Guides › Val
Val on this one
First date ideas in Dallas
I'm an Austin girl, so I'm not going to pretend I know every Dallas bar. What I did was pick places that are easy to find, easy to talk in, and still open this year. Places change, check hours before you go.
The low-key drink
- Midnight Rambler (downtown, under The Joule on Main St). A basement cocktail lounge with leather couches and records, and a menu that changes with the seasons. Dark, cozy, you can actually hear her. Text her: "drinks at midnight rambler thursday? basement bar, very good couches"
The walk and talk
- Katy Trail (Uptown). An old rail line turned into a path, with a soft side for walkers. Walk a stretch, then end at a patio. Text her: "katy trail walk saturday morning then coffee? low effort high reward"
- Klyde Warren Park (downtown, built over the freeway). Food trucks, lawn, people watching. Good for a first hour that can turn into dinner. Text her: "food trucks at klyde warren friday after work? you pick the truck"
The activity date
- Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden (East Dallas, on White Rock Lake). Gardens, lake views and seasonal displays. Daytime, easy, very pretty. Text her: "arboretum saturday? i hear the gardens are unreal right now"
Cheap and cute
- Pecan Lodge (Deep Ellum). Brisket worth the line. Stand in it together and talk. That's the date. Text her: "brisket at pecan lodge saturday. i'll hold our place in line"
The rainy day
- Dallas Museum of Art (Arts District). General admission is free, the building is huge, and you can leave the second you're bored. Text her: "rain all day sunday. dallas museum of art and you tell me what i'm missing"
- Half Price Books flagship (Northwest Highway). The original store, enormous, with records too. Pick a book for each other. Text her: "half price books flagship sunday? we each pick a book for the other one"
The impress-her dinner
- Lucia (Bishop Arts, Oak Cliff). Small Italian place with handmade pasta, hard to book, worth it. Reservations open about a month out, so plan ahead. Text her: "i got us a table at lucia in bishop arts. friday at 7?"
The late-night bite
- Serious Pizza (Deep Ellum). Giant slices, open late on weekends. The best second stop in town. Text her: "this has gone too well to end without a serious pizza slice"
Texts you can send
drinks at midnight rambler thursday? basement bar, very good couches
katy trail walk saturday morning then coffee? low effort high reward
this has gone too well to end without a serious pizza slice
A woman's read
Dallas guys have a habit of going big on the first date. Fancy steakhouse, valet, the works. It's sweet, but it's a lot of pressure for two people who barely know each other. A drink in a cozy basement, then a slice in Deep Ellum if it's going well, says you're fun and you're not trying to buy anything.
The move
Pick one spot, text her a day and a time, and keep the second stop close by. Midnight Rambler to Serious Pizza is a short drive, and that's the whole night.
Before you go
Places change, check hours before you go. Lucia is the one to book early. Everything else works as a walk-in. If you want backup on the ask, here's how to ask her out over text, and after, what to text after a first date.
Tell Val about her and she'll plan the whole night.
Questions guys ask
What is a good free first date in Dallas?
The Dallas Museum of Art has free general admission, and the Katy Trail and Klyde Warren Park cost nothing to walk.
Where should I take her for a nice dinner in Dallas?
Lucia in Bishop Arts is small and special. Book about a month ahead. Places change, so check hours before you go.
What is a good late night spot in Dallas?
Serious Pizza in Deep Ellum stays open late on weekends and works as a second stop.
More guides