Inside Koko’s

By Domenic Strazzabosco

Last spring, a crop of new bars and restaurants opened across the corners of Capitol Hill. Two new food and drink joints joined Broadway, Chandelier Lounge and Guillotine, the contemporary Vietnamese cuisine of Ramie opened on 14th and a Seattle expansion of the Salvadorian-Mexican joint Koko’s found a home on 10th.

A year later, CHS talked with the new class to check in on how the first year has gone and how they’re planning on navigating going forward.

Koko’s Restaurant and Tequila Bar, located on 10th Ave, opened last spring, and the owners remain appreciative of the reception it’s received from the neighborhood.

“Honestly, it’s been amazing. The support from the community has been great,” said Gibran Moreno, who owns Koko’s with his partner Alexi Torres. “We just can’t believe how people are so happy for us to be on The Hill.”

The two grew their footprint with the Seattle location of Koko’s; their first is located in Seabrook, a small town on the state’s coast. Both locations take a similar approach to food and drink, and are inspired by Mexican and Salvadorian cuisines.

One of the perks of Koko’s is their late-night kitchen, currently open until 10 PM., which the owners have tried to grow since opening. Moreno said that since the pandemic, there are fewer late-night food spots around the neighborhood, but he senses that, though it might be slow to come back, there is a growing desire for kitchens to stay open late. Hopefully, this summer, the kitchen will stay open even later.

To commemorate its first anniversary, Koko’s threw a lounge-like event with music, creating a setting for people to come together and have a calmer late night with their friends. There was plenty of positive feedback from the community.

“I feel that some people don’t want to go to a nightclub every weekend; they want to socialize with friends and call it a night,” Moreno said. After the recent event’s reception, they’re planning on holding similar ones monthly.

Other focus points for the upcoming year include collaborating with more businesses and getting the word out that Koko’s is open for lunch, as lunch rushes haven’t been as busy as dinnertime.

Though Moreno and Torres have aspirations going forward, business so far has exceeded their expectations.

“We just want to say thank you to everyone in the community and all our customers for the amazing support that we got during the first year. We have so many plans and ideas that we want to bring to the table.”

Koko’s is open at 1201 10th Ave. Learn more at kokos-restaurant.com.

(Image: Chandelier Lounge)

Meanwhile on Broadway
The Chandelier Lounge, which opened on Broadway last summer, is approaching its first anniversary in August.

Owner Pranesh Sharma told CHS that things have generally gone as hoped for the lounge and expects that, as the summer weather kicks in, business will get even better. He noted that during the winter months, the large space was able to cater to many businesses having corporate or holiday parties, which helped sustain the restaurant during traditionally slower periods.

And as the first year of business has progressed, Chandelier Lounge has worked to host more performers — drag shows, DJs, bands and comedians — as a way of drawing people in and giving them a more unique dining and drinking experience.

Sharma, who has worked on Capitol Hill since 2009, said that over the years, there has seemed to be less and less foot traffic on The Hill, so shows and performances are a way of getting people to come out and become familiar with the space.

“We wanted to get people in first. Once in, they’re good, loyal customers,” said Sharma.

Moving forward, he hopes to make Chandelier Lounge an establishment people think of for events like bachelorette or birthday parties. The rather large space is well-equipped to host larger functions than many of the surrounding restaurants, with a somewhat separate room complete with its own bar and bathroom.

Sharma also noted that the happy hour menu and late-night kitchen — another aspect of business right from opening — help them stand out from other restaurants around them. These characteristics, paired with their plans to expand the number of performers and events they host, make Sharma and the rest of the team at Chandelier Lounge excited for what’s to come.

Chandelier Lounge is open Tuesday through Sunday at 416 Broadway E. See their website for details.

Class of 2024: Stay tuned — We’ll share notes soon from our conversations with Ramie and Guillotine.

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