Celebrating the people, passion, and stories behind great hospitality with Tock 10.
The People’s Last Stand
Dallas, TX
The concept
When Kartik Rathore opened this Mockingbird Station bar in 2010—his foray into hospitality—it came at the perfect time as the Dallas cocktail scene was just taking off. More than a decade later, The People’s Last Stand (affectionately called “People’s”) has become a beloved fixture, where the Old Fashioned has historically outsold both vodka and Miller Lite. That’s no small feat in a city still finding its cocktail identity. Over the years, the bar has helped set a new standard, joining trailblazers like Cedars Social and Standard Pour in shaping Dallas’ modern drinking scene.
The guiding principle remains simple: cocktails shouldn’t be intimidating. Everything is handcrafted, including house juices, bitters, syrups, and infusions using locally sourced ingredients, but the vibe remains approachable and wholly unpretentious. The team offers cocktail classes for those who want to learn, while the monthly rotating menu keeps regulars coming back to see what the team will come up with next. The small space fills quickly with locals who appreciate quality without fuss.
The approachability. In a cocktail world that can sometimes feel exclusive—not to mention increasingly expensive—The People’s Last Stand genuinely lives up to its name. This is a place where everyone feels welcome and the $12 price for all cocktails (select $8 drinks during happy hour) surely helps when you say, “Sure, make me another.”
Tatsu Dallas
Dallas, TX
Family history
Tatsu gets its name from fourth-generation sushi master Tatsuya Sekiguchi. With every slice of his blade, he pays homage to his Japanese lineage, where a young Sekiguchi watched his father carry on the traditions of their nearly 100-year-old restaurant. At the last turn of the century, Sekiguchi ventured to New York, bringing his dad’s skills with him. Those lessons landed him a role at the helm of famed Sushi Chef Naomichi Yasuda’s self-titled restaurant in Manhattan for a decade before building a place of his own. Now, his wife, Hiroko, serves as the okami, or chief service manager, overseeing Japanese hospitality standards.
If omakase seems out of place in landlocked Dallas, think again. Premium seafood is flown in from Japan, Mexico, Spain, and Alaska, then preserved using the traditional edomae preparations, like soy and vinegar cures.
Located in the landmark Continental Gin Building in Dallas’ trendy Deep Ellum neighborhood, the intimate omakase room at Tatsu is a juxtaposition of the past and present. Only 20 guests per seating makes it one of the city’s hardest-to-score reservations—and also gives its lucky diners an interactive, front-row view of the action.