Find the Best Things to Do in Uptown
By Denise Brandenberg
Dallas Local Expert
About Uptown
Referred to as Uptown, the McKinney Avenue area is best known for its upscale restaurants and shopping. Want to enjoy a burger or indulge in fine French cuisine? This street offers it all! The neighborhood dates back 125 years and was once called Freedomtown because it emerged as a freed slave settlement. McKinney Avenue is located north of Downtown and is easily accessible via the Downtown/McKinney Avenue trolley line.
See & Do
The McKinney Avenue Trolley is one of the most popular attractions in the Uptown neighborhood. Ride admission is free for visitors, and it takes you all around the neighborhood. These restored antique trolleys run 365 days a year, and they are air conditioned and heated, so visitors will be comfortable. Well-behaved dogs (who are accompanied by their owners) are also welcome on the trolleys.
Eat
The Uptown neighborhood boasts a wide variety of restaurants that will match any visitor's mood and budget. For an elegant, upscale dinner, go to The Old Warsaw. If you're in the mood for a casual, laid back meal, go to the Tex-Mex hot spot, Primo's Bar and Grill, which has an excellent patio for people watching and margarita sipping. Looking for the perfect brunch restaurant, head to Bread Winner's Cafe and Bakery, which specializes in fresh baked goods, breakfast and lunch.
Party
No matter what type of nightlife scene you prefer, Dallas' Uptown has it all! If you're in the mood for a trendy nightclub to mingle with some of Big D's most beautiful people, Avenu Lounge is the place to be. Looking for a perfect date place? Go to to Sambuca Lounge, which features Mediterranean cuisine and live bands and dancing - it's the ideal place for a classy evening. Want to throw back some beers with friends? Go to the Ginger Man or Frankie's Sports Bar.
Stay
The Dallas Uptown neighborhood features some of the city's best, and most luxurious, hotels. Some 4 and 5-star properties include the Rosewood Crescent Hotel and the Dallas Ritz Carlton. Both hotels have high-end onsite spas, elegant restaurants and shops inside the property. More in the mood for an adventurous evening? Stay at Hotel ZaZa. This hotel has themed suites, one of the city's trendiest bars, Dragonfly, and a very cool vibe.
Shop
Uptown boasts an outdoor shopping mall called West Village. This popular spot features a wide variety of stores, including Ann Taylor, Gap, Lucky Brand Jeans, Tommy Bahama, and Indigo. Visitors can also catch an independent movie at The Magnolia Theatre or grab a drink and dinner at one of many sidewalk cafes. Looking for an upscale shopping adventure? Go to Stanley Korshak, located at the Crescent Hotel. This exclusive department store features a gleaming marble-and-rosewood interior and one of the city's best assemblages of high-end apparel, jewelry, and accessories.