Catch the PokéBar: Pokémon-themed pop-up bar and burgers experience coming to KC
July 25, 2019 | Austin Barnes
A newly crafted, immersive pop-up experience is set to present fans of Pokémon with the ultimate challenge — making its way to Kansas City in 2020.
Launched in September in Los Angeles, PokéBar is set to evolve in the metro Feb. 8-9, offering fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to prove whether they really can “catch em’ all,” said Terry Adams, a PokéBar publicist.
“Pokémon is a nostalgic and beloved brand and we saw an opportunity to expand the experience,” Adams explained. “Guests will be able to play multiple live games to evolve their Pokémon characters, engage in trivia, and take in the experience.”
PokéBar is expected to be divided into seven regions across Kansas City with each session including two-hours of hunting, batting and catching time, the company explained in a release. Fans who complete all regions will be crowned the ultimate Pokémon master.
“There will be prizes for the winners of the best costume, Pokémon trivia, and the division winners of each session. DJ’s will be spinning tracks and custom themed cocktails and food will be served,” Adams noted.
“Menus vary city to city but all venues will have a burger offering and veggie option and themed cocktails, or themed beer depending on the venue,” Adams said of what customers can expect, noting its their loyalty and craving for new ways to engage with their favorite brands that’s made such an experience possible.
With limited participant spots available, the PokéBar experience has been quick to sell out in locations where tickets are already on sale, prompting the company to offer pre-sale tickets on a first come, first served basis, Adams said.
Click here to register for access to pre-sale tickets to PokéBar Kansas City.
PokéBar will be the second national, pop-up experience to make a stop in the metro. Miracle Christmas Bar — a collaboration with Cocktail Kingdom — brought holiday cheer to the Rockhill Grille Lounge in 2018, presented by J. Rieger and Co.
The pop-up experience, which featured such custom Kansas City cocktails as the “Hallmark Heater,” is expected to return to the Crossroads Arts District in November, though no official announcement has been made.
PokéBar has yet to announce its exact venue locations, but intends to finalize the plans soon, Adams said, citing tour date expansions as more cities have shown interest in hosting the pop-up — which was originally scheduled to stop in Kansas City in December.
Featured Business

2019 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Small Biz to Watch: Chick-In Waffle scales its cleverly KC-sauced identity, tapping Gen Z soul, God’s blessings
Editor’s note: Startland News is showcasing five Kansas City small businesses this week through the newsroom’s first-ever Small Biz to Watch series, presented by Bank of America. The following highlights one of the 2025 honorees, curated by editors from Kansas City’s wide array of hard-working entrepreneurs and business owners. Selection criteria is based on factors…
Small Biz to Watch: Someday Sunday opens the door to me-time without guilt (or toxins)
Editor’s note: Startland News is showcasing five Kansas City small businesses this week through the newsroom’s first-ever Small Biz to Watch series, presented by Bank of America. The following highlights one of the 2025 honorees, curated by editors from Kansas City’s wide array of hard-working entrepreneurs and business owners. Selection criteria is based on factors…
Fund Me, KC: ULAH asks Kansas City to help save Westwood menswear store as pandemic debt looms
Startland News is continuing its long-running “Fund Me, KC” series to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses or lend a helping hand to others. This is an opportunity for business owners and innovators — like menswear retailers and trendsetters Joey Mendez and Buck Wimberly — to share their crowdfunding stories and potentially gain…
These 15 KCMO projects just got a $19M+ boost; funding focused on inclusive community investments
A pair of high-profile projects at 18th and Vine — restoring the Boone Theater and its Kansas City jazz legacy, along with transforming the long-vacant Workhouse Castle into a boutique hotel — offer just a few notes from a chorus of just-funded redevelopment initiatives aimed at buoying small business and tackling challenges in Kansas City’s urban core.…


