Former Kansas City vegan cafe will become a jazz club and restaurant
Former Kansas City vegan restaurant Cafe Gratitude is taking on a second, much different, life.
When its doors reopen around November, it’ll be called Cafe 333: a jazz club with a focus on cocktails, mocktails, dinner and music at 333 Southwest Blvd.
Local entertainment company Social Cabaret is heading up the experience. Its other experiences are Waldo Supper Club at 8011 Wornall Road and C.A.S.T. (Cabaret Arts and Social Theater) at 9050 Metcalf Ave. in Overland Park.
Coralyn Martin, CEO of Social Cabaret, said many Kansas Citians have to make multiple trips to enjoy a full evening in the city — one stop for dinner, maybe a separate one for drinks, and another if you want to catch a show.
Cafe 333 seeks to roll all those aspects into one filled-to-the-brim evening.
“The goal of Social Cabaret is to provide more enriching, third-space environments,” she said. “It’s not just about the music. It’s also about the food. It’s also about the drinks.”
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The new location will be more jazz-centric than its other locations. Waldo Supper Club hosts murder mystery shows, and C.A.S.T. fills its space with ballroom dancing.
While Cafe 333 will be a restaurant where guests can walk in off the street and enjoy tunes, some nights — “big showcase evenings,” as Martin called them — may be ticketed.
The exact hours of the spot are still being ironed out.
As for the cuisine, chef G.A. Murdock is bringing in customers’ favorites from Waldo Supper Club, where he’s been cooking previously.
“He does a really artful and interesting fusion menu,” Martin said. “You’ll taste combos and aspects of food that you’ve never thought to put together, and it blows your mind.
Murdock himself used to be a musician. It’s perhaps fitting for his cooking style, Martin said.
“He plays jazz with food,” she said.
The space will also have a full cocktail and mocktail menu, hoping to offer plenty of thoughtful options for sober customers.
Call Cafe 333 a full circle moment for Martin, who founded Social Cabaret with her brother, Cas Minniear, in 2021.
She worked at Cafe Gratitude before COVID and prior to moving to Los Angeles for an acting opportunity. Murdock was a chef at Cafe Gratitude.
When Martin came home, she founded Social Cabaret. Fast forward to April, when Cafe Gratitude announced that it would close after 13 years.
When Martin brought the idea of buying the place up to her staff, it was more of a “wouldn’t this be crazy?” idea. But Cafe Gratitude owner Michael George liked it enough to help them move forward.
While Cafe 333 won’t be vegan, Martin hopes to carry on the spirit of kindness that Cafe Gratitude sought to maintain.
Before the restaurant opens, pop-ups will be offered to give customers a first look and taste. Oct. 3 is the next date. For more information and tickets, patrons can visit socialcabaret.com/special-events.
Martin is looking to welcome interested musicians to the pop-up who will help “establish the vibe” of the place.
This story was originally published September 26, 2025 at 4:35 PM.