Unsure where the insiders of Dallas 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 deduce which eateries have been seeing especially high review volumes 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 increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots are sizzling hot, right now.
Flying Fish
Open since May, this traditional American outlet, which is known for its seafood, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "American (Traditional)" on Yelp.
Citywide, traditional American restaurants saw a median 3% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Flying Fish saw an impressive 118.2% increase, with a slight downward trend from a 4.5-star rating a month ago to four stars today.
Located at 9600 Wharf Road, Flying Fish serves an array of fresh fish and other seafood dishes in a lakefront setting. Menu items include crispy calamari, shrimp cocktail, catfish fillet baskets, snow crab leg platters, fish tacos and assorted grilled fish fillets, like red snapper, tilapia and rainbow trout.
Homewood
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Oak Lawn's Homewood, the New American bistro is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp saw a median 3.4% increase in new reviews over the past month, Homewood bagged a 53.6% increase in new reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a superior four-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 1.5 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
Open at 4002 Oak Lawn Ave., Homewood offers a "warm atmosphere and genuine food," according to its Yelp page. On the menu, look for a selection of pastas, salads, soups like almond gazpacho, cheeses, seafood fare and entrees such as a center cut Wagyu rib-eye steak.
Bullion
Downtown's Bullion is also making waves. Open at 400 S. Record St., Suite 150, the brasserie and bar has seen a 10.6% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.4% for all businesses tagged "Bars" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, Bullion's review count increased by more than 300%.
There's more than one hot spot trending in Dallas' bar category: Delucca Gaucho Pizza & Wine has seen a 17.1% increase in reviews, and Maple Landing and Nori Handroll Bar have seen 15.8% and 12.7% increases, respectively.
Bullion specializes in modern French-inspired cuisine, featuring a variety of shareable small plates, elevated entrees, desserts, cocktails and wine on its menu. Popular items to try include escargot ravioli, oysters, ratatouille and Saint Jacques scallops. Over the past month, it's maintained a strong 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.
San Martín Bakery & Restaurant
Oak Lawn's popular San Martín Bakery & Restaurant is currently on the upswing in the breakfast and brunch category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp saw a median 3.3% increase in new reviews over the past month, this breakfast and brunch cafe and bakery increased its new reviews by 13.7% — and kept its rating consistent at 4.5 stars.
Originally founded in 1974 in Guatemala and open for business in Dallas at 3120 McKinney Ave., the establishment offers an extensive mixture of breakfast, lunch and dinner options, along with various breads, pastries and coffee beverages.
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
