Neighborhood Guide :: Top Richardson Restaurants

Richardson residents can attest to LOVING our community. We love that we are a great suburb (the first north of the Big D), we love that we have a great school system, and we love all the unique things we have to offer – including great food! When you find yourself in that bubble between 635 & George Bush, here are some great restaurant options that are SURE to have you coming back to our neck of the woods!

MEXICAN FOOD:

Let’s be honest, good Mexican food is a necessity for restaurant options in any town in Texas. Here are my top Richardson options for this IMPORTANT cuisine choice. (Writer’s note: we do have Taco Diner & Mi Cocina in Richardson. Obviously those are amazing options, but those were purposely left off this list to give you ideas for great places unique to Richardson.)

Frankie’s Mexican Cuisine (WEST SIDE of 75)
Monday nights have a great (and cheap!) fajita special. Frankie’s is a local joint with excellent service, food, and drinks! Very kid appropriate but also a great option for a casual date night. There are options for seating inside and out. There is a huge bar area to enjoy if you do have to wait for a table. My husband likes the fajitas or the mexican burrito. I have had almost everything on the menu, and my current favorite is the veggie tamales. PRO TIP: Make sure to get some great local ice cream right next door after dinner!

ITALIAN FOOD:

Cafe Amore (WEST SIDE of 75)
Repeat after me… BYOB! This neighborhood joint is very close to our hearts. For almost 8 years we lived within walking distance of this restaurant, and we have eaten here every Friday night since we became Richardson residents. It is a cheap but good Italian food option for families, big groups, date night, or a night out with girlfriends. The food and service is so great and personal but let’s be honest, everything is better when you can bring your own bottle of wine! PRO TIP: Call ahead for big groups (probably around 6+ people) because the place is full every night of the week.

Roman Cucina (WEST SIDE of 75)
We felt awkward switching to a new Italian food restaurant for a while, but once we tried Roman Cucina we were hooked. Their menu is slightly more expensive than Cafe Amore and it is not BYOB, but MAN – their food and atmosphere are unparalleled in our area. We take our 3-year-old and many people take their kiddos, but it is a great place for a special date night or a kid-free night out. Salads come with all pasta dishes, and that salad is my absolute favorite part of the entire meal!

BURGERS:

Haystack (WEST SIDE of 75, but technically on the highway’s access road)
Oak Lawn has Richardson to thank for this original location of what my husband considers “the best burger” in all of Dallas. We love the burgers, chili, chicken tenders, fries, club sandwich, and EVERY SINGLE DESSERT they have! We have raved about this restaurant to our Dallas friends so much that we have some that travel to Richardson especially for Haystack. This location is small but we have never had a hard time finding a table. 

Shady’s Burgers & Brewhaha (WEST SIDE of 75)
This restaurant is in the same fun area as Frankie’s Mexican (above). Shady’s has great food, including EXCELLENT burgers. I am not a huge fan of burgers, but I love their other options. There are plenty of other options besides burgers – chicken sandwiches, tacos, salads, nachos, and more! This is a great option for a casual dinner or lunch. You’ll find lots of golf carts in the parking lot for people rounding out their day of golf in this fun neighborhood joint. The best part is the HUGE patio under the best shade tree!

LA Burger (EAST SIDE of 75)
Hear me out – this is a burger place with a Seoul-twist. My husband and I tried this recently and committed to coming back upon our first bite! My husband had the Cali Sunshine burger, and I scarfed down Cheesesteak about as fast as I could. The best thing here is the sides that you can order “K style.” We had an order of regular tots (AMAZING!!) and an order of thin cut fries “K style” which came topped with bulgogi meat, kimchi, onions, cilantro, and a special sauce. That alone was TO DIE FOR!! This is a great atmosphere for casual dining, coming to watch a game, or to just have great unique food with a cold beer.

ASIAN FOOD:

Monta Ramen (WEST SIDE of 75)
Richardson has an expansive range of Asian food choices, so it was hard to pair it down to just a couple. It is hard for us to try new places because we have our list of favorites, but we are so glad we did! We always get an order of steamed gyoza which is possibly our favorite in all of Dallas. The menu offers several featured ramen bowls for the ease of choosing some authentic quality ramen. Further, there are several “add ons” that you can add to any ramen bowl OR just build your own. My current favorite is the Curry Ramen, and I crave it at least once a week! My husband always orders the Miso or Shoyu Ramen with corn added. We get our son chicken fried rice which is quickly devoured! (Please do me a favor and order an iced green tea – it is my absolute favorite!)

Noodle Wave (WEST SIDE of 75)
Here is the SECOND restaurant option that is BYOB! We love Noodle Wave for all types of occasions but it does feel like all eating out is so much more enjoyable when you can bring your own bottles of wine. Don’t be thrown off by the shopping center or the other businesses in the area, you are in fact in the right place. We make sure to get the Crispy Vegetarian Spring Rolls every single time. My husband and my son love the Chicken Fried Rice, and I find it impossible to order anything other than Kaow Soy Chicken noodle soup. We love the food, the funky atmosphere, and the great service. This place has a great neighborhood feel with tables full of great people having a wonderful time, enjoying yummy Thai food!

We hope this guide will be helpful as you research the various neighborhoods in Dallas as each are very different and unique! Each guide is written by a Dallas Moms Blog writer who lives or works in the area to provide you with a more overall picture of what each neighborhood looks like. 

And of course, we invite you to join our hyperlocal Neighborhood Groups if you’re new to the area and ask more of those important questions of other local moms — Who’s your favorite pediatrician in the area? Where do you find childcare? When’s the next playdate?!