Southlake's Hidden Cocktail Gems: Nightlife Secrets


Dallas fun fam
At Nico’s grill & bar, adults can enjoy delicious Mexican food while kids play on the enclosed playground! This family-friendly restaurant is an excellent choice for parent of young kids who have a hard time sitting still. Weekend brunch features an omelette bar, fresh waffles, plus specials on mimosas and Bloody Marys.


Dallas fun fam
One of the best burgers in Dallas-Fort Worth can be found at Rodeo Goat. They’ve got a variety of options to suit any taste buds! We love to sit on the patio as they have beautiful fish tanks and a great outdoor area. Parents will also appreciate the weekday happy hour!


Dallas fun fam
Joya is an inclusive, glow-in-the-dark playground that comes alive at night! It allows for day and evening play as special lights illuminate each night at sunset. The standout play structure is the 27ft Lit Sphere! It has 6 levels of large hammocks with multiple slides and climbing structures. We love that there are separate play areas for big kids and toddlers! Other play equipment includes swings, an obstacle course, zip line, spin zone, and glow seating.


Shania dfw.topsites
🥟✨HIDDEN GEM✨🥟 Bushi Bushi Dim Sum a locally owned and operated gem is perfect for classic dim sum and Chinese food, all made from scratch. The atmosphere is casual yet elegant. What’s unique is the minimal interaction with staff—you order via a QR code, and a little robot delivers your food and drinks. And if you come here, you absolutely must try the orange chicken! It’s hands down one of the best in Dallas, with the perfect balance of crispiness and juiciness. POPULAR ON THE MENU: 🥟 Soup Dumplings with Crab Meat 🧡 Orange Chicken (the best I’ve tried in DFW) 🍜 Chicken Pan-Fried Udon with Black Pepper 🍝 Stir Fried Rice Noodles


STEPHANIE
I definitely get why people really like this spot! 🔥 JOA GRILL is a top notch Korean BBQ spot in Dallas that really surprised me when I went! The food, drinks, and vibes were excellent and it was perfect for a nice date night! ✨ This is an elevated Korean BBQ concept, so your server cooks you meats for you (if you’d like) and they have a nice menu of specialty items to go with your main course! 🙌🏾 If you like Korean BBQ, then I recommend trying the TASTE OF JOA. It’s made for 2 people and comes with plenty of meats to share! 🥩 If you want something other than Korean BBQ, I highly recommend the OCTOPUS & the MUSSELS! They were both amazing! 🔥 This is a great spot for date night or a fun group dinner! It’s really a gorgeous spot! 🙌🏾


Dallas Love List
🫧 UNDERWATER THEMED DUMPLING RESTAURANT IN THE DFW SUBURBS🫧✨ Is anyone else wondering why all the coolest places are going to the burbs? We were shopping recently (the home goods burbs are elite, just a little pro tip) and we saw an unassuming dumpling restaurant and headed inside. When we walked in our jaws literally dropped, I’m not being dramatic, that actually happened. It’s called Juicy Dumplings and everything inside was themed to make you feel like you’re dining underwater. They were playing music video sing-a-longs the whole time we were there and it was the most fun experience. The soup dumplings and chili wontons were good too! Are they the best in town, no I wouldn’t say that but they were very tasty, we’d order them again!


Shania dfw.topsites
🥟✨HIDDEN GEM✨🥟 Bushi Bushi a locally owned and operated gem is perfect for classic dim sum and Chinese food, all made from scratch. The atmosphere is casual yet elegant. What’s unique is the minimal interaction with staff—you order via a QR code, and a little robot delivers your food and drinks. And if you come here, you absolutely must try the orange chicken! It’s hands down one of the best in Dallas, with the perfect balance of crispiness and juiciness. POPULAR ON THE MENU: 🥟 Soup Dumplings with Crab Meat 🧡 Orange Chicken (the best I’ve tried in DFW) 🍜 Chicken Pan-Fried Udon with Black Pepper 🍝 Stir Fried Rice Noodles
See also
Dining in Farmers Branch Near Dallas: Local Dining Experiences, Foodie Favorites, and Trending Spots


Everything Arlington and DFW
🍕 SLIDERS, SHAKES & SLICES (including boozy shakes for 21+!) for the whole fam in Grand Prairie at SERIOUS EATS 🍕 Located in EpicCentral, Serious Eats is a yummy spot for a bite with the fam. 🍕 Order at kiosks and your name is called when your food is ready. 🍕 Choose from monster slices of pizza, sliders, fries, tots and onion rings. Be sure to save room for a gourmet shake! (You just need one- it’s enough for 2 or 3 people!) 🍕 Full bar available along with boozy shakes for anyone 21 and over (I loved the Vincent Vega shake- YUM!). 🍕 Indoor & outdoor seating available, but you may have to wait a bit during busy times for a seat inside (we did!). 🍕 This spot is located next to the new climbing gym at EpicCentral so kids can play before or after they eat. 🍕 Sit outside & you can watch the Illuvia water & light show while you dine! 🍕 Pro Tip: the pizza slices are big enough that you’ll be full with one but the sliders are small so you may want two! Have you tried Serious Eats yet?


Minnie
I’m back for the second time at this hidden gem! It’s a fast-casual spot by day, but at night, the speakeasy part opens up. This speakeasy is totally unexpected, and once you’re inside, they give you a menu book with the history of the place, details to the artworks, and their meanings, along with a drink menu. They host “Ode to Nepal” live music nights on Wednesdays with local Nepali artists and will also be starting a Nepali Bazaar outside the restaurant every Sunday afternoon, promoting Nepali handmade products! So, tag a friend you’d like to go with! Taipo (Behind the Door)