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Platte City, MO

#1: The Pool Hall
238 Main St
Platte City, MO 64079
(816) 858-9989
[Map & Info]

We actually came to Platte City expecting to visit Outlaws, but we found that place long gone (it's something else now) but The Pool Hall was open right next door.

We had a seat at the rustic wooden bar, designed to look sort of like a stable or maybe a blacksmith shoppe. Behind us some gentlemen where playing poker at the tables, and far in the back were a couple of pool tables. We were offered menus, but I had already eaten and B wasn't quite ready to eat yet.

Weston, MO

First off, I need to apologize to Andee and Cory, friends of mine who co-own O'Malley's. We were very short on time today and wanted to focus on bars that neither of us had been to before. But, in retrospect, we should have stopped in for a few minutes anyway. :( Even through neither of you were in there the last time I came in. :)

#2: TD's Bunkhouse
17965 N Hwy. 45
Weston, MO 64098
(816) 386-2196
[Map & Info]

I must have driven past this place several times and never noticed it, it's well hidden from the main road. Most online mapping services get the location wrong (it's correct in my map link above, though) so it took some serious online sleuthing to find the real location before heading up this way.

Situated at the far end of a huge gravel lot, this place looks smaller than it actually is. Inside the bar area is in the front, while the back half has tables, games, and a small stage area for bands.

#3: Music Box Saloon
17985 State Route 45 N
Weston, MO 64098
(816) 640-2640
[Map & Info]

This is another one that mapping sites get wrong. In fact if you were on my TD's Bunkhouse map & info page above and then clicked the link on that to Music Box, the mapping tool would give you directions taking you half a mile away. Actually it's just across the same gravel parking lot.

This place was big, and obviously catered to live bands and dancing. At not quite noon, though, we were the only people in there.

B noticed this doorknob to nowhere, evidently a door that at some point was converted into a window:

The upper wall of the bar area was lined with classic vintage beer cans. One in particular caught my eye:

#4: RJ's Bar
707 Thomas St
Weston, MO 64098
(816) 386-5258
[Map & Info]

This was a charming downtown dive. The main room was much smaller than I expected from the outside. Later I noticed an additional room, with games, located past a swinging door that I had mistaken for an employees-only area.

Leavenworth, KS

In nearly 40 years each of living in the KC area, I had been to Leavenworth once nearly 20 years ago, while B had never been. It's definitely a lot closer that it seems and we got a lot of good bars in. I believe we visited about 2/3 of the bars available in town. Most of these were walking distance from each other.

We learned that evidently there is a local liquor law requiring that only restaurants may serve alcohol, except for private clubs. So every tavern we went to was private and we had to fill out membership cards.

#5: Marfield's Pub
312 N 2nd St
Leavenworth, KS 66048
(913) 651-4401
[Map & Info]

As we pulled up we saw the "Esplanade Tavern" signs and the Mexican style architecture and decided this would be where we'd have lunch. "Mexican sounds great right about now!" said B as we got out of the car.

Then we rounded the car and saw the "Marfield's Pub" sign in the front. Huh?

Once seating inside we asked the bartender about the confusion.

"Oh, this is Marfield's, an Irish pub," she said as she handed us menus that contained food neither of us were in the mood for, as we were expecting Mexican. "A few years ago we were sandblasting the building to repaint it and that old sign appeared under all the layers of paint, we decided to keep it, something historic."

I was happy to at least be able to get a Guinness, but the taps were down so i had to settle for a bottle of Coors Light.

#6: High Noon Saloon & Brewery
206 Choctaw St
Leavenworth, KS 66048
(913) 682-4876
[Map & Info]

This place was unbelievably huge, quite possibly the biggest bar I've ever been in. We both had the stout. B thought it was a little too sweet, I didn't agree at the time but after I finished I noticed the sweetness in the aftertaste. At $4 a pint the prices weren't bad for this type of place.

The men's room had a couple of eye charts: one of a stripper that gets smaller as she undresses and one telling you that if you can still read it you need more beer. There was also a flow chart for determining whether it is time to go home.

#7: Our Place
313 Delaware St
Leavenworth, KS 66048
(913) 682-3523
[Map & Info]

By now the sky was clear and the sun was bright, so we were completely blinded upon entering this totally dark bar. We felt our way to some seats and as our eyes adjusted the bartender did an ID check. (In retrospect I'm surprised we didn't have to fill out membership cards.)

Once we had finished our drinks our eyes had adjusted, so we were re-blinded by the sun and white sidewalk upon leaving.

#8: Sweetwoods Bar & Grille
325 Delaware St
Leavenworth, KS 66048
(913) 680-1670
[Map & Info]

This was a clean, well-lit, open place. A band was setting up in front, and we grabbed some lunch while watching golf and baseball on the TVs.

#9: Fatheads Irish Pub
327 Delaware St
Leavenworth, KS 66048
(913) 651-1006
[Map & Info]

This was the first place we went to to make us fill out membership cards. This was a split-level bar, the bar area was down a half flight of stairs from an initial seating area, then below that initial area was a third room.

I don't understand the concept of places that call themselves Irish pubs but don't have Guinness on tap. We grabbed our Bud Lights and went to the back corner to play some Silver Strike.

#10: Cyclone
610 Cherokee St
Leavenworth, KS 66048
(913) 651-0446
[Map & Info]

This was a very nicely done biker bar, we were very impressive with the place. Our bartender was pretty cool. I couldn't help but notice her heavily tattooed arms, but B quickly spotted what I didn't for a long time -- it was actually a tight, flesh-colored shirt with tattoo print on the sleeves.

We took in an episode of "Cash Cab" on the big screen before walking down to the next place.

#11: Tom's Country Stampede
745 Cherokee St
Leavenworth, KS 66048
(913) 682-7085
[Map & Info]

We walked in and immediately felt the "who are you and what are you doing here?" vibe from the regulars. The bar was completely full, but it wrapped around to a small room in the back so we walked around to that corner looking for an empty seat. I could feel all the eyes in the place following us as we did so. Finding no seats, we walked around to the front.

"Now that you've had the tour, you gonna order something?" gruffed the bartender. The entire place erupted in laughter at our expense. I timidly got the beers, and as I paid for them the bartender asked if we had membership cards.

"Not yet," I said, "do we need to fill them out?"

"Naw, forget it," he said. I think he figured we weren't worth the trouble and not at all likely to become regulars.

#12: Club Savage
813 Cherokee St
Leavenworth, KS 66048
(phone unknown)
[Map & Info]

Formerly the Firehouse Club, also formerly Creamy's Place. We almost did not come here because our research had given us the impression that this place was very private and exclusive and would not likely let us in. Instead it turned out to be one of the best stops of the day. We quickly filled out membership and spent our entire visit in nonstop conversation with the bartender and one of the regulars.

#13: Little Bar
1431 10th Ave
Leavenworth, KS 66048
(913) 758-0036
[Map & Info]

We weren't sure if this was really open or not, the Google Maps Street View did not look promising. But, because of the lit porch light, we decided to assume that maybe the Street View images were taken on a Sunday. We're glad we made that assumption and went out of our way, because this turned out to be a good find!

Little Bar appears to be a converted gas station from the 1930s or so. The actual bar has seating for about 5 and had no room for us, luckily some time in the past a couple of small additions were made so we were able to squeeze into 2 chairs around a tiny table holding a trivia machine. The people here were very friendly and welcomed us among them. This was probably our best find of the day.

Platte Woods, MO

#14: Gator's VIII Bar & Grill
6712 NW Tower Dr
Platte Woods, MO 64151
(816) 741-0631
[Map & Info]

I'd long suspected that there ought to be a bar in this location, but despite numerous drive-bys and Google searches I couldn't come up with anything. Which bothered me because I didn't like that my BARDAR was not functioning correctly.

It turns out I was right after all, there is a bar here, but it's virtually impossible to see from the road. But being hidden doesn't seem to hurt business, Gator's was absolutely jam-packed. We barely found room to stand around a Silver Strike machine.

Kansas City, MO

#15: The Brass Rail
4940 NE 81st St
Kansas City, MO 64119
(816) 468-6100
[Map & Info]

This is definitely not the same type of Brass Rail as the other Brass Rail I've been to. Basically a gigantic pool hall with a bar. We got in another round of Silver Strike here.

This was an unplanned stop. I was minutes away from dropping B off at this home when his wife called and asked us to stay out later so she could get the baby to sleep. That's a once-in-a-lifetime phone call, so we pulled over at the first place we found to kill some more time. :)