{"id":170047,"date":"2026-02-18T18:04:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T18:04:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/170047\/"},"modified":"2026-02-18T18:04:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T18:04:11","slug":"10-oldest-dallas-restaurants-that-are-local-institutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/170047\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Oldest Dallas Restaurants That Are Local Institutions"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"David
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tDavid Campisi is the fourth generation owner of the iconic Dallas restaurant. \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Alison McLean<\/p>\n

What does it take to become a longstanding restaurant in a city known for its churn-and-burn tendencies? Reputation, history and location are all important factors, but not for all of them.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe get the wisdom from the generation above us,\u201d David Campisi, the fourth-generation owner of Campisi\u2019s<\/a>, told the Observer. <\/p>\n

\u201cMy uncle and aunt utilize what we call \u2018true hospitality,\u2019 taking care of our guests first. That\u2019s been kind of our key. We\u2019re not trying to be anybody. We are who we are. We\u2019re a red sauce joint that serves unbelievable food and knows most of our guests who dine in with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

David Campisi, fourth-generation owner of Campisi\u2019s<\/p>\n

Often, original owners pass the torch and quality drops, but Campisi\u2019s has returned to chopping, peeling, and cooking everything.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we\u2019ve done at Campisi\u2019s is that we\u2019ve gone back to small-batch cooking at all of our locations,\u201d David says. \u201cEvery location is done with more of a culinary component so that we\u2019re making sure that we\u2019re preserving our original recipes and high-quality food.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over the last century, Campisi\u2019s and these other longtime Dallas institutions have remained steadfast in their approach to dining out in the city.\u00a0<\/p>\n

These are the oldest restaurants in Dallas that have passed the torch for generations and still serve the real deal.
\n\"TheThe original El Fenix in Dallas was opened in 1918.<\/p>\n

Courtesy Local Favorites Restaurant\/El Fenix<\/p>\n

Est. 1918
El Fenix
<\/a>1601 McKinney Ave.
El Fenix is the oldest restaurant in Dallas, having served its signature Tex-Mex since 1918. The original restaurant that owner Miguel \u201cMike\u201d Martinez opened is long gone, so the location at 1601 McKinney Ave. near downtown Dallas is now referred to as the flagship. Over time, the restaurant menu evolved to help define what we consider modern Tex-Mex today, and there couldn\u2019t be a more fitting dining room to order cheese enchiladas in Dallas.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Est. 1950
Campisi\u2019s Egyptian Restaurant
<\/a>5610 E. Mockingbird Lane
There are nine Campisi\u2019s restaurants in Dallas, but none as well known as the one on Mockingbird Lane, which opened in 1950 (though they had opened a pizza shop at another location in 1946). Carlo \u201cPapa\u201d and Antonia Campisi had taken over the former \u201cEgyptian Lounge\u201d space, and with tight funds, kept much of the old decor up and did what they could to turn it into a place for authentic Italian cuisine. Inside is a throwback to a different time. The dark ambiance and deep red booths feel like a good place for secrets: Jack Ruby even had a booth. But you\u2019ll have to go visit for more on that story.<\/p>\n

Est. 1955
Dunston\u2019s Steakhouse
<\/a>8526 Harry Hines Blvd.
The owner of Dunston\u2019s Steakhouse, Gene Dunston, might be the best thing on social media<\/a>. He opines about the old days in short videos with the panache of a 20-something influencer. Sure, he might be a slightly vintage model, but he\u2019s got more soul. The original name of this spot was the Wheel-In Drive-In, but he rebranded it Dunston\u2019s Steakhouse after installing a mesquite grill, the heart of the space. You can get a 10-ounce rib-eye for about 30 bucks.<\/p>\n

Est. 1956
Dairy-Ette
<\/a>9785 Ferguson Road
You don\u2019t get diner vibes like this anymore. Dairy-Ette has served retro-style hamburgers, fries and housemade root beer since 1956. The outside is about as hole-in-the-wall as you can get, but trust the curiously placed sign, you\u2019re in the right place. Vintage red and white leather booths, wood-paneled walls and the bar-style seating facing the kitchen look as though they\u2019ve been pulled right out of Pulp Fiction. Some things never change, even after nearing 70 years of nostalgic classics.<\/p>\n

\"Dairy-etteDairy-ette is a classic diner straight out of 1956.<\/p>\n

Est. 1956
Norma\u2019s Cafe
<\/a>1123 W Davis St.
In 2026, Norma\u2019s Cafe will celebrate 70 years of serving Southern comfort food in Dallas. This go-to for hearty plates opened its first location in Oak Cliff and has expanded to seven locations across the Dallas area. Find yourself in any of them, and the motto is the same: \u201cEat Dessert First.\u201d Norma\u2019s serves breakfast all day, and the popular mile-high pies are half-price after 7 p.m.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Est. 1961
Kuby\u2019s Sausage House
<\/a>6601 Snider Plaza
The history of Kuby\u2019s Sausage House dates to the 18th century, when Friedrich Kuby opened a neighborhood meat market in Kaiserslautern, Germany. His passion for fine meats lived through two centuries, and his direct descendant, Karl Kuby, immigrated to the United States and opened his own specialty meat market in Dallas in 1961. It serves as a restaurant and European market under one roof. The house chicken salad and horseradish pickles are staples from the market, but you have to dine in for the Reuben and sausage plates. Best of all, the prices are nostalgic.<\/p>\n

Est. 1965
Keller\u2019s Drive-In
<\/a>6537 E. Northwest Highway
We recently wrote about how a burger from Keller\u2019s is one of the best bites in Dallas that\u2019s under $10<\/a>. Jack Keller opened his first burger stand around 1950, but the retro-style drive-in on Northwest Highway opened in 1965. Since that time, only the prices have changed (but just barely). Everything on the menu is $6 or less, which means you can get a stacked burger, shake and fries for under $15 before tip. Many of the carhops have worked there for decades, and even though the restaurant doesn\u2019t advertise it, it does serve ice-cold beer. While some are too busy arguing about what\u2019s \u201cbetter,\u201d the rest of us are appreciating this longstanding local gem and its thick milkshakes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"campisi'sCampisi\u2019s opened in 1950. <\/p>\n

Est. 1966
Jimmy\u2019s Food Store
<\/a>4901 Bryan St.
Everyone knows Jimmy\u2019s Food Store sells some of the best sandwiches in Dallas<\/a>. The meatball sub is particularly noteworthy, and the muffuletta, in a close tie with the former, is just as popular. The Italian bodega-style grocery and takeaway spot has been situated on the corner of Bryan Street and North Fitzhugh Avenue since 1966. The DiCarlo family has been running it for generations, even going as far as to resurrect the spot after it suffered from a fire in 2004. To this day, it\u2019s a weekly ritual for most who stop by, and newcomers instantly fall in love with this East Dallas gem.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Est. 1976
S&D Oyster Company
<\/a>2701 McKinney Ave.
S&D Oyster Company has been serving Gulf-style seafood at its one-and-only location since 1976. Uptown has reveled in its New Orleans-esque courtyard for $2 oysters on the half-shell during happy hour, shrimp done in a nearly infinite number of ways and properly made gumbo. Most diners have been coming here for over 20 years, while others have remained loyal for its entire 40-plus-year tenancy on McKinney Avenue.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Est. 1977
Javier\u2019s Gourmet Mexicano
<\/a>4912 Cole Ave.
Javier\u2019s Gourmet Mexicano claims it\u2019s a go-to for authentic Mexico City fare, but nothing screams Tex-Mex more than serving a small block of butter with chips and salsa and tableside cheese roll-ups. Since 1977, it has been a staple for its unique take on Mexican cuisine and was our Reader\u2019s Choice for Best Mexican Restaurant in Dallas for 2025<\/a>. No matter the day, crowds are flowing in eager for its moody dining room with lingering scents from the cigar lounge next door.<\/p>\n

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