If mark-up on booze at your favorite restaurants has you down, or if you’re tired of the all-too-familiar beer offerings on every menu you see, the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex has plenty of BYOB restaurants to explore. Beyond the appeal of pairing a meal with your exact beverage of choice, dining at a BYOB restaurant can be easy on the pocketbook. And with the city’s top BYOB restaurants showcasing cuisines that span the continents, Dallasites have ample opportunity to crack open a six-pack of their favorite imported beer or bottle of boutique to pair.
Whether you’re craving a fiery Thai curry or a Greek feast with all the trimmings, consider this guide of Dallas restaurants for when you want to bring your own booze.
Sevan G&G Café
Named after Armenia’s beloved alpine lake, Sevan is an intimate Mediterranean restaurant that has been delighting Dallas diners for two decades. For day-drinkers looking to share a bottle of bubbles, Sevan’s brunch is offered six days a week and features Greek omelets with feta and strong Turkish coffee. At night, a bottle of Syrah will tease out the flavor from the grilled rack of lamb, and a good Sancerre will pair beautifully with the spanakopita. As an added bonus, Sevan does not have a corkage fee if you order an entree. 2221 Greenville Ave., Dallas, sevanmediterranean.com
Platia Greek Kouzina
This long-standing Greek restaurant in Frisco draws a solid crowd of regulars who can’t resist the homemade hummus, lamb souvlaki, and moist, flaky baklava. Dark wood and exposed brick give the space a rustic feel, while the Greek art and décor, including a carving of the ancient Greeks, transports diners to the Mediterranean. Platia charges a reasonable $3.95 corkage fee per bottle, which keeps the wine flowing. 2995 Preston Rd., #1590, Frisco, platiagreek.com
Saigon Block
While this Vietnamese restaurant in Richardson has plenty of pho and vermicelli on offer, its specialty is ca nuong, whole baked catfish with crispy skin, topped with aromatics like green onions and fried shallots. Available in medium, large, and extra-large, the dish is suitable for sharing, with diners invited to use the meat to assemble lettuce-wraps. Pick up a cold six-pack of Vietnamese lager Bia Saigon on your way in. The corking fee for a sixer is $5. 2150 E. Arapaho Rd. Ste. 200, Richardson, saigon-block.com
Covino’s Pasta & Pizza
With its checkered tablecloths and cozy ambiance, this decades-old strip mall gem is a go-to for red-sauce Italian comfort plates. Find heaping plates of mussels marinara, eggplant rollatini, and manicotti, plus New York-style pizza and calzones. Hit Covino’s with a group of friends and dine family-style for a well-rounded experience. What is Italian food without Italian wine? Bring along a couple of bottles of Chianti and Sangiovese. 3265 Independence Pkwy., Plano, covinos.com
Bangkok Inn
Thai food lovers rejoice — this family-owned eatery in Lakewood, best known for its swoon-worthy pad Thai, is reasonably priced and has a BYOB policy. Along with crowdpleasers like chicken satay and shrimp fried rice, find interesting dishes like garlic and white pepper pork, spicy shrimp with Thai eggplant, and sweet rice with egg custard. 6033 Oram St., Dallas, bangkokinndallas.com
Hutchins Barbecue
With locations in McKinney and Frisco, this homey, rustic barbecue joint draws lines that snake out the door often. Come with a six-pack because cold beer only enhances the flavor of the house-made sausages. Regulars can’t get enough of the specialty items like the Texas Twinkie: a jalapeño stuffed with brisket and cream cheese, then wrapped in a slice of thick-cut bacon. Multiple locations, hutchinsbbq.com
Bistro B
Putting the Cheesecake Factory to shame, this casual Vietnamese-centric pan-Asian restaurant has a 32-page menu with nearly 500 options, including an extensive list of bobas and other tea-based drinks. None of those options incorporate alcohol, so grab a group of friends and a case of beer, slide into a booth, and indulge in giant portions of pho, banh mi, congee, and hot pot. 9780 Walnut St., Dallas, bistrob.com
Bubala Café & Grill
The Uzbek family behind this popular Eastern European restaurant hires live belly dancers to perform every Saturday night. Diners watch the show, sipping wine they picked up on the way, enjoying a hearty stew from the Caucasus region called Ajapsanjali or blintzes served with roe. The corkage fee is two dollars per wine bottle, a dollar per can or bottle of beer, and four dollars per bottle of hard liquor making Bubala a fun night out that’s easy on the pocketbook. 17479 Preston Rd., Dallas, bubala.org
Di Rosani’s
This cozy Italian restaurant in Irving has its kitchen on display behind a case of fresh New York-style pizzas that you’ll smell the moment you walk through the door. Expect red-sauce Italian joint comfort foods, like seafood-stuffed mushrooms in brandy sauce, mussels in garlic white wine sauce, and cheese ravioli. The corkage fee is $3.50 per person. 105 S. Main St., Irving, dirosani.com
ATASH Mediterranean & Italian
This neighborhood Mediterranean restaurant offers you a cork screw free of charge, so why not peruse the menu ahead of time and buy a bottle of wine to match the food? The menu represents the Middle East, Italy, Greece, and more, offering everything from Persian stew to kababs to pasta and risotto. A live DJ plays on Saturday night. 18484 Preston Rd., Ste. 119, Dallas, atashgrill.com
