Review Nora Restaurant & Bar - Dallas

The Ghabili palao I ordered was simply delicious. The flavors were rich and well-balanced, and the tender lamb complemented the fragrant saffron rice perfectly. The Chicken with Yogurt was absolute delight too. The cocktail was both unique and significant, crafted with care and attention to detail. I also tried Mantoo as the starter. It tasted unlike anything I had tried before. Although it was good but I may not be certain about having it again at this point.

Exotically delicious! The lamb shank fell of the bone... spices were out of this world! Note: I came on a Saturday, the restaurant opened at 1pm, not Noon

We got the sampler, chicken on skewer, lamb korma, spicy chicken meatballs, simmered spinach over rice and a few other dishes. The place is beautifully decorated. The dishes well presented. The dining chairs are amazingly comfortable. Since the dishes are similar to the Nepalese Indian fare that my family frequently have, we couldn’t help comparing. I’m afraid Nora is no rival to our hometown Srinagar, but certainly not bad in anyway. We enjoyed our lunch enough.

Very cute little restaurant with an outdoor patio sitting area. First time here and trying out different culture food was awesome. Bartender was very attentive and new the menu well. They do have happy hour. Chipotle Margarita was very refreshing 😋

Hidden gem in Bishop Arts. I’ve been a couple times now and the food nor their unique cocktails have missed. Pro tip for dog hoomans: order the lamb shank because it comes with a huge bone that your dog will love. There’s also a patio seating with a window that puts you right at the bar; great way to enjoy a beautiful day. The service of the bartender is also excellent- friendly and engaging even when juggling a lot. Very cute, chic vibe on the inside. Would be great for meeting some friends or a date. May be tough for groups as there aren’t many tables that can be brought together.

We saw this restaurant features in Triple D so decided to check it out. Small but cozy, white table clothes. Good service, frequent checks by the waiters. It’s a bit on the high end prices but given this is in Bishop Arts district, it was reasonable. We tried the lamb shank, beef kofta - delicious. We also had the sampler platter which included the Sambosa, Bulanee, Kadu and Aushak. The Mantoo was also very good. Baklava was good, if you like it well done and crispy. The only reason i don’t have 5 stars is the wine list can be worked on. This is the first place i have been to where there is no Merlot, Cab or Chardonnay served. Most other wines were not offered by the glass. Other than that, highly recommended

Nora is an upscale, beautiful restaurant in a very neat, fun, walkable little part of Dallas. Lots of cool little bars and shops around. It's a bit pricey, but I have zero regrets about going there. The food was delicious and different than anything I've had. I thought maybe it would be like Persian food, Mediterranean, maybe similar to Indian? It is all of those, but much different than I imagined. Everything was delicious. It was a great cultural experience. If you like experiencing different foods and new things instead of the same texmex, etc, this is for you!

Every part of our dining experience at Nora last weekend was as a complete delight! The staff was so friendly and consistent with their service. From bus boy to manager - everyone checked in with us from greeting to goodbye. They provided on point recommendations and were gracious in their explanation of the menu and answering any questions we may have. They were so attentive and passionate about their cuisine, that we soon matched their enthusiasm. They were also so incredibly fast! We were seated with a drink in hand within minutes. Our small plates came out almost as soon as the order left our tongues. We were left wanting for nothing! We came in for a quick bite between drinks, and that was our only mistake - people, COME HUNGRY!! We ordered 3 of the recommended small plates to share (hummus with feta, mantoo, and garlic shrimp) and they were so damn good that I was left practically licking the plate. We watched as exquisite entrees were severed around us, wishing we had room for more. But alas all we could manage was some baklava - which was so warm, light and delightful! Also the ambiance of this place is my Pinterest dream! It’s so beautiful and glamorous inside. Decorated in a lush forest green and gold. Inspiring art and lively (but not too loud) music. I can’t wait to come back. Nora will become a regular date spot for us, and where I will request to spend all my birthdays henceforth.

By the time I get to Nora, I didn’t really realize that they were getting ready to close in about an hour after our arrival. I ordered food for my table and truly enjoyed the food, but I kept thinking about the Baklava that was on the menu. Unfortunately, as I was getting ready to order the dreamy Baklava, I realized that they were closing the restaurant. So, our server kept insisting that I should order the Baklava anyways. However, I really didn’t want to keep them waiting while I eat my dessert. So, I kindly declined. As I was sharing my disappointment with the rest of my table, I was telling them about Eleven Maddison Park, a New York City Restaurant that is famous for going above and beyond for their guests. To my surprise, as our server is bringing my check back, she casually just drops my Baklava in a Togo box with my receipt. You really don’t need to go to NY to experience that kind of care and attention. You can easily find it in Dallas! I highly recommend Nora!

Prime location in the eclectic Bishop Arts with a bit of parking behind it, the decor for this Afghan/Middle Easter/Indian restaurant is pleasant, as is the food presentation. The selection is obviously wide, though not deep. It is an interesting choice and good for small groups of friends, but rather average korma and Indian appetizer plate, which seemed to want a bit more attention to the spices. Qabili palao was lovely and their most unique dish.

Fabulous service and food here! Matt the owner took good care of us as well. :) The lamb shank was divine- meat fell off the bone kind of tender goodness. The carrots seemed caramelized and loved the sweet raisins with the rice. We also tried the yogurt chicken and the quabili palao, which were excellent. The hummus with fetta was great and we loved the mantoo! All the spices were wonderfully put together for an explosion of flavor in your mouth. Baklava was good as well. We will be back!

Just stopped by for a quick bite. Very flavorful dishes and I absolutely love the saffron rice so I just got a side of that. Will come back for the meat dishes!

Love the food here. Ambiance is lovely. Drinks are good. Wine selection is great. Will come back often.

The first time I visited Dallas last summer, my friends and I stumbled across Nora’s because the place we planned to go was closed. What a happy accident. We loved it. When I came back to Dallas last week, I told my friend we were going back to Nora’s if we did nothing else during my short stay. And I was just as impressed as the first time. The dolma is so fresh and light, the hummus is perfectly garlicky, and don’t even get me started on the interior decor. Absolutely gorgeous, delicious, and the servers are friendly too. I didn’t get any photos of the food because I dove right in. Can’t wait to come back soon.

Came here for a friend's brunch birthday. Beautiful restaurant, great food, friendly staff, cool neighborhood and some parking in the back. Like I said we came for brunch but there was only 2 options with eggs and it was off the menu. The menu they give you is a lunch/ dinner menu. We ordered the Mantoo which is beef dumplings which came out a little on the cold side. We were too hungry to send it back. Also on there was only one server on. He was also the bartender and host. So he was busy with other tables as well as our large birthday party. I ordered the lamb korma for my entree and was to delicious! If you like their food but not in the Bishop Arts area they have 2 other restaurants at The Farmers Market in downtown Dallas called 8 Cloves and Laili. They also serve mantoos at Laili. We would definitely come back and have dinner soon!

Excellent Afghan restaurant. The atmosphere is vibrant and relaxed, but it was also a very nice place for a special meal. The appetizers were delicious with pita bread (although it is called naan bread, it is more like large pita bread). We had the salad sampler. It was a great way to try different dishes and I would have it again. For main course, we had the Qabili Palao with chicken. It was a large portion, big enough to share, and I liked how the rice had raisins in it. It was similar to Chicken Masala in Indian food, but it had more of a sweet taste to the rice with the raisins. For dessert, we had the baklava, which was very good. The waiter was very nice. This is an excellent addition to Bishops Art.

Food was excellent, though quite overpriced for what you get, both in terms of quality and quantity. We sat on the rooftop bar, which had a nice ambience. The stylish decor both inside and outside was pleasing. Good ambient music, though it was turned up so loud we couldn't converse easily. If you're a "make the scene" millenial with access to adequate funding, you'll enjoy the style and ambience of this place, and the tasty dishes. For someone older like myself, the loud music and the somewhat extravagant prices would keep me from going back.

I thought Nora was excellent. There were 12 in our party and we started at the bar for happy hour. Most of our group had wine, but i had the chipotle margarita, which was spicy and verty, very good. The appetizers were excellent. After happy hour, we moved to our table and ordered our dinner. I had the Qabili Palao. The lamb was very tender and the dish was spiced just right. Delicious! The only complaint I have was the food was a bit cool. I imagine this was because of the size of our party and trying to serve the food close together. There was only one waitress and one bartender that night, but they both did an excellent job. I'd go back in a flash.

One of our favorite places in Dallas for amazing middle eastern cuisine. The drinks at the bar are divine! Service is fantastic. Highly recommend ordering several small plates and splitting a main so you can get a wide range of flavors.

Great food, great atmosphere. Service could have been better, but it was alright. Definitely will recommend and will come back.

The food was delicious, fresh, and portions were plentiful! Service was on point.

Nora has super yummy food (the kabab combo w/lamb, steak and shrimp is my goto), great rooftop vibes with amazing timeless music made with technology!(very elegant, posh, fast forward-game changers in Dallas-not “Mainstream”).

Loved the Lamb Korma with Basmati rice! Nice ambience and service was prompt and staff knowledgeable👍

We ended up at Nora on accident, and it was a very happy accident. We were a large group And sat at the bar for drinks and appetizers, where we were treated to absolutely amazing service from Sean the bartender. He was fun, knowledgeable, and extremely attentive. The incredible service was enough to come back, but the food was delicious as well. The restaurant features Afghan cuisine, which was completely new to all of us, but so amazing. We had the dolmas, the eggplant and hummus and licked our plates clean. Love this place!!

A favorite of ours. Excellent in every way from the taste of the food, to its presentation, the atmosphere, the drinks made by a lovely bartender and the chef/proprietor, warm, caring and oh so talented.

Excellent Mediterranean/Afgan food, wine and impeccable service. Great selection of Single Malt. Michael is a great host.

The food here is more than just 5 stars; it's an experience. The service is even better.

Delish!!! Super friendly staff and great atmosphere too!!

First visit on a date last night. I was very impressed. Staff was awesome. Food was awesome. I will go back.

We absolutely love this place !! Amazing food , we love the atmosphere and the service. Great place for a very romantic date night.

One of the best secrets in all of Dallas. Simply love the unique flavors you cannot find anywhere else.

The food was amazing, service was exceptional, and the atmosphere was beautiful. Can't wait to go back!

Service, food and upstairs rooftop DJ's are amazing!!! Shout out to Dom and Oscar!

Incredible flavors and owned and operated by an amazing family who have their heart in the community

Perfect Night! Private Room for a birthday partu, incredible food, fantastic service!!! So much fun. Can't wait to come back!

What a complete disappointment! This use to be one of my favorite restaurants on lower Greenville, but so much was missed during my last visit. Food came out cold, we never got refills, service was horrible, oh and no bread...the list goes on. I love supporting small restaurants but I won't be back here.

What a pleasant surprise - this may be the best kept secret in Dallas - certainly in the happening Henderson - Lower Greenville area ! A classy and tasteful décor is combined with exceptional food, attentive service and a friendly Chef-owner, Matt Pikar, who comes around to ensure your dining experience is perfect ! Be sure and check out the beautiful rooftop bar !

One of the best places in the neighborhood!! Great food and service! The atmosphere is relaxed and the rooftop deck is beautiful.

Beautiful rooftop with awesome fire pit and amazing view. Spoke with the owner and he and his team are passionate about delivering an excellent experience! Come see!

Great food!! Service and wonderful owners!! You can not find that food anywhere in Dallas.

One of the best experiences dining out I have ever had. After many years in the restaurant business, I can usually find something glaringly wrong with an establishment. Not here, though. Food, staff, ownership, atmosphere were all flawless. I will be back...often.

Consistently delicious food. The lamb rules. The atmosphere is inviting. The new upstairs patio is a fun happening place. We love Nora.

Great ambiance, fabulous food and drink and the rooftop music is a wonderful touch. DEFINITELY going back!

My son had the rehearsal dinner at Nora Restaurant. It was a wonderful choice. Everything was perfect. Thank you Matt for a wonderful evening.

Food and drinks are excellent! Great rooftop bar, too.

I love this place. I just moved here from Missouri and I been looking for a good bar and I love it. I also love the roof top. I will be back for sure.

Had a wonderful meal prior to attending the theater. Beautiful atmosphere, delicious food and attentive service at a great price.

Excellent food and excellent staff, great for parties too.

We love us some Nora! Great good, great drinks and awesome rooftop!

We enjoy the food, service, the rooftop view, and mellow ambiance.

Very good!! We were looking for an authentic afghan restaurant since my husband is from there. He was impressed with the food. He knew exactly what to order. We had the Aushak, Bolanee and a eggplant dish to start. For entrées we had the mantoo, lamb curry and the chicken Qaubili. It was very delicious. Of course not as good as his mothers. Lol

Was trying to eat and drink at this restaurant and the manager/owner decided to tell us that "we wouldn't like the food" because we didn't look ethnically compatible with the type of food they served. Very odd and rude. Don't know why someone wouldn't want customers and for people to spend money at their restaurant?

Ordered the braised lamb shank for dinner after the server recommended it. It was dry and tough. How could anything braised be dry and tough? Got me. Nobody bothered to ask how the food was. I ate two bites and the server even dropped the check with my full plate in front of me never bothering to inquire about it. I'd recommend you spend your money elsewhere.

Afghani food that will change the way you look at life. <br/><br/>Matt and his wife (who named the place after their daughter) are driven to make this place work. You can find them both here just about everyday. <br/><br/>We brought Cora here in weekoflife#1 and she loved the place. <br/><br/>Turkish Friends- this place has EFES. <br/><br/>Inside/outside/roof deck/private room/seating. Downtown view of the roof deck. <br/><br/>Enjoy this place at least once- on the rook after the sun has gone down; inside at anytime. <br/><br/>

Love Nora. Excellent service, friendly & most helpful. Every dish I have tasted is flavor & Delicious! I continue to frequent to try them all as well as the fresh cocktails! Everyone must go try Nora!

Kitchen Closed at 9pm on a Saturday?. We've been to this restaurant twice before and loved it. But last Saturday night we literally got the run around! After dropping the car with the valet, the hostess told us we can only have small plates on the rooftop--no dinner. That suited us fine, so we ran up the two flights of stairs only to be told by the seemingly single waiter that his hostess will ill-informed and that only drinks were available. OK, so we ran down the two flights of stairs, only to then find out by a surly waiter or manager speaking sideways out of his mouth to the hostess that the kitchen was closed. So off we go into the night, where upon advising the valet of our service, would not accept the parking fee, and we had to force-feed him a tip. After all, he was the only personal at Nora that delivered on his service.

Everything is delicious - Afgani cuisine is our new favorite! Great service - fun to sit outside - easy parking too!

Great food! Especially the small plates. All the flavors combined were yummy.

Everything we tried from the small plates to the stews....and especially the baklava was incredible! Can't wait to go back...as many times as I can!

Such a lovely experience. The food was amazing, the chef came out and introduced himself and then cooked us extra food free of charge. The food, waitstaff, and atmosphere were all great we will definitely be back!

Love it. Family run, nice atmosphere, delicious food. Lower greenville is trying to come back. Hope this little gem makes it.

Wohoo for Afghan Cuisine!. I love to try new types of food and learn about new cultures. Still, I had never heard anything about Afghan cuisine and I'm so glad Nora came along so I could give it a chance.<br/><br/>Food: The menu offers both small plates, entrees and kabobs. There were many items that looked enticing but the ones we ordered were definitely winners and it would be hard to stray from ordering the exact same ones again. I highly recommend the following meal:<br/>- Appetizer- Kadu: savory and sweet sauteed pumpkin topped with a mild, meaty sauce mixed with a garlic yogurt base. Although it is delicious and also offered as an entree, I thought the appetizer portion was perfect as it was somewhat sweet.<br/>- Entree: Qabili Palao- chunks of lamb with saffron rice, sweet carrots and raisons. This was a delightfully, and surprisingly light meal, even with the rich pieces of lamb. <br/>- Drinks: Chai Martini- Green Tea infused vodka with agave nectar. This is good but definitely a unique flavor. I wouldn't recommend this drink unless you really, really like chai. <br/><br/>Atmosphere/Location: Nicely renovated, classy and updated decor. There were even a few tables on the patio outside. Greenville ave is clearly undergoing a transformation from bar scene to a mix of moderate and upscale dining and this place is a good example of that. There are several restaurants on the verge of opening within the next couple of weeks and I cant wait to see this popular area reveal it's full potential. <br/><br/>Parking: street only but there are plenty of spots, at least at dinner time. The street and sidewalks have been completely re-done and are now wide and easy to stroll down for families and dog-walkers. <br/><br/>Service: Our server was attentive, informative, bubbly and clearly proud of the restaurant. They will definitely help you navigate this new world of Afghan cuisine so make sure to tell them what kind of flavors you like so that they can offer the best recommendations for your taste.

Classy and Tasty. Stopped in with a friend to try out the Nora Restaurant and Bar and it's Afghan offerings. It was a great visit.<br/><br/>The restaurant was decorated classy and was immaculately clean. All the staff I encountered were very friendly and competent.<br/><br/>We did a bit of sharing to experience more on the menu, For starters we were first served some pita bread with a cilantro hot sauce. The sauce was awesome and very similar to Yemeni Zhug. Next, I tried the Bulanee (potato filled pastry lightly fried, sprinkled with cilantro and served with our special mint sauce). It was one of the best stuffed pastries I have ever had at a Middle Eastern restaurant. I also had a Sambosa Goshti (lightly fried pastry filled with ground beef, chick peas and green peas). It too was very good. We also split an order of Crispy Shrimp, which was OK but nothing I would order again. Finally, as an appetizer we also tried the Hummus, which was very good (flavors were familiar to a Syrian style hummus).<br/><br/>Dinner was the Qabili Palao (Seasoned lamb served with saffron rice and covered with sautéed sweet carrots and raisins). It was most excellent. Taste, texture, and presentation were above reproach. <br/><br/>Portions were ample and very fair for the price. All food arrived presented very well and at proper temperature, with the exception the Sambosa Goshti were a bit on the tepid temperature side.<br/><br/>The menu has many other items I wish to try, so I'm looking forward to a repeat visit!