Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Johnny's Tavern

    3.6 (84 reviews)
    InexpensiveSports Bars, Burgers, Pizza
    Open 9:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

    Johnny's Tavern Photos

    Business Info

    JOHNNY'S TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Juke Box
    Live music
    Divey
    Casual

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Johnny's Tavern

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Sweet potato fries

    Disappointed! Guess I got the bottom of the Sweet potato fry basket. Lots of small & random pieces. Also, paid for a dozen wings & got a small bit of blue cheese. Definitely won't "cover" 12 wings. What if I had ordered the half dozen, would I have gotten any blue cheese? I did enjoy the beer while waiting. But the food was a disaster, especially for $20!

    Nash Chick Sando
    Levi J.

    Best Nashville hot chicken I've had yet. Load up on the ranch and it's the best in LFK. Johnny's is always a favorite.

    Fiesta Salad
    Phon W.

    We went on a quiet Saturday afternoon. It wasn't busy. It was dark and cold feeling. The food was just okay to me. But seems like a fun place to go with friends if you just want to drink.

    Originator, Johnny Wilson, (circa 1954), on the occasion of Lawrence's centennial celebration
    Sean W.

    This is the Original from which the franchise launched. "Johnny's North" is off the Mass hysteria of downtown the first turn north of the Kaw River bridge to the west. This is where to find real food and real people - a place where local Lawrencians can be found, from minions to millionaires. The Johnny Wilson burger is a staple proven product: simple, straightforward, and a great accompaniment to Johnny's blue collar lager (made especially for Johnny's by award-winning Free State Brewery, to the south on Mass Street). Joe Kieltyka's stone oven pizza is my favorite and I default to the Nuke Laloosh when I'm ready for a meat lover's slice. Cajun nights return Sept. 2021 on the first and third Wednesdays of the month and trivia fills in on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday nights. Take a bike ride or jog on the river trail, try your luck at river fishing, marvel at the Bowersock hydro energy plant, or take a break from City hall meetings and enjoy honest food at a fair fare like other townies have for decades (current ownership since the 1970s).

    the menu for johnny's tavern

    See all

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Fun staff and atmosphere, with lots of choices on tap. The food looked amazing, though we stuck to drinks.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Shawn M.
    0
    300
    94

    2 years ago

    Amazing Buffalo chip dip just needed more chips, a must get. Beer selection ok. Pizza was solid. Lots of tv's.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Bobby D.
    1
    108
    45

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Fast service, great food, great drinks! 10/10 would eat here again! In fact I think I will do that right now.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dash R.
    100
    74
    14

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sean W.
    13
    27
    97

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Scott T.
    408
    1293
    3464

    11 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 8
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Nice patio and roomy inside-- good beer selection-- decent food, especially if you get one of the daily specials.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Betsy K.
    138
    94
    145

    18 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Charlotte G.
    154
    137
    133

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Johnny's Tavern

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Sports Bars 182 times last month within 10 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Merchants Pub & Plate - Salmon Baguette

    Merchants Pub & Plate

    4.1(477 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    Met for a lunch meetingon a chilly day. What was nice was I was able to have a cup of coffee with…read moreit! Our server was very helpful with navigating the menu. We had the fried green tomato sandwich and the Bison Burger at the recommendation of our server who was wonderful. Both were cooked to perfection and so good!

    Stopped by Merchants Pub & Plate while in Lawrence for an event and was excited to find a place…read morewith good gluten-free options. The restaurant itself is beautiful inside -- a cozy mix of rustic and modern that creates a really inviting atmosphere. Service started a little slow, though our waitress became more attentive once she came by. We mentioned it was our first visit, so I was a bit surprised there wasn't much guidance on the menu or any recommendations. At one point I asked about the two kinds of fries (I love fries!), and the explanation was simply that they were "fancy fries," without much detail on flavors or differences. We started with drinks and the Brussels sprouts appetizer. The sprouts were actually very good, with a nice balance in the sauce, and both the wine and sangria were refreshing. Unfortunately, dinner is where things went downhill. Our meals -- a steak and a gluten-free chicken sandwich -- took about 45 minutes to arrive, which felt long for relatively simple dishes. I had asked about the gluten-free bun since they can sometimes be dry, but didn't receive much insight beyond "it's gluten free," and sadly it was indeed very dry. The chicken itself lacked flavor, though the goat cheese cilantro sauce helped make it somewhat enjoyable. The fries looked homemade and delicious but arrived cold. The steak was cooked as requested, but it didn't have much flavor beyond the mushrooms on top. The broccoli side was tasty, and the potatoes were good, though it on a bed of Some kind of cheese sauce that wasn't quite to our liking. Overall, the space and gluten-free availability were promising, and the appetizers and drinks were enjoyable, but the food execution and service details didn't quite meet expectations for us this visit.

    Photos
    Merchants Pub & Plate - Dining area

    Dining area

    Merchants Pub & Plate - Pumpkin Cheesecake

    Pumpkin Cheesecake

    Merchants Pub & Plate - Dill Pickle Martini

    See all

    Dill Pickle Martini

    Wayne & Larry's Sports Bar & Grill - The hot and spicy burger and mostly crispy fries!

    Wayne & Larry's Sports Bar & Grill

    3.0(59 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    Rock Chalk, Jayhawk! Here's my post game review from Lawrence at Wayne and Larry's. If you're…read morelooking for a spot with great vibes and enough screens to satisfy any sports fan, this is it. Here's the breakdown of the experience: The Atmosphere & Eats It's a bit of a "conjoined twin" setup--bar on one side, bowling alley on the other. Clean, cool, and perfect for game day. The Burgers: Most are hefty half-pounders. I opted for a smaller 1/3 lb version of their Hot & Spicy (jalapeños, grilled onions, bacon, and a killer specialty hot sauce). Huge shoutout to the staff for letting me sub the smaller patty onto a different burger--super accommodating! The Sides: Crinkle-cut fries were solid, though they could've used an extra 30 seconds in the fryer for that elite crunch. The "Local Flavor" (The Drama) The only downside? The "day-drinking regulars." One guy was stumbling so hard he tripped over an elderly couple's walker and sent their drinks flying. The husband was ready to throw hands, and while security stepped in to de-escalate, they let the drunk guy stay. Pro-tip: Maybe keep an eye out for the "stumbling regulars" if you're sitting near the walkway. The Verdict The food is tasty and the staff is flexible, but the "neighborhood bar" antics can get a little messy

    The food has been good this summer but for today not as good. Everything was cold…read more Service is always good Don't get a mixed drink you can't even taste the alcohol

    Photos
    Wayne & Larry's Sports Bar & Grill - Pulled Pork

    Pulled Pork

    Wayne & Larry's Sports Bar & Grill - Come enjoy Wall-to-Wall TV's

    Come enjoy Wall-to-Wall TV's

    Wayne & Larry's Sports Bar & Grill - Our Banquet Room

    See all

    Our Banquet Room

    Johnny's Tavern - sportsbars - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...