Kansas City’s ‘super busy’ Tiki Taco opens near UMKC. Johnson County might be next
After months spent remodeling a former coffee shop at 5400 Troost Ave., Tiki Taco was ready to open at lunch Monday as customers were filling the parking lot.
But there was an opening day glitch — not enough natural gas for the kitchen, a problem fixed by the dinner hour.
“We’re really excited. It’s been a long process but we have been super busy since we opened the door,” said Rich Wiles, partner.
Tiki Taco first opened in mid-2017 at 1710 W. 39th St. with just a walk-up menu.
Brothers Lyndon and Lindsey Wade and their mother, Judy Rush, took over earlier this year, adding a dining room for 45 people.
Wiles, who was previously co-owner of Westport Cafe & Bar, came on as a consultant and is now a partner, along with Jason Kinslow, who also is director of operations.
They recently purchased an Overland Park building that they may use for a third location in 2023.
Menu items include tacos such as breakfast (with sausage, chorizo or steak and scrambled eggs), fish (hand-battered and fried Alaskan pollock), shrimp or Korean (with marinated beef). It also has vegetarian offerings such as jackfruit or mushroom tacos.
Burritos include Thai chili pork, Surf N’ Turf (with steak and shrimp) and the KC (with a choice of protein, curly fries or rice, guacamole and sour cream).
It has four different salsas and tortillas from Yoli Tortilleria.
Other items include nachos, quesadillas, bowls, chips and queso, fried ice cream, its own beer (Good Time made by Kansas City’s Strange Days Brewing Co.) and a full bar.
It seats 42 inside and 64 on the patio. It also has a drive-thru and will offer delivery starting late next week.
The partners thought the strip on Troost had a lot of potential. It is close to Rockhurst University and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. And they will have some of their favorite eateries as neighbors, including High Hopes Ice Cream, Blackhole Bakery, Gaels Public House & Sports and Urban Cafe.
“It is such a cool, multicultural area and very supportive,” said Lyndon Wade, who lives in Brookside. “I feel like we are just a bunch of independent entrepreneurs trying to do cool, interesting things.”
He and his family also own The Guild event space and the Paradise Garden Club, an urban plant nursery — both in the East Crossroads.
