I am going to Dallas for my birthday to visit my best friend who now lives there...what are some great, fun restaurants?
Not too expensive...no Mansion on Turtle Creek but nice. anything else I shouldn't miss as a tourist?

Go have some barbecue at the Stockyards in Ft. Worth. I much prefer this area than anything I came across in Dallas. Ft. Worth is a fun city and fits the image of Texas.

been to Fort Worth,liked it. Now want to do Dallas. Like trendy, modern places but am open.

I was down there about 6 months ago and went to a place in las colinas called Cool Rivers. Bar area is very good around happy hour and the dining area has great food. Not Dallas but if your out near Las Colinas, or heading back to the airport, give it a try.

--

http://guidelive.com/

Above website is part of the Dallas Morning News --- each Friday the 'Guide' is published with newspaper (obviously the on-line version is available every day). Guide has extensive list of restaurants & restaurant reviews, bars, movies, 'what's happening' around town, etc.

i like the green room in deep ellum _ hip restaurant with good imaginative food, cool rooftop bar. For sushi, Teppo on Lowest Greenville. In Knox Henderson area, Samba Room for Cuban, especially drinks and apps., and Fishbowl//ZenDen for asian apps and the bar. I also love Steel, newish, very cool Asian place in the Centrum. None of these are exactly cheap, but not Mansion prices either (except maybe Steel) All are fairly lively and popular with 20s-30-40s crowd.

Second vote for The Green Room. Its about $40/person and the food is great. Very knowledgable staff. Go up to the roof afterwards for a great view of downtown. In a good location to go to other bars and clubs afterwards as well.

Also, look into Sambuca Jazz Cafe. There's one in Deep Elm (same location as Green Room) and one in Addison. Excellent Mediterranean food with live music starting around 8pm.

My favorite fun place to eat is Two Rows Brewery on Greenville Avenue in Old Town (just south of Lovers Lane). They have some really good microbrew beer and a variety of menu items that will please everyone. The raspberry vinagrette salad dressing is a personal favorite! best of all, the most expensive menu item is $15.00!

I have also been to Cool River and it was nice, as the area around Los Colinas is also. Food good, went with some people who lived in the area and recommended it.

You might check out some of the restraunts up by SMU (plenty of cute girls) one of my favorites is a little oyster bar "Aw Shucks" on Greenville. For breakfast Dallas has a douple of the "Original Pancake Houses", one by SMU and one on McKinney? just north of downtown. I'm a little cool on Cool River. We've got one down here in Austin too- the food is good, but little sole. Someday, you may want to try the Mansion at Turtle Creek - one of the best meals I've ever had in my life. For sites not to miss, on the West End don't forget to go to the Old Book Depository (sixth floor) exhibit on Kennedy and the assassination. Go to a good blues bar. Have some BBQ just about anywhere and maybe a chicken fried steak- this is Texas after all. Fort Worth is about an hour away. I prefer it to Dallas for activities and museums. Much closer by is Los Colinas where you will find a stunning Robert Glen sculpture of the running Mustangs.

Texas girl has some good suggestions. I'd skip both the Mansion on Turtle Creek (way overrated) and Cool River (meat market-overpriced wines,underwhelming menus). The hottest new place is the Latin La Duni in the Knox-Henderson neighborhood. Other restaurants in this neighborhood are also trendy: Samba Room, AquaKnox (Fishbowl), Il Sole. Highland Park Village amd nearby has nice selection: Cafe Pacific, Al Biernat's. My advice: Pick up "The Guide" from the Friday edition of the Dallas Morning News.

If you're looking for a fun restaurant (especially for a bday weekend), I'd recommend Monica's Aca Y Alla in Deep Ellum. Different kind of Mexican food -- good, lots of character and lots of fun with good margaritas. Like Deep Ellum, agree Greenville is a good place to go too for fun -- Blue Goose is a always packed Mexican restaurant on Greenville (mid priced). Also, I got married last December in Dallas and created a whole list of places to go and descriptions for out of towners while they were here -- I ended up posting it on fodors. You can do a search for it.

Did you go for your birthday yet? Where did you end up. I went to Green Room and while I'm glad I went, the cool thing to do in Dallas I thought the food was too weird for me. My colleague thought it was great, If you're adventurous with food go for it, if not they will make a plain little chicken dish. Still very expensive, the dessert tasted like it had freezer burn. Definitely more of a trendy restaurant, than a good quality. We had lunch at the Melrose Hotel and that was very good. I'm returning in a few weeks and will take some of these recommendations.