Texas' Most Magical Restaurant Is A Whimsical Dallas Eatery With Family-Friendly, Quirky Charm

Dallas, Texas, is home to some fantastic restaurants, like El Fenix, the historic gem that invented Tex-Mex cuisine. It's also home to kitschy and charming sights like America's tallest indoor Christmas tree, at least during the winter season. However, there is one place that combines cuisine and kitsch that you simply must visit at least once in your life. This place is Magic Time Machine in the Addison area of Dallas.

The vibe may remind you of Comic-Con, with in-character servers dressed as movie, TV, video game, and comic book characters (as a patron, you can cosplay as well), with every nook and cranny featuring another theme. You'll see tables gussied up and decorated for Valentine's Day and Christmas, while others are themed as a lunchbox, a carousel, Nintendo's Mario and friends, an astronaut space module, a school bus, and so much more. The original location in San Antonio opened in 1973 before expanding to the Dallas area in 1979. It's a staple for family events, birthdays, and more. 

"Oh my goodness, what a fun place," said one Yelp reviewer of the restaurant. "I am not going to go to the lengths necessary to describe the fun, crazy atmosphere. Each seating area had. A different theme, and the servers were all different characters that they played in role." For parties of four or more, you can order the "Roman Orgy," a roasted brisket, herb-smoked chicken, fruit, and other items. This same reviewer noted that four adult men couldn't finish the meal.

The Dallas location has more than food and fun to offer. There are $3 magic shows on the second floor every 30 minutes. They also employ both a caricature artist and a balloon artist who are there most nights, as well as a professional photographer so you can capture what the restaurant calls their "funky nostalgic" vibe. Additionally, you'll find live entertainment and karaoke.

The food may not be what initially draws you here over the atmosphere, but there are plenty of fun options for both kids and adults. (Maybe don't order the Roman Orgy while dining with kids, lest they ask you to explain what that is.) The offerings include items like fried mozzarella sticks, hamburgers, "superhero pasta" with spinach and artichokes, grilled steak, catfish, and a "young adults" menu, with childhood staples like cheese pizza, chicken tenders, and popcorn shrimp with french fries. There are also plenty of drinks that feature fizzing and smoke from dry ice to add to the ambience. If you decide on the salad bar, you'll find it inside a modified red 1952 MG-TD Roadster.

There is one thing to note about the Dallas location. You will likely have to sign up for a waitlist on Yelp, which opens at 5 p.m. The Magic Time Machine in Dallas is located just over 20 miles from the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, which, while ranked as the worst in the U.S., should probably get a better score for being located so close to such an entertaining establishment.