14-03-2025
"Cocktail house" with DJs, sushi and acrobats opens soon in Chinatown
An "experimental cocktail house" opens next month in Chinatown, taking over three floors of a historic building.
State of play: Kata aims to bring a variety of dining and entertainment experiences under one roof, spearheaded by Mike and John Burns of the Burns Brothers agency and Lucky Danger chef Tim Ma.
You might call Kata a "clubstraunt" — weekends will bring DJs spinning global house music, lasers, fire breathers and/or acrobats — but Michael Burns says they're going for an adult experience that's "not so club-ish."
"We have a hypothesis that the club is dead for our age group," Burns, a former Army officer and entrepreneur, tells Axios. "They're looking for a place where they can get a vibe."
Weeknights and early evenings will be lower-key, but the team promises a "signature moment of the night" when the lights will change, music will increase, and communal drinks will be poured.
Dig in: Ma brings upscale dining to the mix with elaborate sushi rolls, ramen, dumplings and Asian tapas like tuna tarare tacos.
Cocktails are designed to be part of the show, like a Samurai Old Fashioned banished with flaming cinnamon. And the show itself isn't far. A DJ booth is built into the bar for a "dine with the DJ" experience.
The intrigue: You might start the night at Kata, but the team envisions the ultimate goal for many guests will be the Penthouse — a top-tier, high-end club with tuxedoed servers and sought-after DJs.
It's invite-only. Managers and VIP hosts might pick from a wide swath of patrons for the upstairs party, which business partner LaMean Koroma says is "exclusively inclusive."
Anyone who's aged out the not-quite-club vibes can head to Nohmad, a middle-floor lounge with cocktails and desserts at night, and during the day, an invigorating coffee and tea menu.
Between the lines: The Burns brothers launched HQ House DC, an upscale membership club, from the same address two years ago. HQ members will have unique access to Kata and the other concepts.
If you go: Kata, 600 F Street NW
