It’s the home of the Dallas Cowboys, but where’s a soul to grab a decent bite outside the stadium in Arlington, Texas? We know a spot. These are all adjacent to Globe Life Field and AT&T Stadium, where loads of baseball games, concerts, and football games go down.
Added to the map is Michelin-recognized Smoke’N Ash BBQ, with its Ethiopian dishes mixed with Texas barbecue and Café Americana in Downtown Arlington with a pan-European menu heavy on Spanish-influenced dishes, including killer empanadas.
Here are Eater’s picks for some of the best local restaurants to give a try — from high-end to burgers and beers. Get a taste of some of Dallas’s favorites with outposts out of town and some homegrown and locally owned establishments.
Smoke’N Ash BBQ
In Arlington, this fusion of Texas barbecue and Ethiopian cuisine has been turning more heads than just those of Michelin’s secret diners. Patrick and Fasicka Hicks, who are respectively from Waco and the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, merged their cultures to create a unique experience for barbecue lovers. Order Texas favorites by the half pound, including pork ribs, brisket, chicken, and pulled pork. It also has barbecue plates with awaze spice glaze that come with injera, doro wat, tibs (options for vegetarians and beef, lamb, or chicken), a missir wat plate, and more.
5904 S Cooper St #110, Arlington, TX 76017(817) 987-7715
Café Americana
This Downtown Arlington restaurant has a menu inspired by Hispanic dishes, like mussels with chorizo, gambas al aijillo, lomo saltado (a Peruvian stir-fry), and a whole section of the menu devoted to empanadas. The coconut cake wins raves. Don’t let its exterior deceive you — it is just a tin shack from that view, but inside, it is a brasserie with bright green walls, contemporary furniture, and a tin ceiling that hangs low over the bar. In addition to dinner, Café Americana is also open for lunch and brunch.
403 East Main Street, Arlington, Texas 76010(682) 270-0041
The Tipsy Oak
Craving something comforting but a little outside of the familiar favorites? Poutine and spicy fried pickles are on the menu alongside the Tipsy Burger, which comes with so many possible combinations of fixings that it’ll make the head spin. Brunch is offered daily from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., along with a robust menu of draft beers, house cocktails, and wines. This place also has Austin vibes, with its outdoor seating with picnic tables and umbrellas under twinkle lights, and occasional live music. Inside is more rustic, with unfinished ceilings and wall-lined walls.
301 E Front St, Arlington, TX 76011(817) 962-0304
Cane Rosso Arlington
All over DFW, Cane Rosso is revered for its Neapolitan-style pies. This family-friendly spot has simple pies for the kids and adult options that go from complex to fun. We love the Honey Bastard, with mozzarella, hot soppressata, bacon marmalade, and habanero honey, and the espresso martini is a nice happy-hour treat. The seating is also diverse. This location has a covered patio and an uncovered one around the side of the building, as well as modern farmhouse interiors where sports are always on the numerous TVs.
200 N East St, Arlington, TX 76011(817) 533-3120
Hurtado Barbecue
Make it a barbecue night at this family-run spot that grew from pop-ups to a food truck and then expanded to a few locations around the Metroplex, including its original location in Arlington. Hurtado’s specialty is Tex-Mex barbecue, so don’t skip on ordering at least a few birria tacos. Among the meats, brisket is the thing to try, but the ribs and sausage are awfully good, too. If feeding a crowd, there is the option to order whole briskets, turkey breasts, pork butt, and racks of spare ribs. Food is served cafeteria-style in deep silver serving trays over warmers to keep the line moving fast. Inside is populated by those extremely uncomfortable industrial chairs made of metal, so opt for the picnic tables on the patio.
205 E Front St, Arlington, TX 76010(682) 323-5141
Cut & Bourbon
Some folks think of hot dogs when they think of ball games. For other folks, it’s a steak — and that’s what this restaurant specializes in. Order up a slab, along with oysters or king crab legs, an iceberg wedge, and a side of creamed spinach here. Open for breakfast, brunch, and lunch, this spot has a fancier dining room, in line with a hotel restaurant — think leather couches, fabric-covered seats, white napkins, and a complete set of silverware and wine glasses on the tables.
1600 E Randol Mill Rd, Arlington, TX 76011(682) 277-4950
Soy Cowboy
This Asian spot off the Loews hotel offers a trifecta of experiences: sushi, robata, and steaks. Some of the finest A5 wagyu and omakase for the table are on the menu if you want to splurge. For something more scaled back, try the miso black cod or a simple fried rice. Go big, or don’t — there are yummy flavors to explore either way. The interiors are sophisticated and Asian-influenced, and there are various types of seating for every mood. Immerse yourself in the sushi experience at the sushi counter, grab a table in the main dining room, sip cocktails in the front bar, request a patio seat with a view of the stadium, and on nights when it is open, check out the back bar, which is decorated with bamboo and pastels.
888 Nolan Ryan Expressway, Arlington, Texas 76011(817) 766-6444
Hearsay Arlington
This speakeasy-style spot offers live music and food just outside the stadium. Stop in for a Southern meal with dishes including shrimp and corn chowder, blackened salmon, and loads of steaks. This sophisticated spot has lots of velvet touches and Art Deco-style fonts, with iron elements that harken back to the days when being caught in a speakeasy meant easy jail time. It also has a cigar bar and patio.
1711 East Randol Mill Road, Arlington, Texas 76011(817) 591-1700
Tokyo Mizu
Pop by for all-you-can-eat sushi and Japanese food at this Arlington spot — or order a la carte if going all in isn’t the vibe. Rolls, nigiri, sashimi, ceviche, bao buns, fried rice, ramen — the gang’s all here. Try the Ranger roll (deep-fried smoked salmon, pickled jalapeño, and cream cheese topped with house sauce) and the papaya salad served atop tomatoes with fish sauce, red chili, and fried soybeans. The aesthetic is bare bones seafood spot meets Asian-influence. Fake cherry blossoms hang from the ceiling, dark wood contemporary furniture makes up the dining room, and attractive but minimalist murals dot the walls.
2390 East Lamar Boulevard, Arlington, Texas 76006(817) 640-3350
The Social House
With loads of beer on tap, this sports bar is great for groups and serves everything one expects, from burgers to Buffalo wings, with a few surprises on the menu. The short rib Frito Pie is a treat, as is the spicy shrimp Arrabiata pasta. The Social House, which also features brunch, features a big bar that’s the heart of the dining room, surrounded by wrap-around faux-leather booths. There’s even an astroturf wall. When it’s nice out, there are a few covered tables outside.
1705 N Collins St #101, Arlington, TX 76011(682) 276-3830
Mercury Chophouse – Arlington
Steak, anyone? Diners looking for an upscale, meaty bite before they attend a Cowboys game should make a reservation at this steakhouse with a view. The stadium is visible from the dining room, and its menu features splurg-y seafood towers, steaks, and spectacular seasonal pork chop and lamb chop plates. Though open for lunch, this is a classic dinner spot, with a moody, sprawling dining room enhanced by views of the sunset and live piano music often in the dining room. Be warned: Mercury is closed on Sundays.
2221 E Lamar Blvd #910, Arlington, TX 76006(817) 381-1157
Piccolo Mondo
Owner Antonio Capaccioli, who hails from Siena in Italy, opened this cozy restaurant in 1983, and it’s still serving comforting Italian dishes today. Find classic plates like mussels marinara, baked lasagna, linguine with clam sauce, and baked manicotti, plus a bar that specializes in classic cocktails and wine. Diners can also enjoy a live piano player on Wednesday through Saturday evenings. It’s a white tablecloth dining room, so dress to impress. Reservations are recommended, and gluten-free food requests can be accommodated with advance notice.
829 E Lamar Blvd, Arlington, TX 76011(817) 265-9174
Southern Recipes Grill
If you want a dose of good old-fashioned Southern food, hit this spot for lunch, dinner, or brunch on the weekends. The menu is kid-friendly, with chicken fingers and quesadillas that the little ones will enjoy. Adults are in for a treat, too, with dishes like blackened chicken salad with Cajun seasonings, chicken-fried steak, salmon, tilapia, fried shrimp, and an array of burgers and sandwiches. The dining room screams family-friendly, with its Shaker-inspired wood furniture, matching wood floors, and a traditional wood bar with ad hoc stained glass panes between the two.
2715 N Collins St, Arlington, TX 76006(817) 469-9878
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Source: dallas.eater.com