Casablanca, the Moorish-styled lounge that opened in Bishop Arts in 2021, has officially shut down as a restaurant and quietly resurfaced as Villa Paradiso, a private-event villa connected to the Paradiso campus. In other words, goodbye nightly dinner service, hello rehearsal dinners, bridal showers, brand activations, and just about any other private gathering you can book.
As reported by Dallas Observer, a Paradiso representative said the former restaurant "has been reimagined as an event venue and an extension of Paradiso." The outlet notes that the change was announced on Instagram in March, that Casablanca originally opened in 2021, and that it had closed for renovations in summer 2024. The same rep also told the publication that Paradiso is planning "lots of fun activations" in the Villa during the FIFA World Cup this summer.
Paradiso Adds a Private-Event Villa
Per Paradiso, Villa Paradiso is now listed among the campus venues and is described as the "former Casablanca," with capacity for roughly 170 guests and several semi-private areas. The listing highlights an indoor-outdoor courtyard, a Casablanca Palm Bar, and tailored packages geared toward celebrations, brand activations, and rehearsal dinners.
What Casablanca Was
When Casablanca opened in October 2021, it branded itself as a "grown and sexy" lounge, complete with Moorish decor, shareable plates, and a back room of private karaoke suites dubbed Casanova. Dallas News covered the debut, noting the palms-lined indoor-outdoor layout and the shareable menu that helped define the spot for Bishop Arts regulars.
Why the Change Matters for World Cup Week
Dallas is set to host nine FIFA World Cup matches beginning June 14, a stretch that is already reshaping how bars and restaurants think about summer programming. GamePlan notes that Dallas has been allocated nine matches at AT&T Stadium (operating as "Dallas Stadium" for FIFA), and local operators are lining up pop-ups and sponsor activations around those dates. With that crowded calendar in mind, the Paradiso representative told the Dallas Observer that Villa Paradiso will be used for Paradiso activations during the tournament.
For neighborhood regulars, the shift means Casablanca's familiar mood and design largely stay intact, but now mostly behind closed doors for private bookings instead of casual walk-ins. Anyone hoping to relive dinner at the old Casablanca will have to keep an eye on Paradiso's events page and social channels for any public activations as the World Cup draws closer.
