The Palm Tree Club's Kansas City connection
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Opening at 14th and Main. Photo: Travis Meier/Axios
The Palm Tree Club is planting its fourth location, not in a warm-weather climate like its other three spots, but in Kansas City.
The big picture: The tropical "vibe-dining" concept that opens Friday may feel out of place in the Midwest — especially with other locations in Miami, Orlando, and Las Vegas — but the new restaurant's ties to Kansas City make a lot of sense.
Why it matters: Owners want to offer something completely new for KC: an energetic, music-powered dining experience suitable for both those with party plans and early bedtimes.
Why Kansas City? It's part of a complicated series of connections between the restaurant's owners, Power and Light, and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
Zoom in: Palm Tree Club is part of Palm Tree Crew, an entertainment and investment company by Norwegian DJ Kygo and his manager, Myles Shear.
- Last year, Palm Tree Crew invested in Medium Rare, the entertainment company behind Travis Kelce's home-brewed music festival, Kelce Jam.
- Kelce attended Palm Tree Crew music festivals and repped a Palm Tree Crew hat during the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.
What they're saying: Eric Coomes, brand lead for the restaurant and resident DJ at the P&L nightclub Mosaic, tells Axios that, as a Kansas City native, he's been looking for ways to elevate downtown's scene and make KC a travel destination.
- "How do we bring people from out of town into Kansas City … instead of people leaving Kansas City for experiences?" he said during a restaurant tour last week.
Between the lines: The Cordish Companies, which developed and owns KC Live!, also owns Live! at the Pointe Orlando, where the Palm Tree Club opened its second location last year.
What to expect: Palm Tree Club is a fine dining restaurant centered around tropical ambience and live music, with a DJ booth backdropped by projected beach scenes elevated above the first floor.
- That's right: It's a two-story establishment with the upstairs offering additional seating, two more spots for DJs, and Power and Light's only public rooftop bar.
The vibe: Coomes said it's about creating an energetic atmosphere that builds throughout the night — but never overblows on the volume.
- He said it's a place for "people that want to start their night and end their night early, or want to start their night and then go across the street and keep the party going."
What to try: The watermelon paloma was a perfect balance of flavors — sweet, tart, a little zesty, wonderfully tropical.
- The food is high-end, with ingredients like A5 wagyu. Top-notch menu items include dumplings, pizza, pasta and sashimi.
- "I would describe the menu as Italian and Asian, but not fusion," chef Joe Shirley said. "I call it all the things I love to eat."
💬 Travis' thought bubble: Hey, same.
If you go: Palm Tree Club is open Tuesday-Sunday for dinner and late night drinks. Reservations are recommended.