Wondering where Dallas' insiders are eating and drinking? It's easy to spot lines out the door, but some underlying trends are harder to see.
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to uncover which eateries have been getting outsized attention this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Dallas businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increase their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots are extra cool this winter.
Velvet Taco
Open since August, this New American and breakfast and brunch spot, which offers tacos and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp.
Citywide, breakfast and brunch spots saw review counts increase by a median of 2.8 percent over the past month, but Velvet Taco saw a 25 percent increase, maintaining a solid four-star rating throughout. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis review counts increased by more than 160 percent.
Located at 3411 McKinney Ave. in Oak Lawn, Velvet Taco offers traditional Tex-Mex menu items, but it is known for serving fare not typically wrapped in a tortilla. For example, the menu is full of unique options like Ahi poke, falafel and Nashville hot tofu.
They also offer local craft beers and craft soda. Everything is made from scratch, including the slow-roasted chicken, corn and tortillas.
Mi Cocina
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about North Dallas' Mi Cocina, the Tex-Mex and Mexican spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Mexican" on Yelp increased their review count by a median of 3 percent over the past month, Mi Cocina bagged a 9.7 percent increase in reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating.
There's more that's trending on Dallas' Mexican scene: The La Vista Drive location of Mi Cocina has seen a 7.8 percent increase in reviews.
Open at 11661 Preston Road, #138, since 2007, Mi Cocina offers Tex-Mex cuisine. The menu includes items like nachos, enchiladas, tacos, chimichangas and huevos rancheros. This spot serves It also has a kids menu.
Cidercade
Near East's Cidercade is also making waves. Open since 2016 at 2777 Irving Blvd., Suite 200, the popular brewery, bar and arcade has seen an 8.9 percent bump in reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.1 percent for all businesses tagged "Bars" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis review counts increased by more than 190 percent.
Cidercade offers 24 meads and ciders on tap, such as Kind of a Big Dill, Mango Madness, Candy Cane and Crackberry. It often has food trucks outside, but hungry drinkers are encouraged to bring or order their own food for delivery to the bar. The spot has a $10 admission fee, but the more than 125 arcade games are free. Over the past month, it's maintained a superior 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.
The Mockingbird Diner
Love Field Area's The Mockingbird Diner is the city's buzziest traditional American spot by the numbers.
The well-established diner and traditional American spot, which opened at 3130 W. Mockingbird Lane in 2017, increased its review count by 5.7 percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median review increase of 2.9 percent for the Yelp category "American (Traditional)." It outperformed the previous month by gaining 2.8 times more reviews than expected based on past performance.
The Mockingbird Diner offers separate breakfast (until 11 a.m.) and lunch/dinner (until 10 p.m.) menus. The early crowd can choose from pastries to hot items like pancakes, waffles and omelets. There's even an item called "Do you even lift bro?" for the fitness-minded. The later diners can opt for soups, salads, sandwiches and classics like Frito pie. The popular Meat Plus 2 option lets diners choose two proteins and two sides.
