Want the scoop on Dallas's most talked-about local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to analyze which eateries have been in the limelight 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 have the momentum heading into springtime.
Merchant House
Open since September, this cocktail bar and New American and breakfast and brunch spot 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 2.3 percent over the past month, but Merchant House saw a 21.7 percent increase. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis review counts increased by more than 140 percent.
It's not the only trending outlier in the breakfast and brunch category: Smithy has seen an 8.6 percent increase in reviews.
Located at 4040 Maple Ave. in Oak Lawn, Merchant House offers charcoal grilled wild salmon with creamed leeks, heirloom tomatoes, kale and salsa verde; the Asian Noodle Crunch that comes with roasted chicken, cabbage, herbs and ramen; and the Miso Eggplant + Seared Tuna Bowl, which includes quinoa, green papaya and purple sweet potato. Don't overlook the shared plate section, which has over 20 items to choose from. (To view the entire menu, click here.)
Doc B's Restaurant + Bar
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Oak Lawn's Doc B's Restaurant + Bar, the bar and traditional American spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "American (Traditional)" on Yelp increased their review count by a median of 2.6 percent over the past month, Doc B's Restaurant + Bar bagged a 12.8 percent increase in reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a sound 4.5-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 1.7 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
Open at 2021 McKinney Ave. since May, Doc B's Restaurant + Bar is open for brunch on Saturday and Sunday and lunch and dinner. It serves a healthy dose of salads, burgers and sandwiches on the menu.
There is also the Wok Out Bowl, where diners have a choice of salmon, chicken, shrimp, tuna, tofu or filet mignon served with veggies and chopped cashews in either a sesame teriyaki or sweet and spicy Thai sauce and a choice of brown rice, quinoa or Lo Mein. For entrees, there's the Hot Chicken that comes habanero-honey glazed fried boneless chicken breasts and coleslaw.
Bishop Cidercade
Near East's Bishop Cidercade is also making waves. Open since 2016, at 2777 Irving Blvd., Suite 200, the popular brewery, bar and arcade has seen a 9 percent bump in reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.5 percent for all businesses tagged "Bars" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis review counts increased by more than 240 percent.
Bishop Cidercade has more than 170 arcade games, including 20-plus pinball machines, and 30 ciders and wines on tap each day. Bishop Cidercade does not serve food, but guests can bring their own, have it delivered or order from a food truck on site. For a list of drinks available, click here. It also offers tours of the brewery on the first Saturday of every month.
Over the past month, it's maintained a healthy 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.
