La Tiki Paisa: A Polynesian-Asian-Hispanic Fusion Bar and Restaurant in Dallas

A New Concept from La Casita Bakeshop and Small Brewpub Alum

Bookworms and bread fans in Dallas have already been treated to the coffees and pastries at La Casita, the new shop attached to the flagship Half Price Books on E. Northwest Highway. On Feb. 26, 2025, that same restaurant will open at dinnertime as a tiki bar.

La Tiki Paisa: A Bar First, Restaurant Second

La Tiki Paisa, its evening alter ego, is a bar first, restaurant second. But you’re going to want to drink and eat. The food and cocktails have an eclectic mix of Polynesian, Asian, and Hispanic influences, said Maricsa Trejo. She co-created the bar with her husband, chef Alex Henderson, and their friend, barman Benj Pocta.

The Three Worked Together at Small Brewpub in Oak Cliff

The three worked together at Small Brewpub in Oak Cliff years ago. (Well-known Dallas chef Misti Norris worked there, too.) Importantly, La Tiki is the first dinner restaurant and bar Trejo and Henderson have created together.

Adding a Tiki Bar to the Coffee Shop

She said adding the tiki bar inside the coffee shop will “adultify” the space. It also offers Henderson the opportunity to show off his chef skills. He’s worked alongside Trejo for years, turning the original La Casita in Richardson into a powerhouse bakery that supplies to dozens of independent coffee shops all over North Texas. La Casita also does brunch.

A More Upscale Menu

But at La Tiki, customers will find a more upscale menu focused solely on dinner food that pairs with rum and tequila cocktails.

The Menu

One of Henderson’s favorite items is kimchi carbonara, which comes with house-made pasta. Trejo loves the hanger steak with okonomiyaki, a savory Japanese pancake chefs make with La Casita’s sourdough starter. The Moco Loco burger seems like fancy drunk food, and we mean that in a good way. It’s La Casita’s brioche bun holding two smashburger patties topped with mushroom beef gravy and a fried egg.

Bread and Butter

But maybe the evening starts more simply, with a order of bread and butter “that makes you want to have a drink,” as Trejo explains it. La Tiki’s is sourdough served with fermented hot honey butter. Trejo likes it paired with the Primo Hermano, a tequila and smoked tea cocktail that has a mezcal-adjacent taste.

Cocktails

Pocta’s expansive cocktail menu is a fruity, boozy trip to the beach. Trejo also recommends the Golden Escalator, a drink that includes rum, brandy, mezcal, grapefruit, and more.

Get the Safe Ride Home

Better call a safe ride home. Or — and hear me out — have two cocktails and some snacks, then geek out in your favorite section of Half Price Books. Then get the safe ride home.

La Tiki Paisa is Located

La Tiki Paisa is at 5801 E. Northwest Highway, next to Half Price Books in Dallas. It opens Feb. 26, 2025. Serves drinks and dinner seven nights a week starting at 5 p.m.

FAQs

Q: What is La Tiki Paisa?
A: La Tiki Paisa is a bar and restaurant in Dallas, Texas, that combines Polynesian, Asian, and Hispanic influences with a focus on dinner food and rum and tequila cocktails.

Q: Who is behind La Tiki Paisa?
A: Maricsa Trejo, Alex Henderson, and Benj Pocta co-created the bar.

Q: What is the menu like?
A: The menu features a range of dinner options, including kimchi carbonara, hanger steak with okonomiyaki, and the Moco Loco burger. Cocktails are also a key part of the experience.

Q: Is La Tiki Paisa open for dinner?
A: Yes, La Tiki Paisa is open for dinner seven nights a week, starting at 5 p.m.