Best food and drinks in in Sundance Square?

I%26#39;ll be staying at at Etta%26#39;s Place in the Sundance Square area for Fri-Sun before I shift over to Dallas for a conference. A friend who now lives in Dallas will be meeting with me here and there, but I will be a lone female traveler for part of the time. I see plenty of historical, cultural, and local activites. What I can%26#39;t seem to guage from my internet searches are the best places to go out for a drink and/or meal. I%26#39;m more interested in what the area has to offer that I%26#39;m not going to find in NorthEast cities (I%26#39;m in Philly and NYC often). What are the best local establishments? I%26#39;m open anything from simple inexpensive home cooked food, to more traditional TX or southern, ecclectic upscale, beer houses to snooty wine or vodka bars. I just want to avoid feeling like I got caught in a tourist trap or chain! Oh, and I%26#39;m trying to avoid renting a car, so I%26#39;m hoping for walking distance or trolly rides! Since I%26#39;ll be traveling at least part of the time on my own, please note if your recommendation is in a ';shady'; area - I%26#39;ll make sure I don%26#39;t go there when I%26#39;m on my own! I look forward to ideas and suggestions!

Best food and drinks in in Sundance Square?

Sundance Square has plenty of interesting places to eat. The area is safe and well patrolled if you stick to the main streets. I recommend 8.0%26#39;s (for the hipster), The Flying Saucer, Cabo Grande (my favorite repeat place), and the Reata (for speical occasions around here). I would try to get outdoor seating to enjoy the views of the Square.

This website has a more comprehensive list, but I can personally vouch for the places listed above.

www.sundancesquare.com/dining/default.aspx

Hope you enjoy Fort Worth!

Best food and drinks in in Sundance Square?

We like Sapore, which is about a 4 block walk from Etta%26#39;s; cozy restaurant which blends unique flavors in a great presentation. Fresh ingredients nicely prepared. The same owner used to operate under a different name, Randall%26#39;s Gourmet Cheesecake, which you can still get for dessert; I highly recommend the cheesecake. www.saporefw.com

Reatta, which is right next to Etta%26#39;s, gets lots of raves locally, but we%26#39;ve tried it twice and find it to be boring. Still, if you%26#39;re used to the cosmopolitan northeast, Reatta might provide some tastes you%26#39;re not used to. I think I%26#39;d call it Texas ranch food with a southwest flare. Probably best if you like beef. www.reatta.net

If you have the chance, take in a show or concert at the Bass Hall, just a couple of blocks from Etta%26#39;s. What a wonderful facility. www.basshall.com

By the way, we always stay at Etta%26#39;s when we%26#39;re in Fort Worth. They will treat you right.

A friend highly recommends Lanny%26#39;s Alta Cocina - but not sure exactly where it is.

Fizzi is a very nice place right across from Bass Hall (www.fizzis.com)- I always swear I am going to stop by sometime just for dessert! Nice bar as well. Billy Miner%26#39;s is great just for a burger and a beer. Although Daddy Jack%26#39;s is part of a chain, it is good for seafood- I have eaten there by myself- no problem. Pour House is your basic beer place- Flying Saucer is fun too. Grape Escape is a nice wine bar, next to Fizzi. Even if you don%26#39;t reat at Reata, havae a drink on the rooftop bar- nice view. You won%26#39;t have any trouble finding places to eat, drink, meet folks. I love Etta%26#39;s- you will find them very helpful with suggestions as well.

Lanny%26#39;s is down by the Museum District- haven%26#39;t been but hear it might be worth a taxi ride if you are looking for an upscale and unique experience. (www.lannyskitchen.com/)

Update from Bud Kennedy%26#39;s column in the Star-Telegram:

Sapore%26#39;s is closed! May open on Magnolia Ave in the future.

Fizzi is going to start serving Italian dishes since its sister restaurant, Ciao, closed.

Grape Escape is turning into Giant, a Texas Tapas lounge- Texas flavors on small appeetizer plates.

So much going on downtown and funny after these three places were recently recommended on this forum.

I totally understand your desire to stay away from chains and get the real deal. There are several of them in Sundance Square--La Madeleine, Razoo%26#39;s, P.F. Chang%26#39;s, Starbucks.

One pretty authentic Fort Worth place downtown is Risky%26#39;s BBQ. It%26#39;s a pretty reasonably priced meal.

My husband and I recently went to Daddy Jack%26#39;s (seafood) and do NOT recommend it. The food was disappointing.

I%26#39;d actually recommend two places on Magnolia Avenue, which is a little south of downtown. For lunch, go to Hot Damn Tamales. They have really interesting, creative tamales. But they%26#39;re only open during day hours.

For dinner, try a new Italian restaurant called Nonna Tata. It%26#39;s a tiny little place, but the food is great. It%26#39;s genuine Italian, not like the Americanized version you find at most places. They%26#39;re only open Mon-Fri.

There%26#39;s also pretty good Mexican food in Fort Worth. An authentic Tex-Mex place near downtown is called La Familia. It%26#39;s off 7th Street, across from the newly renovated Montgomery Plaza.

Mi Cocina is good mexican, a little pricey but good..

Piranha for Sushi, it is really tasty...

Pour House actually has really good food, great lunch option...

Agree with the Riscky%26#39;s call...

I have always had good meals at Daddy Jacks

If, you can get to Montgomery St Cafe for breakfast or even better, lunch go for it... Same goes for lunch or dinner at Angelo%26#39;s BBQ on White Settlement

This may be a little late but Frerre just opened across the street from the Bass Hall. It is not a chain but has a sister restaurant in Dallas. We were there last night and had excellent service and food. The food is Italian - pizza, pasta, and meat dishes.