Uchi in Dallas is one of the best places in the country to "treat yourself," according to a Yelp list. A related Texas restaurant, Uchiko in Austin, also made the list.
Yelp created its "Top 100 Places to Treat Yourself for 2019" just in time for Tax Day and the anticipated refunds that can come with it.
I dunno about you, but looking at tax documents makes me want to curl up on the couch and eat grocery store ramen for a month. But if you experience that freeing feeling of hitting the tax deadline, possibly getting some money in the bank, and feeling the need to spend it, stat, well: I wish I were you. You should make dinner reservations!
Yelp's 100 treat-yoself restaurants were picked from its national list of three- and four-dollar-sign food-and-drink establishments. "We considered both the rating and volume of the reviews," says a statement from Yelp. Ultimately, this list uses numbers to suggest human behavior. Which means, like other Yelp lists, it sometimes contains odd or interesting choices.
Uchi is the top restaurant on the list from Texas, landing at No. 22. It isn't an odd choice, in my opinion: It's a buzzy, expensive restaurant with interesting cocktails and food. When it opened in Dallas in 2015, it was huge news for Texas foodies. The company has since rebranded the restaurant upstairs to be Uchiba, a colorful and more casual bar with some of the same food. Both feel like good places to spend some cash.
The next Dallas-area restaurant is Fazenda Gaucha, a Brazilian steakhouse in Bedford ranking No. 34 on Yelp's list. We're seeing the treat-yourself vibe here, as it appears to have giant portions of meat that could make for an indulgent evening.
The third Dallas restaurant, at No. 89, is Frank. It's an underground dinner-party company that has the potential to feel exclusive and secretive. Each dinner costs about $150 per person and includes six to eight courses.
Other Texas restaurants on the list include another Brazilian steakhouse, Chama Gaucha in San Antonio; Riverwalk restaurant Biga On The Banks in San Antonio; the aforementioned Uchiko in Austin; and contemporary restaurant Intero in Austin.
Sorry, not sorry, Houston: You gotta go to Dallas, Austin or San Antonio to treat yourself.
