November 19, 2014

Dunston's: Dallas' Awesomely Old School Steakhouse

Published by Dallas Observer

2017 - D Magazine, Best Neighborhood Restaurant, Park Cities

April 2017

Dunston’s

Be prepared to leave smelling like a tenderloin. It’s part of the charm of dining at this iconic Dallas steakhouse, a souvenir of sorts. You won’t even mind that your clothes smell like they’ve been cooking on an open flame for hours, because when a gentle breeze catches your silk blouse and wafts the smoky aroma into your nostrils, it will evoke memories of medium-rare filet mignons and bread baskets that come with complimentary ramekins of honey cinnamon butter.

Dunston’s on Lovers Lane has been searing tender cuts of beef on its open-pit mesquite grill since it opened in 1969. As you step inside the restaurant, you’ll notice that not much has changed. Make your way past neighborhood regulars, crammed into oxblood vinyl booths, and snake around the salad bar to the back room. It’s the place to be if you can get a reservation. Wood paneling, adorned in kitsch and family memorabilia, surrounds dark booths and clunky wooden tables. With an intimate bar, it offers a haven for dirty martinis and bacon-wrapped tenderloins.

Service here is friendly, not unlike the kind you’ll find at a family-style diner located off a remote highway. And if you come often enough, the waitresses will remember your name. Once a stomping ground for Dallas bigwigs, the back room is now home to a mix of Park Cities thirtysomethings and folks who have been frequenting the steakhouse since Apollo 11 landed on the moon. 5423 W. Lovers Ln. 214-352-8320. —Catherine Downes

February 2017

Dunston’s Steak House
[best-restaurant-bar-dunstons] This Lovers Lane steakhouse opened in 1969, and the decor is a charming throwback to the restaurant’s beginnings. Make your way past the oxblood vinyl booths, bountiful salad bar, and open-pit mesquite grill, and pull up a stool at Dunston’s tiny back bar. Don’t expect over-the-top cocktails. Instead, stick to the classics. A dirty vodka martini is the perfect pairing for your bacon-wrapped tenderloin.Type your paragraph here.

February 2017 D Magazine

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