As fans of cronuts and cake pops can attest, food trends come and go. So how can you tell which tastes are trending right this minute?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to analyze which local businesses have been getting a notable increase in 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 increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots have the momentum heading into back-to-school season.
Tacos Patron
Open since 2018, this Mexican cafe is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Mexican" on Yelp.
Citywide, Mexican restaurants saw a median 3.6% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Tacos Patron saw a 50% increase, maintaining a superior four-star rating throughout.
Located at 14060 Dallas Parkway in North Dallas, Tacos Patron specializes in Latin fusion cuisine — in particular, the cuisines traditionally found in Peru and Mexico. Along with plates such as brisket tacos and chimichurri fries, the restaurant features an extensive menu of wine, beer and craft cocktails, including a passion fruit margarita, strawberry mojito and an old fashion with mezcal.
JINYA Ramen Bar
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Victory Park's JINYA Ramen Bar, the well-established cocktail bar and ramen destination is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Cocktail Bars" on Yelp saw a median 4.6% increase in new reviews over the past month, JINYA Ramen Bar bagged a 26.6% increase in new reviews within that timeframe, with a slight upward trend from a four-star rating a month ago to its current 4.5 stars.
There's more that's trending on Dallas' cocktail bar scene: Billy Can Can has seen a 5.6% increase in reviews.
Open at 625 High Market St., Suite 185 since spring 2019, JINYA Ramen Bar features an upscale bar and a generously-sized menu of Japanese-inspired fare, which includes assorted tempura small plates, Jinya mini tacos with fillings like salmon poke and spicy tuna, rice bowls, curries and a list of different ramen noodle soup options.
Whistle Britches
North Dallas' Whistle Britches is also making waves. Open since 2016 at 6110 Frankford Road, the well-established Southern beer bar and traditional American greasy spoon has seen a 2.3% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.9% for all businesses tagged "American (Traditional)" on Yelp.
Whistle Britches is known for its chicken sandwiches, homemade biscuits and beer, along with various frozen custards and cocktails that vary on a seasonal basis. Over the past month, it's maintained a convincing four-star rating among Yelpers.
Gators
West End Historic District's Gators in downtown Dallas is the city's buzziest bar by the numbers.
The well-established Cajun and Creole joint with bar, which opened at 1714 N. Market St. in 1987, increased its new review count by 2.7% over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 2.4% for the Yelp category "Bars."
Gators offers a family-friendly setting for guests to enjoy lunch and dinner during daylight hours that transforms into a party space at night. The restaurant is willing to host large parties, and is known to feature musical entertainment such as live bands, pianists and even karaoke.
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.
