DFW Restaurant Week Reservation Fever Heats Up — 10 Spots Worth Booking Now

One of Dallas-Fort Worth’s most anticipated foodie events is almost here and it’s time to prepare. We’ve got a couple more weeks before the region’s biggest dining event, but reservations have already kicked off — and some of the hottest tickets will soon be filling up. DFW Restaurant Week is upon us, starting on August 5.

If you’re not familiar, this “week” is technically a month of dining opportunities from local restaurants that are offering discounted prix fixe dinners and lunches to raise money for charity. Three-course dinners cost $39 or $49 and two-course lunches run $25. This year, 20 percent of the proceeds will benefit North Texas Food Bank and Lena Pope Home.

Since the list of restaurants participating is so vast, we’ve narrowed it down to some favorites in Dallas to check out, while supporting a good cause.

Here are the Top 10 picks for DFW Restaurant Week:

Jalisco Norte

3858 Oak Lawn Avenue, Suite 470

At this Mexican restaurant in Oak Lawn, there will be a dinner selection for $39 and lunch experience for $25. For first course dinner options, you can choose between Spring Barramundi Ceviche or Ensalada Kale. Second course offerings are Grilled Salmon, Osso Bucco, or Pollo Con Mole. And for dessert, you’ll have your choice between Carlota Limon (Mexican lemon pie) or Tres Leches.

The lunch options differ slightly with a first course choice between tortilla soup and Ensalada Nopal. Second course options are salmon, Huitlacoche quesadillas, or Pollo Con Mole.

Mille Lire

3102 Oak Lawn Avenue, Suite 116

Another Oak Lawn gem and Italian restaurant, Mille Lire will be participating just the first week (August 5 through August 10) so make those reservations now. The dinner menu costs $49 with $10 going to the North Texas Food Bank.

The menu includes a first course choice between Calamari all Griglia or Zuppa di Pomodoro. Then you have a choice of Ravioli Capresi, Bistecca con Patate, or Saltimbocco di Pescatrice for your entree. Dessert offerings include Tiramisu, Frand Marnier Creme Brulee, or Bigne al Gelato.

Saint Ann Restaurant & Bar

2501 N. Harwood Street

Saint Ann’s is a charming American restaurant that will be participating the first two weeks of this restaurant month. Saint Ann is offering lunch menu for $25 and dinner menu for $49. Lunch will include a choice of entree: Grilled Atlantic Salmon, Brick Chicken, Grilled Bistro Filet, or Crispy Polenta Fries. Dessert offerings are between carrot cake and a warm brownie sundae.

For dinner, you’ll have the same dessert and entree options, but an additional appetizer will be provided. These include Southwest chicken corn chowder, a wedge salad, or bacon wrapped sizzlers.

Tei An

1722 Routh Street, Suite 110

For the first three weeks, August 5 through August 25 of DFW Restaurant Week, this Japanese restaurant in the Arts District will be offering dinner for $49. And for $35 more you can add on a wine pairing or sake pairing with your meal.

Tei An‘s Restaurant Week menu includes a choice of appetizer: edamame, white seaweed salad, fried shishito pepper, or foil baked Enoki mushroom. A chef special, such as sashimi, Tei-An crispy shrimp, miso braised beef brisket, or vegetable tempura will be second. For entrees, you’ll have a choice of Yaki Soba, spicy shrimp and scallop tomato soba salad, short green soba bolognese with Washu beef, Tonkotsu ramen, or pressed sushi.

Doc B’s Restaurant & Bar

2021 McKinney Avenue, Suite 190

Participating for all four weeks, Doc B’s is offering a dinner selection for $39. The Uptown restaurant serves fresh meals using local ingredients.

For their prix fixe menu, Doc B’s is offering a starter, entree and dessert. Starters include baby house salad, Asian house salad, oven roasted chicken wings, or housemade guacamole. For your entree, you may choose amongst Faroe Island salad, a half rack of Danish barbecue ribs, grilled lemon chicken, Teriyaki glazed pork chop and the signature Wok Out Bowl. And dessert offerings are between Rob’s Double Decker Chocolate Cake, Tres Leches and Cinnamon Toast Crunch cheesecake.

Dolce Riviera

2950 N. Harwood Street, Ste. 115

This Italian restaurant in the Harwood District is definitely worth a visit during the first two weeks (August 5 through 18). They have a dinner for $49 and lunch for $25.

Lunch choices include an antipasti of insalata di carciofi and burrata e cuore di bue, and a primi of gnocchi al tartufo or paccheri all’ astice. The gnocchi is housemade with Parmigiana truffle cream sauce and fresh season truffle. The other is a rigatoni with fresh lobster meat, cherry tomatoes and lobster bisque sauce. Dinner is the same, but with a dessert. These include a choice between tiramisu or Nutella cheesecake.

Mercat Bistro

2550 Harry Hines Boulevard

If you’re feeling French cuisine, make your OpenTable reservation for this other Harwood District spot. The French bistro is providing a dinner selection for $39 that will be available for the first two weeks.

Their menu includes a starter of onion gratinee or house salad, as well as an entree of pan seared salmon, braised short rib, or pan roasted airline chicken breast. The salmon comes with Dupuys lentils, sauteed leeks, and citrus-beurre blanc cream sauce. Short ribs have celery root puree, au jus, and butter sauce. And the chicken breast has a white wine gravy, pommes frites, and vegetable bouquet. For dessert, choose between creme brulee or cheesecake.

Al Biernat’s

4217 Oak Lawn Avenue & 5251 Spring Valley Road

Both Al Biernat’s locations are participating for all four weeks of Restaurant Week with dinner and lunch menus. The $49 menus at each steakhouse have a few differences. For the first course, both locations offer a choice of crab & corn chowder, soup of the day, Caesar salad, and Ahi Tuna poke. North also has a Southwest salad and Beef Wellington bites. Instead, Oak Lawn has burrata & heirloom tomato, Brad’s grilled pear salad, and beef eggrolls.

For the second course, both have Portabella mushroom enchiladas and the 60 oz. tenderloin. North also has free-range adobo chicken, the Red Wattle pork chop, and grilled salmon. Oak lawn is offering pan seared chicken milanese, a roasted heritage pork tenderloin, and salmon & lump crab. And for dessert, both have Al’s Famous Coconut Cream Pie and key lime pie. North has a peach tartlet and chocolate avocado truffles. Oak Lawn is mixing it up with a pistachio cheesecake and chocolate-hazelnut torte.

City Hall Bistro

1321 Commerce Street

This downtown Dallas restaurant inside of the Adolphus hotel is not-t0-miss during Restaurant Week. For two weeks, you can order dinner for $39 or lunch for $25. I could only find the dinner menu, but I’m sure lunch will be good as well.

First courses on the dinner menu include toasted sesame hummus, chopped salad, or nectarine & purslane. Second course options are crispy pollenta, pan seared scallops, juniper crusted pork loin, or grilled chicken kabob. And for dessert, you can either get a gourmet candy bar, olive cake & berries, or a sesame cookie sandwich.

Nobu

400 Crescent Court

The globally acclaimed Asian fusion restaurant, Nobu, will be participating for one week only. From August 5 through August 11, Nobu’s Hotel Crescent Court location will be offering a three-course dinner for $49.

You can start with either the field greens with matsuhisa dressing, cucumber sunomono, or butter lettuce salad with creamy truffle wasabi dressing. Second course options include shrimp & shojin tempura, arctic char with jalapeno salsa and beef tenderloin with honey anticucho. For dessert, try either the mochi ice cream or miso cappuccino.

View the entire list of restaurants participating in DFW Restaurant Week here.