Kasbah Fire Relief

Spend one evening dining at beloved Sacramento mainstay The Kasbah Lounge and you will come away with the knowledge that there is nothing else like it. Chef Tanya Azar, who grew up in her family’s restaurant kitchens and then perfected her international flavors while operating as a restauranteur in Palestine, is the dynamo behind such a unique, authentic experience, and she is a fusion of all the things that make this town special.

A Palestinian woman raised in Sacramento, she is a force multiplier who has given back to the city and community she loves in a thousand ways, from fostering local talent into the food and hospitality industry to hosting fundraising events for important causes. She is an avenue for unique cultural performing arts to uplift the lively culture on the J Street corridor, and she regularly offers people in dire need of aid the dignity and warmth of a free, delicious meal. She has provided a haven of culture and familiarity to people from around the world who miss the taste of home, and simultaneously invited the rest of the world in to celebrate and share in the beauty and thrill of a sumptuous evening in one of the most vivacious and unique venues one can find in our beautiful city.

Kasbah is a genuine melting pot for Sacramento, where people from every background sit elbow to elbow in an environment that is like something out of a dream. Its absence would be a tragic loss to every community in Sacramento that appreciates the authentic, intoxicating, and irreplaceable experience of enjoying a mouth watering meal offered with the care and love that can only come from someone filled with a passion for true hospitality that cannot be emulated.

This is why Kasbah, and all the hardworking people who are proud to operate it, need our help.

Early in the morning on January 23rd, a fire broke out in the heart of Kasbah. The fire department successfully halted the blaze before it could spread to adjacent buildings, and thankfully no one was injured, but the damage caused by the inferno was unignorable. The kitchen and much of the high end culinary equipment it housed has been ruined, the food stores have been destroyed, and the gorgeous front room we are all so enchanted by has been tainted by smoke and water damage. After managing to successfully keep a woman owned, chef owned, Palestinian owned pillar of the Sacramento culinary and cultural community alive even through the pandemic lockdowns which shuttered so many beloved gathering places, Kasbah and Tanya are facing their greatest challenge yet: rebuilding from the enormous setback caused by the burning of a Sacramento dream.

This is where you come in. Tanya is no stranger to adversity or to hard work, but there are some lifts that require the hands of a whole community. We are asking all who love and value this enticing jewel of Sacramento nightlife to help rescue it from the ashes. If you agree that the magic of this establishment cannot be replaced, we ask for your generosity in the task of healing the physical and financial wounds that the fire has inflicted on Kasbah. Food and kitchen equipment needs replacing. Fire and water damaged items need to be deep cleaned, or replaced entirely. Structural elements must be repaired, reinforced, and refinished. The dedicated staff who are passionate about this one of a kind venue need to be able to put food on their tables and a roof over their heads while they rush to breathe life back into Kasbah. Kasbah can be saved, if we act now.

Here is how you can help preserve Kasbah as a part of Sacramento life:

1) GIVE whatever you can.

2) SHARE this on social media with #SaveKasbahLounge.

3) TELL YOUR COMMUNITY in person, and direct them to our story.

4) EMAIL this page to the people in your network.

5) REACH OUT if you have the desire and ability to host a fundraising event, design or put up a flier, or engage in any services you think might help.

With your help, Kasbah Lounge can come back, stronger and richer and more exquisite than ever before. It is our hope that you find it in your heart to join us in rebuilding, and keeping this dream alive.

Gratefully,

Tanya Azar, The Kasbah Lounge, and all its staff: Aja, Sara, Reyna, Ezzie, Will, Oscar, Slade, and Morgan

No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or returns on investment are offered in exchange for any donations made to my GoFundMe.