🐯 Khla, an Asian-inspired cocktail bar in downtown Phoenix, has closed after 18 months next to Thai restaurant Lom Wong near the northwest corner of Portland and Third Street.
Earlier this year, Khla was named one of 10 semifinalists for Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar at the Tales of the Cocktail’s annual Spirited Awards, the Oscars of the bar industry.
Khla, which means tiger in Khmer, was one of three concepts – along with Baby Boy and Liar’s Club – created by Colton Brock, John Sagasta, and Tyka Chheng.
Brock and Sagasta parted ways with Chheng, who was to be the chef at Liar’s Club, in November 2022 after several women accused him of sexual harassment.
They then collaborated with Ariel Bracamonte (Cobra Arcade Bar, Stardust Pinbar) to launch Liar’s Club in January.
