5 Dallas Restaurant Openings That Should Be On Your Radar

The National's Debut Restaurant, Salt Bae's First Texas Steakhouse, and Chicken Tenders in Waffle Cones

By Megan Ziots // Feb 25, 2021

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Monarch will be a modern Italian restaurant that serves handmade pastas, steak, and seafood at The National.

Monarch will have a wood-fired oven right in front of the kitchen.

The National's new restaurant, Monarch, will serve steak, seafood, and other wood-fired dishes.

2021 is in full swing and there are several new Dallas restaurants gearing up to open their doors, as well as the return of an old Deep Ellum favorite. From a Michelin-starred chef’s first Dallas restaurant at The National to Salt Bae’s first Texas steakhouse, these are the Dallas restaurant openings to know right now.

Monarch (Opening March 10)

1401 Elm Street

This highly-anticipated restaurant from Michelin-starred chef Danny Grant is gearing up to open on the 49th floor of The National. With stellar views of downtown Dallas, Monarch is a wood-fired, modern Italian restaurant serving handmade pastas, steak, and seafood. The space will feature a wood-fired oven right in front of the kitchen, as well as a shellfish tank with fresh scallops, prawns, and more from around the world.

Salt Bae Nusret Dallas — “Salt Bae’s” Dallas location of Nusr-Et Steakhouse was set to open on February 27.

Nusr-Et Steakhouse (Opening February 27)

Update: Opening tentatively postponed to March (the restaurant has delayed several opening dates).

1900 N. Pearl Street

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There’s already been a lot of buzz (some not so great) around Turkish restauranteur Nusret Gökçe’s (aka Salt Bae) new Nusr-Et Steakhouse location in Dallas, but the Klyde Warren Park-adjacent restaurant still has plans to open very soon. U.S. locations (Boston, Miami, New York) have popped up over the past few years after “Salt Bae” went viral dramatically sprinkling salt on beef. Now, Dallas is set to have a taste after several delays.

Serious Pizza Dallas — Deep Ellum’s Serious Pizza is finally reopening after a year-long remodel. (Courtesy of Serious Pizza)

Serious Pizza (Reopening February 26)

2807 Elm Street

After more than a year of closure for remodeling, this Deep Ellum pizza staple is finally reopening with much more space to serve up its New York-style slices. Known for their 30-inch pies, Serious Pizza was taken over by Milkshake Concepts (Stirr, Citizen) in early 2020. 150 additional seats have been added on, as well as an expanded menu. Delivery service is also in the works.

Buttercup Plano — Buttercup at Legacy Hall is dedicated to chicken tenders, and even serves them in waffle cones. (Courtesy of Buttercup)

Buttercup (Now Open)

7800 Windrose Avenue (Legacy Hall), Plano

FB Society’s (Ida Claire’s, Sixty Vines) newest concept, Buttercup, is now open at Legacy Food Hall with the slogan: “tender bites of chicken, served fancy.” With a dedication to waffle cone stylings and chicken tenders tossed in buffalo, wasabi, salted caramel, and Thai basil flavors, the Plano restaurant lives up to its word. You can also keep it classic with their chicken bites served with sauces like Sriracha Ranch and Atomic Habenero.

Bonchon Dallas — Bonchon recently opened its new headquarters in DFW. (Courtesy of Bonchon)

Bonchon (Now Open)

4980 Belt Line Road, Suite 140, Addison

After openings its corporate headquarters in Dallas last year, this Korean chicken chain is making its return to North Texas with a new restaurant in Addison. This is not the first time Bonchon has landed in Dallas — a Lower Greenville location opened and closed in the span of six months or so in 2014. But the chain is recommitting to Dallas-Fort Worth with their new location (and another on the way) in The Colony. The restaurant offers chicken wings, kimchi mac and cheese, potstickers, and more.