50 Best Bars in Kansas City

“Went to a show at The Garage. Not a bad seat in the house, clean bathrooms, easy access to the bar, and CHEAP DRINKS! Got a shot of Jack and a Hamms for $7...AT A SHOW! Love love love this venue! Thanks again Chris for the hospitality. Beau Nasty's In The Pit Radio Show 💪🫠🤘“

“I love this spot! the drinks are made with so much thought behind them. lovely atmosphere. great music.“

“Thank you Mano and Barbara for making Gene and Jeffrey’s marriage celebration a wonderful night. We appreciate you and your incredible restaurant.“

“At 2:40 the lady at the bar comes yelling it's 3 time to go I look at my phone and asked if we could finish this pool game she literally got in my face yelling bar time is different from your time. Within minutes I was being snatched up and thrown out the bar. I called the cops at 2:43 for the assault I just received cops said they looked at the camera and I was trespassing I asked for my report they said I was in the wrong and I'm the one who called them not thirsty all because I tussled back with the bouncer because everything was in there my purse my pool stick and phone. Who wouldn't tussle back for being snatched up for no reason. My leg is bruised and my toe is sprained. And my new jersey is ruined. VIOLATIONS Food is not stored as required by the Food Code Hand Drying Provision - Each handwashing sink, or group of adjacent sinks, is not provided with Individual, disposable towels; a continuous towel system that supplies the user with a clean towel; a h… Read more Physical facilities not maintained in good repair & cleaned as often as necessary to keep them clean Handwashing Cleanser, Availability - Each handwashing sink or group of 2 adjacent sinks is not provided with a supply of hand cleaning liquid, powder, or bar soap. Cooking & Baking Equipment - The food-contact surfaces of cooking and baking equipment are not cleaned at least every 24 hours and/or the cavities and door seals of microwave ovens are not cleaned at… Read more Maintenance tools not properly stored RTE TCS, Date Marking - Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared and held in a food establishment for more than 24 hours was not clearly marked to indicate the da… Read more Materials for floors/walls/ceilings not smooth, durable, & easily cleanable under normal use; and/or walls/ceilings are not light in color Equipment not maintained free of encrusted grease/soil deposits Nonfood-contact surfaces not cleaned at frequency to prevent buildup of residue Using a Handwashing Sink - A handwashing sink is not maintained so that it is accessible at all times for employee use; is being used for purposes other than handwashing or is not being used in accor… Read more Receptacle in women's toilet room not covered ALL INSPECTIONS 83 out of 100 February 3, 2025“

“Went to Cheval on a Tuesday late afternoon. Beautiful place for a cocktail. Gorgeous gothic look with antique wooden bar and circular conversational tables. Many drink options to choose from. Not sure if they provide food. It was February so we were a bit cold in the corner near the windows. Bartender was okay. Made good drinks but not 100% menu knowledgeable or friendly. Needs to work on his presentation of the cocktail and not pull old wrinkled napkins out of his apron. We enjoyed experiencing something different in KC.“

“Absolutely one of the best SOCCER ( futbol) venues in the country as they have hosted the EPL's supporters club of Newcastle United. Great TV's, great food, great drinks, great service and a loyal following. TOON ARMY !!!“

“Best trivia night ever! Go on Wednesdays“

“Have an absolutely lovely time every time we come here. Seriously impressive drinks and very friendly staff in an absolutely beautiful space.“

“Great atmosphere and great service. You will not be disappointed in the food or their fantastic drinks. We moved to KC over 2 years ago and our neighbors brought us to Tom's Town for a drink, and this now is one of our favorite places to go.“

“Only been there once but had a great experience. Went on a Friday night. Staff was friendly and professional. Lots of open space that quickly filled with tons of happy, interesting people. Bathrooms were clean. Drinks were just as ordered and made quickly. Will visit again!“

“Definitely and interesting spin on Austrian food, some dishes are more accurate then other but in general I would say they have a decent collection and get quite a few things right. Moreover they have a great aekactik. Of imported Austrian and German beers.

The service was really good and friendly.

Definitely worth to visit if you are looking for something different.“

“Sk8bar is awesome! Its great place to just be yourself, and the shows are awesome!“

“great drinks and service!“

“Love up down!! I’m familiar with the Milwaukee location and loved that there was one in KC!! Only thing is, the game tapper (my personal fav) has a burnt LCD screen and needs replaced, also the left pour joystick does not work at all. Bummed about that, but overall had a fun night :D“

“Everyone at this establishment is amazing and so incredibly helpful.“

“Kudos to you for your courageous stand during the pandemic. I know that cowardly Corey Owens, whose business is PaintingSolutionsSKC, a painting company with what he and his wife think is a “clever” logo featuring two intertwined Nazi swastikas, left you a bad review for requiring vaccination for your customers during that dangerous time and I just want to commend you and thank you for doing your part to protect fellow Americans. Stubby little Nazi coward Corey can’t even spell “riffraff” but I’m glad you made sure he knew he was a piece of it. You are not alone; crappy Corey is coming after my community too, focusing weirdly and troublingly on victimizing our children. Nazi Corey is both pathetic and dangerous and needs to be kept out of places where decent people go. Good luck and thank you again for your courage and strength.“

“By far my favorite little lounge in KC. It’s just a short 5 minute walk from my apartment so the convenience is there. I love the retro aesthetic mixed with modern design, and when there’s a DJ it adds even more to the experience. My drinks are always great and the customer service is attentive and friendly. The little burger truck outside, Disco Burger, is sic a fun and amazing addition on those tipsy nights you’re craving a good burger. My friends and I LOVE Varisty Club, and our favorite bartender is Caleb. He’s always so nice and efficient with us. Such a vibe. I would give 10 stars if I could.“

“Well priced, amazing tasting, craft cocktails!! I popped in on 10/4/2025, just before last call. So it was loud in there, but only because everyone seemed to be having a great time! The server and the bartender were very kind and gave fantastic service!“

“I could eat 178 of the Chorizo ragoons. 😮‍💨“

“We have had Earl’s Premier on our radar for a while. Decided it would be the perfect place to go explore for our 19th wedding anniversary. It felt like we were on vacation the moment we walked in the door. John and Nico showed us great hospitality.“

“Cheap beer, good music, and authentically immaculate vibes in the weirdest grunge aesthetic.“

“My husband and I with a few family members went to see our son’s debut as an edm guest dj. We are not your typical clientele for the KC edm scene. With that said, we were very pleasantly surprised at Aura! What a fun atmosphere. The staff were very kind and fun. The music was loud yet you could carry on conversations. Drinks were very reasonably priced. And as a woman, I was very appreciative of the restrooms cleanliness, size and number of stalls. Such a cool vibe with the graphics, lighting and diverse crowd. Aura has a very inviting atmosphere.“

“Great place to just chill!“

“Lauren was such a fantastic server! She was very attentive, kind, and asked the kitchen on several occasions about modifications for dietary restrictions. The Lychee cocktail was delicious! Really enjoyed the entrees and sashimi dishes we ordered. Would recommend the banana/marshmallow desert. Amazing!“

“One time visit,I played there in a band,people very responsive & respectful.Bar is very nice but more variety beers would be a plus. Sound quality very good due to wood beamed ceiling,two small,one person unisex restrooms,very clean overall.“

“Staying at the Hilton Presidents Hotel in downtown Kansas City we stopped by the Drum Room located on property and accessed via hotel lobby or its side entrance. Good and atmosphere were so good we ate there 2 times. Started with Fried Goat Cheese and Beet Salad and finished with the KC Beach Burger with garlic fries and Meatball Farfalle pasta dish. All were amazing and didn’t venture far on our second visit and skipped the salad as the 3 items were way too much on the first evening. Second evening we shared a bottle of Sav Blanc from N.Z. Amazing.“

“I worked here. The owner moved me to a new apartment and gave me 100 dollars just because. I still wear my PPT shirt around town and have some pressed pennies. Great food. Great family owners. The most cozy hidden gem in Kansas City!“

“This was a great experience. A local bar where you can also throw axes! I had such a fun time when I was here. The staff was really friendly and explained the process really well to me. They had a lot of options for games to play. The drinks were also super tasty.“

“The Tool Shed is the best place for camaraderie and good people Kimmy is the manager all of her bartenders are always respectful and amazing as Toby Keith would say I Love This Bar“

“One of my favorite Hidden bar in the West side. Check IG for when they are open. Somewhat weather dependent hours/days. Usually Thursday- Saturday.
No food unless a pop up vendor. Super unique, very plant focused, smallish service bar but all the necessities!
Just the coolest place around!!“

“Really nice bartenders and the atmosphere is really nice. I highly recommend going to the Buzzard Beach.“

“Dodson’s is a great spot all around. The service is consistently excellent, the drinks are good, and the vibe is relaxed yet lively. There’s always a nice mix of people, which adds to the welcoming atmosphere. A huge bonus is being able to order a Cosmos Burger through the window—such a great touch and the perfect late-night pairing with a drink. Definitely a place we enjoy coming back to.“

“as someone who's worked in westport for so long it's important to me for westport and midtown to stay local and family owned. the quality of customer service here is amazing, but not only that it's the "where everyone knows your name" type of bar that keeps customers coming back“

“We LOVE Milwaukee Deli to the point where we knew we had to have it as a late night snack at our wedding! We worked out a catering order with Jon who was so great at assisting us and making sure what we ordered showed up at our venue at the requested time! We didn't have to worry about a thing on the day and just got the glorious news from our venue coordinator that the pizza had arrived! Our guests DEVOURED this pizza. Thanks again to Jon and Milwaukee Deli for helping to make our special day even better!“

“Loved this little hidden gem! Has a 70s vibe to it. Darker decor. I love places that have secret hidden doors. Drinks were cheap and strong. Food good too. We will definitely be back.“

“Fun local dive bar. No food but they have a few snacks for purchase, sometimes coffee cake next to the free coffee station and a popcorn machine (not always in use). Couple dart boards in the back. a gold game and a gambling card game too on the bar. Covered deck in the back. Not a lot of options for beers, but good specials and fair prices in general. They make their own moonshine, and it is DELICIOUS. Apple Pie and Peach are king (to be fair I didn't try the other 2), peach tastes like fresh peach nectar. Highly recommend.“

“We had the most amazing Father’s Day family dinner there today 6/21/26. And the service—the best in town!!! We had the family dinner which is about $20 per person (there were 9 of us) and we brought lots of leftovers home. Welcoming environment, generous portion, and incredible service all around. 100% recommended.“

“My husband and I drive from Omaha at least twice a year for date weekend and we always dine at Stock Hill. We love love love the ambience, service, food, all of it. It hits the mark for that dreamy, darkish, amber glow ambience, especially in the later months. This past weekend we went to KC on a whim and knew they were booked and decided we would be fine with a seat at the bar. When we inquired about a table for 2, the hostess explained that they were booked and could sit at the bar. We were totally great with that! But the “head honcho” came out of nowhere and told us he actually had a table for 2. The cherry on top? He proceeded to seat us at the table we first sat at when we went there for date weekend years ago. Thank you! 🥰“

“SHOUT OUT TO JENNY!!!!! Came in for the first time last night. Jenny was our waitress and she was a whole vibe!!!!!! The food was great and Jenny made the experience even better with her humor and providing us with a great experience. Tell Jenny I will be back for my boot 😂😂😂😂.“

“My favorite Pop Up Bar! Maxwell & Thomas are Great“

“The atmosphere is great. The food is delicious. The staff are very attentive, nice and always smiling. Shuffle board is so fun. They also have other fun games to play while you’re there. The restaurant and restrooms are clean and neat. Did I mention the food is delicious!! I give it 5 stars“

“Love this place and especially Jenn! :)“

“Backstage Bar was easily one of the best spots I’ve been to in a while. The vibe is laid-back but still lively, the drinks are excellent, and the whole place has that kind of atmosphere where you end up staying way longer than you planned.

A big shoutout to Tristan behind the bar. He was friendly, quick, and clearly knows what he’s doing. Even when it got busy, he kept the energy up and made sure everyone was taken care of. It’s rare to find a bartender who can make great drinks and make the experience feel personal, but Tristan nailed it.“

“love this dive bar in the northland“

“Nice people, good service. Cold Beer with a smile.“

“Intimate and fun! A great venue!“

“great service and a ton of beer on Tap....super comfortable!!!! Can't wait to go back!!!!“

“Absolutely Delicious! Accommodated our whole party of 10, the food and drinks were fabulous!“

“i was introduced to B.S. Saint Patrick's Day 23yrs ago. I'm a big fan.“

“Amazing food and great atmosphere!!“