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A piece of chocolate cake with multiple layers and gold foil on top sits on a white plate.
The Society Cake at Crown Block is the a great way to top off any celebration.
Kathy Tran

13 Dallas Restaurants Perfect for Celebrating Special Occasions

The city’s best restaurants for birthdays, anniversaries, promotions, and other big deal dinners

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The Society Cake at Crown Block is the a great way to top off any celebration.
| Kathy Tran

When it comes time to celebrate a big promotion, a milestone birthday, or just an exciting Tuesday, there’s nothing better than a special dinner. What does that look like? It could mean an upscale steak spot, a rowdy dining room with excellent Mexican food, or an intimate dinner over sushi.

Whatever you’re looking to celebrate, these Dallas restaurants boast excellent eats, delicious desserts, and a welcoming vibe perfect for occasions worth celebrating.

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Salum Restaurant

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After its grand reopening in June, chef Abraham Salum’s restaurant is back as a destination for a grand night out. His seasonal menu changes often and is congruent with expectations for a white tablecloth spot — ribeyes, rack of lamb, and veal osso buco are frequently seen options. One neat feature for picky eaters or those with dietary restrictions is a build-your-own-burger option that includes gluten-free buns and a vegan patty.

Maison Chinoise

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Everything in the city’s newest fine-dining Chinese restaurant is splashy, but to make an impression, order the Mandarin Fields dessert. It is served on top of a smoking bamboo steamer and is a Grand Marnier cake with white chocolate ganache, orange compote, green tea sponge, chocolate green tea soil, and an orange marinated in plum wine.

Quarter Acre

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This Lowest Greenville restaurant is a gorgeous spot for a special evening with just the right lighting to be romantic. The menu is tight and runs the gamut with over-the-top dishes and more down-to-earth seasonal options. It’s an excellent place to orchestrate a splashy, showy dinner if that’s the vibe of the celebration or enjoy a night of good service and great food. 

Petra and the Beast

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Adventurous eaters should plan a night out in Petra’s new Lakewood location. For a more social night, ask for a few seats at the bar or go to the chef’s counter, where chatting with the folks making your meal is guaranteed. If you’ve got a big party, there’s a large table available and even a private dining room for big groups. It’s beautiful, and the menu is a work of art.

The Mansion Bar

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Sure, there’s a celebratory time to be had at Rosewood Mansion’s restaurant, but the real move is going to the bar for a distinctly Dallas experience. It’s funkier and looser, with bands many evenings and even an elusive martini special on Monday nights. The art is distinctly Texan, and the crowd that shows up is a cross-section of the city. Selections from the dining room menu are available, along with some of the city’s most incredible vibes.

The Old Warsaw

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This French steakhouse is an excellent option for large groups that want a private dining room — it has spaces for groups of up to 40 and 100. The menu is classic steakhouse: lobster Thermidor, caviar, and tableside flaming cherries jubilee — plus steaks, obviously. 

Stillwell's

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The low lights and moody decor in this room make it the spot for an anniversary or special date night. The steak and fish options are both excellent and luxurious. Make it a night and linger at the bar at Stillwell’s for a cocktail and appetizer first, then head downstairs to Babou’s to extend the evening. And don’t miss a selfie with Big Tex by the elevators.

Town Hearth

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For rowdier celebrations by maximalists, the rock and roll atmosphere of Nick Badovinus’s Town Hearth is the jam. This surf and turf spot has the extensive menu of an old-school steakhouse, over-the-top decor, and the spirit of a good time written in its bones.

Fearing's Restaurant

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Known for large plates of lavish Texas cuisine, Chef Dean Fearing’s restaurant inside the Ritz-Carlton is showy. But there’s quality in every dish, and the outdoor seating area is big, like Texas. Grab some sips from the Rattlesnake Bar, then feast on Fearing’s famous tortilla soup, steak, or fish.

Ask anyone in Dallas for a recommendation on where to eat sushi, and they’ll likely say Tei-An. But it specializes in soba noodle dishes, as well as omakase. Whether opting for an intimate table for two and glasses of Japanese whiskey or seats at the sushi bar and letting the chefs select bites for you, an evening here will feel very special.

El Carlos Elegante

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Planning a rowdy celebration? This is the place to have it. The main room is always loud and fun, while a somewhat more intimate experience can be had on the back porch or the front room with a hypnotic fireplace. The menu is all about a shared experience, so it’s easy to please a crowd with lots of different types of bites of Mexican food.

Tatsu Dallas

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Plan if you want to commemorate a special event at Tatsu because reservations at this 10-person omakase service spot are difficult to come by. It’s an elevated experience, from the service to the treatment of the food, that will leave a lasting impression.

Crown Block

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The restaurant in Dallas’s most iconic location, the top of Reunion Tower, is a go-to special occasion option. It’s easy to order a full-on special event meal with steak, all the fixings, sushi, dessert, and drinks with the budget for a splurge. But for special on a budget, go for a few sharable dishes and a piece of Society Cake, which is massive and made to be shared. 

Salum Restaurant

After its grand reopening in June, chef Abraham Salum’s restaurant is back as a destination for a grand night out. His seasonal menu changes often and is congruent with expectations for a white tablecloth spot — ribeyes, rack of lamb, and veal osso buco are frequently seen options. One neat feature for picky eaters or those with dietary restrictions is a build-your-own-burger option that includes gluten-free buns and a vegan patty.

Maison Chinoise

Everything in the city’s newest fine-dining Chinese restaurant is splashy, but to make an impression, order the Mandarin Fields dessert. It is served on top of a smoking bamboo steamer and is a Grand Marnier cake with white chocolate ganache, orange compote, green tea sponge, chocolate green tea soil, and an orange marinated in plum wine.

Quarter Acre

This Lowest Greenville restaurant is a gorgeous spot for a special evening with just the right lighting to be romantic. The menu is tight and runs the gamut with over-the-top dishes and more down-to-earth seasonal options. It’s an excellent place to orchestrate a splashy, showy dinner if that’s the vibe of the celebration or enjoy a night of good service and great food. 

Petra and the Beast

Adventurous eaters should plan a night out in Petra’s new Lakewood location. For a more social night, ask for a few seats at the bar or go to the chef’s counter, where chatting with the folks making your meal is guaranteed. If you’ve got a big party, there’s a large table available and even a private dining room for big groups. It’s beautiful, and the menu is a work of art.

The Mansion Bar

Sure, there’s a celebratory time to be had at Rosewood Mansion’s restaurant, but the real move is going to the bar for a distinctly Dallas experience. It’s funkier and looser, with bands many evenings and even an elusive martini special on Monday nights. The art is distinctly Texan, and the crowd that shows up is a cross-section of the city. Selections from the dining room menu are available, along with some of the city’s most incredible vibes.

The Old Warsaw

This French steakhouse is an excellent option for large groups that want a private dining room — it has spaces for groups of up to 40 and 100. The menu is classic steakhouse: lobster Thermidor, caviar, and tableside flaming cherries jubilee — plus steaks, obviously. 

Stillwell's

The low lights and moody decor in this room make it the spot for an anniversary or special date night. The steak and fish options are both excellent and luxurious. Make it a night and linger at the bar at Stillwell’s for a cocktail and appetizer first, then head downstairs to Babou’s to extend the evening. And don’t miss a selfie with Big Tex by the elevators.

Town Hearth

For rowdier celebrations by maximalists, the rock and roll atmosphere of Nick Badovinus’s Town Hearth is the jam. This surf and turf spot has the extensive menu of an old-school steakhouse, over-the-top decor, and the spirit of a good time written in its bones.

Fearing's Restaurant

Known for large plates of lavish Texas cuisine, Chef Dean Fearing’s restaurant inside the Ritz-Carlton is showy. But there’s quality in every dish, and the outdoor seating area is big, like Texas. Grab some sips from the Rattlesnake Bar, then feast on Fearing’s famous tortilla soup, steak, or fish.

Tei-An

Ask anyone in Dallas for a recommendation on where to eat sushi, and they’ll likely say Tei-An. But it specializes in soba noodle dishes, as well as omakase. Whether opting for an intimate table for two and glasses of Japanese whiskey or seats at the sushi bar and letting the chefs select bites for you, an evening here will feel very special.

El Carlos Elegante

Planning a rowdy celebration? This is the place to have it. The main room is always loud and fun, while a somewhat more intimate experience can be had on the back porch or the front room with a hypnotic fireplace. The menu is all about a shared experience, so it’s easy to please a crowd with lots of different types of bites of Mexican food.

Tatsu Dallas

Plan if you want to commemorate a special event at Tatsu because reservations at this 10-person omakase service spot are difficult to come by. It’s an elevated experience, from the service to the treatment of the food, that will leave a lasting impression.

Crown Block

The restaurant in Dallas’s most iconic location, the top of Reunion Tower, is a go-to special occasion option. It’s easy to order a full-on special event meal with steak, all the fixings, sushi, dessert, and drinks with the budget for a splurge. But for special on a budget, go for a few sharable dishes and a piece of Society Cake, which is massive and made to be shared. 

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