10 New Dallas/Fort Worth Venues for Spring 2020 Meetings and Events

Known for its healthy, happy vibe, Flower Child opened an outpost at Rosewood Court in Uptown Dallas in November. The casual restaurant features a menu that includes organic, gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan items, like teriyaki shrimp and avocado rice bowls, Indian-spiced cauliflower, and grass-fed steak wraps. Measuring 6,500 square feet, the new location is the largest of the mini-chain and the first to offer a full-service bar complete with unique craft cocktails and sangria on tap. A dedicated private event space—which measures 575 square feet and seats 40—is equipped with audiovisual hookups, while a 545-square-foot lounge seats 30 or accommodates 70 cocktail style. The outdoor patio seats as many as 80 guests and can accommodate 100 for cocktail-style events.

Hall Arts Hotel, an 11-story, 183-room property, debuted in the Arts District in December. The hotel features 6,000 square feet of space for events, including outdoor areas and indoor meeting rooms that incorporate advanced smart technology and are filled with engaging art. The hotel can accommodate as many as 250 guests for events in a variety of spaces: the 2,500-square-foot Grand Hall Ballroom, adorned with floor-to-ceiling windows and custom chandeliers; Flora Hall, an 1,800-square-foot room with views of the Winspear Opera House and Symphony Center; and the 1,250-square-foot outdoor Urban Garden. For larger events, planners can host groups in the 15,000-square-foot Texas Sculpture Walk sculpture garden adjacent to the hotel.

Fun is on the agenda at Andretti Indoor Karting and Games, which opened in March at the mixed-use Grandscape development in the Colony. The 100,000-square-foot, family-friendly entertainment center is packed with ways for guests to enjoy nonstop excitement, like high-speed electric go-karts on a multi-level track, a two-story laser tag arena, bowling, VR gaming, arcade games, and a ropes course and zipline. On the food and beverage side, the venue features the indoor Food Truck Plaza, multiple beverage bars, a dessert bar, and a sit-down dining restaurant serving a menu ranging from Asian rice bowls to brick-oven pizza. Planners can utilize more than 4,000 square feet of dedicated private event space, which is divided into several rooms ranging from the 300-person-capacity Grand Room to the 25-person-capacity V.I.P. rooms.

In December, Virgin Hotels Dallas became the first hotel to open in the artsy, edgy Design District. The hotel features 268 guest rooms ranging in size from 323 to 1,395 square feet, including two penthouse suites, and many of the accessories and lighting fixtures have been sourced locally from the neighborhood. For group gatherings, the property features more than 15,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, including the Manor, which measures 2,051 square feet and accommodates 222 theater style, 200 for cocktail receptions, and 136 for seated banquets; Giant, a 3,735-square-foot room with skyline views and space for 363 guests theater style, 374 for cocktail receptions, and 288 for banquets; and the 517-square-foot Rushmore (pictured here), with seating for 16 for conferences, 20 for classroom-style meetings, and 40 for banquets. On-site event coordinators are available to bring planners’ visions to life with themed meetings, customized activities, and personalized service. Elsewhere on the property, guests can enjoy the rooftop terrace and pool, a secret garden, a curated collection of museum-quality art, Commons Club bar and lounge, and the Funny Library Coffee Shop, which doubles as a communal workspace.

Jaxon Texas Kitchen & Beer Garden opened its doors at A&T Discovery District in March. The bar focuses on Texas-made craft beer as well as a small selection of wine and cocktails, while the kitchen churns out modern Texas dishes like green chili brisket mac and cheese, deviled eggs, jicama salad, smoked brisket, and banana pudding. Inside, the 4,400-square-foot dining room can seat as many as 165 guests and incorporates locally sourced art, cactus terrariums, and other Texas-centric decor. The sprawling 10,000-square-foot patio seats more than 300 and offers a view of the Discovery District’s 104-foot-tall, 6K-resolution media wall.

In December, Foxtrot Market opened a University Park location that’s part gourmet market and part café. The menu features light dishes for breakfast and lunch: think chorizo breakfast tacos, coconut milk smoothies, and whole-grain bowls, as well as wine and local craft beer. The restaurant includes a 3,000-square-foot interior dining area that seats 50 guests and a 600-square-foot outdoor patio that seats 44. Set across the street from Southern Methodist University, the venue offers an abundance of windows to bring in natural light and ample power outlets make it easy for guests to plug in and charge their devices.

The Star District in Frisco welcomed Trophy Park USA, a family-friendly sports lounge and full-service restaurant, in October. Spanning 13,000 square feet, the restaurant is all about play, with two patios, classic games like bowling and bocce, an outdoor putting green, live music capabilities, TV screens throughout the venue, and private booths with access to interactive gaming consoles. For events, Trophy Park USA can seat as many as 250 inside and 250 on the outdoor patio. The menu includes an eclectic mix of internationally influenced dishes like kung pao cauliflower, venison meatballs, tomahawk ribeye steak, and brisket tacos. Bottle service, seasonal cocktails, and giant shareable drinks are among the offerings at the bar.

In November, the Sinclair, a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel, opened in a historic art deco building in the heart of downtown Forth Worth. Providing a boutique experience within walking distance of the Fort Worth Convention Center, the property features 164 guest rooms and suites that are outfitted with modern technology to cater to today’s guest, including digital showers, 8K wallpaper televisions, and touch-screen mirrors. Equally high-tech amenities are available for events, which can be convened in several spaces in the hotel: The 444-square-foot boardroom seats 14, the 2,900-square-foot Wicked Butcher restaurant seats 50, and two private dining rooms seat 18 and 14 guests, respectively. Planners can also host groups of as many as 120 guests at the 3,500-square-foot rooftop bar.

Opened in March in the Arts District, Yardbird Southern Table & Kitchen is the fifth location of the highly acclaimed concept, joining outposts in Miami, Las Vegas, Singapore, and Los Angeles. Fitting its name, the kitchen churns out Southern fare, with signature dishes including fried chicken brined for 27 hours, shrimp and grits with PBR jus, deviled eggs with smoked trout roe, and buttermilk biscuits with honey butter and house-made jam. Adorned with design details like an open kitchen, street-facing picture windows, mesh drapery, and a wraparound patio with swing seating, the venue offers a bright, industrial-style atmosphere for events. The 7,000-square-foot restaurant seats 154 guests in the dining room, 20 in a private dining room, and 78 on the outdoor patio.

Primo’s MX Kitchen & Lounge (formerly known as Primo’s Tex-Mex) in Uptown Dallas reopened in November with a new casual-chic, chef-driven concept. The revamped menu offers a fresh take on crowdpleasers like tacos, enchiladas, burritos, and tableside fajitas. On the beverage side, the bar features specialty cocktails with a Tex-Mex flare, like the Anillo de Fuego, made with serrano-infused tequila and pineapple, and the Jalisco Espresso, which draws from the flavors of coffee and Aztec chocolate bitters. Spanning 5,500 square feet, the dining room seats as many as 130 guests, while the outdoor patio can seat an additional 40.