Cocktail Lounge at Kata Nori Hand Roll Bar
East Crossroads, Kansas City

Kata Nori was my favorite restaurant in Kansas City for months before I got the chance to work on the design. Nearly weekly date nights at the bar led to a friendship with the owner, and we decided to collaborate when he chose to turn the waiting area into a proper cocktail lounge.

The restaurant itself is all about quality and intimacy. The fish is incredibly fresh, and the limited seating at the U-shaped bar invites a personalized, face-to-face experience for guests. The accompanying cocktail lounge needed to match that same welcoming vibe and standard of excellence.

We focused on warm, low lighting, rich textures, and modern shapes to make the lounge feel like a seamless extension of that close-knit dinner service. It's a moody, comfortable spot in the Crossroads designed to let guests slow down, have a drink, and feel taken care of before or after their meal.

If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of dining at Kata Nori, you absolutely must go!