Friday, May 1, 2026

Café Chrystie expands next door with new bar space

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Café Chrystie is expanding into the adjoining space — adding a new bar component that debuts today at 5 p.m. (There was a friends-and-family preview last night. See below.) 

The daytime café, which opened in the summer of 2023, will continue operating from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the new bar taking over from 5 p.m. to midnight (Tuesday through Saturday, for now). 

"This is a bar. No laptops, no wifi. I want human interaction," owner Pep Kim told us.
The kitchen is still being finalized, but the plan is to introduce a Korean food program. In the meantime: bar snacks and finger foods alongside beer, wine and soju-based cocktails — including spins on a negroni and highball.
Kim said a brunch service with Korean dishes could arrive this summer, along with expanded hours. 

The space — largely built out by Kim himself — features warm, dark wood, brass accents and dark green tones, with eclectic details like bag hooks, mix-and-match seating and framed artwork (including Harold Hunter skating contact sheets). 

Check out the space here...
And a few scenes from last evening's friends-and-family test run...

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