The Mustang Local Guide · Dallas, TX
The insider guide to Dallas — real spots, real opinions, from alumni who actually lived it.
Handpicked by SMU alumni who called Dallas home
Craft coffee roaster and cafe in the heart of Knox-Henderson. Serious about beans, serious about vibes.
Best cold brew in Dallas, hands down. I wrote my senior thesis here and the baristas still remember my order.
Feel-good coffee shop hiring opportunity youth. Cheerful space with excellent seasonal drinks.
The concept is wholesome - they hire at-risk youth and pay a living wage. The lattes are amazing and you feel good about every sip.
Upscale coffee shop open until midnight. Serious espresso program plus a full food menu.
Open late, great food, amazing nitro cold brew. This is my power hours spot when finals are coming.
Beloved neighborhood coffee shop with rotating local art and exceptional seasonal drinks.
Super local, no pretense, and the honey lavender latte is life-changing. Great place to escape campus.
The legendary 24-hour diner that has fueled late-night study sessions and post-bar meals for decades.
24/7, accepts your debit card at 3am, has the best migas in Dallas. Every SMU student needs this in their life.
Massive indoor-outdoor venue with live Texas music nightly and legendary queso dip.
Live music, giant outdoor patio, and the queso is absolutely unreal. This is the quintessential Dallas experience.
Classic Dallas burger spot open late with a lively Uptown crowd.
Technically a burger joint but the vibe goes late. Grab a burger after Deep Ellum and thank me later.
Gold-gilded French-inspired restaurant in the Arts District. Dallas dining at its most glamorous.
If you want to impress someone, this is the move. The interior is gold-literally-and the French-inspired menu is flawless.
Cozy cocktail bar with a serious culinary program. Knox-Henderson's best-kept secret for date nights.
Intimate speakeasy-ish cocktail bar with food that punches way above its weight. Perfect for a date you actually want to impress.
Stunning rooftop restaurant atop Hotel Swexan with panoramic downtown views and refined Texas cuisine.
Rooftop restaurant overlooking the skyline. Order the wagyu, get a window seat, and try not to fall in love with Dallas.
Laid-back neighborhood bar with surprisingly excellent tacos and a killer craft beer selection.
Looks like a dive bar, serves incredible tacos and craft beer. Only locals know this spot and I'm risking my social capital telling you.
Dallas's most beloved Vietnamese food truck. Chase them on social media - worth every effort.
Vietnamese banh mi food truck that has a cult following for a reason. The brisket banh mi will rearrange your priorities in life.
Beloved urban park built over a freeway. Free programming daily, surrounded by world-class museums.
Free outdoor concerts, food trucks, bocce ball, yoga - this is where Dallas shows off. Perfect afternoon when you need to escape campus.
Legendary Texas honky-tonk with massive outdoor stage and rowdy game day energy.
Pre-game here before SMU games, post-game here after. The outdoor stage, the mechanical bull, the Texas flags everywhere - this is Game Day.
Sprawling outdoor bar along the Katy Trail. The unofficial SMU alumni game day HQ.
Game Day at Katy Trail is a rite of passage. Huge outdoor space, giant TVs, great beer, and the entire SMU alumni network shows up.
Premier craft beer sports bar in Knox-Henderson with 50+ taps and wall-to-wall screens.
50+ taps, great food, and a screen on every wall. We show up here for Cowboys games and it gets truly chaotic in the best way.
3.5-mile urban trail connecting Uptown to the Design District. Perfect for morning runs or sunset walks.
3.5 miles of paved trail cutting through the heart of Dallas. I did my best thinking on this trail between exams.
9-mile trail around a scenic urban lake. Dallas's favorite outdoor escape with kayak rentals and sailing.
Dallas's best-kept outdoor secret. Rent a kayak, run the loop, have a picnic - it's the reset button I needed every semester.
Dallas's legendary arts and entertainment district. 60+ live music venues, stunning murals, and incredible food.
Every Thursday night, the whole neighborhood comes alive. Murals, live music spilling out of every door, the best street food. This is the real Dallas.
Charming Oak Cliff neighborhood with indie shops, award-winning restaurants, and a distinctly non-Dallas feel.
Feels like a different city entirely - walkable blocks with local boutiques, farm-to-table restaurants, and the best brunch spots. Locals only (until now).
Everything walkable from campus - parks, food, coffee, and the best on-campus dining options with real student ratings.
The iconic 3.5-mile paved trail runs from SMU's east side all the way downtown along the old railroad corridor. One of the most-used urban trails in Texas. Flat, well-lit, and always full of SMU students clearing their heads.
Ends at McKinney Ave & Airline Rd - SMU's front door to Dallas fitness culture
20 acres of lush, creek-side parkland in the Park Cities. Stone bridges, weeping willows, and serene walking paths make this feel like a secret garden hidden inside Dallas. The Turtle Creek Trail parallels the Katy Trail for a quieter alternative.
Pass by the Rosewood Mansion and Kalita Humphreys Theater on your walk
Called the 'Central Park of Dallas' - 46 acres in Oak Lawn with jogging trails, basketball courts, sand volleyball, and tennis. Connected to the Turtle Creek greenway. Great for a full outdoor afternoon away from the books.
Free tennis courts - grab a racket and a friend
The 15-acre Laura W. Bush Native Texas Park wraps around the Presidential Center on SMU's east campus. A 1-mile network of trails through Blackland Prairie, Post Oak Savannah, and Cross Timbers Forest. Bluebonnets in spring, monarch butterflies in fall.
Free to walk anytime - sunrise to sunset, no museum ticket needed
The streets surrounding SMU - Lovers Lane, Mockingbird, Airline, University Blvd - are some of the most walkable and beautiful in Dallas. Gorgeous homes, mature oak canopies, and great for clearing your head between classes.
Grab a coffee and walk Amherst Ave - it's one of Dallas's prettiest streets
Find referrals, mentors, and coffee chats from the SMU alumni network.
Anonymous Q&A for Mustangs — ask anything about Dallas or SMU.