EDITORS CHOICE:
BEST PIZZA: Thunderbird pies
7328 Gaston Ave., Ste. 110, Dallas
469-577-1077
ThunderbirdPies.com
Dear God! If you just want to dive into deep-dish heaven, head to this Lakewood eatery. This Detroit-style pizza restaurant isn’t so much deep dish as it is just beautifully thick with crunchy cheese that extends to the edges, with rich sauce atop crispy bottoms. The sound of that first bite will make you a Thunderbird convert.
Located next door to its sister restaurant, Cane Rosso, in Lakewood, this place is casual and colorful with its punchy interior of quirky art and video games. Thunderbird Pies often features a pizza of the month, like Philly Cheesesteak, but the Honey Bastard hits all the taste buds! And their use of pepperoni cups take this pizza game to another level.
But if thick isn’t your thing, the restaurant just introduced its tavern-style thin crust. The menu also features wings, a couple of salads, sometimes a hot dog special and its secret weapon of loaded pizza fries.
— Rich Lopez
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EDITORS CHOICE:
FREINDLIST BAR: Sue Ellen’s
7328 Gaston Ave., Ste. 110, Dallas
469-577-1077
ThunderbirdPies.com
Where everybody knows your name
3014 Throckmorton St., Dallas
214-559-0707
SueEllensDallas.com
“Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name. …”
Anybody who watched TV in the ’80s will recognize the lyrics to the theme from the sitcom Cheers. And we all wanted our own version of that bar, the one where people called out your name when you walked in, where you had your own special stool and where the bartender always knew what you wanted to drink and had it ready and waiting for you when sat down.
Well, I can’t say that everybody at Sue Ellen’s knows my name. One person on the staff does, and when I go there I am usually meeting friends, so, yeah — there might be somebody there who calls out my name when they see me. If, that is, it isn’t too crowded and the music isn’t too loud. But there’s no denying that it’s definitely a place that, for so many of us, feels like home.
Manager Mindy May is going greet everyone with her signature grin, and I have yet to deal with a bartender there who hasn’t been smiling and friendly, not to mention fast and efficient — even when the customers are standing three and four deep at every well. And they make a mighty tasty dirty martini, too. Sue Ellen’s is the oldest lesbian bar in Texas, having opened Jan. 19, 1989, with DFW lesbian legend Kathy Jack as its manager. So the bar has a daunting legacy to live up to. Mindy May and her staff know that, and they do their best to keep that legacy and alive and growing.
— Tammye Nash
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Best Local Chef
Abraham Salum, Salum Restaurant
4152 Cole Ave., Ste. 103, Dallas
214-252-9604
SalumRestaurant.com
Best New Restaurant
Hattie B’s Hot Chicken
3827 Lemmon Ave., Dallas
469-613-0055
HattieB.com
Best Diner
Lucky’s Cafe
3531 Oak Lawn Ave., Dallas
214-522-3500
LuckysDallas.com
Best Bakery
Village Baking Co.
3218 Oak Lawn Ave., Dallas (multiple locations)
214-833-3020
VillageBakingCo.com
Best Brunch
Snooze, an A.M. Eatery
3211 Oak Lawn Ave., Dallas (multiple locations)
469-480-7250
SnoozeEatery.com
Best Lunch Spot
Hunky’s
3930 Cedar Springs Road, Dallas, 321 N. Bishop Ave., Dallas
214-522-1212, 214-941-3322
Hunkys.com
Best Burger
Hunky’s
3930 Cedar Springs Road, Dallas,
321 N. Bishop Ave., Dallas
214-522-1212, 214-941-3322
Hunkys.com
Best Chicken Sandwich
Roy G’s
4001 Cedar Springs Road, Dallas
214-272-7127
RoyGs.com
Best Barbecue
Sonny Bryant’s Smokehouse
2202 Inwood Road, Dallas
214-357-7120
SonnyBryans.com
Best Asian/Sushi
Oishii
2525 Wycliff Ave., Ste. 110, Dallas (multiple locations)
214-599-9448
OishiiRestaurants.com
Best Pizza
Italia Express
4000 Cedar Springs Road, Dallas
214-521-3300 ItaliaExpressCedarSprings.com
Best Italian
Cremona Bistro Italian Kitchen
2704 Worthington St., Dallas
214-871-1115
CremonaBistro.com
Best Taqueria
Taqueria la Ventana
3847 Cedar Springs Road, Dallas (multiple locations)
972-432-5945
TaqueriaLaVentana.com
Best Tex-Mex
Ojedas
4617 Maple Ave, Dallas
214-528-8383
OjedasRestaurant.com
Best Steak
Al Biernat’s Oak Lawn
4217 Oak Lawn Ave, Dallas
214-219-2201
AlBiernats.com
Best Dining Experience
Enoteca Italia
3102 Oak Lawn Ave., Ste. 116, Dallas
972-685-2112
EnotecaItaliaDallas.com
Best Food Truck
Easy Slider
EasySliderTexas.com
Best Dessert
Spelled Milk
712 W Davis St., Dallas
 214-484-3714
 TheSpelledMilk.com
Best Late-Night Meal
Italia Express
4000 Cedar Springs Road, Dallas
214-521-3300
ItaliaExpressCedarSprings.com
Best Patio
TMC
3903 Cedar Springs Road, Dallas
214-614-6018
TMCDallas.com
Best Cocktail Menu
Cheat Code Lounge
3911 Cedar Springs Road, Ste. B, Dallas
214-526-7171
CheatCodeLounge.com
Best Bar
Round-Up Saloon
3912 Cedar Springs Road, Dallas
214-522-9611
RoundUpSaloon.com
Friendliest Bar Staff
Woody’s Dallas 5
4011 Cedar Springs Road, Dallas
214-520-6629
DallasWoodys.com
Best Straight Bar
The Grapevine
2213 Butler St., Dallas
214-522-8466
Instagram: @TheGrapevineBar