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In Bars & Clubs

By Julie Lawrence OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writer E-mail author | Author bio More articles by Julie Lawrence

Published April 6, 2006 at 5:34 a.m.

Tags: franklin, ka lounge, martini bar, larry le mieux, tom galante, samantha jd thomas, jojo's

A couple years ago Jojo's Martini Lounge took on the west 'Tosa bar scene and has since been successful in a market that was clearly ready for something more than the corner tavern.

Similarly, Larry Le Mieux, Tom Galante and Samantha JD Thomas see Franklin as relatively uncharted territory for upscale bars and plan to make a go of it with the opening of Ka Lounge at the intersection of South 76th Street and Rawson Avenue.

Sure, the area isn't exactly the hub of hipsterville, but you have to give the Ka team credit for avoiding Downtown or the East Side -- where the market for martini bars has been just about maxed out.

Set to open the first week in June, Ka is primarily a posh martini lounge that also offers appetizers and desserts.

"Ka means 'life force' and the Egyptians felt that ka was sustained through food and drink," explains general manager (a.k.a "Grand Dame") Thomas.

With the addition of edibles to the menu, Thomas and owner Le Mieux and consultant Galante thought the name to be quite fitting for their venture. They've created a slew of small plate dining options (cheese and fruit platter, gourmet stuffed olives, mini pizzas) as well as hired a pastry chef to dish decadent desserts (various cheesecakes, chocolate tart, a sinful looking "chocolatini").

Nosh appetizers aside, Ka's lure, says Thomas, lies in libations.

Dubbed the "martini scientist," Thomas -- who has been in the bar industry for many years in three different states -- has collected ideas and flavors from all of over the country to create a unique and somewhat experimental list of 'tinis.

"We've got over 50 varieties, but we don't want to overwhelm people with options," she says. "We'll probably switch up the menu from time to time."

And for the customer not especially in the mood for martinis, Ka also offers a selection of wine, imported beers ("There will be no Miller products," Thomas promises) and even French-pressed coffee to complement the chocolaty concoctions.

As the purveyor of much of the 2,100-sq. ft. bar's interior design and layout, Thomas says she's pulled ideas from places like Chicago, New York and L.A. and to make her lounge comfortable as well as fit for the VIPs.

Private booths enclosed by sheer curtains line one wall and face a raised platform with more seating under a dropped ceiling section. Smooth, rounded edges give the space a natural flow of warmth and sleekness and the 22-ft. ceilings create an open, airy atmosphere that still allows for intimacy.

"We're going for a cushy and contemporary look with hints of the classic," she says of Ka's décor. "It's going to have big city flavor."

Ka is located at 7358 W. Rawson Ave. and is open Monday through Saturday, from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. The Web site is kalounge.com.

107 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by amandas6 on July 3, 2008 at 4:11 p.m. (report)

I have been to Ka on many many occasions. I love the bar. They have great food (the pizzas are fantastic) and excellent martinis. Being a bartender myself for many years, I was very impressed by how creative and even artistic the drinks are. I will admit the weekends can be very busy and the wait staff overworked on these nights, but on a whole the bar is excellent. My favorite night to go is on Monday because every martini is $5.00. It's a great deal. If you arrive early enough there is plenty of room. If you arrive a little later you might have to hunt for a seat, but that just shows how much everyone loves this little bar. Tuesdays also has a great deal on martinis. Enjoy!

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Posted by litedrinker on March 5, 2007 at 6:40 p.m. (report)

A Very Negative Experience Two friends of mine (27 and 28 yrs. of age), my wife (26), and myself (28) decided to visit the Ka Martini Lounge on 7358 W. Rawson Ave, late Saturday evening. We all live in the heart of Greendale, which is perfect because it is so close. Our experience was short lived as we did not even make it passed the front door. The experience went at followed: We walked into the Ka Martini Bar at around 11:30pm. When we walked into the bar a man approached us at the entrance asking for our IDs. I handed him my ID which was 3 days old, seeing as I just had it renewed. The man took and exceptionally long time examining the ID which seemed strange because it had my birth date right on the front in bold red numbers 02/79. My friend handed the doorman his ID next and again it took an unusually long time to verify the information. When my wife handed her ID to the doorman, who later identified himself as the owner, he said that her ID was not consistent with the standard Minnesota drivers license. The reason why my wife has a Minnesota Drivers License is that we just got married, she moved to Wisconsin, and did not get her new Wisconsin Drivers license yet. After asking the owner what was wrong with the ID the only answer he could come up with is that it was not consistent with the standard Minnesota Drivers License. The part that was interesting is that her drivers license is not even a year old and it was a valid standard Minnesota Drivers License. We asked the owner to compare it with an example in the back, or scan the license. The owner refused to do so, and after arguing with him we decided it was best we just leave. After we replayed the event on the car ride home, something didnt add up. The four of us just came from an establishment downtown, were dressed in proper attire, and never once had anyone question the legitimacy of my wifes Minnesota Drivers License. So, why the hard time about the license? Why didnt the, owner, verify that her licenses was valid by comparing it to the standard Minnesota Drivers License? Answer, my wife is African American. There was no other explanation. I knew the owner was lying the second he said that the ID doesnt look like a standard Minnesota Divers License. Apparently he knows something that the other thousands of establishments in Wisconsin do not. I would have bought his excuse if he gave me an honest reason. The owner could have said it looks to flimsy or pointed out what was inconsistent; perhaps then I would have bought his lie. It really disappoints me that we still live in a world where these types of acts still occur. Being white I havent had much experience with prejudice acts against me. I know realize how real these situations are, and how embarrassing these situations are; not only for my race, but for all people who have experienced these disgusting situations. If I were you I would think twice about going to Ka Martini Lounge.

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Posted by milwmike on Dec. 11, 2006 at 8:48 p.m. (report)

Our experience wasn't a major disappointment but still a negative one. With the prices charged come a responsibility to make the experience a pleasant one. The drinks were free-poured into shakers but were not shaken. The drinks were not properly chilled, the glasses were a bit, well maybe more than a bit underfilled and worst of all, no offer for a water back. Sorry the bartender was not properly trained imho. He did opine that the best thing about the job was that he didn't have to put up with smokers. My wife, the smoker, was not overly impressed. K may sit well with the Olive Garden crowd though.

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Posted by jennynick18 on Dec. 6, 2006 at 5:56 p.m. (report)

I had a HORRIBLE experience at Ka on Saturday night. A group of 6 of us went in to check it out. 4 of us ordered martinis. The martini list was huge and looked promising, however when our drinks finally arrived we were VERY disappointed. The mojito martini tasted like a glass of Rose's lime juice. The ginger tini (which was to have fresh ginger and lemon in it) tasted like straight vodka with no flavor whatsoever. The Cosmo arrived looking clear and when we questioned why it was no pink or red in color, they had to make another one. Not sure what we were originally served. Finally a raspberry martini was ordered which was OK. Very surprised that the bartenders did not practice making any of these drinks before they opened. With the high prices, $10-$11.50 I would have expected something tasty. I will not go back.

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Posted by YadaYada on Nov. 30, 2006 at 7:19 a.m. (report)

I am pleased that we have a martinin bar such as Ka in the neighborhood! I will most definately go and check it out. I wish you success! Now for you that feel you must bring up "My house is bigger than your house and blah, blah, blah, why don't you grow up? What is the relevance here??

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