Photo by Lauren Drewes Daniels
Audio By Carbonatix
Dallas is a month away from the World Cup’s debut. A buzz is happening around the city. Some restaurants are buckling down in anticipation. Some are closing. And others are giving their all in last-minute arrangements.
Bishop Arts is having its own shake-up before the first of nine Dallas matches start on Sunday, June 14.
Casablanca is officially closed … as a restaurant. “But it’s not going away — it’s been reimagined as an event venue and an extension of Paradiso. And with FIFA coming to Dallas, we’re planning lots of fun activations in the space,” a rep. told the Observer.
Casablanca was, by its own description, an other-worldly bar in the heart of Bishop Arts. Decor and textures transported you to the Silk Road. There were private karaoke rooms, and the menu featured global fare with a heavy lean on Asian-inspired dishes.
The new look was announced in March on Instagram (we missed it online and just saw the space over the weekend):
“Formerly known as Casablanca, our beautiful indoor – outdoor space on Bishop Lane has been reimagined as Paradiso’s private event villa — designed for celebrations of all kinds,” reads the Instagram post, “From birthday soirées and bridal showers to brand activations, rehearsal dinners, and unforgettable gatherings, Villa Paradiso offers a stunning setting just steps from the heart of Bishop Arts.
Casablanca’s life was full of starts and stops. It originally opened in 2021, closed in the summer of 2024 for renovations that included doubling the space, sprucing up the palm bar and lounge rooms, and adding karaoke rooms. Now it’s closed again and as a reinvented space.