Cocktails, wine bars and dives: drinking in Kansas City for grown-ups.
Cocktail bars, wine bars, dive bars and gastropubs: drinking in Kansas City for grown-ups.
Swordfish Tom's in Kansas City's Crossroads is an intimate, speakeasy-inspired cocktail bar with no beer, no wine, no food, just premium spirits and crafted cocktails for 30 seats.
Signature drink: The Wise Sage cocktail
Food: No food, premium cocktails only
Tip: Reservations recommended; the door is unmarked. The Wise Sage is the bar's signature pour.
Tom's Town Distilling on Main in Kansas City's Crossroads is downtown's first legal distillery since Prohibition, founded 2015. The tasting room reimagines Prohibition cocktails.
Signature drink: Botanical Gin cocktails
Food: Small plates
Tip: Mon 16:00 to 20:00, Tue to Thu 16:00 to 22:00, Fri 16:00 to 24:00, Sat 12:00 to 24:00. Tours by appointment.
P.S. Kansas City on 12th Street downtown is a modern speakeasy hidden in the heart of the historic district, with a curated cocktail menu and a no-reservation door policy.
Signature drink: Crafted classic cocktails
Food: Small plates
Tip: Look for the unmarked door; the bar holds about 30 seats and runs Wed to Sat.
Kelly's Westport Inn occupies one of Kansas City's oldest buildings, dated 1850 and run as an outfitting store by Albert Gallatin Boone (grandson of Daniel Boone) from 1854. The bar took its current name in 1977 and anchors the Westport strip.
Signature drink: Boulevard draft, well shots
Food: No food
Tip: Cash works fastest; the back patio is the survival seat on busy Saturdays.
Westport Cafe and Bar on Westport Road runs a craft cocktail programme out of a French-owned bistro, with the Copper Rabbit gin signature and scratch bistro snacks alongside until midnight.
Signature drink: Copper Rabbit gin cocktail, French aperitifs
Food: French bistro plates
Tip: Tuesday through Saturday after 9pm the bar side eases off the dinner rush; sit at the bar for the cocktail list.
Harry's Country Club on Missouri Avenue in Kansas City's River Market is the neighborhood bar with a long bourbon selection and Boulevard beer on draft.
Signature drink: Bourbon and Boulevard
Food: Bar food, burgers
Tip: Live music nights are the draw; the back patio fills first.
Char Bar's beer garden in Kansas City's Westport is the largest dog-friendly patio in town, with cornhole, ping-pong, bocce, a fire pit and Boulevard on draft.
Signature drink: Boulevard drafts, KC craft beer
Food: BBQ, smoked meats
Tip: Weekend brunch 10:00 to 14:00; the garden opens earlier than the kitchen on warm days.
Boulevard's Tours and Rec Center on Southwest Boulevard in Kansas City is the visitor centre of the city's biggest brewery, with 60-minute free tours and a tasting room.
Signature drink: Boulevard Wheat, Tank 7 Saison
Food: No food
Tip: Tours run daily; the Tasting Room runs longer hours than the production tour.
Brewery Emperial in Kansas City's East Crossroads runs the city's largest brewery patio: 20-plus picnic tables, cornhole, kids' sandbox, plus a wood-fired food programme.
Signature drink: Pilsner, brown ale, IPAs
Food: Wood-fired food, salads, burgers
Tip: Patio runs warm-weather seven days a week. Sun to Thu open 11:00 to 22:00.
KC Bier Co. on 79th and Wornall in Kansas City's Waldo has run authentic German lagers since 2014. The Bierhalle and Biergarten are family-friendly with imported ingredients.
Signature drink: German lagers, helles, dunkel
Food: German-style snacks, pretzels
Tip: The Biergarten runs in warm weather only. New Lenexa location opens late 2026.
Strange Days Brewing on Oak Street in Kansas City's River Market has served globally-inspired beer since 2018, just north of the City Market with a casual taproom.
Signature drink: IPAs, hazy ales, fruit beers
Food: Pop-up trucks
Tip: Mon 16:00 to 21:00, closed Tue, Wed to Sun varied. Food trucks rotate; check the calendar.