Fort Worth vibe, and fun cocktails. Try a cowboy cosmo (orange vodka, orange liqueur, cranberry, and lime), or, if you really want to impress, go for the billionaire margarita (añejo tequila, cognac, simple syrup, and lime).

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Fearing's

Price: Very Expensive

Southwest

Uptown

4.7

5833 reviews

Situated in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, the swankiest restaurant in Dallas is romantic year-round, not just on Valentine’s Day when there’s a “lover’s menu” on offer. Couples can get cozy in plush booths or belly up to the Rattlesnake Bar, as local celebrity chef Dean Fearing cooks up his famous Southwestern cuisine. Split Fearing’s version of surf and turf — barbecue-spiced beef filet and chicken-fried Maine lobster over whipped potatoes and spinach tacos with smoked tomato gravy — and don’t skimp on the wine pairings.

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