The 15 Best Date Ideas in Dallas
Get artsy, get boozy, but whatever you do, get a cute date on the books.
Dating can be hard, but planning a date in Dallas shouldn’t be. From jaw-dropping views atop Reunion Tower to a white tablecloth service at the French Room to romantic lakeside walks through the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, there’s plenty to do and explore around town. Whether you’re on a nerve-racking first date or a chill afternoon out with your partner, here are a few of our favorite date ideas.
If you love a posh dinner:
Main Street District
If you don’t have time to wine and dine your significant other, take them to a bougie lunch they’ll never forget at Mirador, in the penthouse suite above Forty Five Ten. The lunch menu includes ahi tuna cornettes and lobster rolls, as well as a prix-fixe option. Sitting at the bar? Munch on devilled eggs with caviar. (Bonus points if y’all go on a shopping spree downstairs after.)
Knox-Henderson
Swanky and luxurious with sparkling crystal chandeliers and gilded dishware, Mister Charles is great for a lush night of French and Italian-ish fare. For something just as romantic but perhaps slightly lower key, its sister restaurant, appropriately named Sister, in Lower Greenville is located in the former Grape space, which is famous for its high marriage-proposal-acceptance ratio.
Deep Ellum
While almost two dozen local restaurants landed a spot on Michelin’s buzzy Texas guide, like Monarch, Mister Charles, and Lucia, only one took home a coveted star. That would be Tatsu. Located in the Continental Gin Building, the oldest building in the Deep Ellum neighborhood, Tatsu’s chic 10-seat space quietly shines. Known for its high quality nigiri-style sushi and exceptional hospitality, this omakase-style restaurant features around 14 pieces prepared in the Edomae tradition by chef Tatsuya Sekiguchi. The spot is tiny and intimate, with just 10 seats so guests can freely interact with Sekiguchi during the 1-hour-and-45-minute dinner. Reservations open on the first and 15th of each month and fill up fast.
If you're looking for an unexpected date:
Grand Prairie
The classic dinner-and-a-show combo always makes for an enjoyable date, but you can up the ante considerably when the show takes place outside the window of an aircraft. At Delta Charlie’s, you and your s/o can enjoy a three-course meal followed by a private post-sunset sightseeing tour. Depending on the season, consider scheduling a flight during a fireworks presentation (you know, should you need a marriage proposal idea).
South Dallas
If you’re looking for a wild experience to woo your adventure-loving date, it doesn’t get much more exotic than the Backstage Safari at Dallas Zoo. For $170 per person, embark on a 90-minute excursion behind the scenes with one of the zookeepers. Feed apples to the world’s largest land mammal (the African elephant, if you’re playing along at home), participate in a training session with some hippos, and attend a private Wild Encounters show where you’ll get an up-close look at tamanduas, tortoises, and other magnificent creatures.
The Village
Perhaps you’ve heard of this (not-so) new craze called pickleball? Get in on the action—and see how your date handles the stress of competition—at the Sandy Pickle. The Sandy Pickle has pickleball and sand volleyball courts, state-of-the-art golf simulators, and a solid drinks menu that won’t break the bank.
If you like snacking in the fresh air:
Fair Park
Right across the street from Fair Park, this mezcal tasting room is smoky and sultry. Sip on flights of three or five agave-based spirits from all over Mexico. If you don’t want to sit inside, the bar will pack you a picnic with two cocktails, two food items, and two topo chicos and taxi you to and from the park for just $75.
Anywhere
Dallas Luxury Picnic has taken the snacks-on-the-ground dining experience to new heights of artistry. Pack up your favorite foods and drinks, then choose from a variety of picnic packages ranging $200–$400. The team will set up a tiny table, pillows, candles, and blankets with gorgeous decor at the place of your choosing. Opt for one of the specialty add-ons, like games, a tent, a bluetooth speaker, flowers, or a cupcake Ferris wheel, if you wish to really impress.
Oak Cliff
Pick up a latte or matcha and a burrito from Peaberry Coffee and camp out at Kiest Park. Established in 1930, this 260-plus-acre city park has plenty to do, including picnic tables, softball fields, and pickleball and sand volleyball courts. For a quieter adventure together, take a walk through wildflower gardens along the park’s 2.2 miles of nature trails. When you get to the north side of the park, treat yourselves with a concha from the nearby Tia Doras Bakery.
If you want to explore a museum:
Far North Dallas
For an off-the-beaten path experience, visit Valley House, the city’s oldest art gallery. In the 1950s, Donald and Peggy Vogel turned their mid-century modern family home into a modernist artist gallery. Over the past seven decades, the gallery has showcased some of the best of modern and Early Texas artists, including members of The Dallas Nine. Meander through the gallery and wander the 4.5-acre wooded sculpture garden, which are still run by the Vogel family, feature specialty exhibitions, and have free admission.
Farmers Branch
If you tend to go full throttle when sparking up a new relationship, take your date to the Haas Moto. This 20,000-square-foot museum will walk—ahem, drive—you through more than 120 years of motorcycle history and past more than 230 bikes and sculptures in an afternoon that’s bound to delight gearheads and novices alike.
Grapevine
Embark on a truly immersive artscape better known as The Real Unreal. Explore the surrealist fairytale-like 29,000-square-foot space in the Grapevine Mills mall anytime. Or purchase tickets to special events, including the 21-and-over Adultiverse nights, where cocktails can accompany your journey through myriad portals without fear of a child knocking a drink out of your hand.
If you like to cut it up on the dance floor:
Old East Dallas
Opened in late 2023, but with a history dating back to 1881, this cocktail lounge evokes Old-World glam with stiff drinks, a speakeasy vibe, and cool tunes. A live piano player performs Monday through Saturday and a DJ takes over on weekend nights, each the ideal accompaniment for a few jaunts on the hidden light-up dance floor. Head’s up: There is a dress code.
Deep Ellum
Originally opened in 1911, the Sons of Hermann Hall has been many things: bowling alley, meeting room, Dallas filming location, and more. Nowadays the bar and concert venue, which has seen stars like Leon Bridges, The Chicks, and Robert Earl King perform, hosts swing dancing every Wednesday night. If you don’t know how to boogie woogie, Charleston, or jive, arrive at 8 pm for a beginner’s dance lesson.
Northwest Dallas
Dallas may be cosmopolitan, but this is still Texas, and a good old-fashioned dance hall is sure to please. Throw on your cowboy boots and two-step, electric slide, or shuffle to “Copperhead Road” across the dance floor at Cowboys Red River. The hall also offers dance lessons a few nights a week.