Best lunch spot in Dallas, TX

[12Nole]

I will be getting in on Monday and coming from the airport. Pecan Lodge is unfortunately out of the picture because they are closed on Mondays...so I need help with the next best option.

You guys helped out a lot with my Memphis thread recommending Central BBQ (Was delicious) and they gave me a free side & drink because I told them it was my first time and I picked it over Rendezvous.

Thanks.

 

[TexSkills]

What part of town will you be in?

 

[12Nole]

What part of town will you be in?

I'll be coming from the airport but have the entire day to do whatever...work stuff won't start till Tuesday. Staying in Irving...hope to catch the Rangers Yankees one night.

 

[OrlandNole]

Coppell is on the other side of DFW from Irving, but if you're looking for BBQ, Hard 8 is supposedly the place to go.

 

[TexSkills]

If you're staying in Irving area (assuming Las Colinas) there isn't much out there. Jinbeh is a good Japanese place on Las Colinas Blvd. It's been around since the late 80s. Trevi's is at the Omni Hotel and it's been around for a while.

If you don't mind driving a bit, there are a plethora of places you can go in Far North Dallas, Highland Park and what they're calling "Midtown" now which is the LBJ/Dallas North Tollway corridor. Midtown would actually be an easy area for you to get to from Irving. Straight shot down 635 (LBJ Fwy).

 

[TexSkills]

OrlandNole mentioned a good one. Hard 8 in Coppell is very close to Irving. Fort Worth has solid BBQ options if you're willing to drive. Railhead, Angelos and Cousins are all good but Railhead has always been my favorite.

 

[Fijimn]

There's an In N Out on the way to Dallas from Ft. Worth if you flying into DFW.

 

[TexSkills]

There's an In N Out on the way to Dallas from Ft. Worth if you flying into DFW.

There are actually two that are close to DFW. One is in Grapevine and the other is at Royal and MacArthur in Irving.

 

[West Duval Nole]

Coppell is on the other side of DFW from Irving, but if you're looking for BBQ, Hard 8 is supposedly the place to go.

I have been there and it is good. I will go again when in Irving.

 

[DanC78]

Eatzy's

 

[NDallasRuss]

I know it's all personal preference, but each time I come back to Dallas, the first place I want to go is Mi Cocina. I like their food, and I like their margaritas. There's on in Las Colinas at 7750 N. MacArthur, Irving, TX 7506.

Mi Cocina Link

 

[12Nole]

Any places with solid Tex-Mex?

 

[DanC78]

Babes Chicken is also awesome. Not sure if you can do lunch though...but maybe

 

[fsunole025]

Cane Roso and Uncle Uber's are within walking distance of Pecan Lodge. We usually eat at one of those places for lunch before grabbing Pecan Lodge to go for dinner. That usually results in me eating several strips of brisket on my drive to Midlothian.

 

[TexSkills]

I know it's all personal preference, but each time I come back to Dallas, the first place I want to go is Mi Cocina. I like their food, and I like their margaritas. There's on in Las Colinas at 7750 N. MacArthur, Irving, TX 7506.

Mi Cocina Link

LOL, for some reason, the first place I want to go when I get back home is Taco Bueno or Taco Cabana.

Mi Cocina is a solid place for a lunch.

 

[West Duval Nole]

Oh and it's pricey but awesome. A Brazillian steakhouse/churiscarria: Fogo de Chao. Make sure you are hungry and try all the meats they bring to your table. Outstanding.

 

[F4Gary]

Which airport? This place is about 80 miles wide.

 

[F4Gary]

Coppell is on the other side of DFW from Irving, but if you're looking for BBQ, Hard 8 is supposedly the place to go.

Actually, it's on the same side.

 

[BloodyNoseJose]

Any places with solid Tex-Mex?

EBar

 

[OrlandNole]

Actually, it's on the same side.

You would know better than me, but I was thinking that you get to Irving using the south DFW exit and Coppell using the north DFW exit. No?

 

[TexSkills]

You would know better than me, but I was thinking that you get to Irving using the south DFW exit and Coppell using the north DFW exit. No?

You can access Irving from both the North and the South exits.

 

[Fijimn]

There's a Pappasitos at DFW if you get jammed. The Pappas are always consistently pretty good. Drawn butter on the side with the fajitas is always a good thing.

 

[12Nole]

@TexSkills how's the crowd at a Rangers game? Looking at going Monday or Thursday night....since they host the Yankees I figured it should be a good crowd.

 

[TexSkills]

Rangers games draw good crowds and even more if someone like the Yankees are in town. Even when the Rangers couldn't put together a season above .500, they were putting butts in seats.

 

[Fijimn]

Cool stadium to. It's going to be hot in Texas next week, 97-98 in Houston--so probably 102 in Dallas. The open air stadium can get warm

 

[TexSkills]

That stadium opened my sophomore year of high school. It was a huge upgrade over the old Arlington Stadium.

 

[Fijimn]

Yep, I moved to Houston the last year that the Astros played in the Dome. Went to a few games at that dump. Minute Maid is a much better stadium.

 

[coloradonoles]

There is a Mediterranean restaurant on N MacArthur Blvd called Andalous that is AWESOME!

 

[OrlandNole]

There is a Mediterranean restaurant on N MacArthur Blvd called Andalous that is AWESOME!

Prince Lebanese Grill has awesome food and it's around the corner from the ballpark in Arlington. For that matter, Bodacious BBQ is good and not far from the ballpark, either.

 

[seminoledq]

Redneck Heaven in Arlington. Minnow Shots!

 

[TexSkills]

Prince Lebanese Grill has awesome food and it's around the corner from the ballpark in Arlington

My wife used to go to that place when she worked in Arlington. I've never been there but she says its some of the best Lebanese food she's ever had.

 

[GoNolesTX]

If you're staying in Irving area (assuming Las Colinas) there isn't much out there. Jinbeh is a good Japanese place on Las Colinas Blvd. It's been around since the late 80s. Trevi's is at the Omni Hotel and it's been around for a while.

If you don't mind driving a bit, there are a plethora of places you can go in Far North Dallas, Highland Park and what they're calling "Midtown" now which is the LBJ/Dallas North Tollway corridor. Midtown would actually be an easy area for you to get to from Irving. Straight shot down 635 (LBJ Fwy).

Don't be mean and direct anyone to 635 right now... that TexPress project is a joke in addition to 635 just being gawd awful since the 80s.

OP - Get the toll package on your rental if you don't Uber it. George Bush Turnpike is a strong commuting option, you can get anywhere from DFW to Far North Dallas/Plano/Frisco within 20-30 minutes which opens your options greatly. Just north/northeast of the airport, if you want to stay highway is Pluckers (if you are just in for a sports bar type establishment) and Hard 8 is just north on SH 121 from the airport (probably 15 mins from Irving depending on time of day.) It all honestly depends on the type of fare you're looking for.

 

[GoNolesTX]

@TexSkills how's the crowd at a Rangers game? Looking at going Monday or Thursday night....since they host the Yankees I figured it should be a good crowd.

If it's Monday or Thursday, hit up the Thursday game. Gallardo might actually still be with the team and he's a better bet for a good game to watch. Harrison is going on Monday and he's still feeling his way back from back surgery, so it could be an ugly/long game. Definitely pick up seats on the first base side and stay out of the left field seats, the first 3-4 innings are directly in the sun out there. First pitch will definitely be over 100°. Globe Life Park is really a throw back, great experience!

 

[TexSkills]

Don't be mean and direct anyone to 635 right now... that TexPress project is a joke in addition to 635 just being gawd awful since the 80s.

Is the TexPress project that bad? We're going back again in October and I usually try to stay away from 635 going beyond the DNT. I remember what LBJ was like in the 80s and it has steadily gotten worse over the years, especially when they started that cluster High 5 project. It was the first highway I drove on after I got my learner's permit in 1992.

 

[GoNolesTX]

Honestly Tex, I'm probably talking out of my arse as far as LBJ goes, I haven't been on it since they started this brainchild of a project and they still have another 18-24 months until completion. It was my first highway too since I did driver's ed at the Valley View Sears and I'm shocked I still brave the highways now. They're turning 635 and 35E in to managed HOV and toll lanes, just like Houston, so I'll be sure to stick to tollroads VERY soon.

 

[nolealum99]

Hard 8 is Coppell is just North of the DFW. If you are going to be in Irving, I do love some Babes Chicken Dinner House. The best fried chicken.

 

[TexSkills]

Babe's Chicken Dinner House was started by the same family that started Bubba's Cooks Country in University Park right down the street from SMU. The food is the same but Bubba's has been around longer. We grew up going to Bubbas because my mother had an addiction to their rolls. The chicken at both is the same and the chicken fried steak was always my go to.

 

[Democratic Nole]

Don't be mean and direct anyone to 635 right now... that TexPress project is a joke in addition to 635 just being gawd awful since the 80s.

OP - Get the toll package on your rental if you don't Uber it. George Bush Turnpike is a strong commuting option, you can get anywhere from DFW to Far North Dallas/Plano/Frisco within 20-30 minutes which opens your options greatly. Just north/northeast of the airport, if you want to stay highway is Pluckers (if you are just in for a sports bar type establishment) and Hard 8 is just north on SH 121 from the airport (probably 15 mins from Irving depending on time of day.) It all honestly depends on the type of fare you're looking for.

Is the TexPress project that bad? We're going back again in October and I usually try to stay away from 635 going beyond the DNT. I remember what LBJ was like in the 80s and it has steadily gotten worse over the years, especially when they started that cluster High 5 project. It was the first highway I drove on after I got my learner's permit in 1992.

When people here in Tampa complain about traffic, the LBJ Fwy is one of the examples I usually throw out for how locals here have never experienced traffic. I went to a private school in Fort Worth and we used to leave campus at 2:00 pm. to get to 4:30 or 5 pm games at some of those private schools like Greenhill or Dallas Lutheran in north Dallas because the traffic on the LBJ Fwy was just horrendous. We'd be lucky to be going 10-15 mph at 3:30.

If @12Nole wants to have some fun, he could also drive through the Mix Master interchange in downtown. I miss the Texas freeways. Florida is laughably behind the times compared to Texas and other parts of the country.

These new HOT express lanes are a farce, designed to allow governments to claim that are not raising taxes. Tolled-express lane projects only really work when there is no cap on the congestion toll pricing. I don't know if there is in DFW area or not, but most places cap the toll rate because residents would not stand for $40 and $50 tolls. These projects almost always increase congestion and fail to deliver on the promises made, despite talking points to the contrary.

 

[TexSkills]

My wife and I don't complain about "traffic" in Jacksonville since we've both experienced worse (LBJ, 820 & Central Expressway) in D/FW. In Jacksonville, traffic problems are created by poor planning and roadway design, not the amount of cars on the road. Whatever moron designed the JTB/I-95 interchange needs to be shot.

 

[Fijimn]

Katy Freeway (I10 foing west to the 'burb of Katy) is going to $10 toll during rush hour. I used the Gulf Freeway one that was $4.50 right before rush. interesting mix use of socialism and capitalism. Everyone's tax dollars pay for the roads and then you have to pay a surcharge based on traffic.