The Best Spots To Take a First Date in Dallas

Planning the perfect first date can be both exciting and nerve-wracking, but fear not! We have carefully curated a list of top-notch locations to help you impress your special someone on your next first date in Dallas. Whether you're seeking a romantic ambiance, thrilling activities, or delectable dining experiences, DFW has you covered, and so do we! Join us as we explore the finest first-date destinations that Dallas-Fort Worth has to offer.

1. monarch

Perched above it all, 49 stories up in the middle of Downtown, sits one of the loveliest spots in town, Monarch. Your dinner will be deliciously over the top at Monarch, and it starts with the glass of champagne they give you ON THE ELEVATOR UP TO THE RESTAURANT. Once you get to your table or the bar, your breath will be taken away with the sweeping views of our city, and when your meal arrives, again, breathless. Remember to breathe in between those two points, and you'll be fine. We love the pasta with decadent crab legs as well as the steak and truffles here.

2. cidercade

The Dallas Design District plays host to another of our favorite haunts that mix a good drink with a great dose of arcade-style nostalgia. We love the Cidercade, and so will you! They have expanded with a location in Fort Worth and will soon open one in Arlington, but the original is one of the spots on this list we keep going back to. $10 admission gets you unlimited play on more than 140 arcade machines, and frequent flyers can save even more money by signing up for a $15 monthly membership.

3. ebb & Flow

Whether you're planning your first date in Dallas or Plano, Ebb & Flow is THE spot for beautiful aesthetics, creative cocktails, classic hits all over the menu, and a great brunch! Hip hop hits from the '90s and early 2000s play a few decibels higher than the normal background-noise setting. Gold chandeliers sit like tiaras above tables. Start with an order of the garlic Parmesan fries for the table. Then, go with the chicken-fried chicken, two huge chicken filets with a thick crisp crust and not-too-thick cream gravy. Or try the stuffed chicken filled with spinach, mushrooms, cheese and covered in a rich Alfredo sauce.

4. coupes

If you're going for drinks on your next first date, try Coupes in Highland Park. The pastel aesthetic sets a classy vibe, and the champagne flows freely at this joint. They have a rotating selection of 15 champagnes and sparkling wines by the glass as well as 50 labels by the bottle. You're transported into a beautiful mid-century daydream when you walk in, complete with a gorgeous pink quartz bar. The small bites menu is great, too, including the house signature small plate gruyere gougères (cheese puffs), fried chicken Provençal, and a foie gras parfait.

5. sassetta

This Italian hotspot inside the Joule Hotel downtown is perfect for an elegant evening out. If your date happens to be a pasta lover (serious red flag if they're not, by the way), this place is sure to impress! Italian chic meets modern romance with the stunning decor. The glass windows overlook Main St, so it's the perfect spot for sidewalk dining when the weather is nice. They make all pastas and pizzas in house, so they are fresh and delicious! Our faves include the Bevilo Tutto, the Lobster Fra Diavolo and the Tagliatelle Bolognese.

6. the finch

The Finch is a neighborhood grill and raw bar located in Mockingbird Station, and it is one of our faves, for sure. If you're starting your night out with a relaxed Happy Hour, they've got several half-priced cocktails Monday-Friday from 3-6 p.m., but their dinner menu is just exquisite. This is the freshest-tasting seafood in the area, and the rest of the menu is so versatile, there's truly something for everyone! Lunch date? Try the Japanese A5 Katsu sandwich, and thank us later!

7. krio

The Far East meets the Deep South at Kriō in Bishop Arts. The vibe is casual, but the dishes are meticulously created and curated to showcase the quality of the ingredients and the melding of famously delicious flavors. We love to start with the jambalaya eggrolls or the C'Asian poutine, or both, TBH. The fried soft-shell crab here is some of the finest in town. Try the swai, a perfectly seasoned Asian catfish, as well!

8. sushi kadan

Walking into Carrollton's Sushi Kadan, you're met with a cool, dimly lit interior. The three faux cherry blossom trees in the dining room provide the really cute Japanese picnic vibes that are a perfect compliment to the perfect sushi dinner you're about to impress your first date with. The menu at Sushi Kadan consists of Japanese classics such as chicken teriyaki, tempura, and yakisoba and udon noodles, with plenty of tofu dishes as well.

9. Thursdays on tap at the Perot Museum

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is one of the coolest and most interactive museums to hit, especially during Thursdays on Tap! This is the perfect $25 date night, with local food trucks and craft beer and local wines available for purchase as you stroll the exhibits and wax philosophic in an attempt to impress that special someone. Try it out, every Thursday from 6-10 p.m.!

10. Four day weekend comedy show

The longest-running improv comedy show in the Southwest lives in Dallas (and in Fort Worth, too)! Do yourself and your date a favor and go see them — then go again — because no two Four Day Weekend shows are ever the same! Tickets are just $25 apiece and YOU get to submit creative words and phrases to be incorporated throughout the show! Take your mom, take your roommate, your friend or your plus-1 and we promise you won’t regret it.

11. head to fort worth for rooftop cinema

From atop Fort Worth's iconic Worthington Hotel Downtown, check out some choice movie selections during the Rooftop Cinema summer series! Enter on Throckmorton and follow the signs up to the Rooftop. They're playing a variety of great titles out there this season, including The Sandlot, Creed III, Evil Dead Rise, American Psycho, 13 Going on 30, Breakfast at Tiffany's and Crazy Rich Asians.

12. candle-making at malibu apothecary

Create a signature scent while learning the basics of fragrance composition, all while enjoying complimentary light bites, at Malibu Apothecary in the Design District. Each class is about two and a half hours, and you get to choose your favorite jar as a starting point, then get started pouring your own clean, custom candle with coconut, soy wax and your favorite ingredient! You'lll also be able to design a personalized label, and it's BYOB! Cost is $57.