- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
ALÓ - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants Tapas Bars Restaurants Latin American Tapas Bars, Latin American [Edit]
4447 N Central ExpyKnox Plaza
Dallas, TX 75334
(214) 520-9711
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
30 reviews for ALÓ
Review Highlights
-
"...definitely holds its ground next to its predecessor La Duni." In 9 reviews -
"My new thing is Peruvian Cuisine." In 13 reviews -
"I will say the Skirt Steak is especially delicious." In 4 reviews
Loading...
30 reviews in English
-
Review from Jamie R.
Houston, TX
6/24/2009
Holy moly i love this place. Great drinks, especially Mojitos. There's one Michelada that will burn the heck out of your mouth, i think it's the Bloody one. Next time I'm going with the Classic.
I know it's peruvian and fancy, but i would much rather have chips and salsa than those roasted corn bits. Pardon my ignorance. Just being honest (and a tad picky).
I love the bites concept. I like being with a few friends and having each person order a different one so we can try them all. I especially like the Lobster Volcanes, Flautas and the mixed Potato Causas.
My husband like to the the Parrilada, which is a huge plate of meat. I will say the Skirt Steak is especially delicious. Gringas are pretty tasty as well. -
Review from Kathryn E.
Dallas, TX
2/8/2009
I am surprised I haven't written a review on this yet... this was by far my favorite new restaurant in Dallas last year. Their thing is a blend of Peruvian and Mexican "street" food and the experience is most like a tapas bar.... small plates to share, though there are some main entrees. I have liked everything we have gotten, and have been all over the menu now on more than a dozen visits. The cebiches are nice, the causas (get the variety pack : ) are fantastic, always love the sweet plantains, and they have good mixed drinks... go during happy hour if possible, because you will want more than 1 and it adds up fast. It is also a good place for a somewhat quick lunch... their salads are delicious, especially the pulled turkey and dried cherries salad - mmmm - a perfect lunch.
The service has been mostly good, but like all the Duni restaurants, service is not their forte, though it is tremendously better here than what I have had at La Duni's. -
Review from meredith l.
Dallas, TX
3/30/2008 ROTD 7/13/2008
I have this thing about decisions: I don't like to make them, especially at a restaurant. There are few things as torturous as trying to decide between the half dozen mouth-watering items on the menu as the waiter impatiently taps his pen against his notepad and your friends roll their eyes. You reluctantly decide on a dish, second guessing it the second it comes out of your mouth. You end up enjoying the dish you chose, but you never stop wondering what those other 5 or 6 other entrees might have tasted like.
This is one of the many reasons I love tapas, and Alo might just be my favorite tapas joint in Dallas. Dishes I would recommend include: shrimp volcano, sweet plantains, peruvian potato causas (the smoked salmon were to die for), crispy shrimp tacos, and the aji de gallina, which could be my favorite thing on the menu. I will have to go back to try the rest of the dessert offerings, but I will vouch for the pecan pie with vanilla ice cream.
Our service was fantastic - our waiter made a fantastic recommendation when asked and our water glasses were never more than half empty.
The spicy roasted corn nuts that started the meal were excellent and much spicier than I expected them to be.
I may have to head to Alo for brunch one of these days - those sweet potato biscuits with orange butter sound incredible. -
Review from D S.
Dallas, TX
8/22/2007 ROTD 9/8/2007
The brand new Alo, from Taco and Dunia Borga of La Duni fame, has opened as a new Latin concept with incredible panache. Taking advantage of the surge in "street food meets upscale contemporary" dining, Alo's hip "sip.bite.share" mantra NEARLY communicates it all.
Decor features a dimly lit interior with a balmy equatorial-chic vibe: dark stained contemporary wood panels are softened by the garden-cool complement of healthy palms and other jungle loving greenery.
For a tapas-style eatery, Alo is ambitious, creative and rife with generous fresh flavors common to Mexico and Peru, interestingly enough. Portions here make sharing part of the fun, although one could easily dine comfortably with an app, cocktail and dessert with tip for around $40 solo.
On the menu, there is a subtle tropical undercurrent to stylishly remixed standards like quesadillas, flautas, tostadas and sopes. But don't pre-judge their presence against the well-worn, lackluster renditions available everywhere else in town! There is a deftness in flavor composition and execution that wholly manages to tittillate and surprise even the most jaded and Latin-bored eater.
Clearly jonesing for early acclaim, Alo's plates are presented with precision and speed by a smooth running kitchen complemented by affable (if ordinary/somewhat green) waitstaff.
At the bar, service is framed by at least one master mixologist from La Duni's original location, and features lushly balanced cocktails (poquito cari~noso! $$$) . Many La Duni favorites resurface here with a twist: from flavored mojitos muddled with Caribbean essences to the new appearance of a headily fragrant lychee and orange martini.
On both visits, all items deserved high marks, save for one garish detail -- surprising for the consistent 5-star performance of Duni's bakehouse: paltry dry, freezer-burned banana cake beneath luscious chocolate frosting. This one needs a do-over, Duni.
Looking forward to a third visit despite this stinging disappointment; I'm personally eager to taste the intriguing new concoctions listed on the menu but apparently not available (yet); I presume due to the need for extended staff training post-opening. -
Review from Layla B.
11/18/2007 ROTD 3/23/2008
We went to Alo for brunch today for our first time. I know that I've bashed La Duni before for the service, but we had extremely attentive service - likely because we were the only people in the joint. At 9:30 am on Sunday morning the place was a ghost town. Maybe everyone was still in bed. Or church. Or whatever Dallas folks do on Sunday mornings. Cause it's not the food that's keeping them away.
We started with complimentary sweet potato biscuits served with orange butter. Together they were sublime, buttery and sweet. The biscuit had a savory texture on its own without the butter, and was awesome either way. For breakfast I had Gorditas, flour tortilla pockets filled with scrambled eggs, cheese and green onions and served with potatoes (the same awesome ones at La Duni) and beans. My husband had their Iron Skillet Migas, which was the best we've had outside of Mexico. Really un-Texas tasting, which isn't a compliment or insult: it was just totally authentic.
Service was fine, nothing remarkable, but not nearly as bad as La Duni. We'll come back for dinner. The decor and textures around the place were really pretty and interesting. A lot of love and work went into the place, you can tell. I hope the lack of patrons early on Sunday morning isn't an indication of how it normally is there. If so, Alo will be saying goodbye pretty soon. -
Review from Meridith H.
Dallas, TX
10/17/2007
The La Duni folks seem to have done it again. We ventured over to Alo for lunch yesterday and were greeted by a beautiful space with contemporary design and comfortable seating. The flower arrangements were beautiful enough to make you forget you were at a strip mall on I-75. The menu is Mexican and Peruvian tapas with a bit of flare...it is much different that the Spanish tapas experience at Hola. After they dropped off a small bowl of homemade corn nuts at our table (so good!), we decided to share one tapa dish, one entree dish and a couple of sides. It was plenty of food for two people.
First, we went with the chips and salsa. The chips came out warm with three choices for salsa - tomatillo (my fave), red tomato w/ cilantro, and tomatillo, red tomato and negro modela beer. All three were wonderful. We shared the mixed potato causas which is a mashed potato cake mixed with guacamole and topped with either smoked salmon, calamari (the best one), or shrimp. While these were recommended by our server, they were the low point of the meal. They were a bit bland and unexciting. The two big winners were the grilled mushrooms w/ garlic and asparagus and the beef tenderloin tacos. My dining companion's head nearly exploded after biting into the tacos, they were so delicious...plus, they come with an array of wonderful toppings. I would love to go back for dinner with a bigger group to try more menu items. Service was good, keeping my obscene amount of Diet Cokes coming.Listed in: Top Restaurants
-
Review from Andrea H.
2/10/2009 3 photos
Hold on to your hats kids, cuz I'm about to rave. I love this place so much, I want to cry. Kind of like when you meet "the one" and you "just know". Starving and lost, trying to find the Office Max, we happened upon a strip mall with a Mediterranean place, an Asian place and Alo. Too hungry to look further, we settled on Alo. The atmosphere is modern, trendy, and yet, strangely rainforesty. There was an abundance of fresh flowers throughout the place, which was a nice touch. I don't know anything about the history, but you get the feeling like you're in a family place. Also loved the jars of candy at the entrance.
Our server was very friendly and helpful. We asked for a bit of assistance with the menu since I was so hungry my eyes just glazed over when I looked at it. His suggestions were spot on and we loved them all. I started with the Sin Nombre Vermouth, which was tangy and not too sweet. Kind of like a caipirinha. Yum.
We ordered the yellowtail cebiche and the tuna Peruvian tiraditos to start. The cebiche was good, but the tiraditos were the real standout. The jalapeno sauce on top was phenomenal. For entrees, we tried the seafood latino rice and the arrachera asada. Again, the latino rice was good, but the asada was amazing. The sauces that came with it were delicious. Everything tasted so fresh and flavorful. We were also impressed with the presentation. Everything was presented perfectly.
We were too full to enjoy the desserts, but I would have loved to have tried them all. I especially loved that they offered ice cream bowls and bags of cookies and candies. Awesome.
The icing on the cake was the bill. For all that we ordered, the bill was only $62! A tear of joy.
So I'm in love. I'll be pining away until we meet again...Listed in: Surprises!, My Dallas Learning Experience
-
Review from Harsh K.
Los Angeles, CA
7/11/2008
So I'm gonna be a little critical, the meal started at 4 stars with the
pork volcanes, a super high quality ceviche, and a darn good guacamole ( as a californian I tend to put a lot of stock in good avocados). If this was all we'd ordered they'd have gotten 4 stars the service was attentive, the ambiance was great, and those dishes were spot on.
However, we had also ordered the following:
Smoked Salmon Potato Causas: good flavor, way too much potato for the salmon creme mixture which was light on the salmon to begin with, esp given that the potato didn't absorb much of the sauce: 3 stars.
Duck confit flautas: decent flavor, but the duck was super dry, if they had called it duck carnitas flautas I might have been slightly more forgiving, but to have confit on your mind and then hit dry dry duck is a letdown esp at ~$3 each flauta: 2 stars
Salchipapas con salsa rosacrema: decent, but the fries were soggy and the rosacrema needed to be a lot spicier, you could barely get the poblano flavor out of it. 3 stars
Overall, I'd definitely go back, the bar looks great and a lot of the food is good, but it'll take me some time to work through the menu and figure out what to get to make it a 4star experience -
Review from Joseph B.
11/3/2007
Ok so I'm the first to give it a 3 star rating. Getting to our reserved table was kind of a bia~ because of their table spacing. Most of the servers were zig zaging and taking turns and what not to just to get by. I felt bad for the obese hispanic lady that was bringing out the food.
For appetizers I got the plantains which were pretty awesome. Soft, sweet, and hot to the core. For my meal I had ordered the chicken enchiladas spicy and it was ok , but would have been better if the chicken strips they put in weren't so dry and still had tendons attached to them. I tasted some of the grilled skirt steak (i forgot the name of this dish) it tasted if it were marinated with watered down A-1 sauce. The meat was cooked perfect, but how they prepared it was kinda ehhh~. I also got the try to the yucca. It's kinda like potato sticks doused in a vegetable sauce which was tasty.
Parking is a bia~ on the weekends. -
Review from Catherine Y.
Austin, TX
5/20/2008
For Tapas, it's alright... If you decided to try this place, expect fusion dishes instead of traditional Spanish tapas food here. The decor is nicely done and the flat screen tv on the wall makes you wanna skip your main course and go straight to the dessert. Although they looked yummy on TV, the dessert was nothing special either.
Overall, it is a nice place to dine and try and good for friends get together or a date. A little too small for party more than 4. -
Review from leslie b.
Dallas, TX
2/5/2009
The look of the restaurant (for a casual place) ...5 stars.
The drink (yawar)... 4 stars.
The ceviche (we ordered both)... 5 stars.
The entree (avocado and chicken and cheese tacos)... 3.5 stars.
The side (sweet plaintains)... 3.5 stars. (would have been 4 if there had been a sauce)
The staff (our waiter)... 3 stars. maybe. -
Review from Seema K.
Dallas, TX
4/21/2009
Had the potato flautas....stircty passable fare! very small portions, even for a Tapas place.
However, the excellent ambience, the friendly servers and the desserts displayed on the big screens which looked extremely appetizing, would make me want to go again, if only for desserts :) -
Review from Stephen J.
Dallas, TX
8/17/2009
Hola Alo, adios Alo.....
Seriously, what does it take to get a menu and water in this place? My hot date (hello, of course!) and I waited 20 minutes at our table, without any acknowledgment from wait staff, before leaving. They weren't that busy. Really? Who cares what the food is like if they won't take your order? Booooo. -
Review from Mike D.
Dallas, TX
5/25/2009
I like the concept of Alo but the service was lacking on our second visit.
Twice the waitress came back and said they were out of an item (and it took 5-10 mins each time to tell us). Drinks were pretty good but they need to get it together on the food and service side. They have a ways to catch their big sis La Duni. -
Review from Francesca L.
Colorado Springs, CO
Updated - 3/30/2009 ROTD 4/19/2009
I usually love this place..the atmosphere and decor is modern, bright, and pretty, food is good etc. But this particular visit, I was unimpressed.
Tricia O and I met up here for brunch and the place was almost completely empty. The menu is pretty small, but we figured we could try a couple of different things to share..except that "there are no panqueques..it will take 40 mins" Are you SERIOUS? C'mon..it's brunch, ppl want the food that is on the menu and you just opened!
So no, panqueques..we just got an omelette and bananas & berries. Everything came out looking beautiful. The fruit was good (but you just rinse it off and dust powered sugar). The omelette was very very small. We split it and fortunately I went to a friends house after and had some snacks geez! Plus it was pretty runny. I was starving so I didn't feel like complaining. The potatoes on the otherhand were cooked very nicely--crisp, tender, soft, and just enough salt.
I love you Alo, but you are just not made for mornings it seems. I'll do desayuno elsewhereListed in: A little something sweet, Yummy...stuff I crave, Review of the Day
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
2/16/2008
Went here after a girls night movie with 6 of my friends and had a great time. I called when we were… Read more »
-
-
Review from Penny K.
Dallas, TX
3/30/2008 ROTD 12/3/2008
Alo, which is owned by the same patrons of La Duni, is a fantastic Mexican and Peruvian restaurant with a modern, zen atmosphere. The bar is posh with elegant seating and the dining area has a backdrop made of stones and shells. I've had brunch and dinner on separate occasions at Alo and both experiences did not dissapoint me. One of my favorite dishes is the chaufa chino latino rice that comes served in a banana leaf with plantains and the Arrachera prime skirt steak asada. Alo also has a great selection of desserts and coffee concoctions. This is an ideal place for a first date, business dinner, birthday celebration or just good ole' quality time with friends and family.
-
Review from Hazel G.
Euless, TX
11/20/2007 ROTD 9/22/2008
Dining at Alo was a very nice surprise. Situated in a discreet shopping strip mall on the edge of Central and Knox, Alo sits close to its sister restaurant La Duni. Alo features many of hits of La Duni such as the Grilled Skirt Steak, their famous mimosas and sangrias, and the ever favorite crowd pleaser...the Yucca Fries. I dined here on Saturday around 8pm and didn't have to wait to be seated which is probably a first for me in this area. I came here with my husband and started the evening off with the peruvian ceviche which came with garnishes of hominy, cornnuts, red onion, and a white fish. The ceviche was very good and refreshing. We also ordered the trio of peruvian causas. That also was pretty good but I guess I was surprised that the mashed potatoes where the smoked salmon, calamari, and shrimp sit were cold. I liked this dish despite the cold potatoes and it was very filling.
My husband and I then split the grilled skirt steak and ordered a side of the yucca fries. The skirt steak is reminiscent....well actually tastes exactly the same as the one at La Duni without the sides. It came with both corn and flour tortillas and was delicious. The table next to us looked like they ordered the discada nortena and it looked really good.
Alo is definitely holds its ground next to its predecessor La Duni. The prices are reasonable, the atmosphere and decor very chic. I will definitely be coming back here and trying more items on the menu. -
Review from Stacy C.
Marin, CA
2/5/2009
My new thing is Peruvian Cuisine. I live in the Bay Area, so I have had many oppurtinuties to experience the great flavors of Peruvian style cooking. While visiting friends in Dallas this past weekend, we tried this place. Stated with both styles of Cebiche.. one was tuna which was very good and the other was yellow tail. Both were very tasty. I had the Berros & Calamres salad which I highly recommend. I finished that and loved every bite. I had 2 of the Yawars, a cherry, wine reduction, lime , and pisco barsol .. tasty , but strong. The waiter could have been a bit more attentive. Overall, this place is good. I will go back when visiting Dallas.
-
Review from Tori T.
Updated - 4/20/2009
not sure why but this place just didn't appeal to me as much as the first time around. maybe the dinner prices were a bit higher with the same size portions. it's the kind of place one should really like, so I was trying to enjoy it. I finally went with some peeps who were okay ordering family style but the menu is a bit overwhelming to read or shall I say, "comprehend" so we just asked the waiter for his recommendations.
i started with a bloody michelada which is usually an indication to me of how good a place will be. this one was lousy. oh-oh, my whole night is ruined!
the shrimp causes was pretty flavorless. it was basically a piece of shrimp on a teeny mound of mashed taters. and i had to take the shrimp tail off. it seems so simple yet it annoys the hell outta me! the duck flautus were greasy and flavorless as well. not duck greasy but fried greasy. i will say the chicken enchiladas with roasted tomatillo sauce were yummy. the ribeye and mushroom gringas were pretty good as well. all-n-all i wasn't that impressed... especially for the price we had to pay. oh well.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
12/30/2008
Family style?! Screw that- I'm eating everything on this plate!
Nah, not really...I usually enjoy a… Read more »
-
-
Review from Mordechai B.
Dallas, TX
12/4/2008
I've never been to La Duni, that other "high end Latin cuisine" place (whatever that means), so I thought I'd give Aló a chance. My expectations were met: nice decor, good presentation, great service, but not so great food. Don't get me wrong, it's just that when I am in the mood for ethnic food I'd rather go to the source, and not a place that will water down the taste to cater to anglo palates. That being said, the food prices were quite reasonable, which was quite surprising. I enjoyed a glass of chicha, but I missed the feeling of an authentic Peruvian restaurant.
-
Review from Kevin G.
New York, NY
3/18/2008
pros: great ambience, great dishes (if you're selective), interesting crowds, low-key lounge area for drinks and apps
cons: mediocre dishes (if you're not selective), inconsistent service (waitress was super late in sending out one of our entrees)
dishes worth checking out:
-potato causas
-discada nortena
-peruvian saltados
they also had some interesting drinks, although escaping me precisely which ones right now... -
Review from Brian R.
Irving, TX
6/27/2008
Great ceviche, among other very tasty things. My only complaint is that the tables are small and it gets crowded. The mojitos are pretty decent, too.
-
Review from VENUGOPAL Y.
Dallas, TX
7/4/2009
I tried Alo after a friend suggested this place. I should say I was impressed. Nice and trendy atmosphere. I was sitting at the bar and found the service great. The bar tender tried to answer all my questions and had great suggestions. I started with the Peruvian Cebiche and followed it with Aji De Gallina - Chicken with Basmati Rice and Potatoes. I would definitely recommend the latter. For drinks I was recommended Pisco Sour. I finished off with a Rum infused Chocolate Pecan Tart. So I had a 3 course meal and a drink for over $40. Not too pricey... WIll definitely go back here
-
Review from Scott L.
2/10/2010
What a cute suprise next to the freeway, and chain restaurants, lies a place heavy on cute and unique. Not your three course Americana meal. Something different. Tasty food, think snack plates.
-
Review from Katya S.
Dallas, TX
10/13/2009
I love La Duni, so i thought i would give this place a try. Went there for brunch. Beautiful Decor, good presentation... but food was pretty bad and soooo expensive, especially coffee, i got one of the signature coffee drinks, and for $4.95 got a QUARTER of the espresso cup. I did not expect americano size drinks, more like 3/4 of espresso cup.
-
Review from Neil B.
Plano, TX
8/18/2008
Alo Alo everyone,
Pros:
- Nice, well thought out decor (and concept in general) - from the subdued colors to the matting on the tables, presentation of seasonings, to the bar area, etc. It's a contemporary take on a Latin Tapas bar or street food of Peru and Mexico as they position it. (I doubt the streets look this chic though)
- The menu has a wide variety and something different to the usual Latin (read, Mexican) fare in Dallas.
- Food is average to good depending on the day you visit. There are some small plates (and big) that can become a reason to keep returning. Since tastes are personal, I won't bore you by listing my 3-4 favorites on the menu.
Cons:
- Slightly inconsistent with their preparation of dishes. On some days there is a light addition of cheese and on other days it's smothered all over. I guess it depends on how cheesy the chef feels on the day?!? (sorry)
**** Tip: if you are on a low carb/low fat diet (get real !!) but also make sure you ask questions about your entree. While it may not mention it on the menu, some of the bigger plates have a sauce (runny on some occasions) which is cream based. You should really get that on the side....and again depending on the day maybe with a straw :) ****
- For a contemporary restaurant the drinks should be a little more moderately priced compared to their sister establishments like La Duni. I really think if they priced them better people would order more drinks and more food followed by more drinks.....it's a vicious circle....and one of my most favorite ones.
- Desserts look fabulous on the tv screens but are somewhat of a disappointment in reality (and not just because they eventually finish)
Bottom Line: A 3.5 star that perhaps qualifies for 4 (thanks to Yelp). Great place to start an evening of bar/lounge hopping or for a business lunch /new romantic interest or heck to treat a friend. -
Review from Raul S.
Dallas, TX
1/14/2008
Taco and Dunia have done it again, there twist on a Tapas style eaterie has really paid off, the whole, sip.bite,share theme is awesome. Every time I walk into this place, it's like walking in for the first time, I love the atmosphere small quaint, very sheek, and modern, and certainly not traditional, by any means, the food, who's purpose is to be shared with every one at the table is very deilcious, although i have read reviews about the saltiness of their food, i did find my enchiladas to be a little on the salty side, they where still very delicous. This past weekend I invited some friends, who had never been there, and they too loved the place, especially the drinks, now i wished I hadn't offered to pay, because the drinks are a little on the pricey side. I can see Markus (Urban Taco) will have to keep his eyes and ears open and watch out for this place. They kind of have the same concept going, but UT has a different edge(Taqueria), just has to make sure he keeps his edge, at least for now, because (Tapas) are starting to be all the rage around here lately. All in all I had yet another great experience at Alo, and am anxious to return in the near future.
-
Review from adriane s.
Austin, TX
3/26/2009
Two reasons I really loved this place: the ambiance and the price! Although the place is definitely trendy the vibe was really relaxed and not at all busy - so no waiting! I was excited to see a wide variety of options and lots of small plates which were perfect for sharing. Before we ordered any food we decided to start off with some cocktails. I ordered the Shaken Mariana which was amazing! I asked for a drink that didn't taste like alcohol and this tasted like fresh fruit and was light and refreshing. I could have easily drunk these by the jug! To start we ordered the three cheese queso which was absolutely phenomenal! Truly unlike any other queso I have tried (and I was raised in TX)! The consistency was much thicker than your typical Tex-Mex queso and the variety of cheeses really added to the overall flavor combination. We also tried the calamari Peruvian potato causas which were interesting but not my favorite. For my main course I ordered the tempura shrimp tacos which were incredibly delicious. Finally, we ordered the fudge cup sundae which I wasn't a big fan of just because it was a bit too fruity. Overall though I thought the food was great and I loved the wide variety of options from the more typical Mexican to the exotic Peruvian and Peruvian fusion choices.
Listed in: Best of Dallas, Unique Dallas Finds
-
Review from Mark H.
Dallas, TX
12/27/2008
Not the easiest of locations to find, but the food is great and very different than most places in Dallas. I love the decor of the restaurant and my only complaint is that their menu often contains many items that are not actually in the restaurant. In fact the last time we went they no longer served the entire right side of their desert menu.
-
Review from frank v.
Chicago, IL
3/18/2008
I like this place its modern and the food is pretty good. I can tell there is alot of emphasis in the the details, from the restrooms to the music and so forth. I think its a good place to go with a large group and enjoy a pisco sour and those yuca fries are yummy!!
