Winstead's Steakburger Plaza is a diner late-night spot in Plaza, Kansas City.
Winstead's on the Plaza runs daily until 23:00 with curb-service from the 1940 drive-in. The steakburger and Frosty malt are the canonical late Kansas City order after the Plaza closes.
Tip: Curb service still operates in the parking lot; the kitchen keeps later hours on weekends.
Address: 101 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64112
Westport Flea Market in Kansas City's Westport keeps the kitchen and bar open until midnight, serving the city's most-cited burger with a build-your-own condiment bar.
Try: 10-ounce burger
Tip: Patio runs later than kitchen; the bar takes walk-ins on Saturdays.
Gates Bar-B-Q's Emanuel Cleaver II flagship in Kansas City stays open to 23:00 weeknights and 24:00 weekends, with burnt ends and beef on bun after the jazz clubs close.
Try: Burnt ends, beef on bun
Tip: The Main Street location runs to 24:00 weekends as well; both are reliable late-night BBQ.
Char Bar in Kansas City's Westport keeps the bar open until midnight on Fri and Sat with smoked-meat snacks and Boulevard drafts. The patio is the late-night beer garden anchor.
Try: Burnt ends, charred cauliflower
Tip: Kitchen runs until 22:00; the beer garden runs later. The fire pit is the survival seat on cold nights.
Kelly's Westport Inn on Westport Road in Kansas City is one of the city's longest-running dive bars, set in an 1850 building and running until 03:00 on weekend nights.
Try: Beer and well drinks, no kitchen
Tip: No kitchen; food trucks park outside on weekend nights. The back patio is the survival seat.
