Dallas Observer

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Newspaper
The Dallas Observer, LP is a free alternative weekly newspaper distributed in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and headquartered in Dallas. At its inception in October, 1980, by partners Ken Kirk and Bob Walton, it was conceived as a weekly local arts and cinema review publication, with the credo "Advocate for Excellence in Arts and Entertainment" on the cover. For a time during the early years, the paper switched to a biweekly publishing schedule. In 1985, the paper reverted to a weekly schedule and began concentrating on local news as well as the arts. While it is now known for its investigative stories of the local government, it also covers local sports stories, restaurants, events, and concerts. Source

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Media Outlet details

Scope Local, Consumer
Language English
Country United States of America
Media Market Dallas-Fort Worth
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Frequency Weekly
Days Published Thu

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Opposition mounts to police camera ‘surveillance state’ in Dallas-Fort Worth

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By Austin Wood Verified
| Dallas Observer Verified
With thousands of AI-powered cameras monitoring North Texas streets, advocates, residents and officials are pushing back against what some call a “surveillance state.” As police use of drones, cameras and AI-powered license plate readers has accelerated across the country, activism against technology designed for continuous monitoring in public areas has followed in step.
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The overnight parking trap: Why Bar Fairies went viral and why Dallas needs them

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By Lisa R. Petty Verified
| Dallas Observer Verified
Bar Fairies rewards revelers for making the right choice. Others are out for harsh punishment Fact: Dallas has many amazing bars, restaurants and concerts. Fact: Dallas could do a hell of a lot better when it comes to overnight parking. Nobody understands this correlation better than Beth McBride and Carli Seymour. In 2023, McBride’s son and Seymour’s brother, Bobby Dewbre, was hit and killed while crossing the street by a repeat DUI offender.
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Beloved senior center off the chopping block as Dallas weighs budget dilemma

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By Emma Ruby Verified
| Dallas Observer Verified
Last month, as Dallas officials juggled disappointing downtown news, questions about City Hall’s future, convention center drama, the start of a brutal budgeting season and a World Cup match or two, we began to question whether the city’s residents were truly being heard. At City Hall, public speakers routinely waited hours to address the council, only to have their speaking time slashed down to 60 seconds.
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Talk birdie to me: Austin-based mini-golf restaurant opens in Fort Worth

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By Aaren Prody
| Dallas Observer Verified
The Dirdie Birdie is an indoor miniature golf course with a restaurant and bar. Its flagship opened in Austin in 2022. On July 8, a second location opened in Fort Worth at 2821 Morton St. in the West 7th District. Austin couple Vik and Lina Khasat founded the upscale entertainment concept, and over the years. For the grand opening, starting at 11 a.m., the Dirdie Birdie is giving the first 100 guests their choice of a free appetizer, free drink, and a free round of golf.
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Fetch is so back: Dallas vintage shop returns with new spot in The Cedars

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By Christine Odwesso
| Dallas Observer Verified
The vintage store celebrated its reopening last month with a fashion show featuring looks from its inventory. After an eight-month hiatus, Fetch, a vintage store and espresso bar, has returned bigger and better than ever, and in a new neighborhood. When Rebecca Hall and her sister Renee Hall closed the original Fetch Vintage in September 2025, they knew it’d be “just for now.” At the time, they didn’t expect their intermission to last more than a few months.
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Building community: We’re testing article comments (again)

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By Chelsey Dequaine-Jerabek Verified
| Dallas Observer Verified
Don’t make us regret this. I’m joking! I’m joking! (But seriously.) We want our site to be a place that cultivates community and thoughtful discussion. So we are testing the return of reader comments on article pages. If you’re a longtime reader, you might remember that years ago, readers could leave comments on our articles. But due to limited staff resources, we turned the feature off. Well, it’s 2026. The tech has evolved, and we’re hopeful we can make this work a second time around.
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June was a feeding frenzy for new Dallas restaurant openings

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By Aaren Prody
| Dallas Observer Verified
They say April showers bring May flowers — which each had plenty of new openings — but June was when the local restaurant scene really began to bloom. Perhaps getting World Cup ready? It’d be silly not to. Despite some closures, June brought many new and exciting concepts to the city, including a trendy sushi spot from Austin, a 100% kosher sushi restaurant and a proper British pub. Gourmet cheese boards have returned to Deep Ellum, and a new (but old) bar has opened in Trinity Groves.
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Forget the ‘burbs: Elephant Indian Grill brings elite Indian comfort food to Oak Cliff

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By Lauren Drewes Daniels Verified
| Dallas Observer Verified
Plastic containers of leftovers are so common in my fridge that they’re often left to die. But recently, rice covered in a fiery curry sauce caused a small ruckus. Where’s this from? Wait, who ate that — that was mine? The longtime family restaurant Tandoor in Arlington is our North Star for Indian food; our bubble is small. (Get the kemah naan and tell me I’m wrong.) So this was an extra special bit of drama in the kitchen.
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As dog days of summer approach, Dallas Animal Services braces for impact

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By Emma Ruby Verified
| Dallas Observer Verified
It’s a problem that seems to peak in the summers when kitten season and holidays like the Fourth of July boost intakes while adoptions typically slow. As it stands now, 488 dogs are being held in 307 kennels — at 159% capacity, or what the shelter describes as “critical overflow.” The cat situation is also “serious,” with 81 cats taking up 85% of the shelter’s 95 kennels.
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Ronaldo’s last dance: Soccer’s superstar takes his final World Cup bow in Dallas

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By Emma Ruby Verified
| Dallas Observer Verified
It wasn't a good day in Arlington for one of the world's most famous men, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, who says Monday's match will be his last World Cup appearance. Four days before his World Cup career would come to an end, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first ever knockout stage goal in the tournament. The point came from a converted penalty kick during a second half, and contributed to Croatia’s ousting from the 2026 bracket.
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Dallas Observer Journalists

Beller, Danielle
Claytor, Alicia
Daniels, Tyler
Dearmore, Kelly
Diep, Eric
Drewes Daniels, Lauren
Fields, Alyssa
Gravley, Garrett
Gutierrez, Desiree
Hsu, Rebecca
Maddox, Jordan
Martin, Merritt
May Gravley, Carly
Prody, Aaren
Quebedeaux, Angie
Quilantan, Vanessa
Reynolds, Nick
Ruby, Emma
Thornfelt, Samantha
Veatch, Libby
White, Valerie
Zook, Austin