10 New Dallas/Fort Worth Venues for 2019 Summer Entertaining and Events

Dallas Marriott Las Colinas completed an extensive renovation in March, which included updates to the guest rooms, meeting space, public space, lobby, fitness center, and food and beverage outlets. The decor and furnishings reflect Texas’s rustic heritage, the area’s ranching industry, and the surrounding rolling hills, and each of the 364 guestrooms and suites includes amenities like 50-inch flat-screen TVs, luxurious bedding, bedside USB ports, and oversize work desks. With more than 27,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, the hotel can host groups ranging from 25 to 1,000 guests. The 10,374-square-foot Las Colinas Ballroom holds 1,000 guests theater style, 450 classroom style, 1,000 for receptions, and 800 for banquets; the 3,000-square-foot Lakeside Terrace accommodates 200 for receptions and 150 for banquets; three 551-square-foot boardrooms each accommodate 50 guests theater style, 30 classroom style, 40 for receptions, and 30 for banquets; and six 780-square-foot meeting rooms each accommodate 98 theater style, 45 classroom style, 100 for receptions, and 60 for banquets.

Heim Barbecue opened in Fort Worth’s River District in April. Serving up farm-to-smoker fare, the restaurant serves a variety of smoked meats along with sides like green chile mac and cheese and twice-baked potato skins. The venue offers several areas for events: the 6,000-square-foot interior seats 248 guests, the 1,500-square-foot patio seats 82, the 6,000-square-foot beer garden seats 60, and a private room seats 30. With wood features, a custom-made teal bar tap and teal accents, the decor is at once modern and rustic. Screens are available to use for slideshows and presentations.

Hero by Hg Sply Co opened its doors just steps away from the American Airlines Center in May. The 25,000-square-foot entertainment, restaurant, and bar destination can accommodate as many as 1,100 people, but several smaller areas can be reserved for events, including the main dining room, which features two bars and seats 540, and the open-air back area (called “The Meantime”), which accommodates 560 for receptions and features a 24-foot screen and three bars. Guests can also have fun in the 800-square-foot old-school gaming arcade. The sister concept of Hg Sply Co, the venue caters all of the Dallas Stars’ practices, as well as other athletic events, with an extensive menu that features fun, fresh dishes ranging from tuna poke to chicken tacos to porterhouse steaks. To complement the food, diners can enjoy fun drinks and cocktails made with fresh-pressed juices and natural, house-made syrups.

In May, Il Bracco opened its doors at the Plaza at Preston Center. The venue offers a chic environment where diners can enjoy a menu of Italian favorites like cacio e pepe bucatini, chicken piccata, and housemade focaccia with whipped ricotta. The bar menu includes Italian and domestic wines and signature cocktails crafted to complement the food. In total, the venue measures 3,200 square feet; the main dining room seats 74 guests, the bar seats 17, and the outdoor patio seats 46.

Set in a 100-year-old renovated home near Lowest Greenville, La La Land Kind Cafe opened in March. The menu features a mix of high-quality organic and locally sourced products, including coffee, tea, ceremonial-grade matcha from a family-owned farm in Japan, pastries, toasts, and empanadas. Offering a warm and welcoming ambiance, the 1,000-square-foot indoor area showcases decor like exposed wood rafters, comfortable lounge seating, and a fireplace, while the 1,000-square-foot backyard is adorned with string lights, cozy furniture, and a “dog parking” area. In total, La La Land Kind Cafe seats 68 guests. The business operates with a strong emphasis on community development, employing aged-out and aging-out foster youth as well as donating 10 percent of the cafe’s proceeds to benefit the We Are One Project, which helps find jobs for aged-out foster youth.

Malibu Poke opened a second Dallas location in April. Set in Uptown in the mixed-use development McKinney & Olive, the elevated quick-serve restaurant specializes in traditional poke bowls made with freshly butchered sashimi-grade seafood and house-made sauces, as well as cooked dishes with chicken, fish, seafood, and vegetables. Measuring 2,100 square feet, the venue offers a modern and inviting atmosphere, with light wood tables, live plants, an exposed ceiling, and seating for 40. For larger groups, planners can reserve the shared McKinney & Olive courtyard, which can host as many as 1,000 people.

In May, North Italia opened a location in Uptown Dallas, where diners can enjoy from-scratch Italian dishes like pizza with prosciutto, figs, goat cheese, and arugula; squid-ink pasta; crispy calamari; and chicken parmesan. Decor touches throughout the space include wooden textures, marble tables, comfortable leather seating, pops of color, and a vibrant mural of the Dallas Arboretum. The venue seats as many as 179 guests in the 5,501-square-foot indoor space and 110 on the 1,765-square-foot covered patio. The patio also serves as a performance stage for DJs and live bands.

Renaissance Dallas Hotel completed a renovation in April, which included a refresh of its meeting space and a makeover of its 484 guestrooms and 30 suites. The 30-story landmark hotel features new furnishings and an updated design, with materials like marble and glass, welcoming colors, locally inspired art, and modern furnishings. Planners can utilize 51,753 square feet of versatile meeting space, including the 15,921-square-foot Grand Ballroom, which accommodates 1,800 guests for theater-style events, 1,500 for cocktail-style receptions, and 1,260 for banquets; the 5,192-square-foot Landmark Ballroom, which fits 550 theater style, 600 for receptions, and 420 for banquets; and the 1,560-square-foot Grand Terrace, which accommodates 100 guests cocktail style. A rooftop lounge offers views of the Dallas skyline, and state-of-the-art audiovisual capabilities are available for events.

Fat Straws Bubble Tea Co. opened a new location in Richardson in June. The outpost marks the brand’s fourth and largest store to date, with a menu that includes the addition of hand-dipped Japanese-style Mochi doughnuts to the menu of traditional bubble teas, frozen smoothies, and tea-inspired shakes. Measuring 2,800 square feet, the bright and cheerful restaurant can accommodate as many as 91 for cocktail-style receptions or 59 guests seated on chairs, bar stools, and couches.

Punch Bowl Social is set to open a location in Deep Ellum at the end of June. The atmosphere here is all about fun, with a diner-inspired from-scratch kitchen, craft beverages, and classic parlor-style entertainment like bowling, ping-pong, arcade games, darts, and shuffleboard. In total, the venue spans 26,229 square feet, with a 22,127-square-foot main level and a 4,172-square-foot mezzanine. While the space can host as many as 1,100 guests for cocktail-style receptions, several areas accommodate smaller groups, including the mezzanine, which fits 200, the Holiday Lodge, which fits 30, and the V.I.P. bowling lanes, which fit 45. TV screens throughout Punch Bowl Social are equipped with AppleTV, and wireless microphones are available to rent for events.