He needed to visit a family member in Iowa that Saturday morning, and he had a wedding reception for an old college friend he wanted to go to in Bethany, MO, that same evening.   But he had nothing to do in-between.

“Want to ride up with me, ad we can got to a few bars in the afternoon?” he asked me.

“Sure thing!” I replied.

Little did we realize when we set out early on the morning of July 10, 2010 that we’d end up visiting 11 towns and 17 new bars plus one repeat.  Nor did we realize that what we were  in store for would be the best one-day road trip of all I have taken since we started doing this back in 2006!

Our route, as admired by the bartender at one of the out-of-the-way towns we visited.

To make this easier to read, I’ve broken the journey into separate posts:

• Part 1:  Woodburn, Iowa.  A Little Town that Let Me Down.
• Part 2: Chariton, Iowa…  Some Time to Kill
• Part 3: Williamson and Columbia, IA.  One down the drain, the other a dream come true.
• Part 4: Knoxville, Iowa.  Off to the Races!
• Part 5: A Pleasantville Surprise…
• Part 6: Milo, Iowa.   A Side Trip that was Well Worth It.
• Part 7: Indianola, Iowa.  Winding down the day.
• Part 8: Heading Home — Martensdale, IA and Bethany, MO

Enjoy!

We were extremely late for a wedding reception in Bethany, MO, still at least a ninety minute drive away.   We were flying down Iowa-92, when suddenly my friend’s arm flew across my chest to point at something out the window.

“WHAT’S THAT?!?” he exclaimed.

Why, it was the glow of neon lights signaling the presence of a Bonus Bar.

What’s a Bonus Bar? One that we didn’t know existed. Though we had passed one a short time earlier in Indianola, this one was so unexpected we decided we just had to stop.

#17 (#752): Roadside Inn

325 N Highway 28
Martensdale, IA 50160
(641) 764-2667

[map] [web]

Most of the place was a restaurant, which was now closed, but there was a smaller sports bar to the right. We settled down at the bar.

We told our bartender, Kelsi, of our predicament — that we had to stop in but were incredibly late for a wedding reception and needed to get in and out fast.

She recommended some Apple Pie shots, as she had them already made up. I actually don’t like the taste of apple, but we were on a mission so I did what I needed to do. :)

But that didn’t matter, it turned out the party was still going strong!

Now, this reception was at a bar we had been to before.   And we wondered both why and how, and this place was tiny, rickety, and run down.

But it turns out that since we last visited a new owner poured a lot of money into the place, doubling its size and making it somewhat classy!

#18 (Repeat of #491): Long Creek Saloon

205 S 16th St
Bethany, MO 64424
(660) 425-8650

[map]

From my 2008 visit:

We had this down on our list as the “Double D Saloon” so it must have changed hands in the recent past. This place was pretty busy, filled with rough-and-tough looking dudes ranging in age from their late 20s to late 60s. One older guy near the door in this small room chatted loudly on his phone with some people who had apparently gone to the wrong bar while others shot him annoyed glances as they tried to pay attention to the episode of “Gunsmoke” playing on the TV.

From my 2010 visit:

Wow, what a difference! This place has really re-invented itself. The new owner has somehow made it twice the size it used to be even through the exterior change is very subtle. It’s also been fixed up a lot on the inside. The bar itself is new, curved, and seats a lot more people. It’s almost what you’d call a classy joint! :) The crowd seems younger than what I remember from the past, and the additional space means Long Creek can now host live music.

Turns out 11pm wasn’t a bad time to get here after all!   The band was playing (a cover band that was actually very good) and the people were friendly.   It was good for my friend to get to catch up.   We had a few beers, did a celebratory shot of vodka with the bride and groom, and hung out until after midnight.

Finally, it was time to head on home…

This ended up being a really good day.    Never did I imagine that when my buddy asked me a few days earlier to come with him that this would turn into the best single-day road trip we’d ever taken.   I can’t wait for the next one!

We arrived in Indianola, now considerably behind schedule.   The sun was setting, and we still had to get to a wedding reception in Bethany, MO nearly a 2 hour drive away.   But we were on a mission, and there were beers (and a pizza) here for us to consume.

We ducked into Pete’s Pizza, our dinner destination we had decided on earlier in the day.   It was packed, so we placed our order and headed out to get a drink.

#12 (#747): The Zoo

102 W. Ashland Ave
Indianola, IA 50125
(515) 961-8731

[map] [web]

I’ve been wanting to come here for over a year due to it having the same name as my hangout back home. It ended up being just as much fun as I’d been hoping.

We stepped in the front door and immediately found ourselves on a landing with a choice of going downstairs or upstairs. We chose downstairs first and found a room with pool tables, but no one else was down there. We went upstairs next and found the main bar, complete with a popcorn cart and the usual video games.

Our bartender was Jesse, and he was a very nice guy. The bartender at Main Street Station back in Milo had told us to request something called “FMS shots”. We handed the note she wrote to Jesse and he whipped them up for us, on the house.
We never did find out what exactly the FMS shot is, but it’s fruity and it’s the house specialty.

118 North Howard St
Indianola, IA 50125
(515) 961-7797
[map] [web]

We had placed our order when we first arrived in town, and now it was time to head back and eat. We grabbed a table by the bar, got a couple of beers, and settled in.
Because of the pizza, there were a lot of families here. The place was actually pretty much packed, unlike the other places we visited while in town.

The pizza is cracker thin crust and thick with cheese, smothering the toppings. The sauce is rich and sweet. It was a great pizza, one of the best we’ve found on our years of this trips. I definitely recommend it!

The space itself is divided in three sections. In the front is a game room with a pool table, Pop-a-Shot, and video games. In the middle is a narrow bar area, which we sat at the edge of. The far back is the dining area, which is where all the families were.

On our way out we ran into the owner, and we gave her our heartfelt thanks for such a good pizza. :)

Indianola is home to the National Balloon Museum and has an annual balloon festival.

While we were here my friend used the restroom.   A few minutes later he came out all anxious and asked to borrow my camera.  It was something so important he had even forgotten to zip up.   He disappeared back into the men’s room and returned a minute later, smiling.    I later found this on my camera:

Gee, thanks. (Turns out he erased it right after takingf the picture.)

Panorama of the game room. Use the slider below the photo to view.

118 E. Ashland Ave
Indianola, IA 50125
(515) 961-9026

[map] [web]

This was a very small bar, with darts and video slots. The wood-grained interior was considerably nicer than what I’d expected from the outside.

I noticed a patio in the back and we decided to check it out. It turns out the covered patio is almost twice as big as the indoor portion of the bar, and this is where most of the people were. We found ourselves a table and had a seat. There was a stage in the far back, but if anyone would be playing it musn’t have been anytime soon.

Due to a clerical error made back in Williamsburg earlier that afternoon, we thought this was my 750th bar. At the next table a group of women were celebrating a birthday. My friend talked them into getting my picture taken with them in celebration of the milestone.

Though it ended up not being my 750th after all, the next bar would be and they happened to be going to the same place. So they led us around the block to our next bar.

My prematurely celebratory photo…

206 North Howard St
Indianola, IA 50125
(515) 961-0081‎

[map] [web]

The birthday group from the previous bar led us to Mojo’s. There was a strong smell of paint or varnish so they must have just done some sort of work recently.

This was now the real bar #750, so the birthday group took a picture of us.

After a round of shots the birthday group said goodbye and left for Des Moines. We adjourned to the back room for some games while we finished our beers. We ended up playing Lawn Darts, Bags, and Silver Strike.

My 750th bar!

Panorama of the back room. Use the slider below the photo to view.

Urinal putty…

100 North Howard St
Indianola, IA 50125
(515) 961-9740

[map]

When we had mentioned earlier that we were going to The Irishman, the people we were talking to winced.

Normally we like dirty dives, but something about this place was off. It had the usual pool table and video slots, but it just felt bland and unfriendly. We decided to chug our drinks and hurry out.

Unfortunately we were now VERY late for the wedding reception in Bethany, MO and we had a long way to go.   This meant we also had to skip another planned bar in Indianola, The Sports Page, on our way out of town.  It pained us very much to see that pass by our windows.

Onward to the reception! …

Milo, Iowa was always going to be a last-minute decision. We were on a schedule, and Milo was about thirty minutes out of our way. But we ended up making good time and decided to go for it. I’m glad we did!

Heading down the main street, we came to an “obstruction” in the road.    We’ve seen these many, many times on our road trips — towns too small for a town square will often build something in the center of the main intersection in town.   In this case, a gazebo…

You can’t really tell in the photos, but downtown Milo was PACKED.   There were cars everywhere, I was amazed we were able to park as close as we did.   (We’d later find out there was a wedding reception underway.)

#11 (#746): Main Street Station

120 Main St.
Milo, IA 50166
(641) 942-6401

[map] [web]

The Main Street Station has multiple rooms, all in one big line. There were pool tables throughout. The bar itself is fairly small and about in the middle of the building, to the left of it is a kitchen.

After we got our beers we met the owners, Serena and Jeff. Our bartender’s name was Cindy. Jeff was busy working the pizza oven, while Serena and Cindy were making umbrellas in preparation for a luau.

The main feature of the menu is wood-fired pizza, using a pizza oven imported from Italy. Pizza was indeed part of our plan for the evening. They very nearly talked us into it, but we had already committed to another place later in the evening for our pizza fix.

So, instead, the bartender bought us Jell-o “shots”. And I use the term “shots” likely, because these suckers were H-U-G-E! Almost a meal in and of themselves. :) They had to be chewed up and eaten in several bites.
There had been a wedding reception underway across the street, and a couple of people from there came over to the Main Street Station about the time we were working on our Jell-o. We got to talking with them and when they heard of our barhopping adventures they bought us another round. Thanks!!! :)

The menu…

Serena demostrates the  train whistle…

Cindy realized how  far we went out of our way…

Selby Grill

Unfortunately, when we stepped inside, we found it packed wall-to-wall.   Mostly families with kids.   Lots and lots of kids.   Turns out they well ice cream here, and it was a very hot day.   So we decided to skip this one.

With both the detour, the Jell-o, and the extra round, this detour ended up taking us from an hour ahead of schedule to an hour behind schedule. But it was well worth it, this is where we had the most fun all day! Funny how the places that are the most out-of-the-way end up being the best.

We continued on down the road towards Indianola.   For real, this time…

We left Knoxville, Iowa, speeding along towards Indianola.   Though our bellies were full, we were somehow WAY ahead of schedule.     We decided to make a side trip to the town of Milo, and began plotting our course.

We made a wrong turn at a major highway intersection, soon corrected with a U-turn.   A few minutes later, my friend noticed a passing highway sign.

“So there’s no bars in Pleasantville?” he asked me!

“Oh, crap!” I replied, “I forgot all about Pleasantville!”

A slam of the brakes, a quick turn down a side road, and a few minutes later we had backtracked to the town we nearly forgot to visit.

And it’s a good thing, too.  Had we forgotten completely, or gotten there at any other time, we’d have completely missed out on what would turn out to be the visual highlight of the day.

But first, the bar…

#10 (#745): Back In The Day Lounge

107 N. Jefferson
Pleasantville, IA 50225
(515) 848-3642

[map]

So here we were in Pleasantville, Iowa.  The town which, in the online marketing of the 1998 movie of the same name, you could win a trip to visit.  (No foolin’!)

“So, must be time for a shot! Huh, fellas?” shouted the bartender as we walked in.

The booths and decor in this bar, as well as the exterior shape, make me think it was once a hot dog place or an ice cream parlor.

There was a pool table, a jukebox, MegaTouch, and video slots. The men’s room sink, while still high, was significantly lower than its counterparts back in Knoxville.

There were several people inside the bar, however far more were outside on the “carport”-covered patio.

We finished up our beer and began heading out of town.    As we neared the city limits, something zipped past us going the opposite direction.    Something too good to miss.   Something we had to track down and photograph.

We turned around and began the chase as i got the camera ready.   But where was it? That sucker was fast!   We’d spot it, only for it to turn and shake us.

After a few minutes of cat and mouse, we finally got ahead of it and then were able to stay on its tail when it turned again…

Good stuff… we don’t get to see things like this back home.  :)     Finds like this are what I love most about going to small towns over big cities.

Pictures taken, it was time to get back on the road for Indianola.    But in the end, we did decide to take a little side trip first…

After Columbia we headed north into Knoxville, a town known for racing.   In fact there was a race scheduled to begin in a few hours, and everyone we met assumed we were here for the races.

We began by hitting up the three bars on the main drag…

#5 (#740): VFW Post 3519

413 S Lincoln St
Knoxville, IA 50138
(641) 842-3519

[map]

From the Google Maps Street View of this place, we were unable to determine in advance if this would be a bar that was open to the public or not. Even when we arrived in the parking lot, where a vendor was selling produce, we weren’t certain. It wasn’t until we saw the “Must be 21 to enter” sign on the door that we knew for sure.

This is a nice place. Our bartender’s name was Trish and she was very friendly. She gave us lots of good info about the other bars in town.

This bar featured a pool table, a MegaTouch machine, and several video slots and video poker machines.

I had a good enough time here that I needed a souvenier, so I bought myself an official VFW Post 3519 beer koozie.

When we left we found this in the parking lot…

#6 (#741): Dan’s Village Pump

210 N Lincoln St.
Knoxville, IA 50138
(641) 842-4444

[map]

The glare of the sun in this Google Maps Street View image left us with virtually no advance knowledge about this bar. We had narrowed it down to likely being one of these buildings, but with virtually no other online presence we really had little to go on.

Nonetheless we pulled into the parking lot of what turned out to be a tiny motel, and after a moment spotted the bar’s entrance in the white building on the corner.

This was a small room, with a pool table and video slots surrounding a small L-shaped bar. We took the last two available stools in the back corner.

Dan, for whom the bar is named, passed away in 2008.   Our bartender was a nice woman with a good sense of humor.  She asked where we were from and wondered how we found her way to the bar.   She pointed out that I was sitting next to the pump, and for some reason I responded by inserting my finger into the pump’s spigot. I immediately yanked it back out.

“I should know better than to stick my finger into random holes in an unfamiliar bar,” I said.

“Yeah, you probably shouldn’t stick any part of you in any hole in this place,” she said with a laugh.

Speaking of holes, the sink in the men’s room was stainless steel rounded by a kitchen-like countertop. But, most noteworthy, it was chest-high. We’d soon learn that for some reason that’s a staple in this town.

The pump…

The bar’s “turtelope”, rumored to have been pumped out of the bar’s pump as a baby.

---

#7 (#742): Dingus Lounge

713 N. Lincoln St.
Knoxville, IA 50138
(641) 842-2010

[map] [web]

This was a place we had to go to just for the name alone. However it was a challenge to find. First problem: Google Maps had the location off by more than a block. Second problem: address numbers on buildings were view and far between. Final problem… the bar’s sign, which I later found in Street View, was missing. We finally managed to find the place after we flagged down a local in a golf cart and asked for help.

Inside the walls are painted cinder blocks, covered in years of graffiti similar to Zoo Bar back home.

There were a few customers at first but as we settled inm to place some Golden Tee (which we had to abandon and go for Silver Strike as Golden Tee was broken), it emptied out. Nonetheless the staff were busily preparing, as races would be underway at the speedway across the street in a few hours and this place would be packed.

In addition to the Silver Strike / Broken Golden Tee, there was a pool table, video slots, and an ATM.

The bartender was unable to find any marker, but we dug some out of the car and made our own marks on the walls of the bar.

The poor toilet. It must be lonely playing second fiddle to the irresistable draw of a stainless steel wedge-shaped trough.

By the way, I’d swear the chest-high sink here was even higher.

---

After we finished these three bars it was time to head downtown for a couple more on the square…

Knoxville's courthouse

Vinery in downtown Knoxville

#8 (#743): American Legion Post 168

314 E. Robinson St.
Knoxville, IA 50138
(641) 842-2308

[map]

Based on how this American Legion looks on the outside, we didn’t originally expect there to be a bar at all. But Trish back at the VFW assured us it was all bar.

Sure enugh, inside we found a weird, angular bar (almost sigma-shaped but not quite) with a gap in the center. There were no pool tables, but there was a poker table. As usual around here, video slots were also present.

There were four TVs in the bar, and two two that were on were tuned to “Heartbreak Ridge”.

I liked these sketches of historic buildings in Knoxville.

---

#9 (#744): Sandals Lounge

208 E. Robinson St.
Knoxville, IA 50138
(641) 828-2016

[map] [web]

This turned out to be a basement bar. It was a HUGE place. Several pool tables, darts, foosball, and video slots. There was an area for bands.

The men’s room was painted a blinding shade of chartreuse, and the sink inside was the highest I have ever encounter at any bar anywhere. It was nearly at my nipples. And I’m tall.

The highlight of the visit came as my friend was outside making a phone call. A drunk biker became very agitated while telling the story of a recent visit to the dentist. His story turned into a an obscenity-laced tirade against his dentist, then doctors and lawyers, and finally all people with white-collar jobs. “It’s a good thing for blue collar people keeping things running,” he said. “Glad we’re all blue collar here.”

Then he spotted me.

“YOU!!!” he shouted, pointing at me. “You’re not white-collar, are you?!?”

“Ummm…” I replied, “Uh… I want to live, so, ummm, no comment?”

“What do you do?” he asked me.

“I’m a computer programmer,” he said.

He mulled that over for a moment.

“Well, I’m sure you’re writing programs for The Man, so you’re okay.”

Here is a small except of his rant, captured on my phone…

I was curious as to the purpose of this door, seeing that it can’t be opened without completely removing the toilet.

---

We were making great time, and began to ponder a little side trip on our way to Indianola…

]]>

This is where our trip through Iowa took a turn for the odd.

It began when we arrived in Williamson, IA, to visit the Williamson Tavern [map].    Williamson Tavern is home of the Poppa Burger — a burger the size of a large dinner plate.   However we pulled up out front to find two grizzly-looking men working on a complicated piece of plumbing pipe and a sign on the door stating the tavern was closed through July 12.   It was only July 10.    Bummer.

We continued north to our next town, Columbia, where it was our intention to have a beer at a tire store.

Seriously.

We missed the gravel road that was our turn, so had to turn at the next road and backtrack into town.

This was where things started to get creepy for me, personally.

As a result of all the barhopping trips I have taken, I occasionally have dreams about barhopping. A few months ago I had a dream that I was in a small town…

The main road in was a gravel road. At the main intersection in town, at the northeast corner, was a gray service station. I went inside and a mechanic was putting tires on a car. I was wanting a beer and I noticed a doorway leading to the east side of the building. I stepped through the door and found myself in a long, white room with cafeteria/diner style tables. At the north end of the room were restrooms, at the south went there were windows facing the road. There was a beer cooler in the southeast corner of the room. I grabbed a beer and a woman at a cash register behind me rang me up. As I sat at a table drinking my beer, I noticed people outside the windows pushing strollers.

And that was basically the extent of the dream.

So now, here I was in Columbia, Iowa.  Getting ready to have a beer at one of the most unusual “bars” I have ever been to. From what I can gather, it was originally a tire store and possibly a small general store. But at the end of April 2010, they opened a Bar & Grill.

#4 (#739): Columbia Store & Tire

1035 Virginia St.
Columbia, IA 50057
(641) 943-2216
[map] [web]

The main road leading into the town is gravel. Columbia Store & Tire sits at the northeast corner of the main intersection. The garage is on the west side of the building, to the east is the longer main building (which is bluish-gray in color). I stepped inside and found myself in a long white room with cafeteria/diner style tables. The bathrooms were at the north end of the room, the south wall had windows.

That was a creepy enough reflection of my dream. But then it got even weirder.

We asked the woman at the counter if this was the bar & grill. “Well, there’s no actual bar,” she said, “just grab yourself some beer from the cooler over there.” She pointed, we turned, and there was a beer cooler in the southeast corner of the room.

Wow.
We grabbed our beers and paid. My friend, out of habit, tipped her a buck.

“That may be the first time in the history of tipping,” he pondered as we sat down, “that someone got a tip for merely pointing. She never… actually… touched… the beer.”

Which is true… the bottles had twist-off caps so we opened them ourselves.

The woman asked if we were in town for the parade, which was apparently about to start. Looking out the window, I noticed a woman pushing a stroller down the street heading towards the parade route. The final element of my dream had just happened.

I was… freaked… out. :)

We didn’t have time to stick around for the parade, we had lots of places to see and needed to continue on up the highway…

Because our delay in Woodburn was followed by finding noting open in Lucas, we arrived in Chariton, IA at noon — right when we needed to.

The reason for our visit to Chariton was that my cohort needed to visit with his family.    So he dropped me off in the town square, and I did a little exploring to kill the time.

Clocktower on the courthouse

Cool service station. Note the car on the pole.

The courthouse

One of the towers on the courthouse

Civil War memorial. I thought this was a WW1 memorial at first, until I saw the inscription: "To Our Fallen Heroes, 1861-1865"

With the square fully explored, it was time to settle in at one of the three downtown bars and wait for my friend to return.   After studying the traffic patterns, I chose the spot that would give us the most natural flow around the square…

#1 (#736): Hurribak Club

217 North Main Street
Chariton, IA 50049
(641) 774-5049

[map]

I settled in here at the MegaTouch machine as I needed to kill about an hour of time.

The interior was dark, with racing curtains covering the windows. There were two pool tables, a juke box, and video slots.

The bartender was an older man who mostly kept to himself except when talking to the occasional regular who would pass through. He was a nice guy, though.

The beer was slightly higher than I expected to pay, $2.25 for a 12oz domestic draw.

My friend arrived as I was finishing my second beer.   We stayed for 1 more quick round, then began the rest of our journey.

109 N Main St
Chariton, IA 50049
(641) 774-4231

[map]

The Office was closed when I checked on it earlier and I worried it might not open before we had to leave.   But later, while sitting on a park bench, I saw the bartender arrive and start setting up.  Crisis averted. :)

This place was brightly lit from natural lighting and very proudly showed off its Iowa Hawkeyes heritage. There was a pool table, a shuffleboard, and video slots. The bartop resembled a kitchen counter, and posters of Budweiser hotties surrounded the fridge.

At $2 for a 10oz domestic draw, this was also slightly more expensive than I normally expect in a place like this.

918 Court Avenue
Chariton, IA 50049
(641) 774-8451
[map]

This was a pretty big venue, though the actual bar was fairly small. Nothing on tap. There were pool tables, a juke box, and tiny bathrooms in the back of the main room. Booths lined the west wall. There was also a side room but I didn’t venture over to it.

Our bartender looked a bit intimidating and was missing some teeth but he was a nice guy.   (Note my friend attempting to get a better picture.)

We had made exceptionally good time heading to Iowa this Saturday morning and arrived at our first destination, Woodburn [map], about fifteen minutes too early.   I had called ahead and confirmed that the Woodburn Pub would be open at 11:00am, so to kill some time we drove around the tiny town and took some pictures…

Woodburn, IA

Woodburn, IA

Old church in Woodburn, IA

Old church in Woodburn, IA

Collapsed building in Woodburn, IA

We returned to the Woodburn Pub at 11:00 to wait.

Now, our experience has taught us that there’s always a risk when the first stop of the day is pub in a small town.   Sure, they have posted opening times.   Sure, you can even call ahead and confirm they will be open.   But the real opening time is generally determined by when someone with the key decides to show up. :)

We really wanted to experience the Woodburn Pub, but by 11:20 we were now behind schedule.  During our wait five other customers also showed up, all leaving in disappointment.    We would love to have stuck it out a little longer in hopes that someone would show up, but we had no choice but to get moving down the road.

Woodburn Pub in Woodburn, IA The one that got away.

We left Woodburn and quickly found ourselves in a construction zone.   After the construction area we stopped at the town of Lucas.   Our research had told us the bar there was likely out-of-business but we had to check to be sure.    The locked door, closed sign, and broken window confirmed it.    So we continued down the road, to Chariton…

Our route took us south to Fort Scott, west to Iola, north to Garnett and Ottawa, and finally northeast back home.  Naturally, we also stopped at pretty much every small town along the way.   We’d planned on a few more stops, but we ran up against Last Call.

#717: Timber Creek Bar & Grill
14 W. Amity Street
Louisburg, KS 66053
(913) 837-2600

[map] [web]

This restaurant/bar appears to serve as Louisburg’s main gathering spot. It’s a huge space, divided into several rooms. The bar area occupies over half of the public area of the building.

The bar is a central U-shaped island in the middle of a large room filled with booths and tables. One side of the room has a stage for bands and karaoke. Outside the opposite side is an outdoor seating area, a deck well-shaded by umbrellas and the woods behind the building.

There are several TVs throughout the place, an older CD jukebox, and several video games. (Including Golden Tee, Pac Man, a hunting game, and a jet ski game.) A separate room near the entrance houses the pool tables.

With domestic bottles at $3, this was our most expensive bar of the day. Though it wouldn’t have been if we’d paid attention to the specials before ordering.

The bar…

Panorama of the seating area around the bar. (Use the slider below the photo to view.)

This last photo is for those who have whined about the smoke in nearly every online review I’ve read about this place. Granted, they’ll have no choice after July 2010, but they switched early. I noticed no trace of smoke smell inside.

We then hopped over to Missouri to pick up a couple of bars right on the border…

#718: Drexel Bar & Grill
108 E. Main St.
Drexel, MO 64742
(816) 657-2470

[map] [web]

Even all the way from downtown Kansas City I’ve known about this bar for a long time, due to seeing it comes up a lot on various band schedules. It looks like they get quite a few good bands through this place.

The bar itself is a small L-shaped counter in the far back corner Next to the bar is an elevated stage. There’s pool tables in the front, and the main focus of the bar is a big elevated hardwood dance floor in the middle.

I didn’t notice it at first, but there’s another room adjacent to the stage, behind the business next door, with darts and video games. Behind that is a beer garden with a fire pit.

Happy hour is 4-6.

That’s the stage straight back on the right. The dance floor is in the lower left corner.

The dance floor…

Panorama of the back room. Use the slider below the photo to view.

The outdoor area and fire pit. Probably would look nicer had it not been so windy/stormy lately.

#719: Amsterdam Cafe
349 Main St
Amsterdam, MO 6472
(660) 267-3300

[map]

Amsterdam Cafe was the only business in town open on this Saturday. (I actually wondered if it’s the only business open in this town, period.)

When entering the building, the diner is on the right and the bar is on the left. Naturally, we opted for the bar.

It’s a very small room. There’s a pool table in the front and about four tables for seating. The bar counter is very small with a handful of very short diner-style bar stools.

The bartender was very nice and attentive, he checked on us several times. He was the only person who interacted with us here.

There’s a CD jukebox, an older MegaTouch machine, and Silver Strike. However these were all unplugged. In fact, almost every electronic item except for the window air conditioner — even every beer sign in the window — was unplugged.

It wasn’t until after we left that we discovered the bar is quite a bit bigger than we thought. There’s another room next door with another pool table, darts, and at least one more arcade game. It doesn’t look like the back room gets much use.

Panorama of the bar. I’m not really sure what everyone is looking at, since nothing was turned on. (Use the slider below the photo to view.)

The back room that we didn’t notice until we left…

I love the name of the bait store next door…

Main Street in Amsterdam, MO. (Use the slider below the photo to view.)

#720: Outpost Bar & Grill
19394 KS Highway 152
LaCygne, KS 66040
(913) 757-2672

[map]

This place is really popular. I know of several people from KC who hang out here quite a bit, mostly bikers but not all.

This is a pretty big place, and was rather busy. There were lots of people here getting lunch while a woman played acoustic guitar and sang in the center of the room. There’s also a main stage in the far back.

There’s TVs throughout the place, Keno, Silver Strike, and a driving game. The back of the main room has several pool tables. There’s a patio off to the side.

Though BBQ is just a tiny portion of their menu, it seems to be the main thing people come here for. We did get some appetizers (cheese sticks and GIANT baskets of fries that were really good but mostly went to waste due to there being too many) and people all around us were stunned that we weren’t eating BBQ.

Because the place was so busy, I didn’t feel comfortable taking photos. It was hard for me to get an opportunity to do so that wouldn’t have led people to believe I was taking their picture.

We then headed back east into Kansas. Here’s a few pictures of the LaCygne power plan, which is even more spectacular at night…

#721: Backdoor Saloon

11231 Tucker Rd
Pleasanton, KS 66075
(913) 352-6185

[map] [web]

This bar is located around back of Northside BBQ, in a converted garage. While it wasn’t too busy when we visted due to our arrival between the lunch and evening crowds, the bartender told us that by nightfall the place would fill up to over a hundred people. Bands, bikini contests, and so forth help draw the crowds.

The bar has lots of table seating, two pool tables, a CD jukebox, and an outdoor area (though it was unclear to me whether drinks can be taken outside).

A separate room features the stage and dance floor, this room is also the junction between the bar and the restaurant that’s around front.

At $2 for a 16 ounce pour, this was one of the cheaper places we went to.

I loved the signs marking the restrooms. (The urinals were filled with ice, too.)

The outdoor area

Panorama of the bar. Please pardon the goofy facial expressions of my cohorts and their fragmented bodies. “Don’t move,” I told them, and this is what I wound up with. :) (Use the slider below the photo to view.)

#722: Country Club

519 W Main St
Mound City, KS 66056


[map]

Technically a private club, though the fairly quiet group welcomed our presence. They were jokingly surprised that we’d pick this of all places to stop in. Our arrival filled out the remaining empty spaces on the boomerang spaced bar.

This is a very large bar, with pool tables in the front and booths and tables throughout. A visit to the restroom revealed another room parallel to the main room with further tables and games.

It took me several minutes to notice this dildo pointing at me from the bar mirror.

I know it sucks to run out of toilet paper, but come on, isn’t this overreacting a bit? :)

#723: Fox Run
115 W. Spruce St.
Fulton, KS 66737
(620) 857-9427

[map] [web]

I was a bit nervous about this place at first, with its ramshackle appearance and with it being very much off the beaten path. But I’m glad we stopped in, because this was our favorite bar of the entire trip and easily among the best bars I’ve been to.

A poker run had just departed minutes before our arrival so it wasn’t very busy, which allowed us to talk with the bartender as well as one of the owners. These people were great, and they were excited that we found this place and even more excited when I mentioned that I had seen their Facebook page.

The bar was first built in 1946 and expanding to its current size (twice the original size) some time later. The current owners have had the place since about 1996.

The bar has 7′ ceilings, which gives it a very cozy feeling. (Borderline cramped if you’re tall like me.) The regulars are a vast cross section of people, a very eclectic mix of just about every walk of life. Cowboys, doctors, rednecks, lawyers,bikers, you name it. Because they are very strict and quick about dealing with troublemakers, there are almost never any kinds of problems at the bar and everyone has a great time.

The bar pulls in live entertainment, hosts poker tournaments, and even puts on turtle races for the kids. There’s two pool tables, a jukebox, and a semi-inaccessible MegaTouch machine.

One of my cohorts had just turned 21 recently so they gave him a free Fox Run hat. The hat looks great, and he loves it! (It’s the same hat worn by the mannequin below.

It’s a private club, $20 annual membership, but we were signed in as guests.

#724: Rusty’s Sports Bar & Grill
16 North National Avenue
Fort Scott, KS 66701
(620) 223-4777

[map] [web]

This place looks really nice, but we were kind of bored. The bartender didn’t really interact with us, and the environment seemed too polished.

Table seating is mostly on the upper level, though there were a few booths and such downstairs. In the back, below the dining area, is a jukebox and a couple of pool tables.

The one thing that I remember most is that when we first stepped inside, the only person “working” behind the bar was a toddler. :)

#725: Holmtown Pub
206 North National Avenue
Fort Scott, KS 66701
(620) 223-1477

[map] [web]

Just 2 bars after our favorite bar of the trip came our least favorite bar of the trip. It looked very promising, but inside there was almost no personality at all. Very little decor except around the bar itself, and though we were the only customers the bartender didn’t talk to us at all.

We ordered food, and it was nothing to speak of. It was served overly-hot and couldn’t even be touched for several minutes. The giant, flat chicken strips were ok, the fries were basically Ore-Ida and badly in need of more salt. There were several flies in the bar and it was a constant battle to keep them off the food.

There are two pool tables. There is also a CD juke box and a deck out the south side.

The one piece of decor that caught my attention…

#726: Uncle Ben’s Bar & Grill

518 Clay Street
Bronson, KS 66716
(620) 939-4990

[map]

This was a bonus bar, in that it had not come up in my preparation research, but I had a hunch that there would be be a bar on this block regardless and we decided to give it a go.

This is a 3.2% bar, meaning it can’t serve liquor and can only serve so-called “non-intoxicating” beer. Which is a bit of a misnomer as you can still get intoxicated, it just takes a lot longer. 3.2% bars are more loosely regulated, which is probably why this place didn’t turn up when I checked the Kansas Department of Revenue database.

This is a very old bar, so old that it’s heated by a wood-burning stove. In addition to the standard CD jukebox, darts, and pool table, this bar had the only foosball table we saw all day.

It took a while for our eyes to adjust, and it was very difficult to find the men’s room until that adjustment happened. It’s a very tiny restroom, exactly as wide as the toilet itself and just barly enough room to get inside and close the door. The sink is located outside the bathrooms.

Incidentally I keep seeing the address listed as “518 Charles” on other web directories, but it’s actually “518 Clay”.

As we left this bar, a skittish cat that had been sitting on the sidewalk dove into this hole, which was only about eight inches high.



Meanwhile a pair of dogs were chasing a little girl on her bike as she rode towards the city park.

The cat poked its head out of the hole, and the smaller dog (the lead dog in the above photo) disappeared into the hole chasing after it. A few minutes later the dog re-emerged. The cat was never seen again.

Here’s an older fire truck on display in downtown Bronson.

#727: Monkey Butt Saloon
215 W. Garfield St.
Iola, KS 66749
(620) 365-7689

[map]

We were pretty excited about coming to this bar, primarily for the name but also because of its reputation as a rowdy place that stirs up a lot of fights and a lot of problems for the neighborhood.

Unfortunately we arrived a little too early in the evening for it to be very busy yet, so we missed out on the potential for excitement.

It’s a pretty run down place, and feels more like a roadside diner than a bar. It was bright on the inside. There’s a few pool tables. Our bartender was pretty nice.

#728: Sidelines Sports Bar & Grill

112 S. Washington Ave.
Iola, KS 66749
(620) 365-8311

[map] [web]

This was another bonus bar. We had planned to go to a place called Beer Blvd but it was closed for remodeling. So we did a drive around the square and found this unexpected 3.2% bar at the opposite corner.

It felt more like a restaurant than a bar, probably because of all the families with kids all around us. As it got later they disappeared and it started feeling more like a bar.

No pool table, and I didn’t notice darts or any other bar games. But they do have karaoke on a regular basis.

Heading north out of Iola, we eventually discovered that 169 was closed due to a bridge being rebuilt. The official detour was going to take us over an hour, mostly backtracking. We would have none of that. Putting our phone GPSes to use, we created our own detour on gravel roads in the dark that ended up only taking us about ten minutes out of the way. Hooray for technology!

#729: Trade Winds Bar & Grill
110 West 5th Avenue
Garnett, KS 66032
(785) 448-5856

[map] [web]

This looks like a good bar, unfortunately the conversations at a table behind us got so obnoxious that we couldn’t enjoy it and had to hurry ourselves so we could leave.

It’s a nice looking bar with interesting decor. In the front is a big rear-projection TV that doesn’t look like it’s used. In the far back is a back room with pool tables. There’s also a CD jukebox, an old Silver Strike machine, and a cool angular tabletop MegaTouch machine.

Even though it was getting late on this Saturday, the bar crowd skewed towards the silver set.

#730: The Five Spot
604 N. Maple
Garnett, KS 66032
(785) 448-3483

[map] [web]

You could almost call this a motel bar, and you’d probably be right. But it’s isolated enough from the motel that it doesn’t feel like it.

The Five Spot calls its;ef a “Mexican bar & grill”, which seemed odd to be because unless something just recently changed it’s attached to an Italian restaurant called Bellini’s and that’s where its food comes from.

The feel is like an informal sports bar. There’s pool tables, darts, and plasma TVs situated throughout the place.

Our beer came in frozen mugs, which is something I can’t stand. Ice chunks in the beer + a lake of ice melt all over the table.

#731: 1 Moore Bar and Grill

111 E Central St
Richmond, KS 66080
(785) 835-6556

[map]

This bar was really crowded, in part because what looked like a girls softball team was here celebrating. All of the tables and most of the booths were taken, but we did find a few seats at the bar.

There’s a pool table and a big screen TV that was being used to show what song was current.

Our bartender was a very friendly and cool guy. The bar was otherwise just ok, but he made it a good bar.

My only real complaint is that it was way too brightly lit in there. In some parts of the bar it was a blindingly brilliant bluish-white light. Most of my photos in this bar did not turn out because the extreme brightness of the lights overpowered the image.

#732: Brand’n Iron Bar & Grill
1457 U.S. 59
Princeton, KS 66078
(785) 937-2225

[map] [web]

I don’t mean this in an offensive way, but this is a total redneck bar. It was crowded, noisy, and rowdy. But rowdy in a friendly sort of way. We did see one customer kicked out and one near-fight, but nothing ended up coming of that.

The staff here were very friendly and attentive. I was surprised how quickly they took care of us given the crowd.

The interior space seems quite a bit smaller than it looks from the outside. There was only one pool table — there really wouldn’t be room for more.

There’s just one set of restrooms and they are one-person facilities. That really surprised me considering how busy this place gets, I’d think there’d be a constant line.

I loved the bidet guitar identifying the restrooms.

#733: Sandbar
1608 S. Main St.
Ottawa, KS 66067
(785) 242-8888

[map] [web]

This a pretty cool tropical-themed bar. It’s a lot small inside than it looks, about half of its public space is actually out on the front patio.

There’s a fish tank, darts, video games, and the first digital jukebox we saw all day.

The bar’s most famous feature is its nightly Indoor Hurricane show. We had planned to get here to see it, but due to various delays that added up throughout the day we arrived more than two hours too late.

We stayed here until close and decided to call it a night.