Welcome, fellow foodies, to Keith Lee’s food journey through Dallas’s vibrant food scene. 

With a hearty appetite and a discerning palate, food critic Keith Lee ventures forth ready to tackle popular restaurants and mom-and-pop shops. Each bite tells a story of flavor, flair, and sometimes, a touch of drama. Here’s a rundown of his flavorful journey through Dallas Texas, complete with ratings and quirky anecdotes:

Restaurants + Ratings

Thunderbird Pies: A Pie-rific Adventure

Thunderbird Pies offers beautiful Detroit-style pizza. But as Keith Lee said, “Are looks deceiving?” 

Total Cost: $139.12

Customer Service: “Not bad” 

Location: East Dallas

• Little Bastards (Fried Brussels Sprouts): 5/10
• Kale B.S. Salad: Skipped
• Buffalo Wings with Banana Pepper Ranch: Wings – 7/10, Ranch – 4/10
• Connie Pizza (Double Pepperoni): 7/10
• Budd Pizza (Classic Tomato Sauce and Cheese): 3/10
• The Goat (Pizza of the Month): 3/10

Terry Black’s BBQ: Smokin’ Good Eats

Terry Black’s BBQ brings its style of Central Texas BBQ straight from Lockhart to Dallas. This spot was recommended over ten thousand times. 

Total Cost: $90.03 + $100 for Ribs

Location: Deep Ellum

• Mac and Cheese: 1/10
• Cornbread Muffin: 2.5/10 
• Original Sausage: 7.5/10
• Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage: 1/10
• Turkey: 7.5/10
• Brisket: 8.5/10
• Sides of Sauces/Onions and Pickles: “I don’t like the sauce.”
• Whole Slab of Ribs: 8.7/10

Halal Fusionz: Where Flavor Knows No Bounds

Halal Fusionz is a modern blend of Pakistani & Tex Mex. They have a variety of tacos, quesadillas, bowls, and unique drinks.

Total Cost: $18

Location: Farmers Branch

• Nihari x Birria Taco: 8.7/10
• Chipotle Khemma Taco: 9.3/10
• Paneer Tikka Taco: 8.7/10
• Paneer Tikka Chili Elote: 2/10
• Asada Consume: Spicy
• Mango Mojito Mocktail: 8.5/10

Hutchins BBQ: Smoke and Satisfaction

Hutchins BBQ serves high-quality smoked meats and sides. This spot was voted over seventeen thousand times on Keith Lee’s Instagram poll.  

Location: McKinney + Frisco

• Ribs: 9.5/10
• Regular Sausage: 6/10
• Texas Twinkie: 8.5/10
• Brisket: 9.3/10
• Peach Cobbler: 9/10
• Potato Salad: 5/10
• BBQ Sauce: 9.3/10

Absolutely Edible Cakes and Catering: Where Sweet Dreams Come True

As some of you may know, Keith Lee is not a sweets person. Did this Absolutely Edible Cakes and Catering meet or even exceed his every expectation? 

Total Cost: $13

Customer Service: “Really good”

Location: Rowlette

• Sweet Potato Thang: 9.1/10
• Red Velvet Cake: Cake alone – 9/10, with icing – 7.5/10

Sweetly Seasoned: A Dash of Drama With Every Bite

This Award Winning Chef got herself into quite a controversy. Nonetheless, here are Keith Lee’s ratings for Sweetly Seasoned.  

Total Cost: $80

Location: Food Truck

• Pulled Pork Sandwich: 7.8/10
• Fried Ribs with French Fries: With sauce – 7/10, Without sauce – 8.5/10
• Jerk Chicken Tacos with Beans and Rice: 8.7/10
• Banana Pudding: 7.3/10

Taste Project: More Than Just Food

Location: Fort Worth

Taste Project is a non-profit restaurant focusing on healthy, quality meals made from fresh ingredients. Their menu has no prices. They ask their guests to do one of the following:

1) pay what you can afford,

2) pay what you would typically pay, or

3) pay what you would typically pay, plus a little extra.

Keith Lee did not taste the food but encouraged everyone to go and show their support.

Brunchaholics: Where Breakfast Meets Bliss

Brunchaholics offers Soul Food, Cajun, Breakfast & Brunch. Are you a “sucker for catfish”? 

Total Cost: $60.15

Customer Service: “Really good”

Location: Desoto

• Catfish and Fried Spider: 8.5/10
• Chicken Soul Food Burrito: 8.8/10
• Catfish Version: 9/10

Cee Zoos Bar & Lounge: The Chicken and Waffles Though

Cee Zoos Bar & Lounge creates a relaxing ambiance where you can enjoy a signature cocktail, a nice meal, and live music. Keith Lee said, “I would come back for the chicken and waffles.”

Customer Service: “Good”

Location: Dallas

• Chicken and Waffles: 8/10
• Lamb Chops with Eggs, Cheesy Rice, and Toast: 3/10
• Breakfast Patties with Grits and Toast: 1/10

Roots Southern Table: A Mix of Southern Flavors

Roots Southern Table, is the celebration of Southern food and was voted over 13,000 times on Keith Lee’s Instagram page. 

Total Cost: $157.18 

Location: Farmers Branch

• Short ribs: 7/10
• Greens: skipped
• Cornbread muffins: skipped
• Biscuits: 6.5/10
• Whole chicken: 6/10
• Gumbo: 4/10

And there you have it, folks! Keith Lee’s expedition through Dallas proves that there’s no shortage of delicious eats. So, grab a fork and try Keith Lee’s picks—you won’t be disappointed! Until next time, happy eating!