This Kansas City taco chain has big expansion plans. Next up: New Johnson County spot
A Kansas City taco restaurant that was named one of the “hottest startup fast casuals” by QSR Magazine is expanding in the metro. Again.
Tiki Taco plans to open its fourth location — marking its farthest venture south.
The restaurant will open at 14947 W. 119th St. in Olathe, taking over the former Master Wok spot in the Olathe Pointe shopping center.
It’s projected to open in early March.
While the new spot will keep the brand’s menu items, bar seating and overall style, it will be much bigger — taking up nearly 2,900 square feet. (The others range from 1,600 to 1,200.)
The newest Tiki Taco restaurant is only the beginning of a larger plan to open several spots in the area. Tiki Taco is in negotiations to open in Parkville, Liberty, Lee’s Summit and south Overland Park, said CEO Eric Knott. He said he can’t share exact details or dates just yet.
The company is also in the licensing process to put Tiki Taco in several sporting venues: Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium, Kauffman Stadium and CPKC Stadium, plus KU’s David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium and Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence.
Knott, who bought into the company in July, said the restaurant’s high quality food and affordability initially attracted him to the brand.
“Ninety percent of what we serve is made in-house,” he said. “We have an amazing chef that continues to improve the quality of everything we do.”
Tiki Taco’s menu largely consists of tacos, burritos and margaritas.
Its sweet chili shrimp taco ($4.99), for example, has tempura shrimp, sweet chili aioli, lettuce, tomato and queso fresco. Classic street tacos ($3.25) are made with Yoli Tortilleria tortillas.
It has a few vegetarian options, like the mushroom taco ($2.99) with grilled mushrooms, house salsa, cilantro, onion and lime.
Cocktails include the Pineapple Fuego margarita: El Trago tequila, Mike’s Hot Honey, Mai Tai and soda.
Knott noted that the bright colors and “cool” Southern California branding make the restaurant stand out from other offerings in the area.
Expansion was always the goal for brothers Lyndon and Lindsey Wade, who bought the original 1710 W. 39th St. spot in Kansas City with their mother, Judy Rush, in 2020. Tiki Taco had been open since 2017, initially only serving walk-up customers.
The Wade brothers then opened two more spots: 5400 Troost Ave. in 2022 and 7514 W. 80th St. in downtown Overland Park earlier this year.
Today, the six-person ownership group (which includes the brothers and Rush) is called Island Time Group.
The Olathe Tiki Taco won’t be far from two other taco spots: Texas-based Torchy’s Tacos at 11919 S. Strang Line Road and Viva Tacos and Tequila at 11935 S. Black Bob Road.
Rich Wiles, chief development officer for Tiki Taco, has been pleased to see interest in the concept grow as the restaurant has expanded.
He hopes that will only continue.
“I think it’s been fantastic,” Wiles said. “I think we have a great little cult following: People that have been coming to 39th Street forever, people that have been coming to Troost and now Overland Park … We just love Kansas City, and it’s a great time to be here.”