Date Night Dinner Party Corporate Event local is your place to go. From the moment you walk in though the secret front entrance to the last sip of wine you take, the service is phenomenal. This place has all the ambiance of most high end restaurants but none of the pretentiousness. The decor is modern romantic and like you are on a getaway without ever leaving the city. Our server described how she and the sous chef drove for over an hour for some vegetables they were serving that night. Everything was farm to table fresh. They have a great 7 course tasting menu but we were headed to a musical at the Fairgrounds and didn't have time Once you find Local you will feel bad for not discovering it sooner. read more

A TOTAL DELIGHT. Not only are the food and service exceptional, but the restaurant itself is located in an absolute gem of Dallas history. Built in 1911 at the edge of Deep Ellum as the Boyd Hotel, it was frequented by well-known folks Bonnie and Clyde, and Blind Lemon Jefferson (who was discovered in Deep Ellum by Paramount) and other local blues artists. Owner and chef Tracy Miller came out and graciously answered all of our questions about the building's history, and she has gone to great lengths to preserve and honor its story in her 20 years there. In a city that can be quick to discard charm and grit in favor of building shiny and new, Local offers a unique combination of top notch fare intertwined with the soul and history of Dallas. You will not be disappointed with your decision to drop in. read more

Wow!!!! This place is fabulous. Everything about the experience was top notch. Not at all what you would expect for Deep Ellum read more

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Cool vibes, outstanding service, and I loved that tables were not on top of each other. The food was delicious. We had the beet and arugula salad, sea bass and short ribs. All so tasty! This restaurant is a gem! read more

Fantastic - a true very nice restaurant. I had the tasting menu and each dish was so good. Only quibble is that all a little salty. So many things I'd try again. read more

I was actually pretty excited to try this place as they had a nice looking tasting menu, with wine paring, for only $120.00. Unfortunately, as the old saying goes "you get what you pay for." The restaurant itself has a cool vibe and I appreciated the fact that they put together cocktail options using only wine (no liquor license). The Chefs corn chowder with crispy leeks was actually quite good, however, things went south from there. Tomato Salad: Blah Tomato Soup with crispy basil: very little flavor and tasted more of a minestrone soup. Lobster Cake: expected lump lobster meat, came minced. I did like the dill sauce with the greens. Short Rib with potato: Short rib was very tender and had great flavor. The potatoes were completely inedible due to the MASSIVE amount of salt. Very bad. Watermelon Intermizzo: was pretty good. Needed more lemon flavor Halibut dish: the worst dish of all. Halibut is one of my favorite fish dishes, but this was literally like eating a frozen halibut fish stick. It was honestly that bad. The breading was gummy and completely ruined the fish. Gnocchi helped the dish, but was a total crash and burn. Wagyu Tenderloin: sad, sad day.... cooked well, but tough for "wagyu." VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY salty. Dessert: **palm to face** chocolate pudding that tasted like instant pudding and over cooked TINY donut holes. By the time desert arrived I was over the whole experience. Overall a good concept and what could have been magical, fell flat on its face. Damn. read more

Came here with the lady. We ordered the spare rib dish and the taste plates with wine pairings. This spot is great. I totally meant to take pictures of the foods, but I wolfed everything down and forgot to take proper pics... I did the best I could do given the circumstances. Awesome atmosphere. Awesome and knowledgeable waiters. They took the time to explain every dish and wine we were having. There is a reason this spot is buzzing. read more

Local - New American Near Me - Dallas, Texas

This little gem is in Deep Ellum, located in what use to be a hotel. The ambiance was great. My friend and I decided to sit at the bar. Our bar tender, Will, was on point with excellent service and great recommendations. We started off with the lobster cake. It had the perfect balance. Nice and crispy on the outside with a nice sultry middle. Topped with acidic greens. For my main dish I ordered the sea bass with risotto. It was beautiful. Every bite melted in my mouth. I almost wanted to cry when I had my last bite because I didn't want it to end. read more

Local - New American Near Me - Dallas, Texas

This well hidden spot is a neighborhood gem. My date and I started out with the seared Ahi tuna tartare, and the lobster cake, both of which were cooked to perfection. For an entree we split the Seabass, which again, was melt in your mouth delicious. I have been told that this place is never crowded, although we did have dinner reservations, and both the food and the service was impeccable. I would definitely return here. The only drawbacks I saw were that, 1). Local does not have it's liquor license, and 2) they do not stock black table napkins. This is definitely fine dining at it's best. read more

If you want a local (all of the pun intended), intimate restaurant with upscale food and great service, this is your spot! I'm hesitant to write this review for fear that more people will discover Local and hog all of the reservations! My wife and I do a monthly date night here AND I do a quarterly business dinner here but I'll take any other excuses I can to eat at Local. Pro Tip: do the tasting menu! It changes daily and is worth a try every time! read more

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We eat here quite a bit and absolutely love it. We have done the tasting menu twice as well. This is a great spot for a date night or small group. Low lighting and loungy music vibe as well read more

Good service, great flavored food in an small setting. Sea bass, steak and frites both good. Perfectly cooked, sauce was the right compliment and the sides were yummy. Never disappointed with Local. read more

a+ my wife and i came for date night... depp was an awesome waitress. the food was fantastic. the vibe was great. we'll be back. read more

Local - lo and the chef! - New American Near Me - Dallas, Texas

I was really excited about dinning at local, but I was very disappointed with my experience. The food was very inconsistent and the service was horrible. We had a few food allergies at our table. My friend was very specific that she was allergic to dairy. She ordered the burger basket without cheese. Our food came out at different times, we waited for a long time, but her burger basket never came. So we awkwardly began eating without her... Finally, her burger came, but it had cheese melted all over it. She informed the server and the burger was removed from the table. The server quickly returned to say she forgot there is cheese mixed into the meat too. My friend decided on the short ribs instead. When her food finally came she had been picking on our food and she was full. I was blown away that the restaurant did not offer to comp her meal or even have a manger stop by. We were so excited for this spot, but it was a huge let down. I will say what was good was great, but the inconsistency was overwhelming. I will say the ambience was nice, and the restaurant itself was beautiful. read more

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After reading about this place in countless magazines and newspaper articles, I had to try it out for myself. The restaurant was a lot smaller than I had expected and offered an elegant and intimate atmosphere. The wait staff was friendly and professional. Most importantly, the food was fantastic! It's important to note that Local does not offer a full bar and does not have bread service. However, don't let this discourage you. This place is impeccable! read more

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Atmosphere service and food all top notch, we will got home and already made a reservation for next month

Party of 2 and we sat in between 2 other tables roughly 8 inches away. 100% too close to other people. Completely impossible to have a conversation without them overhearing. Service was not great. Had the chefs tasting menu $70+$30 for wine. At $100 a head, the service was barely mediocre. Our wines would come out after our course. Water was empty a few times, poor description of our courses and wines. Maybe it was just our bad luck of the server and seating. But when you're serving a prix fixed tasting menu, upwards of $100 per person. Nobody should get the short straw and have terrible seating and a bad server. I had to turn around every time the server walked to us, because they can't even stand between the tables. There was no room. So then they're reaching over my head and I have to move my head out of the way. For the people who gave this place 5 stars and said the service was phenomenal. I suggest you try a few other places. I've eating at steakhouses with much better service and seating arrangements. The food is the only reason I gave it 3 stars. Cooked well and presented okay. The price is not worth it's value received. I would not recommend based on our experience and wouldn't go again. read more

Amazing food, wonderful friendly service, great drinks, in a neat spot downtown. This place is a hidden gem and we will be back.

"Discrete", "Dallas' best hidden gem", "Intimate" ..... Sometimes adjectives create false pictures in your mind of what a place is going to be like. Yes, Local was very discrete, yes, it was intimate, and yes... it was very hidden... all so much that while dining on a week night, we were the ONLY patrons in the entire restaurant for the night. I have heard rave reviews about Local and decided to take my fiance here for his birthday. Upon arrival at 7pm, the place was entirely empty. Yes, empty to the point that there was no hostess or waitstaff. It was so eerily quiet, I was a tad bit creeped out. I mean, old house, no one in sight . . . We were seated in the back room and I made a small joke that I reserved the entire restaurant for a private dinner for my fiances birthday. Too bad he caught on, note to self, should've tried the line earlier. The tasting menu was a steal, so of course, we opted in! Each course was beautifully plated. The food wasn't terrible, but it was also short of spectacular. Each course appeared to be a tad bit oversalted. I also didn't enjoy the fact that the same ingredients were constantly used over and over again in the dishes. I understand that it reduces the burden on the chef, but hey, I'm paying for a tasting menu, I'm hoping to find other flavors on my palate than the constant repeat. During our dinner, we had the roasted candied beets in the salad, crispy beets in the lobster cake appetizer dish, and beets again one of the main dishes. In all, it was a lovely experience but fails by a long shot to make it on my list of Dallas' best food. No, this is not Dallas' hidden gem. read more

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This has got to be one of the most under rated restaurants in Dallas! I've never even heard of this restaurant till the bf surprised me! The bf definitely did his hw. We have a bunch of friends who are foodies and none of them have even mentioned this restaurant! Well that's going to change! My bf was surprising me for my birthday so since I had no idea where we were going, I was thinking, "Uhhh, where are you taking me??" I mean, Deep Ellum was the shizz back in the day but everything has closed down and so its pretty much a ghost town and kind of scary. He parked right in front of the restaurant and I'm still asking him where it was! The sign is very small so keep an eye out for it! When I walked in, I was immediately impressed with the decor and ambience. The hostess seated us in a cozy spot in the back corner of the restaurant. I noticed there was a bar area which was filled with the chic and fabulous sipping on cocktails and wine. Love love love! I felt like I was in NYC! Lighting is just dark enough where I could see the bf across the table and music def set the mood. Our waiter was dressed like he owned the place which was kind of nice. He wasn't wearing the typical white button up with apron. He was knowledgeable about the menu and friendly! The entire wait staff was! They gave us free complimentary toasted nuts as well as a soup. I think it was leek soup.. sorry! Both were tastey! We started off with the foi gras. Oh yum! They don't give you much but it was a great starter! I had the cornflake panko crusted seabass and the bf had the special of the day which was a tenderloin filet on top of mashed potatoes and topped off with some sauce. The seabass was delish and tender. I thoroughly enjoyed the pea and lemon risotto. It was creamy and cooked to perfection and paired perfectly with the seabass. The bf ordered his filet to be cooked medium which I normally have cooked medium rare to avoid the risk of over-cooking the meat but wow, it was just perfect. It was so tender it literally melted in my mouth. I might have to say it was one of the best steaks I've ever had. I regretted ordering my seabass and wished I had ordered the filet instead. Mental note for next time. We also ordered an extra plate of Mac & Cheese and asparagus. Both were good.. we ate EVERYTHING and cleaned our plates. For dessert, I had a tough time deciding what to get and finally decided on the blueberries + cream semifreddo which is like ice cream. I wanted something refreshing and to clean my palet. You can definitely taste the freshness in this and could tell it was made from scratch. Amazing... So we were talking to our waiter. We discovered the chef is a woman named Tracy Miller is a self taught chef! We confirmed she was indeed in the back making our food. She also has a separate pastry chef who makes desserts daily from scratch.. and was the hostess who sat us! The restaurant was an old hotel and remodeled to a restaurant. They kept the original hotel entrance and placed it in the back of the restaurant and even kept one of the brick walls which has "The Woman's Tonic". How cool! It fit the chef so well esp since she is a woman. This is a hidden Dallas gem that is a must try. I highly recommend it. read more

We chose Local for a family reunion dinner (10) and were delighted. The food was delicious and the space incredibly comfortable. The chef and staff took great care of us. An added bonus - the restaurant is located in a fun neighborhood. read more

It was OK. I guess I'd go back again, but would get different things. Restaurant was neat and cozy, but food was a little underwhelming. The Good: - Complimentary butternut squash soup! Little cup of creamy goodness. Wish there were more. - Parmesan risotto side. Incredible and well worth it. Creamy and so flavorful. Risotto cooked al dente. - Ambience. Great for a date night. - Service. The Bad: - Short rib entree. Short rib meat was a little bland and pretty dry. Not impressed for a pricey meal. - Margarita. Guess we're a little spoiled living in TX, but this was made from sorbet. I asked the server if it was going to be pretty sweet, and she said no. Welp, it was too sweet. Might as well have been dessert. - Lobster cakes. Too much cake, not enough lobster. Texture and flavor was more like cornbread than a lobster or crab cake texture. read more

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We are from Out of town and one of our friends recommend this place. We went with a group of couples, there were 6 total. We sat at a table very comfortably. The wait staff is as very attentive and very knowledgeable about the menu. We decided to go with the Chef's tasting, which included 7 courses. We started with a small sample of tomato basil soup, super flavorful and I think it set the tone for the rest of the courses. I don't want to spill all the details of the menu. It was an amazing experience and this was actually my very first chef's tasting. I would definitely recommend trying and complements to the chef! read more

I had the pleasure of visiting Local a few months ago when having a casual date night. Local was actually recommended to me by one of my coworkers, so I knew I had to try the place out. It definitely has a different kind of layout than your normal interior restaurant designs. There were different rooms, and along with the different rooms, seemed to have different moods as well. Or maybe that was just me thinking that. Either way, it worked. The wine menu was small, having only one option per type of wine. But, I can say that the wine offerings were good at least. We decided on a few glasses of Chardonnay to compliment the seafood options we knew we would have for the night. We started off with the Ahi Tuna Tartare appetizer and it was light and refreshing. For my entrée, I ordered the Cornflake and Panko Crusted Seabass, which was atop a bed of Parmesan Risotto. This dish was sensational. Even though the seabass was encrusted with the delicious topping, I was still able to appreciate the sweet and savory fish that had such a buttery and creamy texture and flavor. The risotto was cooked perfectly to go along with everything. I highly recommend this entrée! It went excellent with the side of Mascarpone Mac and Cheese. I also had some of the Balsamic Glazed Salmon, and when comparing it with my Seabass entrée, I almost liked the salmon a tad bit more. The salmon was drenched in this tangy balsamic sauce and it mixed so well with the sugar snaps and peas. The chef definitely created a masterpiece with this dish. I really like this quiet and unconventional restaurant. I can't wait for my next return here! read more

Local - Balsamic Glazed Salmon and Mascarpone Mac and Cheese - New American Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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Way over priced, small portions and very limited menu. And how do you NOT have a bar with liquor?? read more

I came here on a Friday night based on an overwhelming recommendation from a previous diner - and I was not disappointed. Everything we got was excellent - the endive salad with brussels sprouts was light but extremely flavorful, and the parmesan crusted sea bass was perfectly cooked and extremely delicious. The chef personally delivered the dessert to the table, and the trio of chocolate we ordered was rich, creamy, and perfect for sharing. But in all honesty, my favorite thing was the coffee. It is infused with some sort of pecan flavor (very light, of course) which added a bit of nuttiness and slight sweetness, and being the coffee connoisseur that I am...four cups came and went in under 10 minutes. Great waitstaff, great food, great wine selection (I highly recommend the Argentinian Malbec) - the only thing keeping this place from five stars was the discrepancy between meal size and price. I would have liked to see a bit more for the money. Regardless, I will definitely be back. read more

Found this hidden gem on Yelp and friends it's a must try! Service from Michael was exceptional and Chef Tracy joined us after preparing our meals too! From the hand prepared seasoned nuts that welcomed us to the seabass and pan seared scallops, it was all amazing! We will be back and with friends! read more

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Great for a romantic dinner with your boo. The decoration was between midcentury and minimalist, I love the house music they were playing in the back, quite enough to still have a good conversation, yet strong enough to actually hear it. Food was outstanding, we got the lobster cake and it had so much h flavor, every flavor was right, the cream that they put on top was just enough to give it a good kick. I got the scallops and my boyfriend got the seabass ( I am not sure if it was a seabass or other fish) I was really concentrated in my scallops at that time, they were good, not the best ones I have eaten, but good enough. We also got Mac and cheese and it was delicious, the cheese they made it with was just perfect! Ok now the service was a downside, the waiter barely came to our table, I finished my entire meal without a glass of wine because she didn't not show up. She also seemed having enough time to make jokes with other tables, but not enough time to come to our table. I think I could give them a 4 and half stars, but the service was disappointing keeping In mind we always give 20% gratuity and our bill was $370, but hopefully if you, it won't be the same waitress. read more

Absolutely the nicest place to eat in Deep Ellum! If you live in Dallas and haven't been to Local, you need to go! This classy, intimate setting has extremely high-end food at very reasonable prices. It's the perfect spot for a great romantic date, or even a good time for a burger and beer at the bar. The owner cooks the food herself and the bartender is one of the best ever! Cheers! read more

Local - New American Near Me - Dallas, Texas

If yelp had 1/2 stars, I'd give Local 4.5 stars. This is one of the foodie meccas here in Dallas that has been around for a while but hasn't gotten too big but still maintains a very loyal following. We went during Local's 15 year anniversary celebration. I can't count too many places in Dallas that have been around for 15 years. I'm actually embarrassed that as a self proclaimed foodie and gourmand that this was my first time eating here. It hasn't been for a lack of trying. In the past, it's been hard to book a table here during special occasions and for a last minute meal (I am guilty of never planning ahead). But we were finally able to score a last minute table for 4 this past weekend. We ordered their 15th anniversary 7 course tasting with a wine pairing. At $70 pp + $30 for the vino, this might be one of the best deals in town. A solid 6 of the 7 dishes were fantastic. Beautifully presented, thoughtful, and most important tasty. The beef course was a bit overcooked. I think we had probably one of the last servings of the night so we got the end pieces which were on the wrong side of medium well. But it was beautifully presented and tasty, albeit a bit tough. The other standouts were the scallop and the fresh cheese served with greens and some type of chutney. The vibe here is chill, intimate and understated. The bar in the back has a very laid back ambience and is a great place to have a glass of wine of bubbly before dinner. I'm definitely not going to wait another 15 years to come back. read more

This was my second time back at the Local. The first time they were really busy and the service wasn't what I was hoping for. The food was good and my waitress was pleasant, it was just really slow getting our food. I didn't complain or take short my waitress my tip, so it was a pleasant surprise when the owner of the restaurant called and offered a gift certificate to come back. I guess the waitress overheard my complaints to my husband, but we had left before the owner could talk to us. The second time was amazing. The food was fantastic and the wines they paired with them was amazing as well. The server was very attentive. I will definitely be back. read more

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H I D D E N. G E M. O F. D A L L A S. So what is this place good for? Date Night? check. Dinner Party? check. Corporate Event? check. Being the sullen guy sitting alone at the bar contemplating existential crises? double check. From the moment you walk in though the subdued front entrance to the last sip of wine you take, the service will be phenomenal. This place has all the trappings and ambiance of most $$$ restaurants but none of the pretentiousness. The irony of discovering Local is that it will make you feel like a terrible one for not hearing about its existence sooner. entrenched history (ask your server about Bonnie and Clyde) and has been here for 15 years??? Where have I been? Would love to see this place do well. Highly encourage you to go Local. read more

Bottom line up front: poor service, worse food, worst drinks. This restaurant was a disappointment from start to finish. Came here to celebrate and ordered a variety of drinks, entrees and apps, all disappointed. The service was extremely poor, as one of two couples eating dinner on a Friday night it took 10 minutes to get the check. After reading reviews and having a great experience in Dallas in general, expectations were high. By the end of the night and a couple hundred dollars later, we left with food we didn't want to finish, drinks we couldn't choke down, and a a bad taste in our mouths. read more

I love this place. A previous reviewer said it has a NYC feel, and that really hits the nail on the head. I know everyone has fried green beans, but I had them here first. I love that they only serve beer and wine, because otherwise I wouldn't have tried the AMAZING champagne cocktail when I was last there with a friend. If I remember correctly, it had grapefruit sorbet in it....wonderful. I'm a mom, so opportunities for foodie dinners are rarer than I would like, but I have recommended this place all over town and even gave our son's basketball coach a gift certificate to Local at the end of the season (she's a foodie too). read more

In need of a place to seat 22 people during Solar Power International, I turned to Yelp for guidance. Luckily I found Local, and they were able to reserve their entire back room for our group of business colleagues and clients. Finding the restaurant was a bit of a challenge, as none of us were familiar with Deep Ellum, but ultimately we all got there safe and sound. Local is a chef-driven restaurant, and Chef Tracy Miller delivers on all fronts. The restaurant is beautifully appointed, the service is excellent, and the food, well, the food is simply sublime. Start off with their signature champagne drink, an excellent mix of grapefruit-rosemary sorbet and bubbly. It's a refreshing aperitif while perusing the menu. Your server will also offer an amuse bouche to start the evening. Nice touch. Since the menu changes often, I won't highlight any of the dishes, but if you like beets, and they are on the menu, order them! (Note to diners with allergies - just let your server know, and Chef Miller will accommodate you.) The dishes appear simple, but Chef Miller coaxes the maximum flavors from each expertly arranged plate. If I have the opportunity to go back, I'll be sure to opt for her tasting menu. As our large party was exiting the restaurant, just about every person complimented me on finding Local, and said it was their best dining experience in Dallas. read more

I don't know if it was the rave reviews that set my expectations too high or the fact that it was Independence Day weekend that everything (food, service, ambience, etc.) was mediocre, but the food itself was slightly disappointing especially on the bland soup. For the price, you should go somewhere else... read more

This is the easily my top 5 restaurant experience in Dallas. I need to go here more. The vibe is very slick. Modern yet cozy. Dim lighting, making me look even better! Perfect for dinners with a special agenda. Food presentation is very impressive. Artisanal is every sense of the word. Service is active but not annoying. Wish they had vodka though! Very humble staff. Impressed by the way their kitchen executes. You can tell this place has their coordination in check. Kind of reminds me of how Flora Street Cafe constructed their dishes. Glad to see that this food "art" is still alive in Deep Ellum. read more

Local is one of our favorite places to go. Is that hidden gem you want to keep hidden. Service may be slow at times but the food never fails. Parking can also be hard to find specially with the increased popularity at Deep Ellum. We always come back for more. read more

Great food and atmosphere. Did the tasting menu and loved it all. I ate so fast I only got a pic of the dessert. read more

Local - Spice cake. - New American Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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I was visiting Dallas for the first time in my 7-8 years (this time for work), and was really excited to get a taste of some the new restaurants. A colleague of mine took me to Local -- the menu and pictures made it look great, but unfortunately, Local fell flat for both of us. We arrived around 7pm, peak dinner time, only to find the place completely empty - with zero employees, and customers, to be found. I started walking around trying to get the attention, when finally someone in the back came out to seat us. Okay, weird. The vibe is very under-the-radar, dimly-lit spot with lots of color and texture so was hoping the food would knock it out the park. The menu was pretty complicated, and included a bunch of dishes that didn't feel cohesive. I got the burger ($22 by the way), which had an entire list of fancy ingredients, but was pretty plain and forgettable. My colleague got risotto, which was basically plain rice. Come on! The mojito x prosecco cocktail was delicious and our server was incredibly kind, but overall the experience was vanilla. Our server mentioned that menu has been the same for like 14 years, but maybe it's time for a change, Local. read more