If you ask most people what the most fun bar in New York City is, there’s a pretty decent chance they’re going to respond with Katana Kitten. The West Village bar was opened in 2018 and immediately took off, debuting at No. 14 on the World’s 50 Best Bars list in 2019 as well as being named Best New Opening.
But Masa Urushido will never take credit for the runaway success of Katana Kitten. Despite the awards and global acclaim, he insists the real story behind the bar is the community that lifted him up — transforming a shy, awkward newcomer into one of NYC’s most admired bartenders.
Today on “The Buildout” podcast, Adam speaks with Masa about that journey, and learns how teaming up Greg Boehm and James Tune sparked the creation of Katana Kitten, a bar whose Japanese American identity has made it a true standout in the cocktail world.
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Katana Kitten
Masa Urushido
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Adam Teeter
Produced and edited by Darbi Cicci
*Image retrieved from Katana Kitten
