The Lake House To Open In Old Dallas Bicycle Cafe Location

by Steven Doyle

Meet John Schmitz and Eric Paulsen. Actually you may know these guys already; they have been serving you in several capacities for many years in a whole host of Dallas area restaurants and bars. Now the guys are about to open their own entry into the pub scene with their own new concept located in the old Dallas Bicycle Café location at 7510 E Northwest Hwy called The Lake House.

The Lake House will feature cocktails, craft beer and what they hope to be delicious bar food in an area bereft of this sort of talent. The pub hangs just off the White Rock Creek Trail and in the shares an enormous parking lot with Dallas Bike Works. The pair of new owners plan to work with the bike shop to gear events that will cater to riders who enjoy the trail, and liken the new spot to the Katy Trail.   

Schmitz and Paulsen have been busy readying the space and have spent many hours remodeling to give the Lake House a fresh seafaring feel.

“We are really passionate about this area and we want to make our own name off the beaten path. Once this spot became available, and it’s right where we live, we wanted to bring an adult version of the Katy Trail Ice House to this area,” said Schmitz during an interview at the bar which should open in the next two weeks.

Paulsen mentioned that the area has experienced plenty of growth in the past year, citing Goodfriend Beer Garden as a perfect example on what they might expect. In fact the pair have tapped into Goodfriend owners Josh Yingling and Matt Tobin for technical advice on running The Lake House.

The idea is to bring good food, some of which will be very healthy, to the bar with a good beer and wine selection. The beer selection supports the local brewers with about half the dozens taps coming from the DFW area. The other half will be star players which does not include your mainstream domestics. There will also be an extensive bottle and can selection which should be at least 52.

The space will seat about 152 people including the patio, and will feature live music on the weekends. The parking lot is large enough that they plan to host outdoor events when the weather is right.