The Henry in Dallas Restaurant Review

For the bi-weekly “Dinner and a Show” restaurant review that I write for TheaterJones.com, I had to select a restaurant near the historic Kalita Humphreys Theater (the only theater by architect Frank Lloyd Wright and one of the last completed buildings he designed). It took me less than one second to select the newly opened The Henry. I’ve been anticipating its opening and couldn’t wait to check it out. The Henry is the latest Dallas arrival brought to us by the Fox Restaurant Group, the same company that’s behind Flower Child, True Food Kitchen and North Italia. Learn more and check out what to order in this The Henry in Dallas Restaurant Review.

The Henry in Dallas Restaurant Review

Part restaurant, part coffee shop, part private dining spot, part rooftop bar and lounge, The Henry in Dallas is a huge, sprawling establishment that hails itself as “the greatest neighborhood restaurant.” With such a large claim, scope and size, one might worry that they’re teetering on trying to be too many things to too many people. However, from what we experienced and witnessed, The Henry is already humming along nicely on all fronts.

The interior features tall windows, wide plank wood floors, dark wood checkerboard-like tables and a style I’m calling old school stately glam meets industrial modern. The result? It’s a gorgeous space that made us want to linger.

Dinner at The Henry in Dallas

The dinner menu at The Henry offers a wide range of appetizers, entrees and sides, with several vegetarian, vegan and glute-free options clearly noted.

Appetizers include chicken tortilla soup, house made pretzels and cheese fondue, wild shrimp, short rib potstickers, artichoke and roasted mushroom toast with black truffle goat cheese, king crab, guacamole, smoked Norwegian salmon and parmesan truffle fries.

As a starter, we ordered the guacamole and chips. The guacamole was made with large, fresh chunks of avocado, roasted jalapeño, charred onion, pico de gallo and queso blanco. It doesn’t get much better than fresh guacamole scooped up with crunchy tortilla chips, although I thought the guacamole could have used just a bit of lime, and my friend thought it could have used a bit more salt, proving that you can’t please everyone, but you can get close! My friend was able to add salt via the salt shaker on the table; I would have loved the option of a lime wedge served with the guac. On another note, the charred onion taste was subtle, so if you aren’t a fan of charred or smoky flavors, don’t let that put you off from ordering the guacamole.

The Henry’s dinner menu offers a wide and unique range of salads, steak, ribs, chicken and other entrees that include: seared ahi tuna, a wagyu burger, a spicy wild shrimp boil, a harvest bowl, Scottish salmon, grilled portobello tacos and green chili chicken enchiladas.

The Henry Wagyu Burger

We ordered the wagyu burger, subbing the fries for roasted brussels sprouts with cashew harissa. The burger was flavorful and juicy, with plenty of thick, crispy bacon. My foodie friend described it as “good bacon coverage.” The burger was also topped with grilled onion, shredded lettuce, white cheddar and a special henry sauce, which tastes like a mustard seed-infused thousand island.

Three Cheers for Brussels Sprouts!

Substituting the fries for the brussels sprouts was the best decision of the day because they were the most delicious bites of the day … probably of the week.

There’s often one special standout at a restaurant that beckons me to return and haunts my taste bud dreams, and the brussels sprouts are the one at The Henry. They were cooked to perfection, and the cashew harissa sauce was genius.

Scottish Salmon at The Henry

We also ordered the Scottish salmon, subbing the risotto for quinoa. The Scottish salmon is served with roasted beets, a marcona almond pesto and sherry pomegranate molasses. Typically, it’s served atop a bed of toasted grain risotto, but because of my dairy allergy, quinoa was a safer bet.

The mixture of tastes and textures made this entrée a standout that I would definitely order again. The salmon was crispy and salty on top, soft and flavorful on the inside and balanced by both the delightful crunch of the marcona almonds and the brightness of the beets.

Dairy-Free/Vegan Dessert!

Because of my dairy allergy (which makes my sinuses miserable but won’t send me to the hospital), it’s a rarity when I can order dessert in a restaurant. I can chance a few bites of some options , but I always have to order any ice cream on the side, which I promptly give to whoever is dining with me.

I didn’t plan on eating dessert the day we visited The Henry, but when we learned that they had a dairy-free/vegan carrot cake with vegan cream cheese icing and vegan ice cream (topped with toasted coconut), we suddenly had room for dessert! The carrot cake was everything carrot cake should be, and the dairy-free cream cheese icing hit as close to the real thing as anything I have tasted.

Our service was spot on too (sending a shout out to Bryan). The only suggestion I have for improvement is to serve drinks (even water) with coasters or cocktail napkins. Our drinks were not only sweating, but they left rings on the beautiful wood tables.

TIPS: If you go, I have 3 additional recommendations for you:

I highly recommend making reservations, especially if you go for dinner.
Go to their website and sign up for their enewsletter – they will instantly send you an email you can show your server for $10 off
Before you leave, check out the rooftop bar (if you haven’t already)