32. Drum Room (Power & Light District, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
33. AmeriSports Brew Pub (Ameristar Casino, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
34. Chili's Grill & Bar (Northland, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
35. Recordbar (Westport, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
36. Class Reunion Lounge (Blue Springs, MO) [see details]
37. Dirk's Sports Bar & Grill (Barry, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
38. Big Shots Bar & Grill (Barry, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
39. Jockey Club Lounge & Bar (Kansas City, MO) [see details]4312 NW Gateway Ave
Kansas City, MO 64150
(816) 741-9844
Rating: 
Price: 
Dive bar
Live music
or karaoke
The bar's name ties to the local history, when a questionably-legal horse racing track operated during the 1930s under the financing and protection of Kansas City boss Tom Pendergast. Though the track is long gone, some of the original structures still remain. I am uncertain if this bar is one of those structures.
In the time since our visit the owner has spruced the place up quite a bit. The outside has been cleaned up and repainted, and the broken sign atop the building has been replaced with a new, stylish sign. Sadly, however, the classic vintage "cocktails" sign that once graced the front of the building has been removed.
40. The Runaway Lounge (Northmoor, MO) [see details]
41. Shooter's (Northland, Kansas City, MO) [see details]4108 N Oak Trfy
Kansas City, MO 64116
(816) 454-7650
Rating: Price:
Dive bar
Biker friendly
Live music
or karaoke
Outdoor seating
Shooter's is one of those places where everybody knows everybody. But don't let that intimidate you, newcomers are welcome and as long as you aren't a troublemaker you'll soon find yourself right at home.
Owners Scott and Robin Severson have turned what from the outside looks like a little shack into a popular neighborhood institution. You can count on seeing the same faces on the same nights every week, and the tight-knit community of bikers, working class, and young singles that has formed all take care of each other. The Seversons are also very active in the local business community, working to promote the rights of small business owners.
The bar features a spacious patio in the back. Half the patio is covered, the rest is open-air and naturally shaded by large trees atop a stone wall. Inside you will find 2 pool tables and a much larger seating area than the building looks like it should hold.
Some of the regular specials include bottomless beer for $10 and free pool on Monday and Wednesday nights, Ladies Night on Tuesdays, Guys Night on Thursdays, and karaoke on Thursday and Saturday nights. On Saturdays you can also enjoy a free lunch buffet, which changes each week. Tacos, fried catfish, BBQ, and many other selections have been served.
42. Moxie Bar & Grill (Northland, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
43. Pat's Pub (Kansas City, MO) [see details]
44. Bar 12 (Kansas City, MO) [see details]
45. River City Tavern (Kansas City, MO) [see details]
46. The Bar (Chouteau, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
47. Harry T's Corner Bar & Grill (Chouteau, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
48. Depot Saloon (Avondale, MO) [see details]
49. River Aces Lounge (Kansas City, MO) [see details]
50. Vivace (River Market, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
51. Dos Hombres (River Market, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
52. Flo's Poke-A-Dot Lounge (Waldo, Kansas City, MO) [see details]8934 Wornall Rd
Kansas City, MO 64114
(816) 363-9571
Rating: Price:
Dive bar
At the extreme southern end of Waldo, or arguably at the extreme northern end of South KC, sits a tiny run-down strip mall. In the center of this strip mall you will find Flo's Poke-A-Dot Lounge.
We found our seats on the south side of the box-shaped bar, the only people in the place under the age of sixty. (Granted, it was 10:30am on a Saturday.) On the wall across from us, a velvet painting of a nude woman graced our presence.
We both ordered Bud Light draws and began talking with the bartender and other customers. Based upon the name of this bar we had assumed the owner was a woman named Florence. Instead we learned that "Flo" is a man named Floyd.
About midway through our beers, napkins were suddenly slid in front of us by one of the other customers. With a look of worry on his face, my drinking buddy leaned over to me.
"How quickly can you chug your beer?" he whispered.
"I don't know, pretty fast," I whispered back.
"Do it!" he whispered forcefully.
Unaware of what he had somehow realized was about to happen, I began drinking as quickly as I could. As I took the last gulp, out of the corner of my eye I spotted the need for this urgency.
A gentleman a few bar stools down had pulled a plastic bag full of shrimp out of the pocket of his jacket and had begun dumping fistfuls of it onto the napkins he had just placed in front of the other patrons.
Now I love shrimp, but I'm not going to eat fisted shrimp from a plastic bag pulled out of the pocket of some random guy at an unfamiliar bar. I set my empty beer glass down and my friend and I stood up to leave.
"Wait, don't you want some shrimp?" the shrimp-fister asked us.
"Ah, no, we just had a huge breakfast," we fibbed. "Thanks anyway!"
We left the bar and got into the car. As my friend put the car in reverse, there was a knock at the driver's side window. We saw one of the other customers standing outside the window, cupping some shrimp in his hands. We lowered down the window just enough that he could speak without passing us any shrimp.
"What the hell am I supposed to do with this???" he asked rhetorically, laughing about his failure to escape the shrimping in time.
"No clue, guess you better bolt faster next time!" we chuckled back.
53. Grand Saloon (South Waldo, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
54. Walsh's Corner Cocktail (South Waldo, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
55. Village Lounge (South Waldo, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
56. Murphy's Pub and Grill (South Waldo, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
Was Jake's when I went, but it's still the same people. Just a new name and expanded menu.
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(Formerly
Jake's Smokehouse Bar & Grill)
8314 Wornall Rd
Kansas City, MO 64114
(816) 444-1517
Rating: Price:
Restaurant bar
I can't remember if we went here with the intention of eating or just to check to see if they had any beer. Well, we didn't eat. :) Instead we parook of some Guinness.
57. Patricks Bar & No Grill (South Waldo, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
Now "Patrick's Bar No Grill"
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(Formerly
Deangelo's Lounge)
8251 Wornall Rd
Kansas City, MO 64114
(816) 444-3707
Rating: Price:
Dive bar
Lounge
This place has a cool split-level bar, with a big screen in one corner and a pool table in another.
When we first visited it was DeAngelo's:
Now it's Patrick's, and other than the name it seems pretty much the same.
58. Tommy Farha Cafe & Bar (Waldo, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
59. Lew's Grill & Bar (Waldo, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
60. 75th Street Brewery (Waldo, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
61. Kennedy's Bar & Grill (Waldo, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
62. Hanibal's Waldo Bar (Waldo, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
Changed hands in early 2008.
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(Formerly
Fin's Waldo Bar)
7438 Wornall Rd
Kansas City, MO 64114
(816) 523-9964
Rating: Price:
Dive bar
Restaurant bar
Upscale
Outdoor seating
Was a classic dive bar, cheap beer, small tables, fun.
Has been renovated and transformed into an upscale bars and restaurant. New patio in front, garage door front entry, new decor, and a considerably expanded selection.
63. Bobby Baker's Lounge (Waldo, Kansas City, MO) [see details]7418 Wornall Rd
Kansas City, MO 64114
(816) 523-5485
Rating: Price:
Dive bar
Lounge
At $4 a draw this was the most expensive beer we bought all day. Unfortunately for B this fell on his turn to pay.
This is a tiny but comfortable place. Try to get the big round booth!
64. Tanner's Bar & Grill (Waldo, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
65. Governor Stumpy's Grillhouse (Waldo, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
66. GAF (Waldo, Kansas City, MO) [see details]7122 Wornall Rd
Kansas City, MO 64114
(816) 333-1321
http://thegafkc.com/Rating: Price:
Restaurant bar
Upscale
Our bartender on our first visit was a recent transplant from New Zealand.
This place sways back and forth between whether it wans to be a bar with a restaurant or a retaurant with a bar. Currently it's leaning more towards the latter.
67. Brooksider Bar & Grill (Brookside, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
68. Charlie Hooper's Brookside Bar (Brookside, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
69. Tomfooleries (Plaza, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
70. Dave's Stagecoach Inn (Westport, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
71. Kelly's Westport Inn (Westport, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
72. Jimmy's Jigger (West 39th, Kansas City, MO) [see details]1823 W 39th St
Kansas City, MO 64111
(816) 561-7977
Rating: Price:
Dive bar
Restaurant bar
Former standalone bar that was later swalled by Jazz, the restaurantabove it, to become Jazz's de-facto restaurant bar. You can sit in here and not feel like you are in the restaurant, yet still have access to the entire menu.
When we got there they were not quite open yet and the door was locked. We decided to go elsewhere but when we were about 30 feet away I barely heard a faint click. "Hold on," I said, and ran back to try the door again. Open.
"FIRST!" shouted B as we walked in, throwing his arms up in the air.
"Hooray for you," said the bartender sarcastically. "Write that accomplishment down in your diary."
I immediately started laughing as I pulled the bar diary out of my pocket and wrote that one down.
73. D B Cooper's (West 39th, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
74. Gilhouly's (West 39th, Kansas City, MO) [see details]1721 W 39th St
Kansas City, MO 64111
(816) 561-2899
Rating: Price:
Dive bar
The bartender had not arrived yet and the only person who could legally get us a beer was the owner, who was outside dealing with an A/C issue. After a while he was able to come in and pour for us. As he set our beers in front of us the actual bartender arrived.
When we finished our beers B went to go use the restroom. "Need another round?" the bartender asked me. "Naw, we have to get going," I said. "Did you already pay him?" she asked, pointing to the owner. "Yep, we're square," I said, honestly believing Brandon had already paid.
I then went to the restroom myself, and when I came back out, I saw B at the counter paying our tab.
Whoops!
I promise, Bartender-lady, whoever you are, I was not trying to slip out without paying!
75. Twin City Tavern (West Plaza, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
76. The New Point (West Plaza, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
77. Westport Flea Market (Westport, Kansas City, MO) [see details]817 Westport Rd
Kansas City, MO 64111
(816) 931-1986
http://www.westportfleamarket.com/Rating: Price:
Restaurant bar
Bar with GREAT burgers. Also weekly karaoke.
Used to have an actual flea market there, that's largely gone now. On one past visit carried our beers around among all the flea market booths and had a conversation with a guy who tried to justify why he wanted $3,200 for a 1920s electric fan.
78. Dark Horse Tavern (Westport, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
79. Harpo's Restaurant Bar (Westport, Kansas City, MO) [see details]4109 Pennsylvania Ave
Kansas City, MO 64111
(816) 753-3434
http://harposkc.com/Rating: Price:
Outdoor seating
Popular among college kids for it's 75-cent draws of Natural Light... you'll see college kids loading up trays with dozens at a time. Much of the draw comes from UMKC. One of the few bars I've been to where the multi-urinal men's room has a long line outside the door.
That aside, this place has an AWESOME patio.
80. Blayney's of Westport (Westport, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
81. Levee Bar & Grill (Westport, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
82. Side Kicks Saloon (Midtown, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
83. Buddies (Midtown, Kansas City, MO) [see details]3715 Main St
Kansas City, MO 64111
(816) 561-2600
http://www.buddieskc.com/Rating: Price:
Dive bar
Gay bar
This ended up being one of the most fun places we went to. It was laid back, relaxed, and friendly.
B played pool with a lesbian with a mullet. While he was waiting for his next turn a guy came over and flirted with him briefly.
"I'm winning," B told me, refering not to the pool game but to getting hit on.
But later I got checked out, blatantly and repeatedly, by a guy who was chatting with me while I was using the restroom.
After I told B this, I was declared the winner. ;)
84. Lava Room (Westport, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
85. Chez Charlie's (Westport, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
86. Caddy Shack (Columbus Park, Kansas City, MO) [see details]700 E 3rd St
Kansas City, MO 64106
(816) 421-4742
Rating: Price:
Dive bar
Sports bar
Outdoor seating
Caddyshack, or "The Shack" as many of the regulars refer to it, is a popular dive bar and night spot for downtown Kansas City barhoppers.
On our first visit in 2006 we were warmly greeted by our bartender, who asked our names and immediately engaged us in conversation. The owner, Joe, came out to meet us as well. On subsequent visits we have learned that Joe makes it a habit of getting to know his customers, circulating among the crowd saying hello and making conversation.
The interior of the bar is divided into two main sections. The front section contains booths and low tables surrounded by office chairs. The back section contains a mix of high and low bar tables interspersed among the pool tables.
Caddyshack features free popcorn, optionally seasoned with their special blend of spices, and has recently begun making their own pizza. The pizza is Sicilian style, based upon a recipe Joe has been making for over 30 years, and is available until 2:00am. Other standard bar foods are also available.
Entertainment includes pool tables and other usual bar games. About once a month they have a karaoke night that is wildly popular, often drawing standing-room-only crowds.
In 2007 though early 2008 Caddyshack underwent an extensive renovation. In addition to fixing up the bathrooms and cleaning up the interior, the unused back patio was closed and a new, much bigger patio was built on the building's east side. The picture a the top this article was taken before construction, the new patio sits off the right-hand side of that photo. This patio is now one of the busiest spots downtown after 1:30am.
87. Red Front Bar & Grill (Downtown, Kansas City, MO) [see details]310 Admiral Blvd
Kansas City, MO 64106
(816) 472-0569
http://www.myspace.com/redfrontkcRating: Price:
Dive bar
Dance floor
Restaurant bar
Lounge
Live music
or karaoke
Outdoor seating
From the web site:
The Red Front Bar is located on Admiral Blvd. in the heart of downtown. A great place to sit down and relax after a long day of work or maybe the perfect place to start your night out on the town, however it is common for a person to sit down at Red Front for the whole night. Our great bartenders can mix up anything you request. Play some music on the Juke Box or make your own music on the Karaoke machine. Hang outside on our new deck! Red Front is a place to relax with old friends, make new friends, and even dance the night away! The perfect place for b-day, bachelorette, and bachelor parties.
88. Tarantino's (Downtown, Kansas City, MO) [see details]MOVED - No longer at this location.
Now located at 13th & Locust, Kansas City, MO
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(Formerly
The Garage)
601 Mcgee St
Kansas City, MO 64106
(816) 421-0043
Rating: Price:
Dive bar
Restaurant bar
Fantastic pizza/calzone/sandwich joint with limited bar
89. The Stables (Downtown, Kansas City, MO) [see details]813 Walnut St
Kansas City, MO 64106
(816) 842-2016
Rating: Price:
Dive bar
Recently renovated, the bar features a country-western décor and a jukebox playing '50s rock. Food is served at lunchtime.
This is the only bar in downtown Kansas City that is closed on Saturdays.
90. 12th Street Rag (Downtown, Kansas City, MO) [see details]200 W 12th St
Kansas City, MO 64105
(816) 421-6800
Lounge
In the lobby of the Kansas City Marriott Downtown
91. Zoo Bar (Arena District, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
Open Monday thru Saturday, 11am to 1:30am. Mon-Thurs call ahead before arriving late as it sometimes closes early during the week.
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1220 Mcgee St
Kansas City, MO 64106
(816) 842-6060
http://www.myspace.com/kczoobarRating: Price:
Dive bar
Zoo Bar is a place that so few people know about and is so hard to find, that oftentimes first-time visitors have no idea what to expect and may feel a little nervous. Instead they are surprised to find themselves inside what is probably the friendliest and most laid-back place in town. I would venture to call it the best dive bar in Kansas City. And that can't be far from the truth, to be thriving after nearly 26 years and counting in a location where none of its neighbors have lasted.
The bar is very small... in fact the bar itself takes about half of the usable space. There are seats for maybe about 25, but no one seems to mind standing when they have to.
The most striking feature of Zoo Bar is the graffiti covering its walls, ceiling, and nearly every other accessible permanent surface other than the bar itself. In the mid 1980s the bar was repainted and patrons threw such a fit about loss of the scrawlings that it has never been painted since. More than 20 years of Zoo Bar history is now inscribed upon the walls. Many people just leave their name and the date, while others draw pictures or write a sentence or two about the visit. Markers are left out on the bar for anyone who wants to add themselves to the ink-on-paint tapestry.
Another feature Zoo Bar is very proud of is its old flip-style CD jukebox. The owner and bartenders have spent years editing and refining the mix of selections, literally agonizing over what CD to remove if a new one is added. The result is such a well-balanced mix of music that almost any visitor can find music they like, yet no matter what gets played it fits the style of the bar perfectly. Occasionally spontaneous bar dancing has been known to break out.
Zoo Bar has no beer taps, but it does have nearly 30 varieties of beer in bottles and cans. This includes several premium and foreign beers as well. And as long as it doesn't require a blender (which no real drink ever should... especially a drink in a dive bar), the bartenders can mix up just about anything else you may want. Most importantly, this is one the cheapest places to drink in downtown Kansas City.
The bartenders are all a fun bunch. Ronnie or Ellen (who was the first bartender I met there back in 2006) will take care if you during the daytime, while Carol, the Sarahs, Cameron, Samantha, or Shizzy will be happy to serve you at night. Collectively the bartending staff call themselves the Zooettes. Except for Cameron, of course.
On Saturday the bar offers a free lunch buffet. All of the food is home cooked, usually by the owner and often with a bit of a kick of spices. The menu changes each weekend and is usually written on the whiteboard inside the front door a day or two in advance.
The owner, Preston Cain, is a friendly guy who often will stop in at some point in the evening. An attorney who practices out of the law office above the bar, Preston runs the bar almost as a hobby. Preston took over operation after the original owner, prosecuting attorney Ray Webb, passed away. A ceiling tile commemorating Webb sits behind the bar, while Preston is showcased in magic marker on the opposite wall.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
When I made my first visit to Zoo in June 2006, a friend and I were looking for a place that we did not know for certain even still existed. We had only a name and a general idea of the location that I had picked up from a 2-year-old list of businesses mentioned in a bicycle blog. Indeed, the Zoo Bar was so hard to find that we looked directly at it several times, from right across the street, and did not see it. The only signage was a small engraved wooden sign inside the window. Somehow I caught this sign out of the corner of my eye as we were giving up the hunt and walking away.
When we stepped inside, everyone inside stared at us and we realized we were intruders in a very private, close-knit community. So we was surprised when the moment of silence was broken with "Welcome to the Zoo!" as a woman moved her coat in order to offer us a place to sit.
The regulars were a mix of lawyers, government workers, and construction workers. Ellen, our bartender, opened our cans of beer while we began talking with the gang about topics ranging from a tragic bicycle accident that had occurred around the corner an hour earlier, to KCTV's Katie Horner, to people having sex at a nearby bus stop. One Zoo fixture, a man named Les, gave us a lesson on the health benefits of drinking Goldschlager.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Zoo Bar opened on October 24, 1982, in the southeast corner of a 2-story law office building at 12th & McGee. It was the direct descendant of Up The Street, a bar that had opened in 1977 on the 12th Street side of the same building. It was a lawyer hangout and featured pool tables in its back room (a room that today is the wig shop next door). In 1984 a fire closed the bar for a few months.
In the late 1990s downtown went into a slide and most of the bars along what was once a mighty dive bar row closed. Eventually only Zoo Bar remained. It operated as a daytime-only bar for years, supported by the daily visits of a small but very dedicated group of regulars. (Many of whom are still regulars today.) The larger back room was walled off, becoming retail space that today serves as the wig shop operating next door. What remained was the tiny sliver of a bar that we see today, with the cutouts that used to allow access to the back room still obvious at both ends of the bar.
In early 2007, anticipating increased foot traffic from the new Sprint Center and Power & Light District, additional bartenders were hired and a night shift was added. Lighted beer signs were added for the first time, and exterior signage was put up. The gamble paid off, and Zoo Bar's patronage has increased tremendously. At night Zoo becomes a favorite hangout of downtown residents and visitors to the new entertainment venues.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Today Zoo is a place where adults of all ages and all walks of life enjoy relaxing. There's never a band -- only the jukebox -- and the TVs are rarely on (usually just for Royals games) so it's a good place for conversation. And with the small space, conversations usually end up spreading to include diverse groups of people who would otherwise normally never likely cross paths. It's the kind of place where everyone treats each other right and looks out for each other.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Because of the new signs Zoo Bar isn't as hard to find today as it was when I first visited, but it can still be a bit of a challenge. It is located on McGee, immediately north of the Sprint Center, about halfway up the block. It is directly across the street from the McGee Street entrance to the Board of Education building. If you are driving, note that McGee is one-way northbound, and accessible only from 13th Street which is one-way westbound. There is no parking lot but the metered spaces out front are free evenings and weekends. Still, being adjacent to the Sprint center and only 1 block from the Power & Light District, many visitors walk there from other downtown destinations.
92. Grinders (East Crossroads, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
93. The Brick (East Crossroads, Kansas City, MO) [see details]1727 Mcgee St
Kansas City, MO 64108
(816) 421-1634
http://www.thebrickkcmo.com/Rating: Price:
Dive bar
Restaurant bar
Live music
or karaoke
Monday-Saturday
11:00 AM - 3:00 AM
Sunday
Noon - Midnite
Good food, delivered until 10pm. Popular hipster live music venue.
94. Cigar Box (East Crossroads, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
95. J P Wine Bar (Crossroads, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
96. Screenland Theatre bar (West Side, Kansas City, MO) [see details]1656 Washington St
Kansas City, MO 64108
(816) 421-2900
http://screenland.com/Rating: Price: Because we arrived here well after the start of the night's last feature, the bartender seemed puzzled by our arrival.
"Um, we're just here to have a drink," Seth said.
A smile grew across the bartender's face. "That's the coolest thing I've heard all night! Come have a seat!"
The Screenland shows current indy flicks along with choice "classics" from time to time. While we drank, I made sure to note that there are three very important films they NEED to show as part of their classics series. "Flash Gordon, Clash of the Titans, and The Last Dragon."
Flash, The Kraken, and Leroy?!? You can all thank me later.
97. P R's Place (West Side, Kansas City, MO) [see details]1741 Washington St
Kansas City, MO 64108
(816) 421-9746
Rating: Price:
Dive bar
Sports bar
Lounge
Located on the eastern edge of Kansas City's West Side, PR's Place is a popular hangout for Kansas City's hispanic population while virtually unknown among the artists and hipsters found only a block to the east. You might drive right by this place and not realize it's a bar, the exterior might make one think more of a dentist office.
PR's has an inviting, comfortable interior and one of the more eclectic jukebox catalogs we've seen. It's also a popular place for watching sports -- especially soccer. If you are a fan of the World Cup this is a great place to watch it. There are no beer taps, but bottles and cans are plentiful and cheap.
98. John's Big Deck (Library District, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
99. Ponak's Mexican Kitchen (West Side, Kansas City, MO) [see details]
100. Characters Sports Bar / The Raging Buffalo (Lamoni, IA) [see details]
101. Bears Den Pub (Leon, IA) [see details]
102. Poor Boys Lounge (Decatur, IA) [see details]
103. K Town Legends (Kellerton, IA) [see details]102 Decatur St
Kellerton, IA 50133
(641) 783-2300
Rating: