Desert Racer

Restaurant · Belmont

Desert Racer

Restaurant · Belmont

5

1520 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75206, USA

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Highlights

Baja California-inspired plates like tacos, nachos & tuna poke served in casual, spacious surrounds.  

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1520 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75206, USA Get directions

desertracertx.com

$$ · Menu

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1520 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75206, USA Get directions

+1 214 827 1520
desertracertx.com

$$ · Menu

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reservations
outdoor seating

Last updated

Mar 4, 2025

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@eater

"A beloved restaurant known for its unique atmosphere and offerings." - Courtney E. Smith

The Saddest Restaurant Closures in Dallas 2024 - Eater Dallas
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@eater

"Desert Racer is closing after a great run, directing diners to Surf Camp at Nick Badovinus’s East Quarter restaurants Brass Ram and National Anthem. Opened in December 2019, it featured a famous burger from Off-Site Kitchen and Tex-Mex dishes. It had an 8,000-square-foot patio, making it suitable during the COVID pandemic. Despite its potential, it couldn't survive the pandemic and other business dynamics." - Courtney E. Smith

Desert Racer on Lower Greenville in Dallas Is Closed - Eater Dallas
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@cntraveler

"If you like tequila cocktails, this is the place for you. There's an extensive selection on the menu to get you started, including a number of enticing frozen margarita options; this is Dallas after all. The tacos are the stars of the show here, from BBQ spiced shrimp to borracho brisket, via smoked chicken and fish asada. The most popular of the lot are the time-honored crispy beef tacos of childhood, served here with salsa and "very special sauce". Racer is also a place for cold, refreshing draft beers, sipped in the achingly cool garden. Tucked away at the lowest end of Dallas ' hipster-friendly Lower Greenville, it's a chilled outdoor drinking spot as much or perhaps even more than it is a restaurant. And that's the way the locals love it." - David Landsel, Diana Oates, Jonathan Thompson

20 Best Restaurants in Dallas, From Tex-Mex to Vietnamese | Condé Nast Traveler
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@eater

"Prolific Dallas restaurateur Nick Badovinus has announced that his Greenville Avenue bar Desert Racer will transform into a new pop-up called Vantina. Badovinus announced that Vantina will take over the patio at the space at 1520 Greenville Avenue in an Instagram post on Wednesday. The restaurant will serve a menu of dishes inspired by the cuisine of Baja California, with dishes like crispy tacos and ahi tuna poke on the menu. The restaurant will also serve Badovinus’s beloved cheeseburgers, made famous at casual burger spot Off-Site Kitchen." - Rachel Pinn

A New Patio Pop-Up Takes Over Greenville Avenue Hotspot Desert Racer Starting Today - Eater Dallas
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@eater

"The newest spot from vaunted Dallas restaurateur Nick Badovinus blends bright, colorful decor with playful spins on Tex-Mex classics like chimichangas, enchiladas, and tostadas. Lounge on the courtyard, play table tennis or foosball, and of course, pose for a million selfies while sipping margaritas, Ranch Waters, and more." - Rachel Pinn

Where to Throw the Perfect Bachelorette Party in Dallas
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Stephanie

SerpAPI
Such a great patio space. Family friendly and the waitstaff is incredible. We went for a birthday gathering and they were extremely helpful with decorating and bringing out anything we needed for the festivities. The food is perfect for this retro atmosphere. We had an array of brisket tacos, nachos and these Tater Tots! 🤤 It’s the perfect size for one, won’t be enough to share. Their beverages are also amazing. Frozen Paloma and Frozen Margaritas were very refreshing. If you go on a weekend be prepared for the bar to run out of every single beer the later it gets. It’s the only thing that put a damper on our visit, and the bartender got a little attitude when we finally just asked him what was left to choose from. There are plenty of picture worthy spots all around Desert Racer. Overall great food, fun feel and pretty good service. We will be back this Patio season.

Amy Rash

SerpAPI
Stopped in here for a snack and drinks on Sunday afternoon, and had such a lovely experience. Everything tasted SO FRESH from ceviche (very generous with the seafood) to the cocktails! It was really nice. Also our server was friendly, attentive and helpful. The decor is really cute! We sat outside because the weather was nice, but I look forward to sitting inside next time. There were a lot of families there too, so if you have kids this place seems like a good spot. Oh, and there’s parking too! Total gem - will definitely come back for a full meal!

Liam Amiri

SerpAPI
FANTASTIC ATMOSPHERE! WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL PLACE! I'm telling you this is like the ultimate date spot! Delicious drinks and I tried the taco and it was pretty good. Very clean restrooms which is always the indication of the general cleanliness.

Priscilla Dvm

SerpAPI
This place is so cute! The vibes, the patio environment, the decoration is on point! It’s a nice place to hangout and have some refreshing drinks. I tried their mango piña colada and it was so good! However, the food wasn’t great. In my opinion tacos were a bit overpriced, a single one can be $8. I tried the chilaquiles and they were just ok. My husband ordered the churro pancakes and he enjoyed them. I will probably be back to get some drinks!

Greg Cook

SerpAPI
My wife and I went to Desert Racer for dinner. The aesthetics of this place is awesome! We ordered frozen margs but they just refilled the machine so we were not able to get them. The frozen pina coladas we had then we okay replacements. For dinner, I really enjoyed the ABQ burger.

Wallace

SerpAPI
Best fajitas I ever had. The chicken was cooked and seasoned perfectly and the steak was amazing. Cod taco was good too. I will be coming back!

Hannah Jensen

SerpAPI
The vibes are immaculate at this place. The margaritas are delicious and I haven’t had a bad meal yet. One of the best patios for dinner and drinks in Dallas!

Ryan Kooiman

SerpAPI
Great food in an awesome and fun atmosphere! We had a chimi, burritos, shrimp ceviche, and tacos. The whole family loved it! Highly recommended.

Aradhna A.

Yelp
Highly recommend this place if you're looking for a place with good vibes with a group of great friends. If you're looking for a meal that will impress you, look the other way. I had a pretty great night with some of the greatest people you'll ever meet, so my review is far more on the positive side given that the food was just average Tex mex fare. Awesome decor with vintage car props and motorcycle props. Great area to play ping pong. I got the enchiladas that were fine. A few of my friends ordered some poke/ceviche/seafood stuff that were reportedly atrocious. Avoid those. Nachos were solid too! The service was good! We were a huge group and the waitress did her best which we all appreciated. Come for the vibes not for the food.

Kelly M.

Yelp
First visit back since 2021, and my God, time has NOT been kind to this place. In summary: 1.) What was once a bustling, interesting environment filled with a vibrant cross-section of Dallas culture has devolved into a bereft handful of tables on a beautiful Sunday afternoon; 2.) Our server was mostly unpleasant and exceedingly slow; 3.) We sampled queso that tasted as if it came straight from a jar purchased at a supermarket -- really not something you can get away with in Dallas; 4.) The place has mostly turned into a freaking preschool with alcohol where parents who want to day drink feel fully entitled to drag along their ear-splitting devil urchins to annoy the bejesus out of everyone else. I have seen many significant falls from grace in this town over the years, but this is perhaps one of the most dramatic. I don't see this place surviving for very much longer unless the owners have exceptionally deep pockets.

Trinity M.

Yelp
Such a cute place for happy hour or a quick bite. The drinks were refreshing and the openness of the area made the perfect weather easy to enjoy! Our bartender was sweet and more than willing to help us answer our questions and serve us.

Priya S.

Yelp
This place is great for any large gathering as they have a ton of space inside and outside with big tables. We had a corporate happy hour here and it was super easy for everyone to get together. There's also a parking lot connected to it. That being said the drinks and food are really mediocre- tacos were dry and not served as described on the menu, margarita was mostly store-bought mix etc. Aside from maybe watching a game or a really casual outing, I wouldn't return.

Alyssa H.

Yelp
This place really shocked me. Swung in for margaritas and got way more than we bargained for. We got chips and salsa which were awesome! The salsa was smoky and just good. Then the tacos oh my goodness the tacos! They were fantastic! I got the smoked chicken and the the sirloin asada taco. They were both so flavorful and they came on corn tortillas that actually stayed together (what a concept). And of course the service. The bartender was just amazing. I highly recommend if you've never been.

Jordan P.

Yelp
I've been here a handful of times and when you're looking for a casual Mexican vibe, this is a great and reliable location! The outside space is very large but so is the inside, I've never once waited to get a table (the decor is super cute as an added bonus!). The food is good and there's a nice selection of drink options, I think that this place is underrated and deserves more recognition for what it is, especially when you want to avoid the mass crowds of Lower Greenville a tad north.

Brian Q.

Yelp
I thought Desert Racer's upscale, causal patio atmosphere was perfect. They have their own parking lot which is a huge plus although it could use better line markings as many cars were haphazardly parked - But that is still preferable to being forced to valet. The drinks were good but I thought the a la carte food wasn't worth the cost. I had the $17 smoked chicken enchiladas which were a fairly small portion were only accompanied by a little slaw. I was expecting some rice and/or beans to come with it. Beyond that, the enchiladas themselves weren't anything special. Half of the chicken was dark meat and I found a big piece of hard cartilage inside - gross! Service was okay (I'm giving all wait staff a pass these days since I know they are understaffed). Pros: They have a parking lot. Large patio with an excellent atmosphere Cons: Overpriced food.

Emily P.

Yelp
Was greeted by the unfriendly blonde curly hair hostess on her laptop on a Saturday night at 9:10 and very rudely stated "we close at 10"... so we asked if it was too late to order and she said no. Get to a table and nobody comes to the table. So we walk out and leave. I then called because I saw on google that they close at 11 and asked to clarify what time they close and was told 10, I then asked why it said 11 online and the person on the phone said "well because we only have 1 table" Mind you I just left and they had a full bar and at least 5 tables. We were excited to try this place but with the rude staff , never again.

Taylor K.

Yelp
Such a cute atmosphere and great vibes for a friends night out or double date. Highly recommend sitting in the front patio as there's amazing music, corn hole, fooseball, turf for your dogs and fans for the Dallas heat. All of the seating on the patio is picnic tables so if you have last minute additions to your party, it should be fine so long as they fit on the table. I'd say they seat about 6-7. The drinks are amazing and strong! I recommend the swirled frozen margarita. Shrimp Fajitas: 8/10 Great flavor, comes with all the fixings but small portion. Definitely will only feed 1 person. Cod Taco: 7/10 Good flavor and the toppings it comes with are fantastic, but the fried texture of the cod doesn't hold up well to the weight of the taco. The breading slid off and I had to borrow a tortilla from my husband's fajitas to help contain all the stuffing. Brisket Taco: 10/10 no words

Anastasiya T.

Yelp
Service was great, I don't have to say anything exceptional about food it was just okay, there's a lot of space so it's great for game watching or big gatherings.

Greg L.

Yelp
Always out looking for new places. Went for lunch. Sat at the bar. Pre noon. Busy. Single bartender had difficulty keeping up. Would advice management to put extra help here. Ordered their fresh grapefruit seltzer. Turns out it's already pre made and on tap. It's ok. Fresh would be better. Was surprised when trying to use the restroom and I was halted by hostess saying I couldn't enter the pristine restaurant. I said how else am I going to get to the restroom and she allowed me to pass. Very odd. We ordered four different tacos guided by our bartender. They were all good. But I emphasize good. For the price and size I'd frankly be just as happy with Torchys. Overall I'd say this place is overpriced. And we had some not so happy gate keeper hostesses. There are other choices.

Shan W.

Yelp
I would have given more stars because the place is a hidden little gem that's nice and fun for a large group. The food just wasn't that grand in my opinion and most times I'm there to eat. I had the tacos shrimp and beef and they were just meh. I'll have to go again and try something else . My friend had the nachos but was impressed. The service was great but again the food was just mid.

Steve C.

Yelp
Cool setup, looks good inside and out. Food was ok. Service was painfully slow on a non busy day.

Emily M.

Yelp
On a hunt to find food that reminds me of home, I was drawn in by the "Baja California style" label. This place is cute! Very charming aesthetic, and I love that it has its own parking lot. There's a back entry through the patio, but a marker on the wall says the entrance is around front, so I walked that way. However, upon entry, I still had to walk to the back of the restaurant before I could find a hostess to seat me. That's fine, but some extra signage could be helpful there. Most of the staff I interacted with was not very friendly or welcoming, but the place had just opened for the day, so I somewhat understand and give grace. I ordered a battered fish taco and the yellowtail ceviche. The cod for the taco was chewy and got stuck in between my teeth, a very unpleasant texture for fish and led me to believe it was not fresh. It also was not seasoned on its own. There were yummy toppings like a crema and pico, but since the fish was the main item, the taco overall was lacking in flavor. Side note - on the menu it comes on a flour tortilla so I had to ask for corn instead. That would never be the case in Southern California! The ceviche was a really nice portion, I was impressed! $15 for a full plate of ceviche that was not at all lacking in fish was very welcome in my book. Plenty of chips that were very tasty. Not sure if they're made in house or store bought. However, the ingredients on my plate differed from those on the menu. The menu mentioned green onion and "elote" (though I assume they meant corn, not all the components of an elote) but my plate lacked both and instead contained jalapeño chunks and some green sprigs. The dish was tasty enough, I loved the pineapple! Would've loved some avocado mixed in, though, even if it raised the price a few dollars. I got a simple lemonade to drink, which was still another $3. Overall, I might come back for drinks with friends some night, instead of lunch on a Sunday by myself right at opening. But I won't be rushing back. Two stars for ease of parking, aesthetically pleasing building, clean restrooms, and decent ceviche.

Grace S.

Yelp
Believe it or not, Desert Racer is the first restaurant that I've actually dined at since the Pandemic began a year ago. Three dear friends and I sat at one of the socially distanced tables in the large patio area, and I loved the setting -- clean tables on artificial grass and overhead string lights that brightened the area. Not the hole-in-the-wall I was expecting of a restaurant in lowest Greenville. As for the food/drinks, I had a margarita on the rocks and shared chips with guacamole, queso, and salsa. The margarita was good, but I was able to finish it without really feeling anything close to a buzz... which probably means it was on the weaker side alcohol-wise. The guac was a little bland, and the queso was good but somewhat runny. I had the shrimps tacos for my entree, and I can't say anything bad about them; they were fresh tasting and delicious. I was also impressed by the presentation of what my friends ordered -- tacos, ceviche, and other items that I can't recall but that looked colorful and appetizing. I would love to return to try more items on the menu and enjoy their patio.

John B.

Yelp
Cool atmosphere. Extremely attentive bartender. And the food was just OK. I ordered chips and salsa. I am always confused when a Mexican restaurant uses store bought chips. Makes no sense to me and is an immediate turn off for me. I also ordered the chicken and steak fajitas. The chicken was sooo good! Very juicy. A nice grill on it. Good size pieces. Very very good. The steak was ok. Not juicy enough for me. Go with the chicken and you won't be disappointed. The guacamole and pico that came with it was also very good. Not a fan of the homemade tortillas. I know, I'm weird. Want home made chips, and don't like homemade tortillas. Im a mess.

Kenya R.

Yelp
The space is cool. It has a Cali beach feel to me. We went about an hour until closing, and there weren't many people there. We ordered a few apps and some drinks. The chips and queso were good. I really like their chips; they're perfectly seasoned. We also got some guacamole which was nothing but mashed avocado. I promise it had nothing else in it. I do not recommend, 0 stars. We also got the Mexican fried rice. There was absolutely nothing Mexican about that rice, plus it had a very strong pineapple flavor. Lastly, we had the smoked chicken flautas which came with a verde crema. This was pretty good, but I do think they should blend the creama mixture to actually make it creamy. For drinks, we got a margarita and an Old Fashioned. Neither were anything to write about. I would go back for the chips and queso and flautas.

Lauren W.

Yelp
Food and Ambiance on point. Service was a little slow but good. Our waiter was super patient and kind just took a little to get what we needed. Overall great experience. Had the brisket nachos and quesadillas. Queso Deluxe is SMALL just be aware the $14 or so Queso is TINY. We asked if we could share with 5 people comfortably and our waiter said yes (this was not the case)-we had to order another one. Even the $9 is small... just beware. But again overall great atmosphere and food! TV's on patio are a plus and pretty sure you can bring pets as well. Will be back!

Skyler M.

Yelp
Sad. Place has so much potential. But management is clearly absent and it reflects on their poor service & attitudes. I'd actually like to buy this place if the owner contacts me - that's how much I believe in the potential here.

Rebecca G.

Yelp
Closing Permanently - Everything was fine but server told us tonight was last night. Moving locations and changing concepts.

K Y.

Yelp
I came here and sat at the bar on Saturday and had a great time. the ambiance was really cool. The bar got pretty busy but the bartenders were really attentive the whole time. Food was a bit pricey but overall pretty good. Really cool place.

G A.

Yelp
Well this was my second time giving this place a shot the first time was a year ago and today my boyfriend and I and our amazing French bulldog decided to give this place another shot after a year ago having a terribly unfriendly experience with staff. For me to write a review being a bartender takes a lot but I thought maybe management needs to see it to change up staff and acknowledge guest. Both times staff have been unfriendly and unwelcoming there are no clear directions to seating when walking in. If I'm a new guest obviously I'm not going to know how seating works and if I have a dog im obviously going to sit outside. We watched the staff just stare at us with our dog move to two different tables today until about 10 min later someone told us to go see the host so my bf proceeded to and she rudely not once but more than once told him next time come to the host stand to be seated. I understand if there's a wait but if there's an abundance of tables open and we have a dog how about being a little bit more Hospitable and approaching the table versus reprimanding us. At this point we decided we would rather spend our money elsewhere and will never be back.

Stanley S.

Yelp
A group of our friends came here for dinner and let's just say the service or the food was not too pleasant and I would not return. Service: We got seated and we had someone bring us some water. But then we did not see the waitress for a while. Finally we got to order our drinks. I would say if you are coming to hangout and drink, then this place is great. Drinks and beer was all good! We had to constantly stop out waitress to ask her to take an order for us... and we never recieved utensils. But after an hour we finally got to order our food. Still no utensils. We got our food.. and still no utensils even after we told the person who brought out our food. I just continued to wipe my hands on my gf's pants :) Food: - Queso and Chips (1/10). The Queso tasted like the nacho cheese you would get at a high-school concession stand, probably worse than that! - Brisket Taco (6/10): The brisket Taco was not bad. Probably the only other good thing here.. but it's not worth the price. $7 for ONE taco. You got to be kidding me. I was expecting at least 2. - Asada Tots (4/10): Another overpriced dish. $10 for a small tray of tots and to add Brisket to it, it's an additional $4... Not worth the money. Only reason for the 2 stars is for the games they have in the patio area and for the drinks. Other than that, the food and service would be a 1 star rating. You can get better Mexican food at Taco Casa than here!

John W.

Yelp
Super mid and overpriced. Not enough staff. Beer selection not correct on menu. Patio is 'gram approved, but everything else is not worth it.

Laura T.

Yelp
Cool atmosphere and great food! The atmosphere is just the coolest. Great indoor and outdoor space that is casual, fun and cool. They have a neat Baja race theme. The food is excellent also. We had guacamole and chips. I also had tacos and they were perfect. I highly recommend!

Andrew C.

Yelp
Great ambiance and cool place. Of course 'Desert Racer' will stick with you, and the service was absolutely spot on. Food wise? Wtf.... Couple tacos, three drinks, and a salad came out it $94? We have problems. Adding three Chinese grown-unregulated shrimp to our salad was $8? Got it.... The batter to our two fish tacos was soggy and less than stellar; Think of Gordon Ramsay blasting someone for under seasoning and going ape S$$t.... You get where I'm going with this one. Sucks. You're paying for the rent. Go get some real tacos and margs somewhere else.

Daniel C.

Yelp
My third time stopping by helped decide I will not be returning. The food was pretty average and frankly a bit overpriced. The drinks were not made well either - there was too much alcohol and too forward and in your face. Their patio area is nice but unfortunately good service isn't one of their strong suits either. This might not be the place to be around 10pm but you'd still expect to get some sort of decent service. Our waitress was not all that helpful and disappeared for a majority of our visit.

Leena J.

Yelp
Crazy cool vibe. Feels like a vacation spot. For sure one of the nicest places I've been in 2020. Incredible setup. Beautiful bar with clean and vibrant decor. The outdoor seating, man. I would get married out there. Good food. Get.The. Tots! Our sweet waiter, Rome was amazing and wonderful while recommending some delicious dining options! I got the Diablo shrimp tacos, fresh and flavorful! Crazy packed and worth the wait on Saturday, but really nice plaCe. I will be back very soon! Yaaaaaaaas!

AstoriaExploresDallas ..

Yelp
Hashi Over the weekend I stopped by Desert Racer for the first time. It's a cute restaurant with outside, bar and restaurant seating. I was pleased with the warm customer service I received as soon as I stepped through the door. I spent a total of $46 which included a sweet tea before tip Below are the food details. Baked brisket enchiladas- 6.5/10- The ingredients were quality which I enjoyed. The brisket was tender. However there wasn't enough flavor for me in this dish. I would not order again. Cute presentation tho! Beans & Rice-$5: -Beans 8.5/10 very flavorful black bean soup. -Rice 2/10 undercooked, bland. Gauc & Chips - 5/10 - The chopped avocado was fresh. The first couple of bites had zero flavor. However I did eventually taste something. Guacamole normally has other ingredients outside of avocado. I had to ask for salt and pepper. I would try this again but I would ask for the missing ingredients. Queso & Chips - 7.8/10 - This was a solid yellow cheese queso. Nothing special but paired nicely with the chips that tasted as if they were cooked in house. Overall I don't see myself trying this place again. It's located at Greenville & Ross ave.

Nancy T.

Yelp
I'm giving this place a 2 star because although the food was good, the quantity of food is so little!! And this place is one of the more expensive Tex mex restaurant here in Dallas. Our waiter was also not very attentive and didn't come refill our drinks or ask us if there's anything we need. I don't know if he forgot about us because he seated us right near the front and on the side of the restaurant. We were also the only ones seated there. Everyone was seated more inside the restaurant or in the outside area. Probably won't come here again. There's better and cheaper Tex mex places in Dallas.

Rachel D.

Yelp
Very overpriced food, but the beer selection was nice! Lots of local beers at an ok price. We got seated and waited 15 minutes for a menu, and another 20 minutes for our appetizer. We had to wait another 20 minutes for our tacos. When they brought out our tacos, they couldn't even tell us which tacos were which. When we asked what they were, they said "a taco"..... Well no duh ?? The wait was not worth the overpriced food. Won't be returning :( Ballpark nachos: queso was sooo good, but it was such a small portion ... they put TWO bowls into the middle of a plate and put the nachos on top to make it look like there were more... Tacos: $7 for one taco... We also had to get our own napkins and weren't given utensils until after our appetizer. Also, we never got water refills. It might as well have been self service. TLDR: too long of wait, and overpriced food. The servers didn't know what they were serving us...BUT lots of local beer selection.

Jeff P.

Yelp
Breakfast "tacos" on the Sunday lunch menu... It was advertised as "tacos", plural. It was one small taco for $7, a complete rip off, and purposely missed labeled on the menu. The bar tender didn't bother to tell me it was a single taco either. The bar tender was inattentive, didn't give us silverware, napkins, and we had to wave her down for drinks. The other bar tenders were obviously relived when she left for the day. Fix your menu and train your staff.

Whitney A.

Yelp
I really enjoy the patio at Desert Racer! The happy hour prices are great food drinks. I finally tried the new menu and it was good. I had the chicken quesadilla which was huge and some tacos! I recommend this place!

Andrea J.

Yelp
FINALLY! I have been waiting for this place to pen for a year. I live within walking distance so I have watched all of the changes from the beginning. Desert Racer did not disappoint! The menu is huge, both for food and drinks. It is a southwestern/Mexican type menu but seems to have something for everyone. The mixed drinks are plentiful, as well as the liquor list and the beer selection. They have a very well trained and friendly staff. I recommend trying the steak asada tots! And the Ensenda and Todos Santos are excellent mixed drinks. The decor is one of my favorite parts of this place. There is plenty of seating and a huge motorcycle theme here. The outdoor patio is going to be amazing this spring!!

Stephen B.

Yelp
The last three times we went to Desert Racer for Fajita Friday, they didn't have fajitas. One time, the cook was out (??!!). The next time, they didn't have bell peppers (and they would not do them without the peppers). Today, "the meat order didn't come in." WTF kind of restaurant can't keep up with something as ubiquitous in this town as fajitas? The one time we had them, they were SO GOOD, which is why we've kept trying. But I dunno. Three strikes and all. So disappointing, because the margaritas are great, but most of the other food is just OK. Come on, Desert Racer. Seriously. Go to the grocery store and get your damn ingredients there if your supplier is that lame.

Anthony B.

Yelp
On a nice day, this is a fun place to visit- lots of outdoor seating and a fun atmosphere. Who doesn't love picnic tables and astroturf? All I had were a few drinks (ranch waters, sangria swirls, etc), but they were good and the staff was friendly and attentive, even with our large group. Can't say much about the food- all I snacked on was chips and guac, but it was good. Some others had the burgers (which I understand comes from OSK) and people seemed to be satisfied with the food. They didn't rave about it, but didn't say it sucked either. Will come back another time when the weather is nice and will try out more of their food!

Emily L.

Yelp
This place reminds me of Katy Trail Ice house or Truckyard. Definitely a super happening place out on the patio. The good- the playlist!!! Aging myself here but it brought me back to college days when punk rock was at its height. The beer- pretty extensive selective- not quite a yard house but solid. The bad- Definitely not up to any sort of COVID standards with social distancing or cleanliness. The parking lot is a mess and people were all over the place sticking out or double parked etc. The average- the food is meh. The fajitas were fine but they don't come with a lot of fixings. Definitely more similar to something you'd throw together at home with some meat and peppers and onions with some cheese and lettuce on the side. The dessert was a total disappointment and a very average banana split IMO. Nothing stood out except for the caramelized bananas. All for a price tag which I think was a bit high for the quality. Anyways- would totally come to grab some drinks to hang out but not for food and probably when covid clears up a bit more.

R C.

Yelp
Hostess is also the manager who is working in the kitchen, behind the bar and running around. This place used to be great, but the lack of employees has created poor service and lackluster food. Disappointing since I live nearby and would love to see this business thrive.

Mike N.

Yelp
We're fans of Chef Nick Badovinus' other restaurants, so we were excited to try Desert Racer. Unfortunately we felt it didn't really live up to the reputation his other restaurants have. The interior is really cool, and clearly geared towards Instagram photos. The margaritas were just okay, nothing special in a crowded margarita market like Dallas. The queso we also just okay, and it came in a very small cup that did not justify the price. You have to pay for chips and salsa, which is also kind of lame, but the salsa was again just okay. The birria quesadilla was pretty good, but I have had better ones in the DFW area. This place was just okay, but Badavinus probably needs to stick to what he knows and leave tex-mex to the pros.

Silvia N.

Yelp
The food is super tasty the menu has a wide variety of plates. The cocktails/ drink menu is very good. I was surprised that they offered non alcoholic beer I was excited to have a virgin michelada. The ambiance is also so nice.

Gavin M.

Yelp
We went with a group of 9 and the vibes were great. Super cool outdoor seating area. Tasty food and drinks. Only downside was the service was slow and our waiter was new.

Adrienne M.

Yelp
The decor of this place is great. It's at a decent location with plenty of parking. This place would be awesome if they didn't serve overpriced, bland food and weak drinks. The service was pretty terrible but with everyone being shorthanded I don't expect much better. I have a feeling that whoever is in charge of training new hires doesn't give a hoot because two of the three servers I interacted with seemed pretty clueless. The $5 'garlic crinkle cuts' are basically from-frozen fries with the smallest imaginable sprinkle of garlic salt I have ever seen. They do not include any ketchup unless you specifically ask for it and adding guac or salsa is $3+ if I remember correctly. The tacos were are okay, but definitely not worth $7+ apiece. The corn tortillas were rubbery and every taco regardless of the meat you chose had the same dry, radish salad topping. There were little to no vegetarian options on the menu so if you have dietary restrictions I would recommend literally anywhere else on Greenville Ave. Lastly, the 'Marg Rox' margaritas were too sweet and very weak. It tasted more like they misted the inside of the glass with tequila before pouring a margarita mix and lime juice in. For $11 I expect better. If you want a drink just order a beer. All in all, from a guest's standpoint it seems like the owners must have dumped their entire budget into decorating the place and are now trying to scramble to pay it all back with overpriced drinks and skimpy food. I hate leaving negative reviews but this was just so disappointing. Pros: Cute atmosphere, decent beer selection, and decent location. Cons: Everything else.

Jennifer W.

Yelp
Long time customer, as I followed the burger from Off Site Kitchen. Last visit was super disappointing. Burger was not good. Bun and meat were both dry. Hope it was just an "off" day. Brisket taco was good tho.

Gabriella F.

Yelp
A couple friends and I went for the first time on Tuesday. What a fun spot! It's huge with very Austin vibes. This will probably be my new go to casual first date spot! Service was great too. The shrimp taco was delicious.

Catalina M.

Yelp
The ambience was great, but everything else was pretty disappointing. Service was not good. Our orders got super mixed up at the beginning and it took a while to get them right. Food was meh... I ordered a chicken taco which was ok. The chips and salsa weren't great... salsa was sweet. I was also wanting to have a glass of wine and the minimum was half a bottle.

Jon D.

Yelp
This place has really gone down hill. The food and drinks are sub par. The staff are friendly but won't get us to come back.

Kathryn M.

Yelp
This is a great outdoor spot for drinks but I wouldn't eat here. But the ambiance is great & lively with foozeball and a cute bar/ decor! A few cons: -The food isn't good... the queso is bland and the elotes was flavorless, the fish & shrimp tacos were okay just lacking a little flavor, and the fajitas were unimpressive for $19 (don't get the chicken it was woody & bleh) -there's usually a long wait, but this place isn't managed very well so it's longer than necessary, we waited almost 2 hours for a table on Saturday but there were about 5 tables that sat empty for 30 minutes... I even asked about them and he said "they were about to sit some of their reservations there", but the tables were still empty for a long while... also one party just walking in and sat down at one of the tables so that was frustrating. -we called and asked if we had to make a reservation and they told us the list didn't statt until 6:30pm or something, yet there were already people with reservations when we were waiting? -the tables are hit or miss, there's a main area with music speakers and fun vibes and it seems like the other tables are far away from that... we got sat in this area kind of walled off from everyone which wasn't super fun. Before that we were in the very back corner kind of tucked away from everything so it takes away from your overall experience. I would suggest getting drinks at the bar and either hanging around there or the few lounge areas in front instead of waiting for a table for hours then getting sat in a secluded area

Natalie P.

Yelp
Food is amazing!! I get the ahi poke bowl every time. Also waitress Hannah is incredible. Very attentive, friendly, and made our experience even that much better.

Ghazaleh R.

Yelp
We came here with a group of friends. They took proper covid measures and the ambience of this place was amazing. I saw some pictures on their Yelp but unfortunately they didn't have any of the items I wanted and had a very limited menu. Now as for the food.... it was probably the most mediocre food I've had in a while. Cool place to hang out and get drinks but food is meh...