{"id":307910,"date":"2026-05-25T12:56:33","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T12:56:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/307910\/"},"modified":"2026-05-25T12:56:33","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T12:56:33","slug":"your-guide-to-oak-cliff-things-to-do-restaurants-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/307910\/","title":{"rendered":"Your guide to Oak Cliff: Things to do, restaurants and more"},"content":{"rendered":"

From its origins as its own city to its presence as one of Dallas\u2019 most emblematic neighborhoods,\u00a0Oak Cliff<\/a> is like nowhere else in Dallas.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

From the trendy Bishop Arts District<\/a> on the north side to Red Bird<\/a> in the south, this segment of Dallas has many distinct areas that could warrant their own individual deep dives. Nevertheless, here is a look at some of the standouts from this inimitable area of Dallas.<\/p>\n

\"T.J.<\/p>\n

T.J. Cline (left) hugs his mother, women’s basketball legend Nancy Lieberman, as the ribbons are cut Friday on two basketball Dallas Dream Courts at Kiest Park made possible by Nancy Lieberman Charities.<\/p>\n

Ashley Landis\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n

Here is our guide to Oak Cliff:<\/p>\n

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Fast facts<\/p>\n

Population: 300,263\u00a0
Median age: 34.4\u00a0
Median income: $49,409\u00a0
Unemployment rate: 7.6%<\/p>\n

Race \/ Ethnicity<\/p>\n

One race, white \u2013 19.3%\u00a0
\nOne race, Black or African American \u2013 34%\u00a0
\nOne race, American Indian or Alaska Native \u2013 2%\u00a0
\nOne race, Asian \u2013 0.6%\u00a0
\nOne race, Native Hawaiian \u2013 0%\u00a0
\nOne race, some other race \u2013 22.6%\u00a0
\nTwo or more races \u2013 21.5%\u00a0
\nHispanic or Latino origin (of any race) \u2013 54.8%\u00a0
\nWhite alone, not Hispanic or Latino \u2013 9%\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Educational Attainment\u00a0<\/p>\n

For ages 18-24 (roughly 9.8% of the population) <\/p>\n

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\nLess than high school degree or equivalent: 18.2% \u00a0
\nHigh School graduates (or equivalent): 41.9%\u00a0
\nSome College or Associates: 32%\u00a0
\nBachelor\u2019s degree or higher: 8%\u00a0<\/p>\n

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For ages 25+ (roughly 63%) \u00a0<\/p>\n

High school graduates (or equivalent): 29.3%\u00a0
\nBachelor\u2019s degree: 11.5%\u00a0
\nGraduate or professional degree: 6.1%<\/p>\n

Housing\u00a0<\/p>\n

113,292 units; 105,004 occupied (92.7%)\u00a0<\/p>\n

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57,339 owner occupied\u00a0
\n48,851 renter occupied<\/p>\n

70,241 1-unit detached\u00a0
\n2909 1 united attached \u00a0
\n40,142 multi-unit\u00a0
\u00a0
Median home value: $219,100\u00a0
Median rent: $1,331<\/p>\n

Compiled by staff researcher Rachel Friend. Data from U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Tables S0601, S1501, S1903, S2301, DP04<\/p>\n

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A brief history<\/p>\n

The area that is now Oak Cliff traces its roots to Hord\u2019s Ridge, a settlement that cropped up as early as 1837, according to the Texas State Historical Association<\/a>. That was four years before John Neely Bryan settled what is now Dallas<\/a>. By 1850, Hord\u2019s Ridge lost an election to become the county seat as Dallas edged the vote 244 to 216.<\/p>\n

Thomas Marsalis and John Armstrong purchased several hundred acres, including Hord\u2019s Ridge, naming the area Oak Cliff in 1887, according to the TSHA. The pair began to develop the land into an elite residential neighborhood, which found quick success.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Marsalis eventually secured lone control of the Oak Cliff area and helped accelerate its growth by connecting it to Dallas by rail. He also sought to make the area a vacation resort destination, opening Oak Cliff Park, which is now the Dallas Zoo, and a hotel to that end.<\/p>\n

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Oak Cliff incorporated in 1890 with a population of just under 2,500, according to TSHA. However, the economic depression of 1893 took its toll on the town and growth stagnated. By 1900 the elite residential area Marsalis envisioned was done and in 1903 Oak Cliff was annexed by the city of Dallas.<\/p>\n

Oak Cliff\u2019s Texas Theatre was also the site of some history in 1963 when Dallas police arrested Lee Harvey Oswald there the night of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.<\/p>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

People walked among the shops and restaurants in the Bishop Arts District in June 2017.<\/p>\n

Ashley Landis\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n

Notable sub-neighborhoods<\/p>\n

Bishop Arts District
\nCedar Crest
\nKessler
\nRed Bird
\nTenth Street Historic District
\nWinnetka Heights
\nWynnewood<\/p>\n

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\"Suki,<\/p>\n

Suki, an adult Sumatran tiger, leans down toward her cub Rina during early exploration of their habitat at the Dallas Zoo, as the young cub stays close to her mother.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Photo credit Dallas Zoo<\/p>\n

Notable landmarks<\/p>\n

Dallas Zoo \u2013 This 106-acre attraction is the oldest and largest zoo in Texas. It opened in 1888 with just two deer and two mountain lions, but today it houses more than 2,000 animals from over 400 species, according to its website.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Texas Theatre \u2013 This historic movie theater dates back nearly 100 years to 1931, according to its website. It made a mark in U.S. history when Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested there following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. Today, it screens new releases and a varied repertoire of classic films.<\/p>\n

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\"Lucia\u2019s<\/p>\n

Lucia\u2019s co-owner and chef David Uygur adds a bay leaf to garnish a lobster mushroom cappelletti with chanterelles, Parmigiano Reggiano broth and hazelnuts plate at the Bishop Arts area restaurant in Dallas on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.<\/p>\n

Juan Figueroa\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n

Things to do<\/p>\n

Bars and restaurants<\/p>\n

Ayahuasca Cantina at Xam\u00e1n Caf\u00e9
\nCenzo\u2019s Pizza & Deli
\nDoble R Taqueria
\nEl Jordan Cafe
\nEl\u00a0Tizoncito
\nEncina
\nLa Bodega
\nLittle Blue Bistro
\nLucia
\nMaskaras Mexican Grill
\nPillar
\nRestaurant Beatrice
\nSketches of Spain
\nStock & Barrel
\nTaqueria El Si Hay
\nTaco\u00a0y Vino
\nTrades Delicatessen
\nWritten By The Seasons
\nZen Sushi<\/p>\n

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\"Patrons<\/p>\n

Patrons enjoy drinks and music from Congo Square featuring Gaika James at Revelers Hall in Bishop Arts neighborhood in Dallas on Saturday, March 09, 2019.<\/p>\n

Brian Elledge\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n

Nightlife<\/p>\n

Lady Love Lounge
\nRevelers Hall<\/p>\n

Shopping<\/p>\n

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Outdoors<\/p>\n

Kidd Springs Park
\nKiest Park
\nOak Cliff Nature Preserve
\nOak Cliff Sandlot at Lake Cliff Park
\nStevens Park Golf Course<\/p>\n

Universities<\/p>\n

Paul Quinn College\u00a0
\nUniversity of North Texas at Dallas<\/p>\n

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\"South<\/p>\n

South Oak Cliff running back Mikail Trotter (2) is picked up by guard Brison Brooks (55) after a touchdown during the second quarter of a Class 5A Division II football state championship game against Richmond Randle at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025.<\/p>\n

Juan Figueroa\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n

A fun fact<\/p>\n

South Oak Cliff High School has fielded one of the most dominant high school football teams<\/a> in Texas during the 2020s. The Golden Bears won three\u00a0UIL Class 5A Division II state titles in 2021, 2022 and 2025 and made the state finals in 2023 and 2024. SOC’s Jason Todd became the first Black head coach<\/a> to win three Texas high school football UIL state championships in 2025.<\/p>\n

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To get a sense of their dominance, look at their district record. SOC has not lost a district game since Sept. 20, 2019 when they lost to Red Oak. They haven’t even given up a single point in district play since Woodrow Wilson scored against them on Oct. 17, 2024.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From its origins as its own city to its presence as one of Dallas\u2019 most emblematic neighborhoods,\u00a0Oak Cliff…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":307911,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[107860,102,104,103,49,5964,15680,111411],"class_list":["post-307910","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-dallas","tag-arts-entertainment-things-to-do","tag-dallas","tag-dallas-headlines","tag-dallas-news","tag-food","tag-listicle","tag-newcomer","tag-tp-south-oak-cliff-school"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/307910","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=307910"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/307910\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/307911"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=307910"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=307910"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=307910"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}