Lucia

Wow. Where do I even start? Lucia delivers a dining experience that feels curated to perfection. The menu rotates often, so every visit brings something new. The courses are structured intentionally, guiding you through the meal in a way that feels both elevated and effortless.Now, let's be real--this menu isn't for picky eaters or those with a lot of dietary restrictions (beyond pescatarian). To get the full experience, you don't substitute--you let the chef cook. And trust me, at a place like this, you want to taste everything exactly as intended.The Ambiance:Rustic, cozy, warm Italian-influenced décor that gives Lucia an effortlessly romantic feeling. Perfect for families, but also a top-tier date night pick. If your partner loves refined Italian food, I'd fight for a reservation here on Valentine's Day--it's that good.The Chef:Renowned, decorated, and simply elite. Chef David Uygur has six James Beard Award nominations (plus a stack of other accolades), and after eating here, it all makes sense. This isn't just dinner--it's an experience.Final ThoughtsLucia is in a league of its own. The service was Impeccable- thoughtful, attentive, and knowledgeable (shoutout to my server for pairing my meal with a glass of the perfect medium-bodied Sangiovese).Each dish was a 12/10: fresh ingredients, expert execution, and a chef with hands of gold.Keep Lucia at the top of your list for the next celebration, anniversary, and special occasion. You won't regret it.See what pictures, what I ate and, my full review here: https://open.substack.com/pub/maggeatsworld/p/lucia-dallas?r=34znt1&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

One of the other most hyped restaurants in Dallas... never made it out until recently. They've now made it on the Michelin guide.It's HARD to get a reservation in my opinion.. I had resy alerts set up (for the weekend), and stuff did open up but by the time that happens you already made other plans!! And by the time you get the notification, it's gone. Or sometimes the availability is 9pm or 5:30pm... Ended up getting a spot on a weeknight (Tuesday). It didn't even look like all of the tables were filled. So if you want to do a walk in, a weeknight is the way to go.The staff takes time to explain the menu.The menu rotates. Got the trottole pasta with panchetta ($30), honeygem salad ($18), wagyu bavette ($49). I didn't appreciate the comment from the server saying "that's it" for 2 people. Personally seems unprofessional.Seemed like they really wanted you to order the sourdough bread...I liked the beef but it wasn't anything amazing... I liked the pasta better. PASS on the salad for sure.. it was just a "dolled" up caesar salad.I felt satisfied w/ all the food. Not stuffed but full enough. My partner wanted a bit more.It is automatic 20% tip and it's stated on the reservation.It's good but idk if it's as amazing as everybody says it is!! Maybe ordered the wrong stuff... Probably would try another pasta or the pork if I come back again.

I was so excited to find a last minute dinner reservation for my birthday this year, and between the two of us, we ordered a good amount. - Foie gras stuffed prunes: I felt like it needed something crunchy texture-wise, but I liked the creaminess overall and the strong taste of foie gras.- Sea scallops: By itself, it was a little salty, but it paired perfectly with the acidity of the corn and fennel.- Busiate: This was delicious and al dente. The eggplant added a good contrast with the dish's overall taste and texture.- Vialone nano: I thought it was too dense as a dish with all the chorizo, shrimp, and cockles. There were too many flavors that I felt it had an identity crisis. The chorizo made the dish too salty and the parsley flavor was so strong.- Halibut: Arguably the best dish of the night. The fish was cooked perfectly with a generous portion. The asparagus was nice and crunchy and the potato was cooked well. I thought it would have a parsley heavy sauce, but it was light and savory. A must try!- Peanut toffee semifreddo: Good birthday treat to end the meal. It was a dense ice cream with toasted marshmallow fluffs and lemon drops.The cute rustic ambiance is such a treat. The service was great; all servers were so attentive. There's a small parking lot in the back. The location of the restaurant was along a cute, quaint street. Very walkable neighborhood. It did get progressively busier as the night went over. For all this, I can see why this place is a James Beard winner.

Everyone was super friendly, and I loved the appetizer. The sourdough was perfectly soft and fluffy. However, we felt pressured to order it. After ordering our entrees, we were encouraged to order an app after being told there would be a 20-25 minute wait for the entrees. However, the app and entrees came out at the same time. I also feel like their pastas are overpriced, especially considering regardless if they are made vegetarian or with meat, they cost the same. Two out of four of the dessert options contain pork gelatin (in case this is a dietary restriction for you). I enjoyed the ambiance!

Many years ago, my mother-in-law made reservations for Lucia. We were trying to get there during a tornado warning and ended up driving back for our safety. I cannot remember how long ago it was, 6 or 7 years ago, but we have talked about eventually eating here so many times that I finally got the coveted reservation 30 days out and we went last Thursday. The restaurant is beautiful inside and not too loud. My mother-in-law and I both got a glass of rose cava brut that was very nice.We learned from our server that we should order family style. My father-in-law was set on the wagyu bavette for an entree. For appetizers we ordered the beet and apple salad, the wagyu beef tongue (my choice), and sourdough bread with cultured butter. The wagyu tongue melted in my mouth! For pastas we got the ravioli grano arso ("burnt grains" with seeds, nuts, and chiles - this was fantastic. We also had rigatoni with wagyu short rib and mushrooms that also was amazing. For entrees we got the wagyu bavette and the olive oil poached snapper. For dessert we got two orders of the bomboloni which came with banana ice cream. Everything was delicious. It turns out the owner is from the same town as Eric R.'s cousin, so she was delighted to learn that when visiting our table. I hope i can get back here again without a multi-year hiatus!

I was so excited to try this restaurant! Heard great things all around and had seen videos claiming it was one of the best Italian restaurants in Dallas. Therefore, I had really high hopes going in. Reservation dates/times drop 30 days in advance and we were on it.The restaurant itself was very small and quaint tucked in Arts Bishop. It wasn't too crowded when we arrived. Our server was very knowledgeable. She literally walked us through every single item on the menu. She also mentioned that the menu changes frequently. Therefore, we most likely won't have the chance of ordering the same items for the next visit.The menu was broken down into four categories. (Anti-pasti, Primi, Secondi, Dolci) It was recommended that we order 2-3 plates from each category because the dishes were relatively small. Also, once you place you order; they cannot add any additional dishes to that order even you if you were still hungry later.DRINKS- Paper Airplanes 4/5FOOD - Sourdough Bread 4/5: The bread was very good. Perfectly toasted and so moist. However, we were not aware there was a charge for bread. lol After we placed our entire order, our server asked if we would like some bread for the menu. She made is sound complimentary. - Oysters 2/5: I did not like the dressing on the oysters. Tasted like siracha and vinegar and it brought out the fishy-ness of the oysters. - Waygu Beef Tongue 2/5: Tasted fresh. However, not sure how it was cured but it tasted like bologna. It was more on the fatty side and way too salty.**The three dishes below were all overly salty and way too rich. Very underwhelming.- Taglierini 3/5- Carnaeoli Risotto 2/5- Rigatoni w/ Waygu Beef 3/5- Olive Oil Poached Red Snapper 4/5: This was hands down the best dish of the night.DESSERT- Semolina Cake with roasted grapes, rosemary, honey, and pistachio ice cream 1/5: I never order dessert but decided to give this dish a shot because it sounded so good. What a mistake, because it was literally so dry. None of the toppings tied well together.I can appreciate the well curated menus and the creativity of the whole process, but I felt there was something lacking.

Amazing service from the moment you walk in. The restaurant is quaint with a hip ambiance. The staff is very knowledgeable of the menu and the drinks/wine. They have an in-house sommelier who was very helpful and had excellent recommendations. The food was exceptional. There was a sense of complex taste/flavors in a simple presentation of the meal. The menu changes constantly which is a testament to the chef and the use of seasonal ingredients. Loved our experience and would go back.

Our favorite Italian Restaurant! Everything was made in house & changes frequently. We went at opening time & they seated us so quickly. They were very attentive as well. The ambiance was great & decors were very relaxing. Highly recommend:- Rigatoni with Wagyu Beef- Lobster Mushroom Cappelletti- Hazelnut frangipane/goat cheese tart

We loved Lucia! We have been wanting to try it for years and finally got a reservation. The menu changes daily so we can't recommend what to eat but we loved what we ordered. Make sure and try desert. We had pistachio chocolate tart We will make it back soon.

One of my favorite dining experiences in Dallas! Creative and flavorful dishes and high level of service and attention to detail. Ambiance was cozy and eclectic - we will be back!