Former Drunken Fish space spinning coastal VIP remix with DJ Kygo’s Palm Tree Club KC

Palm Tree Club recently debuted in hot spots Orlando, Miami and Las Vegas. Now it’s coming to Kansas City.

Described as a “global lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality platform” — think caviar martinis, A5 Wagyu dumplings, VIP lounges, premium bottle service, DJs and open-air rooftop — Palm Tree Club Kansas City plans a fall opening in the Power & Light District.

DJ Kygo (Kyrre Gørvell Dahll), Palm Tree Club

The rapidly scaling nightlife venture was co-founded by world-renowned DJ and producer Kygo (Kyrre Gørvell Dahll) and his manager, Myles Shear of Palm Tree Crew.

“Palm Tree Club will bring an amazing new restaurant and rooftop lounge to the District that will complement our best-in-class mix of dining, entertainment, residential, and coworking venues,” said John Moncke, president of the Power & Light District, in a statement.

Spanning 11,000 square feet, Palm Tree Club Kansas City is expected open later this year in the former Drunken Fish spot at 14 E. 14th St., at the corner of 14th and Main streets on the streetcar line. (Drunken Fish closed in February 2022 after more than a decade.)

Renovation in the space has already begun.

California-based Beth Bloom Designs plans a two-level space that will include a full restaurant, private dining room and open-air rooftop. 

Rendering of the interior of the future Palm Tree Club in Kansas City’s Power & Light District; image courtesy of Palm Tree Club

Palm Tree Crew said it will merge its “unique brand of luxury experiences and live entertainment with Kansas City’s vibrant energy to create an elevated, playful atmosphere, innovative food and drink, and world-class music curated by DJ Kygo.”

“Palm Tree Crew is a leader in creating world-class hospitality and live entertainment experiences and we are thrilled that they have chosen the Power & Light District and Kansas City in their growth,” said Moncke. “The fact that Kansas City was selected to follow Orlando, Miami and Las Vegas is a testament to the energy and vitality of our great city and appeal of the Power & Light District.”

Elevated nightlife experience

Kansas City’s “elevated coastal-inspired menu” will include such items as Hamachi Carpaccio, A5 Wagyu dumplings, sushi and nigiri, black truffle pizza, fresh seafood, hand-made pastas, and exotic desserts (at the Orlando club that includes Pavlova with vanilla crémeux, passion fruit sorbet and black pepper).

Exterior of the 11,000-square-foot Palm Tree Club concept at 14 E. 14th St. in the Power & Light District; photo by Tommy Felts, Startland News

Handcrafted signature cocktails by expert mixologists will include a signature smoked old fashioned poured tableside, espresso martini flights, and a “Firestone” cocktail, along with high-end specialties such as the Gold Dusted Cristalino Margarita and Caviar Martini. 

It will have premium bottle service and roaming signature shot ski carts, and exclusive VIP lounges.

“With everything we do at Palm Tree Crew, our goal is to gather people together for unique and entertaining experiences,” Shear, co-founder of Palm Tree Crew, said in a statement. “We are so excited to bring Palm Tree Club to Kansas City to do exactly that and are lucky to be collaborating again with Live! Hospitality & Entertainment, one of the country’s leading restaurant, entertainment and nightlife developers and operators, to do so. We can’t wait for the community to enjoy this one-of-a-kind hospitality experience.”

Rendering of the interior of the future Palm Tree Club that will feature an immersive beach experience within the Power & Light structure; image courtesy of Palm Tree Club

A state-of-the-art audio-visual system and lush greenery will give customers an immersive tropical atmosphere to take them from lunch to dinner to late night.

The main bar on the first level will be decked out in plush booths and banquettes. Flexible seating arrangements in the heart of the room will allow it to be transformed into a dance floor, and an elevated DJ booth just off the main floor will feature a private VIP seating area.

Upstairs, the exclusive rooftop lounge will offer panoramic views of downtown and high-energy performances from world-class DJs. The rooftop will feature an Instagram-worthy illuminated tree at its focal point, complete with theatrical lighting and a 100-inch television.

Rendering of the interior of the future Palm Tree Club Kansas City in the Power & Light District; image courtesy of Palm Tree Club

Scaling the club

Palm Tree Crew has been rapidly rolling out its club concept. Sister operations opened in Miami and Orlando in Florida in late 2024, then Las Vegas in May.

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Live! Hospitality & Entertainment and bring a new Palm Tree Club concept to life,” said Michael Diaz, CEO of Palm Tree Crew, in a statement. “Building off of the success we’ve had together with Palm Tree Club Orlando and the world-class Live! team, we look forward to entering the energetic Kansas City market with our Crew.”

The group also puts on Palm Tree Music Festivals in destinations such as St. Barts; The Hamptons, New York; Aspen, Colorado; Lake Tahoe, Nevada; and Australia. Its collaborations include the recent PUMA x Palm Tree Crew: Streetwear Edition. 

Its expanding hospitality portfolio currently includes Palm Tree Club Miami, a newly renovated 115-room hotel and restaurant on Biscayne Bay offering coastal vibes, live music, “stunning sunsets,” and a 20-slip marina with dine-and-dock services; Palm Tree Club Orlando, a premier two-level restaurant and rooftop lounge located in the heart of Orlando’s vibrant Live! at The Pointe entertainment district; and Palm Tree Beach Club, a 60,000-square-foot immersive day club experience at the MGM in Las Vegas.

News reports featured a star-studded opening, and highlighted its saltwater pool, bungalows and cabanas reflecting the addition of “beach” in the name. Kygo and the club were even featured in entertainment trade publication Variety. 

The former Drunken Fish space at 14 E. 14th St.: the future home of Palm Tree Club Kansas City on the KC Streetcar line; photo by Tommy Felts, Startland News

Resurgence at home

The Power & Light District has been flourishing with a series of new additions and improvements.

In September, it opened the Midland Lofts, the fourth residential building in the District. Then, in  November, it announced a $10 million multi-venue reinvestment project, with an emphasis on upgrading the Kansas City Live! Block, dubbed Kansas City’s living room. It has about 6 million visitors a year for such events as the Miller Lite Hot Country Nights concert series, NCAA’s Men’s and Women’s Big 12 Basketball Tournaments, community and cultural gatherings, charity events, New Year’s Eve, and watch parties. 

The reinvestment includes a new Latin-inspired restaurant and bar Besos y Abrazos at 1323 Walnut St. with entrances on the Live! Block. It features DJs,  shareable plates, sangria, and rum and tequila-based cocktails. The Pizza Bar patio, at 1320 Grand Blvd., was refreshed, and nightclub Mosaic, at 1331 Walnut, got $2.5 million of the $10 million investment for an upgrade and expansion, nearly doubling in size. It has an advanced audio system, lighting, and DJ booth backed by a new high-resolution LED wall “creating an immersive experience that it said rivals any Las Vegas venue.” It also has a new luxury lounge with expansive bar and additional VIP seating, and refreshed patio. 

The district recently signed local restaurateurs for a long empty spot at 131 E. 14th St.

Brothers Dennis and Adam Alazzeh with their father Farid Alazzeh, in downtown Kansas City’s Power & Light District; photo by Joyce Smith

Brothers Dennis and Adam Alazzeh will open Jerusalem Cafe, Chick-In Waffle and Virgin Rebel dry bar in the space later this summer.

The Alazzehs called the district the “main stage of Kansas City,” and said their Power & Light venue will be a way to showcase their concepts to a wider audience. It will open in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.  (They took the former Famous Dave’s Legendary Pit Bar-B-Que space, dark since 2011).

The Yard Milkshake Bar at 1350 Walnut St. in the Power & Light District in downtown Kansas City; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

Other new tenants at Power & Light include The Yard Milkshake Bar at 1350 Walnut. Coming up, Tropical Smoothie Cafe plans to open soon at 1360 Walnut St., and SweatHouz (SWTHZ) is scheduling an early 2026 opening at 1300 Baltimore Ave.

Startland News contributor Joyce Smith covered local restaurants and retail for nearly 40 years with The Kansas City Star. Click here to follow her on Bluesky, here for X (formerly Twitter), here for Facebook, here for Instagram, and by following #joyceinkc on Threads.