Related
Dallas, TX
Dallas Mavericks bring fancy restaurants to AAC in sports-food shakeup
Do you want to dine at Dallas hot spot Catch but haven’t secured a reservation? High-end restaurants like Avra, Crown Block, Uchi, Catch and more are setting up pop-up shops inside the American Airlines Center during Dallas Mavericks games.
Those restaurants — plus others coming later in the Mavericks’ season — are among Dallas’ priciest dinner spots.
Patrick Lang, vice president of global restaurant and nightlife development for Las Vegas Sands Corp., a company owned by the families that bought the Mavericks, has a plan to bring high-end restaurants to the AAC without the high price and formal dining.
“How can we take this dining experience that is a real commitment,” he asked of Dallas’ finest spots, “and do it in a more fun, approachable way for fans?”
Catch opened on Maple Avenue in Uptown Dallas in late 2024.
Tom Fox / Staff Photographer
The next upscale restaurant popping up at the AAC is Catch, the seafood spot that originated in New York City and opened in Dallas in late 2024. Billionaire Tilman Fertitta and two NYC restaurateurs have grown Catch across the United States to cities like Las Vegas — yes, the city where Las Vegas Sands Corp. is headquartered.
Catch will sell a double royale with cheese and Parmesan-truffle fries on Dec. 6, 2025, during the Dallas Mavericks-Houston Rockets game. The burger and fries will cost $26.
The restaurant atop Dallas’ iconic Reunion Tower, Crown Block, is next. On Dec. 23, 2025, this restaurant managed by a couple from Vegas will sell a shrimp po’boy at the AAC for around $20.
Loro has restaurants in Addison and East Dallas. For one day, it served food inside the American Airlines Center, during the Dallas Mavericks’ season opener game in October 2025. Chefs sold a limited quantity 30 servings of smoked shishito queso.
Roberto Hernandez / Dallas Mavericks
For the Mavericks’ game against the Golden State Warriors Jan. 22, 2025, the team has confirmed Dallas Design District restaurant The Mexican will join the AAC pop-up. And in the spring, Lang hopes to do a special event with Wakuda, a modern Japanese restaurant in Vegas and Singapore.
Lang said adding restaurant pop-ups in Dallas was a natural step for Las Vegas Sands, which owns and operates resorts in Macao and Singapore.
“When new ownership took over the Mavericks, we had a pretty big vision,” he said.
“For years, we’ve partnered with some of the world’s best culinary brands. We have a deep track record of bringing exceptional experiences to our resorts, and we think these experiences should be part of a game day experience as well.”
It kicked off last season, with a caviar and fried chicken dish from Yardbird.
Other restaurants that have participated include Loro, the Austin-born, Dallas-bred Asian smokehouse; and Uchi, the high-end Japanese restaurant owned by the same Texas group.
Will a high-end restaurant pop up at every Dallas Mavericks game?
Probably not. Lang said they’re focused on “marquee matchups” — basketball games that are on evenings, weekends or notable dates.
Where can I find the food?
The first events were VIP only, just off the basketball court. Starting on Oct. 22, 2025, the pop-ups are on the main concourse of the AAC, accessible to any fan with a ticket to the game. Find them at the Modelo Gold Lion Bar & Grill on the Plaza Level (main concourse), near Section 103.
Will diners find a typical restaurant experience?
No. “It’s an incentive to get fans to show up and get engaged,” Lang said, but it isn’t a replacement for a full meal at one of these restaurants.
He’s dreaming of selling a chicken Parmesan sandwich from Carbone at a future event.
“That could be a really cool item,” he said. “How do we take something seen as very exclusive and a major commitment from a time perspective,” he said, “[and offer it] at a great price point?”
He thinks the partnership allows restaurants to be creative and reach a new audience, in a new place. It also gives Dallas Mavericks foodies a reason to go hunting through the AAC for new food.
Will these restaurants serve food at events other than Mavs games?
No. Las Vegas Sands is utilizing its restaurant relationships for basketball games in Dallas. Concerts, Dallas Stars games and other events are not included.
How can attendees know what’s next to eat?
The Mavericks will share restaurant details in game day preview emails, which are sent to ticketed fans and Mavs subscribers. Details will also appear on the Mavericks’ Instagram story on game day.