Katra

If you are looking for a venue that has great decor and staff with a great attitude to match, then you should definitely go to Katra (Downtown NYC). My birthday party was Saturday, 5/7/11, and the crowd was very nice-looking as well as diverse. It's two things I look for when I go to parties. The owner/manager Chris was great with me. He honored a request of mine when I asked to be moved from one area of VIP to another. It was crowded so it was hard for him to do it, but once a different area became available, he delivered and made my birthday experience that much better! The waitresses were also friendly. I don't remember either of their names, but they had good attitudes. DJ Jay Wright was AWESOME! He played a variety of music that would suit everyone's preference. The food was great as well. The two things I've tried were the shrimp skewers and the chicken rolls. Both items were seasoned very well. All of the things mentioned played a role in making my Katra experience great! Thank you for making my birthday a memorable one! more

I had an awesome time @ Katra I arrived about 2am on a saturday night. there's a little bit of everything there couches, tables, dance floor, DJ booth, upper level ..it is intimate, cozy & fun!!! the crowd was mixed & the atmosphere was very positive The place was jammed packed and there was a line outside.Thanks to Edward Van-Ess I didnt have to wait online... A bit small, but I had a blast I danced like a rockstar. Edward Van-Ess invited me and took very well care of me. The DJ was the bomb he spinned those records like no tomorrow he played a variety of music which was great. WOW.. that was a shocker to me.The service is excellent. I will never hesitate to recommend Katra as a great place to party in NYC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Again thanks Edward Van -Ess for inviting me :-P more

No other place to be on Friday's! Every Friday, several of my friends and I get together after work to enjoy Katra's AMAZING happy hour specials. We're always welcomed by it's superior waitress staff & crew. Everyone is courteous and we're greeted with a smile. The drinks are reasonably priced. With 2 for 1 on top shelf drinks, a girl can have all the tasteful cosmos she wants! The food is a mouth-watering blend of Meditterranean/Indian spices and there's something on the menu for everyone. The DJ spins a great variety of music that keeps us partying all night! Every week there's something new. It's definitely the right place after you've worked hard, to play harder! more

I had held my birthday party at Katra almost three years ago and it was great! My friends and I had such an amazing time--the music was great, the staff was very nice and drinks were great and reasonably priced!--I was just at Katra for a friend's bday party last Friday and nothing has changed since my birthday party three years ago! I always have a great time at Katra! It's one of my fave spots in the city! :) more

I just had my birthday party here and had an amazing time! The entire Katra staff went over and beyond, especially the manager Chris. He really took care of me and my guests, and we will definitely be coming back. more

You have probably had a night out at hundreds of places around the city but you've only hosted a party for someone, or yourself, at a handful of venues. Hosting a birthday party here for the first time, for a significant other, COULD NOT HAVE BEEN ANY BETTER. Granted we did have a fairly large party of 30+, there was no problem with not wanting to get special table service or trouble at the door with a list. I called just a week ahead to speak with the mgr, Chris, to set everything up, hassle free. I also happened to be in the area the night before the bday bash and stopped by to check out the venue. It was nothing less of the images on the website (check them out!) and convincing enough that I couldn't resist not reserving a space for our guest list. Given my budget concerns of going into the notion of "getting a table," the manager assured me they would accommodate the bday event regardless of what I decided. I ended up getting a table anyway, of course, and the EXPERIENCE WAS IMPECCABLE for everyone. Although our party didn't help any by crowding up the place, it wasn't the "shoulder to shoulder" you would expect, which I later realized is largely due to them mastering a venue floor plan for their size (also on their website). All in all, I've never seen such value in just planning out a bday bash and that's all I got ( reach out to chshah11@gmail for any additional feedback) -Here's to my first review, ever. more

I LOVE THIS PLACE! I MET SOO MANY ATTRACTIVE PEOPLE THERE ON THE NIGHT I WENT, THERE WAS ENOUGH SPACE TO DANCE EAT, AND DRINK AT THE BAR. THE DJ PLAYED A VARIETY OF MUSIC WHICH WAS REALLY GOOD. THE LOCATION OF THE PLACE WAS KINDA HARD TO FIND BUT YEAH WE GOT THERE. I WOULD GO BACK THERE BECUZ OF THE DEAL I GOT ON MY CIROC BTTLS! ? more

I had my birthday party there last night and everything was excellent. From the owner to the security all the way down to the waitresses. The service was A + and the food was great. The music was on point and the crowd was mixed & the atmosphere was very positive. Everybody has hit my cell phone and said they loved Katra and that it was the Best!!!! more

Pretty sure I outgrew this place back when I turned 22. It was ok. Really crowded after about 11:30 which made for lots of hands where they were not welcome. Drinks were not bad ($7 for a well)...but some of the bartenders charge for a cup of water! The decor is really nice though. Also, they place this silly door game so that the place looks like it has a line. They make you wait outside (like people need to leave before you can go in), then let you go in (with no change on the amount of people inside) where you find it empty! That was really irritating. more

We had a Party here last Night and we really did have a great time. Thanks to the Manager who let our party in even though my friends did not make a reservation.. It has two floors and was a very mixed crowd so as there sigh reads "Cocktails ,Cuisine and Culture" you will definitely see that here. Asian ,Indian, Black, Europeans and South Americans wow this place is mixed. Music was great with a different set every twenty minutes from Dance to Hip-Hop and Old School it was a very festive type crowd.. The security was very friendly which is weird for pretty much any place we go to where they are cold and aggressive. Bartenders made stiff drinks and prices were reasonable considering it was a club. Did not try the food but my friend had Moroccan Fries and said they were amazing. Lastly the Manager Guy was amazing as he gave us a bottle of Champagne on the House for my friends birthday and even did a shot with us. Really Nice way to be treated even though we were suppose to be across the street at R Bar. And lastly the Bartender Liz was "OMG" well I cant fine the right words but "OMG" Thanks For a great Night Katra and we will be back more

Me and my boyfriend just celebrated our engagement at Katra, and had the best time of our lives. Christopher and his entire staff was on point in every instance, the guys working the door were really chill and friendly, the waitress that took care of us was just awesome, the DJ was amazing and had all of us dancing the entire night, announcing our name every now and then. They brought all our bottles out with SPARKLERS which became the WOW factor of the night. Christopher was a joy to work with from start to end. Not only did the party go off without a hitch, but it amazes me that with just 4 days notice Katra was able to accommodate us with anything we asked for, and even threw in complementary food platters for our guests (which were unbelievably yummy). This is a testament to great business, superb management and an outstanding staff. We had a memorable celebration, and will never hesitate to recommend Katra as a great place to party in NYC !!!! more

I celebrated my girl friend birthday at Katra. This restaurant was recommended with good ratings by myBantu my iPhone application. I had spend enough time with my girl friend. We had a awesome dishes for a dinner which I haven't had it in NY. The service is excellent. Planning for the next party in Katra. Thanks to Katra. more

If you are looking to celebrate an event here, YOU MUST contact Ed Van-Ess of Northern Star Events! He will go the extra mile for you and make sure that everything runs smoothly. He's simply amazing at what he does. I booked my 23rd birthday party here through Ed on a Saturday night, and I could NOT have been any happier of my choice!!! It was seriously one of the best nights of my life. The night went as smoothly as it could have, the guys at the door were very nice, welcoming and accommodating from the time of arrival until the end. The owner himself welcomed me and upgraded us to the VIP section overlooking the floor without extra charge, and we even got a free bottle at the end of the night! A few of my guests arrived after 12 and had no trouble getting in despite the long lines outside. The music was on point, very mixed, playing all of the greatest hits, the ambience was wonderful, and the drinks were great too! Definitely will recommend others to this spot! more

I celebrated my best friends birthday at Katra. Which was recommended to me by Edward Van-Ess of Northern Star Events. The night went smooth and the birthday festivities were a success. We received first class service the entire night. I definitely recommend everyone to use Northern Star Events for their next party. Thanks Ed. more

I went to Katra Lounge a few weeks ago as recommended by Edward Van Ess of Northern Star Events and it was one of the best nights I've had in a while. Great music, great drinks and the ambiance is wonderful! Me and the girls will definitely be returning sooner than later. I have a birthday coming up and hey....you never know. Thanks Edward and Northern Star Events! See you at Katra! more

There aren't many lounges where you can expect good drinks, food and music all in one package. I love the city and and always looking for the next hot spot. My girls and I was told to come party at Katra Lounge by Edward from Northern Star Events and and man I'm glad we did. I'm looking forward to the next Northern Star Event. As a matter of fact I already signed up via email to be notified of the next event. Go to www.northernstarevents and register, you won't regret these alerts. more

Edward Van-Ess from Northern Star recommended me and my girls to go to Katra Lounge and boy did we have fun. Not only is the food great but the drinks are fantastic. We went on a couple of Saturdays and the venue is great! Loved it! more

I celebrated my bday 2 years in a row at Katra thru NorthernStar/Ed. The venue was sexy and classy and we had such a great time. All thanks to Katra n NorthenStar!!! more

I gave a party at Katra, all the arrangements were very nice, we enjoyed the food which was really delicious. Katra is fantastic more

I have never written a CitySearch review before, but after the AMAZING birthday experience I had at Katra, I had to create an account just to do so! After looking at many venues in the city, I decided to throw my birthday party at Katra and rented out the entire VIP lounge. I also arranged a small birthday dinner with my closest girls before the party - the food was GREAT and the service was friendly and attentive. When booking my party, the owner, Chris Collins, was extremely accommodating and professional. It's rare to have a party and have everything go off without a hitch - but at Katra it was one of those rare and amazing experiences where everything went smoothly, no drama, just pure fun! I've been to tons of clubs in the city and this was the absolute BEST time I've had - the bottles were flowing, the DJ killed it and none of my people had any trouble getting in and having a great time. My friends are still talking about the party and some are even planning on throwing their own birthdays at Katra. Highly recommend it! I'll be having my birthday here again next year! THANK YOU CHRIS AND THE ENTIRE KATRA FAMILY! more