‘Cali-Mex and classic American style restaurant’ takes space inside SunTrust Plaza.
Big Kahuna, a Cali-Mex and classic American style restaurant, has secured a lease for its flagship location at SunTrust Plaza, according to a press release Tuesday. It should open this spring, the release notes.
Brian Hogg and Krunali Parekh of Portman Management Company represented the landlord in lease negotiations, and Kirk Williams of Cushman & Wakefield represented the tenant.
Big Kahuna is the concept of Tom Nahas, one of the founders and creators of the burgeoning Twisted Taco brand; his former Twisted Taco partner and long-time retailer Rahim Kaba; and Mahesh Harjani, Atlanta nightlife entrepreneur and owner of The Havana Club.
“Kahuna is conceptualized for multiple locations, downtown Atlanta being the first,” Nahas said in the release. “We want our patrons to feel like they’re sitting in a friend’s beach house, and even though our space is in a world-class office tower, we found it to be an excellent fit.
The restaurant, at 303 Peachtree Street, will occupy 4,154 square feet which includes a 1,073-square-foot outdoor patio. It will also offer a 30-foot bar and multiple 50-inch flat screens.
Big Kahuna will be a “flex casual concept,” offering a fast casual lunch and full service dining in the evening.
With all of the restaurant space out there in the downtown and Midtown areas that would have great street interaction, add to the vibrancy of an area, and serve residents I am surprised that they could not come up with a better location for this.
Oh, wow! This isn’t gimmicky at all. I sure hope they’ll have unique menu items, like grilled fish, and tacos…and because people from Twisted Taco (one of Atlanta’s finest dining establishments) and Havana Club (one of Atlanta’s super-excluive clubs) are behind this, I’m sure it’s going to have an incredible amount of creativity, individuality, and allure.
Disclaimer: Everything said above was intended to be sarcastic at best, insulting at worst.
Why anyone would want to make their splash in a newmarket by locating in one of Portman’s fortresses is beyond me. Talk about ultralow visibility.
While I welcome any new restaurants to Downtown (and Midtown), I’d prefer the gimmicky places like this to have the least visibility (something has to fill these spaces anyways – they can’t just sit empty forever). It will probably do well with all the business travelers/tourists too.
Urbanist, how many times must it be noted that not every restaurant that opens in Atlanta has to have individuality, creativity and allure??? You are just pissed because there aren’t 10 gastronomy restaurants open in Atlanta…
@ Mike – I’m aware that “not every” restaurant that opens has to be a new and creative idea. However, it would be nice if almost every new place in this city wasn’t stale and soulless. There are some good ones on the way, but for now, just more of the same old thing…
Big Kahuna Burger. That’s that Hawaiian burger joint. I heard they got some tasty burgers. I ain’t never had one myself, how are they?
Why be judgemental prior to the doors opening? It all about great food and a fun atmosphere for this space! There is room in Atlanta for everyone. Every dining experience doesn’t have to be old boys club, farm to table, etc.,etc.,etc.
Let’s believe Atlanta is becoming a big city in the US.
A fun fresh concept with with high qaulity food in a fun bar environment.
Go Big Kahuna!
Good God….blissful ignorance.
Yeah, its not like Chicago or New York doesnt have its fill of gimmicky, large, chain-feeling restaurants .. Especially not downtown…
Oh wait, is that an Olive Garden next to the Hard Rock cafe next to the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co (talk about gimmick) next to the TGI Fridays…. If only Atlanta can one day match NYC
Haha…is that a joke? You want to compare NYC’s dining scene to Atlanta’s because they have a bunch of gimmicky restaurants? Since you’re clearly too stupid to figure this one out for yourself, I’ll help.
NYC has tons of gimmicky, crappy, restaurants. Do you know where the vast majority of them are? Times Square, MSG, and to a lesser degree downtown. Guess who goes to those areas? Tourists! Likely many tourists from Atlanta. As for the rest of the city, it’s covered by unique, creative, individualistic, authentic, and original eateries (and other nightlife/entertainment venues for that matter). Where NYC has a bunch that are concentrated in a few specific areas (for the most part), Atlanta is littered with them all over the city. I’m still a little shocked that someone could even try to make that comparison while not being too retarded to be deemed incapable of simple motor functions.
I’m having a hard time imagining where there’s space for a 1,073-square-foot outdoor patio at 303 Peachtree unless they’re planning to put it where the courtyard with the fountain is, on the Peachtree Center Avenue side.
Urbanist,
You were complaining that Atlanta has a gimmicky restaurant opening downtown. I was just pointing out all big cities, including your esteemed NYC, have gimmicky restaurants downtown.
So you agree that NYC has a lot of gimmicky restaurants downtown and in other tourist areas. Which is exactly what I said. So I am the retarded one? Because I said something that you then agreed with? LOL.
By the way, you do realize that NYC has about 6x the population of Atlanta, right? No shit you have more nightlife options and restaurants.
Why are you so salty about NYC anyway? Are you the ambassador for NYC? Why dont you go live in NYC? We wont miss you.
I wasn’t complaining about a place being gimmicky “downtown”, I was complaining that the majority of restaurants are high on gimmicks and low on quality. So using NYC – as you suggested – for it’s own sake, or as a proxy for other major cities in comparison to Atlanta is just plain stupid. They have gimmicks, but they pale in comparison to the number of quality establishments…in Atlanta, the reverse is true.
I’m aware that my commentary has gotten somewhat redundant, but I guess I just can’t help myself. This city is busted, plain and simple. There are glimmers of brilliance, but they float in a sea of sewage. 20 years from now Atlanta will look more like Gary, IN than it will the cities that it used to call its peers. I’m not an ambassador of anywhere, just a guy who’s not so blinded by pride that he can’t see reality.
It will survive a couple of years, but once the monkeys get to it, it is over!