Great place to stop for a drink on our way to a Royals game. Sam the owner was friendly, drinks were cheap and the bar was a chill place to hang. read more

Would of given it 5 stars but because of an incident that happened, to where we got banned from coming in for no logical reason, I gave it 4...it started one day we were there so a few friends in twn could shoot pool since I'm always suggesting this spot for that reason, plus I like to play music on the jukebox since I like music. Well another group of ppl were hangin out with us since we're cool, an started to play music as well. By almost the end of the night neither one of us heard most of the songs we played so we complained about it. After our party was upset over the situation we left. While outside socializing a chic heard my homegirl say "bitch" an thought we called her one when in reality she was sayn "ain't that a bitch" but the chic was super drunk an heard it wrong. Anyways she went inside an told the bartender (who I guess no her) an he came outside rite as we were twinkling but remind you, there's only two bathrooms in the place that were full an we definitely wasn't gonna pee on our nice clothes, beside the fact we didn't wanna go back in after that incident...he asked us to leave an said we cnt ever come back ..my homies started talkn slick to him sayn they wnt ever be back ..we left and I'm thinkin all is cool so I went back a few wks later only to be told I cnt come back in becuz I was bein disrespectful, like really?? That definitely wasn't fair considerin I took pics on Halloween wit the same bartender guy who said that an he was cool wit my then, not to mention we spent alot of money there, so I felt offended. I ended up leavin an found a better bar up the st called Dewey's in which I no the owner, that's wat better, and dnt jus except 'cash only', it also has a live DJ who plays real good music so we dnt need to spend ours for songs we didn't even get to hear! So I'm not really upset about him sayn I can't come there anymore becuz it's their LOSS!!! read more

See all

Soooo..a few coworkers were in town and noticed an art festival was happening in the area and we decided to partake. The festival was amazing but soon enough we needed libations. The first person we asked about indulging in an adult drink, or three, directed us to Fat Matt's Vortex - just two blocks away. We walked in and were greeted very warmly by the bartender and the folks hanging out were all great to conversation with. We indulged in a few drinks and returned to strolling through the fair and taking in the amazing local custom. I promised myself next time my travels take me to KC I'll make a longer pit stop at this great local gem... read more

Fat Matt's Vortex - Awesome local watering hole.. - Dive Bars Near Me - Kansas City, Kansas

If you've been beckoning for an irresistible true dive bar, then look no further than this joint in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood in Kansas City, Kansas. With a few other notable watering holes around, you could make a small little drinking crawl out of it, or you could just stick to Matt's. The name is irrelevant and quirky, but do pay it some attention because with drink prices this cheap, you may be pulled into a vortex (and may need assistance getting pulled out or getting home) The crowd is rowdy and loud, and the music varies since there's a pay as you pay new school jukebox, so if you're looking for a quiet place to chat, this isn't for you. It's mostly younger patrons as well, and there is never more than one bartender on staff. There's no food but to entertain yourself there's a lone pool table, a darts game and a punching (strong man type) machine - which is also very loud, haha. Once you get the feel for Fat Matt's Vortex, it'll become like a second home. No one is judgmental, everyone is drunk- it's exactly what a bona fide neighborhood dive bar should be. Speaking on this "grog shot" claim to fame, I can't actually say anything positive or negative because I'm more of a gin and tonic girl (especially at a $3 price tag) read more

Foods amazing and delicious drinks . Where's a good place for Sunday afternoon to have fun read more

See all

We visited Fat Matt's because of a review I read on here. I wanted to second all the good things said earlier. The patrons all speak and make you feel welcome. It was game day in KC and the regulars had brought food to share and offered some to us. We enjoyed watching the Chiefs with real fans and they even cheered (tongue in cheek) our Cowboys for the second game. We'll be back to see our new friends whenever visiting KC. One more thing... bring cash or a debit card for their ATM. Cash only, but you won't need much. Cheapest drinks we've seen! read more

Fat Matt's Vortex - Real Chief's Fans! - Dive Bars Near Me - Kansas City, Kansas

I have been to this bar one other time it's on the corner on 6th Street there is no motorcycle parking at this bar why is it on a biker bar site there is no motorcycle parking here I'm not going to a bar where a bunch of drunks and cars are going to knock my bike over all it would take is a couple of road cones to section off bike parking if you cannot do this I'm not going. If they do not have one cheap beer there that I can get for a $1.50 or $2 00 I'm going to go back to the 913 where I can read more

First, I must mention how I am utterly shocked that I am first to review Fat Matt's instead of Scott M, dive bar King of Kansas City. Now, on to my review. On a rather desolate block in KCK, Fat Matt's is the quintessential dive bar, except for the following: -the bartender is a young, attractive guy instead of a sage "barkeep" hovering around 60 years old or no nonsense "barmaid" of the same age. Keep in mind that both of these individuals would have "given up the sauce" a decade ago. -there is not a trio of regulars sitting at the corner of the bar who fit the following description: old man with a full head of white hair and big red nose, "hot" woman in her fifties with teased hair wearing a denim mini skirt who shares an unclear relationship with old man #2 who is less old than old man #1 but he cannot handle his alcohol quite so well either. That aside, Fat Matt's is the real deal, has an interesting history, and if you're good, they'll take you down to the basement where you can look at the old brick crematorium in the basement. read more

Fat Matt's Vortex - a bar with neon lights - Dive Bars Near Me - Kansas City, Kansas

I originally stopped at Fat Matt's 15+ years ago. The original "Fat Matt" was still roaming the bar as an ambassador to the nether world that this building original housed decades ago. You can still see the drainage for hosing down the deceased bodies as you enter the bathrooms. A crematorium was here prior to the space holding a liquor licence. Upon walking in in 2019 I knew that Fat Matt would probably be deceased at this point, but didn't realize that there was new ownership and there would have a new vibe. 75% of the customers were bikers in leather and I thoroughly enjoyed my stay. Great customer service and attention. read more

If an ancient dive bar in a part of KCK time has forgotten is your thing, FMV is your destination. Got a kick out of stopping in here with a friend early afternoon on a day my self-employment was clearly taking a holiday. And while I dug the step back in time, once was enough. It's an old man's bar, nothing wrong with that. I'm guessing the pool tables and oddball and out of place reclining leather sofa doesn't get a lot of business. The bartender was an interesting older gal to be sure who comes on just a tad strong. "If my black Corvette is parked in front, I'm here," and was the best part of the charm of the place, and she does know her Mexican food which is a plus in this part of the city. But between the clearly visible dust on some of the bottles and the sticky counter-top of the bar, it's obvious business is not real brisk and that competing is not exactly on their mind. I don't know who the clientele might be, but lets just say if you're a regular here, it's the booze that brings you back, not anything about the vibe of the place. Not the decades old signs on the wall that even by the standards of enjoying such things appear long past their prime. This joint is old school in a sad sort of way. I like old school, but this kind is screaming "pay attention to me please. Clean up!" Well, what they say is true. One person's 2 star dive might be your 5 star dream come true. Know what to expect, and take it all in. They'll be waiting for you. read more

Delightfully fun dive bar! The beer and alcohol selections were great. Fun atmosphere of hilarious regulars. The building is old, but everything was really clean. A gem on the KS side, we will go back again. read more

Fat Matt's Vortex - a drink on a bar counter - Dive Bars Near Me - Kansas City, Kansas

Fat Matt's is your typical crematorium turned bar named after a cat situation. Run by a very nice Wiccan, this bar is located along Sixth Street in the Historic Strawberry Hill Neighborhood. Given it's history, I sometimes expect (and maybe hope) that a ghost or two will make their way to the bar and order a whiskey or maybe a Mike's Hard Lemonade. In my many visits thus far, this has never happened. What has happened though is a good time and the consumption of many beers, which works for me. The bartenders are friendly and generally are willing to chat, especially on quieter evenings. One time when I walked over I found a "fortune teller" some kid made and dropped. This poor kid couldn't even spell the word black (it was written as "blak"). I showed it to the bartender and read his fortune. This fortune teller was somewhat x-rated so I won't reveal it's answer. The bartender was amused and accused me of making it ... which part of me wishes I had. The place doesn't serve food but bartenders will point you in the direction of some if you need it. There are some games to play if you're inclined and there is a jukebox. It's a great dive bar and it should be checked out ... multiple times! read more

The ultimate dive bar. Located in the heart of the great Strawberry Hill neighborhood, this is a warm friendly space with a regular crowd and interesting staff. This is what every neighborhood bar wants to be. read more

This bar is a veritable cornucopia of awesomeness. I mean, really - it was like the perfect storm of things that are great when we visited the other day. Cute little curly haired dog (belonging to a patron) that comes over to your table for some attention? Check. Friendly bartender and regulars who are quick to strike up a conversation? Check. Shots of something amazing called Grog/Witches Brew (that must be drunk in a certain way)? Check. Cheap drinks? Check. Random pot of homemade chicken and rice that we were invited to consume? Check. Oh, and there is indeed an old crematorium in the basement. So yeah. Fat Matt's is a dive bar, but an absolutely awesome dive bar. It was clean, everyone was friendly, and we even got a tour of the crematorium basement area, including the place where the bodies used to be stored. (I love history and the macabre/creepy/haunted, so I did indeed love this place.) Even the bathrooms were nice and tidy...so it can't be THAT much of a dive! Another plus is that it's open on a Sunday, which can be sort of a hard thing to find in KC. They don't have food (unless you get lucky and there's chicken and rice on offer), but we ate before we came, so it was a perfect spot to watch some football and do some Sunday day drinking. I feel like this is the kind of bar where you may enter as a stranger, but you'll leave feeling like a regular. There's just nothing about Fat Matt's that isn't cool, and while last Sunday's visit was my first, it most certainly will not be my last. I can't wait to bring more friends along for their first visit - and a shot of Grog. read more

Fat Matt's is my favorite Thursday night spot! My favorite two beautiful faces are behind the bar serving up cold drinks. Such a great spot to unwind after a long day of work where you can just chill and unwind with or without question. All kinds of cold beer and you have to get the shot of Grog! read more

Fat Matt's Vortex - Dive Bars Near Me - Kansas City, Kansas

We stopped early on a Friday night on our way West through Kansas City. The regulars and the bartender (who co-owns the place along with his mom) were super friendly and regaled us with tales of the bar's history, including a few ghost stories.As the evening wore on, more locals showed up to play pool, watch the game on the several large monitors, and generally have a good time. The drinks were inexpensive and good, including a mandatory free shot of something called "grog" that defies explanation, the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, and everyone was welcoming. I can definitely see myself as a regular if I lived in the area, and will make it a point to stop by if I ever find myself in Kansas City again! read more

I have written a total of two reviews for you and that is only because I have had exceptional experience at both. This bar is absolutely crazy fun! Great service great atmosphere some may say sketchy I said hole in the wall either way we can both agree that a good time was had here. I don't remember the name of the bartender but I remember saying happy birthday to a lot of people followed by exuberance I had not seen in a bar since I was a younger man. We literally found this place by circumstance and that was because we were staying at the Airbnb directly across the street. read more

This is my new favorite bar. Honestly the friendliest bartender I have EVER encountered (Sam, who introduced himself immediately while I was outside smoking) and one of the best Moscow Mules. Good drinks (try the Grog shot), pool, darts, jukebox, a boxing game. There is amazing energy here; I instantaneously felt at home. This is my first visit, but I will most definitely be returning, even though there are good bars much closer to home. read more

My son-in-law introduced me to this little dive bar, which is within walking distance of his house. I'm always a fan of a good dive bar, and when he mentioned that they sometimes have a live blues band, I was definitely in! Well, as fate would have it, there was no band on the night I went in, but it was still great (except that someone kept playing ABBA's greatest hits on the jukebox). This place is built over an old crematorium (as many other reviews have pointed out), but I didn't get a chance to see that part (although I hear they'll take you down if you ask). The place isn't big, just a few tables but a decent sized bar. Obviously a lot of regulars, of which my son-in-law is apparently one now. But the best part is their mysterious "grog". I have no idea what's in this stuff...it's their own homemade concoction of I believe about 14 different spirits, but it is DELICIOUS! Get a shot, you won't be disappointed! I'll definitely be back on my next trip to town read more

It's a dive bar for sure but the staff are friendly and the drinks are cheap. What more do you need? Be advised that there's karaoke on Saturday nights and plan accordingly. read more

This place is ok. Located in my great and historic neighborhood of Strawberry Hill. I noticed many reviewers referring to it as a dive bar. I guess we all have different definitions of what a dive is. Coming from simple people, I don't really consider it that divey. It's working class, so if that's divey, ok. It isn't what I would consider rough and not in a "rough" neighborhood but, we all have different sensitivies about class and neighborhood social structure. It IS a neighborhood bar and as such, can be rather clannish although not uncomfortably so, in my experience. I've been in this place 5 or 6 times now over the past 3 years. I don't care for a lot of the music in here especially when it gets gangstah. Just not my cup of tea. Some of the reviewers are correct in that the locals are not very responsive to strangers and the bartender didn't pay us much attention until he came right up on us but once he began waiting on us, he was attentive and polite. I've been to bars in other neighborhoods and had similar experiences. Some places are friendlier than others. I'm the kind of person that as long as people don't give me a hard time, I pretty much go with the flow. Fat Cat's isn't my first choice of bars in the downtown KCK area but it is a quick go-to, when my favorites aren't available. Bars can be very personal choices for many people, myself included. Who wants to waste money in a place one doesn't feel comfortable when one is trying to enjoy oneself? I've had a good time in this bar and I think the prices are reasonable. It's a convenient location. Parking is on the street but the neighborhood is safe. read more

Fat Matt's Vortex is sweet! My boyfriend and I took a weekend trip to Kansas City from St. Louis. When we found out that KC was home to a funeral parlor turned dive bar, we just had to go. The atmosphere is nice and divey, which we felt comfortable in. Also, the young man bar tending (also the co-owner of the joint) was so welcoming. Super nice guy, and he gave us a free shot of "grog." I would totally go back to Fat Matt's for some cheap drinks next time I'm in KC. read more

This place recently changed hands and the new folks have continued the excellent service and products. Its laid back, enjoyable and just plain fun. read more