Formerly known mainly as a Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex favorite of Fortune 500 headquarters, Irving, Texas, has opened a new chapter as a bleisure travel magnet and multifaceted meetings destination loaded with entertainment and activity options as well as group-friendly dining venues perfect for special events or more low-key affairs.
Irving’s Las Colinas was the first-of-its-kind planned business/residential community in the center of an urban area when it opened some 50 years ago, making the city known as “the headquarters of headquarters.” But Irving has loosened its collar in recent years, adding the massive Toyota Music Factory entertainment venue, much to the delight of meetings groups who now see no need to seek fun off-session activities elsewhere.
[Related: Fun Irving, Texas, Live Music Venues Entice Meetings Attendees]
Following are five Las Colinas restaurants/entertainment venues that excel in allowing attendees to let down their hair, kick up their heels and have a good time after the day’s business is done.
The Rayleigh Underground
Perhaps the most exciting new entrant on the Irving entertainment scene, The Rayleigh Underground offers 38,000 square feet of space perfect for private event clients seeking that Las Vegas dinner theater vibe in North Texas. Highlights of the Underground—its name derived from its location under the lawn of The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory’s amphitheater— include a 36-foot video wall towering over an 18-by-50-foot stage, with interactive LED screens positioned in key points to amp up the atmosphere.
[Related: How Irving, Texas, Has Transformed Into a Bleisure Magnet]
The Ranch at Las Colinas
The Ranch offers a comfortable setting with a Texan flare for cocktail hours and business dinners fueled by a wood stone oven. The main meeting rooms at The Ranch come equipped with multiple flat-screen TVs and state-of-the-art AV with HDMI connections for presentations. Event venues include:
- The Eldorado room, which has an 80-person capacity, boasts doors that open up to a patio that can be pressed into service, weather permitting.
- The Porch is an enclosed area that seats up to 100 and features a fireplace and indoor/outdoor bar. Primed for special events, The Porch also offers a private entrance.
- The Fire Pit is a cozy enclave for up to 40 that is frequently used for craft cocktail receptions before dinners and boasts large California doors that open onto a wraparound gazebo.
- Chef’s Corner, set off from the main dining room, offers a private bar and an open-kitchen experience for up to 34.
Hugo's Invitados
Plating up organic contemporary Mexican-influence cuisine, this stylish Las Colinas restaurant is a favorite for small groups, with a Tasting Table for parties up to 10 and a Communal Table that can accommodate 14. Larger gatherings (up to 70) congregate in The Cedar Room, which is equipped with an 80-inch 4k TV and a full bar. Have an even bigger group? Its sister venue, The LightBox at Las Colinas, can host up to 225 for dinners and 500-plus for receptions, with all catering handled by Hugo’s staff.
[Related: Industry Leader Maura Gast, Chief of Visit Irving, Talks Trends and Local Haps]
Copper & Vine
Styled after a Manhattan bistro and serving Italian-, French- and Mediterranean-influenced fare, Las Colinas’ award-winning Copper & Vine earned accolades as 2024 restaurant of the year in the Best of Irving competition. Its private dining room can accommodate up to 24 and the main dining area can be cordoned off to serve groups from 20 to 50. A full venue buyout can seat up to 70.
Whiskey Cake
Billed as “your neighborhood joint for craft cocktails and farm-fresh comfort food,” this farm-to-table concept is known for mesquite wood-grilled entrees and its rustic, laid-back atmosphere. One of 10 locations in Texas, Florida and Oklahoma, the Las Colinas location offers five private event venues:
- The Pen, a fully enclosed private dining room that can accommodate up to 40 guests seated and 50 standing, and which includes AV capabilities.
- Patio, a covered area with a fireplace that allows for year-round use for up to 80 seated or 90 standing.
- Fireside, a separate part of the Patio that offers mixed seating for 50, or 60 standing.
- Rooster Wing, another portion of the Patio that is a good fit for smaller groups of 30 sitting and 40 standing.
- Mix & Mingle, an open indoor space that features community tables for up to 24 seated or 30 standing
Read next: Irving Packs a Lot of Texas Into One Compact Package
Connect
Visit Irving Texas
This article was produced in partnership with Visit Irving Texas.
