Dali Wine Bar

CLOSED… DMN Eats Blog just announced this morning

I hate to amend my previously outstanding review of this restaurant, but we were very disappointed on our most recent visit. We made reservations for dinner nearly a month in advance for the evening of Avenue Q’s opening night. When we arrived promptly at 6:30pm, the hostess advised that there were no tables available, and we would have a 15 – 20 minute wait despite having reservations. We were directed to wait in the bar.
30 minutes later, we had managed to order and eventually receive two glasses of wine and no appetizers. As we were heading out the door to our show at 7:10pm, the hostess informed us she might have a table opening up in 10 minutes. We went to opening night hungry and disappointed. The only saving grace was that the bartender, who recognized us from our frequent visits, refused to charge us for the wine and gave us his apologies.

To be clear, this review is only in regard to the service… We left after trying to order…
My fiancée and I were going to see Avenue Q at the AT&T Performing Arts Center /​Winspear Opera House and wanted to have a quick dinner at Dali before the show…
We arrived about 6:45pm and did not have reservations, so had the option of sitting at the bar or outside. We chose the bar.
We were going to have a bottle of wine and look at the menu. The bartender informed that we could only order the limited small plate menu. I asked if we could order an appetizer and then a few things to share from the small plates. He said that we could, however, after checking with the chef, he informed us that we could not because he had 20 tickets hanging.
We were disappointed that the hostess did not inform us about the limited small plate menu before seating us at the bar. In addition, we did not think the bartender had the best attitude.
We left. We walked across the plaza and had a great dinner with incredible service at Screen Door.

I heart Dail. This is one of my favorite places for a nice meal, a glass (or 99% of the time a bottle) of bubbly, with great service, great food and a great atmosphere. It was there I discovered honey + cheese = heaven, well done short ribs = bliss. I can’t count the number of times I’ve be there, but every time, everything is divine.
And finally what is there not to like about a place who’s wine list dwarfs the menu? Cheers.

I took my husband and an out-​of-​town guest for a drink before dinner and they both loved it! Small, quaint place with a great wine list!

5 stars for the wine and 2.5 stars for the food. We ordered a bottle of the Mollydooker Two Left Feet which was outstanding. Although Dali does have a full menu with some very nice sounding menu items the food just falls a little flat. Our veal cheek appetizer was overcooked although still tasted ok, and the cheese plate was pretty good (difficult to screw up cheese) Our strip steak and scallop were both ok but the cost for the small portion size put a damper on it. Our friends entrees (can’t remember what) were reportedly average. For desert the grilled strawberries were excellent but were offset by a so-​so butterscotch pudding and a bread pudding that reminded of fruit cake due to it’s density (not a good thing). Overall the food is average and overpriced but the wine is excellent. You really should come here, just don’t eat.

The cheapest bottle of wine is around 40 and the dinner menu is 1 small page on the back of the menu with the average entrée costing 28 $. The place is small and has a certain new glitz about it with floor to ceiling windows and artistic but minimal décor.
Cheese plate was good. Wine was too.
This place is just out of my price point.
I’d never been to this area, you could foresee a bar hopping to Fedora, Screen Door, Jorges and Tei An all in the same center.

Oh, Dali, you almost earned five stars tonight. It would take too long to detail everything that went right, but here’s what went not so right:
(1) The menu included «Classic Caesar Salad» which included heirloom tomatoes and avocados. And there was no mention of anchovies. You can’t make a «classic» caesar if you add tomatoes and avocado and exclude anchovies. You guys should rename this salad because calling it a «classic caesar» seems a bit ignorant.
(2) No chocolate on the dessert menu. What the fuck? Some of us only eat dessert occasionally, and only if the main ingredient is chocolate. No good restaurant excludes chocolate, especially a wine bar, since wine pairs so well with chocolate.
That being said, everything we did eat was excellent, as was the service. And we greatly appreciated that they were open on a Sunday evening.

I admit the construction surrounding One Arts Plaza has kept me from visiting Dali, however my curiosity of knowing overwhelmed me and I had to find satisfaction. To my displeasure, I did not.
While valet parking is normally a big plus for me the location of the valet stand and no prior knowledge of where it is could easily displease impatient folks. For the record what looks like a large sidewalk is in fact a driveway circling the courtyard. The valet stand is located outside Tei-​An (least it was when we pulled up). Upon entering I was pleasantly surprised with my reservation being confirmed and a table ready immediately. I think even without a reservation though there wouldn’t have been a problem getting a table. We sat down and our waitress was quick to ask if we would like tap or sparkling water. I’m not European so tap water works just fine for me. We perused the wine menu and happy to see bottles from one of my favorites, Orin Swift, it was unfortunate that when I asked for a bottle of Saldo that they were out. This coincidence seemed to continue thru the evening. Three more times we picked a bottle and three more times we were told the stock was out. Lucky for me the waitress was very helpful in selecting us a wine that as she suggested would fit our tastes. Though she did tend to push the more pricey bottles we were able to settle on one and again lucky for me they had a decanter to put it in. It definitely needed to breathe a bit.
Our appetizers consisted of the feuille wrapped brie cheese and a caesar salad. The cheese was very good when paired with the sea salt pecans but still not something we would order again. The salad however was excellent and highly recommended! Here are my main points of information for potential diners at Dali. Study the online menu with light or little attention. The menu you will see is not going to be the same as you see online. Pay specific attention to the chef nightly specials and be sure to get a price tag for each so you’re not caught off guard when the ticket comes. As for the entrees we had, the pork was fair and didn’t get finished. The New York strip special was prepared very well and according to my order, but the rest of the dish seemed thrown together. There was nothing «special» about this nightly special.
In truth I will probably return to Dali, I just won’t be eating. The bar scene while vibrant was still cordial and inviting. I’d love to try some more of there wines as well, I’m just honestly scared that once again the stock will be out.

I have been wanting to try Dali for a while now, we actually went over there one night but couldn’t find it??? I guess the construction/​darkness/​lack of giant neon signs intimidated us. So when my bf suggested a «wine bar hopping» night and asked me to find a few places, Dali was first to mind. With address in hand and GPS at the ready off we went! We still circled the building even after I spotted the valet parking sign, hint to newbies, yes it looks like a courtyard with a nice fountain but it is actually the driveway, don’t hesitate to pull right in!
The entrance to Dali itself… ok…it kind of looks like a service entrance from the patio and I fear we would have circled the windows like doofuses had it not been for a waiter who opened the door for us. Keep this in mind. I was really surprised that the restaurant was not packed at 730 on a Friday night but maybe the rain kept the Dallas drivers off the streets?
Keeping in mind the idea of «hopping» we ordered a couple of glasses and perused the menu. I chose the «Hitchin Post Pink» because I like rose and also because I like to hear my bf order for me when I give him a funny named wine. The server brought out my honey’s merlot and two bottles of other rose, telling me they were out of the one I chose but offering me a taste of each. I liked this option, but would have liked it better had he not completely slaughtered the french name of one. I am by no means a wine snob… kind of go by funny names (see above)…but if you work in a wine restaurant wouldn’t you be trained on the french pronunciations? Anyway I chose the one I liked (only $ 8 a glass!) and we chose a few small plates to much on.
The crab cakes were delicious — ALL crab no filler — and the warm slaw served with them was also yummy. The brie «en feuille» was KILLER! It was served with pecans and some kind of honey sauce and was sooooooooooo rich… we also snacked on the almonds, crunchy and salty, perfect!
Our wines didn’t go with our food AT ALL so we switched to a couple of whites, much better! Good people watching even with the small crowd. I would definitely try Dali again and go for an entrée next time.

After a couple of visits here I think I can safely that I am a big fan of Dali!
The first time Angela G and I stopped by one evening after dinner at Fedora, we were completely stuffed but wanted to check this place out anyway. We sat at the bar and decided to sample a few glasses of wine. I hafta say that the dude who «helped» us at first was not actually all that helpful. He didn’t offer much assistance in choosing a wine, other than «this other employee thinks this one is really good!» So, I tried it and I tell him it’s good but am having a hard time picking out the flavors (all i know about wine is I like to drink it and would be interested in being a little more knowledgeable about it). He proceeds to pour himself a glass, taste it, and then look on the label of the bottle for some indication of ingredients. No. I thought the whole point was you are supposed to know this shit? He tastes it again and comes up with some BS like «I think it’s apples, or peaches.» No. Just thinking of this guy makes me mad again!
But THENNN we were helped by another guy, who was farrrrr better at his job. He had great suggestions and poured us very liberal samples. Whew. Thinking about him calms me down a little. Or maybe it was those half-​glass sized samples. Anyway, that night ended on a positive note thanks to guy #2.
We return a few months later for Angela G, Katie C, and Stephanie W’s birthday before hitting up the Screen Door. This time we came in on an empty stomach so we ordered an artisan cheese plate and crab cakes along with our Rappon Riesling. Crab cakes were strangely watery but had lots of crab meat in them… just too juicy for me, it was weird. The cheese/​bread/​cracker/​nut/​fruit plate was the bomb. I freakin LOVE cheese and I was just tickled to try these three very delicious, and very strong cheeses-​my fave! The bleu cheese that tasted like the way elephants at the zoo smell was intimidating, but I liked it nonetheless. The brie and spicy marinated cherries was my favorite combo – don’t know how they made those cherries so tasty!
Anyway, I can’t wait to be back and try more wines and more foods at this adorable place. My minus one star was for the lame sommelier the first time and for the fact that in general it doesn’t seem like they focus that much on wine education, which in my head is what a true wine bar should do. But that won’t stop me from coming back!!!

I went here for lunch today. The indoor seating is rather cramped. The food was adequate although a friend had to send back the hamburger twice due to it not being cooked. I had a salad and it was actually very good. The servers were very friendly but the speed wasn’t that fast. I guess you are supposed to go there and relax with some wine so that is OK. I just wouldn’t recommend it if you are on a schedule.

Had a business lunch here recently, so can’t comment on the wine selection (although it did look delicious), but the food was quite excellent. I ordered a nicoise salad with seared ahi, which was really good… very flavorful and light. The other folks at my table had delicious looking dishes as well, which made me think my order wasn’t a fluke. I’d definitely like to go back and try the wine selection sometime.

Excellent place! First of all, the location is a little out of the way, and the restaurant itself is quite small. There was a party of ~30 there, forcing our group to sit outside. Which was nice, assuming there’s nice weather outside. It also forced kitchen service to be a little on the slow side. Among the good is the amazing décor of the place… very trendy. The service was also a plus; the waitstaff was nice and attentive, and offered wine suggestions when asked.
What gives this place the five stars is the surprising quality of the food. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much in the way of food when we came here, but came away presently surprised. I went with the Bibb Lettuce Salad and Veal Special. The salad was excellent with a great flavor. The veal was solid, but the bed of cracked pepper risotto underneath it was incredible. Risotto was also used on a few other’s plates, so I’ll assume the chef knows how to make it. They also mentioned that they were changing their specials, so by now I’m sure they’re different.
For the desserts, we shared the Butterscotch Pudding, which was good, and the Strawberry-​Basil Napoleon, which was not. For those wanting to put herbs in desserts, please see Uchi’s amazing Pepper Sorbet with mint, thanks.

This is a very good place for a date, to mingle with old friends or to simply have some great wine and food! Dali has a great menu that is of very good quality for the price. When dining here I tend to go for the fish options, but a side of the house Risotto with truffles is a must! Wines range in price and value, and I have used their more elaborate wine list in the past when I have been here. Service is always topnotch, and the whole staff is very accommodating. The head bar manager, I think his name is Rudy, used to work at Per Se in New York so you know he has some great experience!
Try this place, you will thank me!

I don’t hand out 5 stars often or easily. I’m still thinking I’d like for there to be a 4 and a half, but I have absolutely nothing but good to say about this joint.
I came in once I discovered I’d be sleeping in the DFW airport due to a missed connection (that was caused by me not hearing my name on the intercom because of a Ricky Martin song) and boy did my irritated mood abound. I wasn’t expecting much, have some cheese with the former boy and then drink enough to easily slumber in an airport lobby chair for 5 hours. I should have set my hopes a little higher.
Bottle list? Theirs is exceptional. It ranged from around 20 to almost 200 (don’t quote me on that exactly, after all, I did accomplish the heavy drinking goal that evening). I came in right after the kitchen closed, but they warmly and graciously welcomed my food request and did all they could to make it happen despite the hour, even though I tried to politely refuse.
The manager chatted us up, talked wine talk, let us do half glasses since I was really hoping for some flights… and he turned out to be as big a fan of the Cabernet Franc as me. (That’s probably what gives it the 5-​star).
Take a date, an old friend, a business partner, a flame. Take anyone. Its got that ambient lighting that makes anyone glow lovely, and the sips and savors are a wide, slightly decadent variety. My favorite kind.

I’m so happy that Dallas has gotten on to the wine bar bandwagon! This is another in an increasing list of great wine bars in the area. My favorite thing about it was speaking to the sommelier. He was incredibly knowledgeable and hooked us up with several vineyards in Napa. We just got back from there a few days ago and I stopped in to tell him how well it went. He proceeded to open up a personal bottle, sat down with us, and we had a GREAT conversation.
The brunch here is also stellar. Small menu, but the food in very tasty, and, as most other place, the brunch is a great opportunity to have incredible food at discount. I highly recommend. VINO!

Shared a bottle of wine and some appetizer plates here. The cheeses and meats and snacks on the plates were very tasty. The wine was great (but we’d had it before) and the price was reasonable — in fact, where we ended up having dinner later, the same wine was about 15% more!
Service was a little off. I wasn’t sure if it was because we didn’t have reservations or because we weren’t having dinner, but we were sat at a table outside around the corner from the other tables. It was okay, but it also made me feel forgotten, service-​wise.
Curiously, as soon as we were seated, we were asked how long we were planning on staying. And actually, since we had dinner reservations elsewhere about an hour later, we said we planned on staying about 45 minutes to an hour. You’d think that would have improved the service but it didn’t and we still had to flag down our waiter when it was time to go so I don’t know why he asked. It was odd.
Anyway…good wine, tasty cheeses and meats. A nice place for some wine and nibbles. I’d recommend checking it out.

It is a great restaurant and an even better wine bar. Whether you go for small plates and a bottle of wine or for a full meal, you’ll be happy. The service is relaxed. Rudy, the sommelier, will tell you more than you could ever remember. Trust him.
We’ve gone on Friday and Saturday nights. Each time we’ve gone we’ve sat out on the patio and enjoyed the live entertainment in the plaza. I assure you, go and you will be impressed.

Wow — I found a wine bar before its official opening!
This wine bar is the first wine bar I’ve found in Dallas for serious wine-o’s (No, Cru is not that serious). These guys know their wines. Rudy comes from Per Se (Thomas Keller’s restaurant in NYC) and Morrells — romance moved him from NYC to Dallas (go figure!). We got the opportunity to peruse their future wine list (I guess a lot of the wine is to be added in the next 2 weeks) — it’s very good.
My expectation is that this will become a see and be seen location as it is very close to downtown. I am proud to say that I was there before it became popular…
We also had a sample of a few of their snacks. We had a very good cheese plate, some lamb sandwiches — and the scallops were great.