Burma Kava Company — Restaurant in Florida

Burma Kava Company continues to offer an outstanding, calculated and laid-back atmosphere that gracefully outclasses surrounding kava bars in southwest Florida.

There is care in detail with its physical presence, drinks, and frequent activities being carefully curated. It’s an ideal place for both work and socialising.

Burma Kava Company is evidently a passion project focused on elegance and authenticity. There is an infectious sense of pride within Burma that makes you proud to be part of it, if you regularly visit. Not a singular aspect of the physical bar, its location, its drinks, nor its staff seems out of place, nor "budgeted" or "cheap". And I don't just mean physical appearance, but meaningful considerations and the fine details in staff training and general culture that are taken into account. You don't have the sense that the staff have no clue what they are doing, nor the sense that the kavatenders "just picked up a job" here since they needed some money. Burma's subculture uniquely promotes genuine authenticity.

Crafted adornments are displayed with intention following a central theme of south-eastern Asian cultures, not necessarily limited to Burma's (Myanmar's) former glory. These greatly allow your entrance into Burma Kava to seem like a portal, separating yourself from the outside world. Bulas are offered naturally alongside exceptional events and feel like they genuinely bring you closer to those around you, rather than other bars that repeat "bula" ad infinitum as if it's a tic, and obviously leveraged as a thinly-veiled sales tactic.

Burma Kava Company is also the home to some of the most unique drinks in the immediate area, causing the offerings of at least six to seven other bars in Fort Myers to Bonita Springs to leave much to be desired. Kava Creams are rich dairy-based drinks infused with kava, but kratom can be used instead if that's your style. Nothing like it exists elsewhere in the area, which is insane due to how simple it is in concept.

The fruit-based tea cocktails are also a strong point, where the extract of your chosen elixir is intentionally blended to complement the overall flavour of the resulting drink, instead of overpowering it.

The fact that this is not a franchised brand, but a truly one-of-a-kind bar that doesn't aim to replicate or emulate others is also apparent in its design, largely avoiding generic, printed/laminated spreadsheets, but rather fully-designed menus and booklets made on various mediums offering motivational and historical advice. Every aspect of Burma has been fleshed out to a statistically impossible degree for a one-off location found in the strip plaza of Alico Commons.

One issue that seems to be improving is the temperature. The indoors are kept at an unusually cold temperature, an issue of which I have seen drive multiple other patrons away from making this a consistent spot for them. A singular kavatender tending to taking orders as well as preparing cocktails can sometimes also result in waiting periods exceeding five to ten minutes to check out or make a request, and it does seem like there must be a way to systematically take this burden off of one person to make the process more efficient. However, Burma Kava Company is staffed with such a wide variety of personalities, seemingly as cherry-picked like everything else. So much so, that it'd feel like a crime to single out people like Amber, Taylor, Edona, Alexis, Shannon, and Natalia, who all contribute to what makes Burma what it is today in vastly different ways. From staff to patrons, the occasional wait time is simply time for you to take in the atmosphere and integrate yourself in with the community that Burma Kava has helped bring together.

It is not a coincidence that I have been a patron for the past 400 days...

I would like to preface this review by saying that I have been banned from Burma. And it wasn’t from no actions of my own. There is a watchdog that decided to send me out, and she dresses in ridiculous clothes with dyed bright red hair. I had a person that works two jobs and only gets 3 to 4 hours of sleep at night that I decided to bring with me to the facility. I was entertaining the thought of possibly having him rent my guest room in my house, and when I brought him there for the very first time, I was with another friend and we were playing pool a little after hours. To no fault of my own, that person fell asleep on the couch chair next to the pool table while I was playing pool. The redheaded girl took it upon herself to reprimand me, and ban me from being a patron at that establishment. Many attempts of contacting the owners have failed because apparently she runs the social media aspect of the company. So getting in touch with the owners is very difficult. But why I was singled out as being inappropriate and being banned for the actions of someone else is completely ridiculous. I have since removed that guy from my house because he is too much of an adolescent, and I didn’t want his behavior to be exposed to my daughter. But why I was chosen to be banned from the establishment is very confusing. For some reason, I have been singled out for no good reason. People there like me and I just go there to get a drink and play some pool and then go home. The gatekeeper, apparently wants to subvert me and keep me from contacting the owners for some reason. Probably because she’s afraid of me telling them truth about what actually took place that evening. There’s also another jerk called that helps with running the pool tournaments. I have heard from multiple people that they all dislike her. Me included. She is very gruff and mean. I don’t know what’s going on at this facility, but there is definitely favoritism and for someone like me who is very kind and cordial to be banned is absolutely asinine. Be careful if you go to this place. The atmosphere is nice, but those two girls are not. Hopefully, eventually, I can talk to the owners, if they ever get back to me or if I can ever speak to them to regain access to their Kava Bar. It’s a nice place but watch out for those two girls because they are a menace. And if anybody in any kind of authority reads this, I will take this review down if I can have this stupid ban removed. And I also spent so much money at that place that I continue to have a free drink from the Clover app, but apparently I cannot collect because of this ban. I feel very dishonored and very angry at this whole situation, which has been going on for a...

It isn't often when you find a place that really feels like a second home. I found out about Burma by sheer coincidence through a friend, going more so to find something to do on a random night. From that point on, I was hooked.

The atmosphere is like being in someone's own home with the unique styling, comfortable furniture, and calming lighting. The patio with options for hookah only stand to add for more activities and the accompanying lighting adds a flare without overcrowding the senses.

The drinks are second to none. It doesn't matter if you don't know exactly what you want, the staff are exceptionally versed in their craft and will make you something truly memorable. And with the creativity the team provides, you can be sure that there will be something new in the "mix" just about every time you go.

Burma has become a place to unwind, laugh, and recharge from life's craziness and the stresses of the day-to-day. People like Taylor, Nat, Amber, Lindsay all made me feel more than just welcomed; they truly made me feel like a part of group of friends all having a great time. Not to mention, they take the time to get to know you, what you like and don't like, and will make spectacular recommendations for your next order.

On the subject of friends, the people you meet here are some of the most interesting Southwest Florida has to offer. From car sales, to lawyers, doctors, business owners, teachers, construction workers, college students, and everything in-between, you will never fall short of amazing stories from amazing people. There is always a great conversation brewing, and the patrons are more than happy to add you to it!

If you're looking for somewhere a little different, somewhere to get some work done or to let creativity flow, or some great drinks and talks, look no further. Burma has helped me to relax, enjoy drinks, and good talks yes. But on a bigger note, the people I've been fortunate enough to meet and get to know have had such a significant impact on my life and growth. This place is more than...