Date Night in Dallas: Where to Eat and What to Do After

A good date night in Dallas is a pair: one table, then one next stop within a short walk or a quick hop. The easiest pairings are dinner at Tei-An and a stroll through Klyde Warren Park in Downtown, barbecue at Pecan Lodge and a show at Trees in Deep Ellum, handmade pasta at Lucia and pie at Emporium Pies in Bishop Arts District, and sushi at Nobu Dallas with a drink at Katy Trail Ice House in Uptown. Every place below is inside the city of Dallas, Texas.

In Dallas, the second stop is what makes it a date, so pick the pair before you pick the restaurant.

How we chose

We checked each place against its own official site or official social page and kept only the ones that showed as currently open. We looked for pairs that sit on the same street or in the same district, so the evening does not turn into a parking exercise. Several well-known names did not make the cut because we could not confirm they are operating or are still where older write-ups put them.

We split the picks into budget and splurge. We deliberately give no dollar figures for meals, because menus change; we only quote prices and hours that an official page lists, and we phrase hours as typical. Check each official site before you go.

Where should you start: Downtown and the Arts District?

Start in the Dallas Arts District if you want an elegant evening you can mostly do on foot. The area pairs quiet Japanese dining with a free park and the AT&T Performing Arts Center's halls. See our Downtown guide and Dallas Arts District guide for more.

Pair 1 (mid-range): Tei-An, then Klyde Warren Park

Tei-An at 1722 Routh Street, Suite 110, in the Dallas Arts District is a soba house, and its official site names soba as the house specialty. It also offers a sixteen-seat omakase, which is the move if you want a slower, more special dinner. Dinner is typically served Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday 5 to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday 5 to 11 p.m.; Monday is not on the schedule. Book through the official site.

Afterward, walk to Klyde Warren Park at 2012 Woodall Rodgers Freeway, the deck park that connects Downtown with Uptown. It is typically open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., so you can end the night on a lawn rather than in a parking garage. The park's official calendar lists evening events, so check it before you go.

On a third Friday, add a free stop: the Nasher Sculpture Center at 2001 Flora Street, a few minutes from Tei-An, keeps a free late-night program called 'til Midnight on the third Friday of the month from 6 p.m. to midnight, March through October according to its official site. It is out of season in winter, when the museum is typically open Wednesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Pair 2 (splurge): Crown Block, then the Winspear Opera House

Crown Block at 300 Reunion Boulevard East, in Downtown Dallas, is the big-night steakhouse at Reunion Tower. Its official site lists steakhouse, sushi and seafood menus, takes reservations online, and says the restaurant is in the Michelin Guide for 2024, 2025 and 2026. Dinner is typically Monday to Thursday 5 to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 5 to 11 p.m., with Sunday dinner typically 5 to 9 p.m.

The next stop is a short drive away: the Winspear Opera House at 2403 Flora Street in the Dallas Arts District, a venue run by the AT&T Performing Arts Center. It has no standing hours, because it opens around its performance calendar. Pick a show first and book dinner to match.

What is the Deep Ellum date night?

Deep Ellum is the casual, loud, live-music option: barbecue first, then a show or a late bar, all within a couple of blocks. Read more in our Deep Ellum guide.

Pair 3 (budget to mid-range): Pecan Lodge, then Trees

Pecan Lodge at 2702 Main Street in Deep Ellum is a counter-service barbecue spot and our pick for the Deep Ellum dinner. Its official site lists typical hours of Monday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Because it closes earlier than most date-night spots, make it an early dinner and plan the show for later. Order to share.

Then walk to Trees at 2709 Elm Street, a live-music venue. It has no fixed hours: doors are usually between 6 and 8 p.m. on show nights, with the music starting about an hour later. Its calendar is on its official site, and its FAQ says bags cannot exceed 14 by 14 by 6 inches, so leave the big tote at home.

Pair 4 (budget): Brick and Bones, then Armoury D.E.

If you want no show at all, Brick and Bones at 2651 Commerce Street in Deep Ellum is typically open seven days a week from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., with Sunday brunch typically 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Its official site lists forbidden chicken with rice and avocado lime sauce on the menu.

Finish at Armoury D.E. at 2714 Elm Street, a bar that typically opens Monday to Friday at 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m., closing at 2 a.m. Its official site says it does not take reservations, so go early on weekends. It sits on the same stretch of Elm as Trees, so you can combine both if a show ends early.

What is the Bishop Arts District date night?

Bishop Arts District in Oak Cliff is the most walkable pair on this list, because the best stops share one street. This is part of Oak Cliff; the district page is Bishop Arts District.

Pair 5 (splurge): Lucia, then Emporium Pies

Lucia at 287 North Bishop Avenue in Bishop Arts District is an Italian dining room whose official site lists house-cured salumi, handmade pasta and freshly baked bread. The dining room is typically open Tuesday to Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m. Book ahead; it is a small room and a date-night staple.

For dessert, walk to Emporium Pies at 314 North Bishop Avenue, the flagship shop. It is typically open Sunday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., so a late dessert works. Its official site names pies such as The Drunken Nut and Lord of the Pies. Its Bishop Arts shop also has a 15-minute pie pickup spot if you want to take a slice to go.

What is the Uptown date night?

Uptown is the polished option, and it has a free ride built in. See our Uptown guide for the neighborhood.

Pair 6 (splurge to budget): Nobu Dallas, then Katy Trail Ice House

Nobu Dallas at 400 Crescent Court in Uptown names Black Cod Miso as its recommended dish. Dinner is typically Sunday to Thursday 5 to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 5 to 10:30 p.m., with happy hour typically Sunday to Thursday 5 to 7 p.m. That happy hour is the cheaper way into a splurge restaurant.

Next, relax at Katy Trail Ice House at 3127 Routh Street, a casual beer garden. Its official site lists a 50-beer tap list, a dog-friendly patio and barbecue smoked Thursday to Sunday. Katy Trail Ice House is typically open Monday to Friday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.; call (214) 468-0600 or check its official site first.

The free date-night ride: the M-Line Trolley

The McKinney Avenue Trolley (M-Line) is the easiest free date in Dallas. The Uptown trolley is free for riders, because sponsors cover it, and the official site only asks for optional donations in the fare box. It runs 365 days a year, typically Monday to Thursday 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday 7 a.m. to midnight, Saturday 10 a.m. to midnight and Sunday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Use it to hop along McKinney Avenue; the route map is on the official MATA site.

What is the easiest one-evening date route in Dallas?

The route below is our favorite for a first date, because it moves from dinner to a walk without a car.

1. Book a table at Tei-An in the Dallas Arts District for an early dinner, and check its official page for the hours.
2. Walk to Klyde Warren Park and stay as long as you like before it closes.
3. If it is the third Friday of a month from March to October, add the Nasher Sculpture Center's free 'til Midnight.
4. For a bigger night, swap steps 1 and 2 for Crown Block and a Winspear Opera House performance.
5. For something louder, take the Deep Ellum route: Pecan Lodge early, then Trees or Armoury D.E.
6. For something sweeter, take Lucia and Emporium Pies on North Bishop Avenue.

For more places to eat, browse food and dining listings, or see what is on at events.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good date night in Dallas?

A good date night in Dallas is dinner plus a next stop on the same street or in the same district. Strong pairings include Tei-An and Klyde Warren Park in Downtown, Pecan Lodge and Trees in Deep Ellum, and Lucia and Emporium Pies in Bishop Arts District.

What is a cheap date night in Dallas?

The cheapest option is the free McKinney Avenue Trolley (M-Line) through Uptown, which sponsors fund and which only asks for optional donations. Klyde Warren Park in Downtown Dallas is another low-cost stop, and Nobu Dallas runs a happy hour on Sunday to Thursday.

Where can you go for a romantic dinner in Dallas?

For a splurge, Crown Block at 300 Reunion Boulevard East and Nobu Dallas at 400 Crescent Court are both open for dinner. Lucia at 287 North Bishop Avenue in Bishop Arts District is a smaller, handmade-pasta option.

What is there to do in Dallas after dinner?

You can catch a show at Trees in Deep Ellum, a performance at the Winspear Opera House in the Dallas Arts District, or a drink at Armoury D.E. or Katy Trail Ice House. For a quiet end to the night, walk through Klyde Warren Park.

Is the McKinney Avenue Trolley free?

Yes, the McKinney Avenue Trolley (M-Line) in Uptown Dallas is free for riders, with optional donations in the fare box. It runs every day of the year, with the latest service on Fridays and Saturdays until midnight.