Dallas's most photographed steakhouse, 561 feet up Reunion Tower — book OpenTable three months out to impress a client who has seen everything.
The Reservation Problem at Crown Block
"Ask for a window table — the whole city is down there," the reservationist told me when I called, and 561 feet up Reunion Tower she was not overselling it. Crown Block, ranked #25 in Dallas, took over the rotating crown that Wolfgang Puck's Five Sixty left behind, and executive chef Kim Canteenwalla rebuilt it into a steakhouse the city photographs more than any other room. The view is the headline. The cooking, on the Crown Block Cut and the Lobster Thermidor, is better than a view restaurant has any business serving.
The difficulty here is not a 30-day scramble. It is that everyone in Dallas wants the same Friday-night window seat at sunset, and there are only so many of them turning above the city at once.
How to Book Crown Block
Crown Block takes reservations on OpenTable and directly at crownblockdallas.com, with a booking window that opens about three months ahead. There is no midnight-drop theatre; pick your date when the window rolls open and book it. Weeknights are gettable a week or two out. The seats that vanish are Friday and Saturday between 7 and 9, plus the sunset slots that photograph best.
For a party of seven or more, email the restaurant rather than fighting the platform — groups of ten-plus carry a food-and-beverage minimum and are handled by the events desk. If OpenTable shows nothing, call (214) 321-3149; the floor holds tables the platform does not always surface, and a polite request for a window two-top at an off-peak hour lands more often than you would think.
What You Eat
Order the Crown Block Cut. After that the kitchen rewards the obvious luxuries: Caviar Bumps to start, the Lobster Thermidor, and an A5 wagyu that runs around $140 for the few who came to spend. Plan on roughly $120 to $250 a head for dinner before wine. Sunday brunch is its own animal — an $80 four-station spread with the same view in daylight, and a far easier table than any dinner.
The Smart Play
Book a weeknight window table three to six weeks out and you will sail in. Save the phone call for sunset Fridays and for groups. Crown Block is in the Michelin Guide's Texas selection, and it earns the listing, but the reason to book is the occasion: this is the room you bring a client or an out-of-town guest who needs Dallas to land in one gesture. If it is full, Knife and Quarter Acre are the harder, quieter tables worth the Dallas reservation fight.
Not for a quiet, conversation-first dinner. Crown Block is a 49th-floor scene built for the view and the photograph, and the room runs loud and bright once it fills.
View Crown Block on Restaurants for Kings →
Related Reading
- Our full profile: Crown Block, ranked #25 in Dallas.
- The wider city: Dallas dining guide and the hardest restaurant reservations in Dallas.
- Strategy: how to get impossible restaurant reservations.
- Platforms: OpenTable vs Resy for restaurant booking.
- The occasion: best restaurants to impress clients.
- Nearby tables: Knife and Quarter Acre.
- More how-to-book guides: how to book Uchi and how to book Bavel in Los Angeles.
Frequently Asked Questions
How hard is it to book Crown Block?
Moderately hard, and concentrated in a few slots. Crown Block books on OpenTable and at crownblockdallas.com with a window that opens about three months out, so weeknights are gettable a week or two ahead. The tables that vanish are Friday and Saturday between 7 and 9 and the sunset slots that photograph best. If the platform is empty, call (214) 321-3149 and ask about a window two-top at an off-peak hour.
How far in advance should I book Crown Block?
For a weeknight dinner, three to six weeks is comfortable and a window table is realistic. For a sunset Friday or Saturday, or any party of six or more, book the moment the three-month window opens and phone the restaurant rather than relying on OpenTable alone. Groups of ten or more are handled by the events desk and carry a food-and-beverage minimum, so email ahead for those.
What is the dress code at Crown Block?
Cocktail attire. Crown Block is a special-occasion room 561 feet up Reunion Tower, so collared shirts, blazers, tailored dresses and smart separates all look right. There is no jacket requirement, but athleisure, gym wear and beachwear are out of place. Sunday brunch runs a touch more relaxed than dinner, though the room still skews dressed-up given the setting and the photographs everyone takes.
How much does dinner at Crown Block cost?
Plan on roughly $120 to $250 per person for dinner before wine. The Crown Block Cut, Caviar Bumps and Lobster Thermidor sit at the heart of the menu, and a Japanese A5 wagyu runs around $140 for the few who came to spend. Sunday brunch is a fixed $80 per person for a four-station spread plus an entree, which is the cheapest way to get the view.
Can you walk in or sit at the bar at Crown Block?
Yes, walk-ins are welcome and the bar is the smart move for two people without a reservation. You will not be guaranteed a coveted window table, but bar and lounge seats turn over and still deliver the 49th-floor view. For a confirmed dinner table, especially on a weekend, book ahead on OpenTable; the walk-in route is best treated as a drink-and-a-view play rather than a dinner guarantee.