Here's a look at new Dallas/Fort Worth eateries, drinking spots, hotels, conference areas, private rooms, and other spaces for all types of summer entertaining and events. The new and renovated Dallas/Fort Worth venues are available for corporate parties, fund-raisers, outdoor events, business dinners, teambuilding activities, conferences, meetings, weddings, and more.
Le Méridien Dallas, the Stoneleigh unveiled a major renovation in May. Housed in a Beaux Arts-style building that dates to 1923, the property features 176 guest rooms and suites, nine meeting spaces, and an outdoor pool. As part of the renovation, the bi-level, 7,200-square-foot penthouse was updated with new carpets, draperies, lighting, art, and accessories, and the entire space accommodates as many as 250 guests for receptions. Within the penthouse, three smaller, event-ready rooms range from 450 to 667 square feet. Elsewhere on property, additional meeting spaces include an 1,850-square-foot ballroom that fits 120 for banquets, and the 1,476-square-foot Grand Salon with seating for 150. The remodel also includes the addition of a new restaurant and bar, Perle on Maple, which serves international cuisine.
Place at Tyler, an open-concept event space, opened in Oak Cliff in May. With abundant natural light, a clean look, glossy white floors, pendant lights, and skylights, the minimalist venue can be configured and styled for parties of all kinds. Two different areas are available for private events: a 3,000-square-foot room accommodates 150 seated guests or 180 for cocktails, and a 1,200-square-foot room seats 70 or accommodates 140 for cocktails.
Scout, a downtown Dallas outpost for dining, drinking, and socializing, opened in February at the Statler Hotel. The 12,000-square-foot space accommodates 206 seated guests, 315 for cocktail parties, or 380 for events that also use the patio. The space offers fun in the form of games like ping pong, foosball, and bowling, and planners can use the built-in audio capabilities, lighting, and stage. The menu includes crowd-pleasers like fried chicken and fajitas, accompanied by draft beer, wine, and craft cocktails.
Waterproof opened in February on the 19th floor of the Statler Hotel in Downtown Dallas. A pool by day and rooftop lounge by night, the venue features sweeping views of the city. The beverage program focuses on champagne and wine, along with beer and cocktails, all accompanied by upscale, easy-to-share snacks like smoked trout dip, chicken liver pate, and steak tartare. Measuring 5,500 square feet, the venue can accommodate cocktail-style parties for about 240 on the patio and 70 indoors.
From the team behind the Woolworth, Smithy opened in a former ironwork shop on Henderson Avenue in April. Inside, the 2,400-square-foot restaurant accommodates 272 standing or 150 seated guests. On the 1,000-square-foot patio, planners can host events for 50 standing or 34 seated guests. The kitchen churns out globally influenced dishes using familiar ingredients, like tater tot poutine, Thai noodles with wood-fired prawns, and pecan bacon bratwurst.
In March, Brazilian steakhouse chain Fogo de Chão opened a flagship restaurant in Plano’s Legacy West development, its third outpost in the Dallas area. The menu focuses on fire-roasted meats carved tableside, with customizable menus available for events. Spanning 12,000 square feet, the restaurant seats 350 guests, with private and semiprivate areas for smaller parties throughout the space. The new location is also the first of the brand to debut a churrasco bar with open-kitchen seating. Use of on-site audiovisual equipment is complimentary.
As of April, Addison is now home to Porcinos, a southern-style restaurant and beer garden. Spanning 7,000 square feet, the venue seats 240 guests, with room for an additional 110 on two patios. The atmosphere evokes that of an upscale farmhouse, with decor like wood plank walls, bronze metal accents, and live greenery. Guests can dine on a variety of comfort-food staples like baby back ribs and chicken and biscuits while also enjoying inventive options like edamame hummus and oatmeal pie. The bar serves signature cocktails, organic wine, local draft beer, and fresh-squeezed juices.
Cambria Dallas Downtown debuted in March in the Tower Petroleum Building. The 23-story hotel features 177 guestrooms and suites that blend art deco style with tech-minded amenities and details designed for modern travelers. Meeting facilities include a 328-square-foot boardroom that seats eight, as well as a 1,170-square-foot room, dividable into two sections, that accommodates 130 theater-style or 97 for banquets.
In May, California-based Laurel Tavern opened an outpost on Lower Greenville Avenue. Measuring 1,500 square feet, the restaurant seats 70 guests inside, with room for an additional 40 seated guests on the 800-square-foot outdoor patio. The venue serves casual yet elevated modern American fare, including pork belly skewers with maple glaze and a duck club sandwich with pickled green tomatoes and house-made cherry mustard.
Paul Martin’s American Grill—Dallas renovated its 800-square-foot patio in June. The space is now covered and climate controlled, allowing for year-round use by as many as 50 guests for seated or cocktail events. Inside, the restaurant seats 167. The menu features a variety of classic dishes, including steaks grilled on a mesquite grill, fried chicken, and fresh fish tacos.
