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The Ship

4.1 (210 reviews)
Open 11:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

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THE SHIP ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Live music
Divey
Hipster
Casual

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Recommended Reviews - The Ship

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Meg B.

Stopped in for a beer on a late Wednesday evening. They had just one of the beers we wanted left on tap and it was fantastic! OVerall the vibes are very divey (no pun in tended) We sat in between the event hall and the main bar. We ended up closing the place down. It's in the West Bottoms and definitely in a warehouse-y type of neighborhood. Seemed like a fairly popular spot, and was a fun hang.

Chi H.

This is the spot to go to after a wedding night or look on their social media for their schedule of events. My favorite is definitely the cougar club. They host every first Wednesday of the month. It was my first time and it was a blast. The DJs made our night and they were remixing the old and new music. If you want to get your steps in, you will definitely dance all night to get it. It's from 6:30 pm to 10:30pm, perfect for the 30+ crowds. There was a cover about $10 but also they got really reasonable price drinks. Bring your crew and just have fun. Definitely want to bring my girls here.

Sachia P.

Parking is not great. Entry has stairs up to security. There is drinks, food and late nite diner. KC restaurant week menu was fire! I loved the Cubano and fried pickles. Peach cobbler was fire. Staff is very helpful and even late at night (10 pm ) they were willing to cook up dinner for us. Bathroom doors need to be repaired as the doors are missing slats. I love the original structures of downtown. The plants and decor are unique and different. $10 cover charge to dance floor but I'm sure just wanting to eat this could be waived.

KC Reuben
Amri L.

The Ship was a great experience for me! I love the KC Reuben and the season crinkle cut fries! Charlie was phenomenal bartender! The service was speedy and kind. The Ship is also known for having cool themed events and live music! I went on Cougar night, there were featured local businesses and something for everyone. The DJ was great and everyone seemed to be enjoying the drinks and dancing . Would definitely go again!

Mark B.

A group of us found ourselves in the west bottoms looking for somewhere to eat. My friend's uncle was once in the navy so The Ship seemed like the perfect destination. We weren't wrong. The dining area is a claustrophobic little place, much like a submarine interior, but in an intimate way, as though the seas above were nothing but calm. The menu is small but mighty, full of interesting selections and also vegetarian friendly. The same is true for the drink menu. The servers were super friendly, in a boldly unflinching manner. I'm guessing they don't easily suffer fools but thankfully we didn't test that theory. We had a great dining experience and will happily return, especially to check out the lounge area for some live music and delicious cocktails.

Over-Salted Gumbo with only a few slivers of meat and an overcooked Shrimp skewer. Not good.
Michael G.

My brother and I came here for the live music as all of the live music I could find on a Thursday evening was lacking except for The Ship. Overall, the music was ten plus stars but when we added in a dinner, the experience was very disappointing. The facility is rather eccentric and eclectic with its ship theme but it's pretty cool. Very dive bar vibes in a "dicey" area of the City, The Ship has multiple areas and bars. Our female server was excellent and kept on top of keeping us happy. My mixed drink was weak, but the specialty beer made just for The Ship was decent. Where things went downhill was the food. Today, they could've put one ingredient on the menu and everything else was a side. Salt! The fried pickles were plentiful with a good ranch dip, but seriously over-salted to the point where they were not enjoyable and more than half were tossed. Same with the fries but with whatever seasoning was on them. The gumbo I had was mostly a bland salted roux with a few slivers of meat and the side of shrimp I ordered was overcooked. Garlic bread was nothing great. My brother's Reuben also unfortunately half tossed as it was just not that good although told to us that they cure their own meat for it. The Mac and cheese side was rather good surprisingly. The plan was to get some of the awesome sounding dessert, but after this poor meal, we weren't taking the chance to waste any more money. So, if not for the awesome music of Lucas Parker and Friends, The Ship was just about sunk for us. The staff and quirkiness helped keep it afloat for one star, and another for the music. About $75 for two people, a cocktail, beer, tea, two sides and two mains. Not worth it tonight.

Found A Job 3/1/25
Ralphie S.

I lived downtown in the 80's and 90's and there wasn't a lot going on at that point and the options for an adult beverage were limited to a handful of old school dive bars inside the business loop: The Office, Joe's Standard, Soakies, The Auditorium...they could all be a bit sketchy after dark, but they were all unique and had great allure for me in my youth after I had escaped the suburbs and found the delights and intrigue of the city life. The Ship was my favorite and was my go-to for several years. The original location at 9th and Cherry was the perfect haunt. Definitely in a seedy neighborhood with a mixture of regulars that included low-income retirees from the nearby rundown apartments, hustlers of all trades, KCAI students and general followers of the stereotypical no-nonsense- but lovable- short Italian evening bartender - Vinnie. Not only did I gravitate here because of the regulars (Cleo- aka Mr. Jolly, Mary #1 and Mary #2) but the space was the most oddly eclectic in the city. The Ship opened in the 1930's and was created to look like the interior of a ship with lifeboats, marine vessel type doors, lightbulbs screwed into the walls that illuminated the murals to look like lighthouses, and with it's dark lighting, large wooden bar, a few rickety tables and a pinball machine and jukebox; The Ship was the hippest and sketchiest place in the metro. A vibe that attracted those looking for the out-of-ordinary and with its location, keeping out the "Westport / PnL" type of partiers. My last visit to the original Ship was in 1993 for a going away party for myself when I took a job in Alaska for a while. Shortly after The Ship was closed to make way for Ilus Davis Park, yet before it was torn down scenes from Robert Altman's "Kansas City" were filmed here and thankfully the interior was salvaged, put into storage and later used to re-birth The Ship for a new 21st century cult following. Using the original interior pieces, they have built a large complex in an old warehouse space in the West Bottoms that not only plays homage to the original, but expands upon the vibe with art, found objects and decor that creates a places that is not a cheap rip-off of the original but a bar and live music venue worthy of this great city. The best renovation and architectural salvation project in town. I was a bit leery to visit at first because of my distant and fond memories, but The "new" Ship now has a returning passenger. My last two visits over the past 3 weeks have been for live music. The Ozark Cobras in the original small space and then for Found -a-Job in the newer larger space. Once again The Ship provided opportunities to run into people from my past life and make some new friends as well, while soaking up the history and nostalgia and enjoying some great music and some local beers. We are blessed in this city to have Knuckleheads in the East Bottoms and The Ship in the West Bottoms - two of the most unique and organic music venues in the midwest. I wish Vinnie and the old gang were here to see it!

Cubano
Colleen L.

This is a super fun and one of the most unique venues in KC. It's large with different rooms for dinner, drinks, and live music. And the ambiance is on point with the nautical theme. We started with some drinks and dinner. I went with one of their drink specials, the Dragonfruit margarita-Silver Tequila, fresh lime, agave, and dragonfruit. It was really sweet and summery. This would be fantastic on a hot summer evening on their patio. My partner ordered a fig Manhattan and thought it was good. I ordered the Cubano: shaved ham, salami, roasted pork loin, swiss cheese, pickles, mayo and mustard, pressed french roll. This version reminded me of a Cuban that the foundry had before they closed. It was one of my favorites and I'm so glad I ordered this one. I love the addition of the salami and I appreciate the pressed French roll. I'd definitely order it again. I upgraded my side to the smoked Mac and cheese: creamy classic mac and cheese, hickory smoked Kansas City style. This was some of the best Mac and cheese that I've had in KC. I would totally order it by itself as an entree. My partner tried the KC Reuben: hickory smoked pastrami, swiss cheese, sauerkraut, kc special thousand island, marbled rye. He said it had good flavor but the meat was a little on the fatty side. But he still ate it and said it was overall good. He also tried the coleslaw. He said it was alright. It had celery and red peppers so it was a little non traditional and it was chopped pretty large. We also ordered a cup of the chicken and sausage gumbo. It also had a good flavor and we'd definitely order it again. After dinner we made our way over to the music venue side. They do have a few tables throughout but you'd need to arrive early to snag one because they fill up fast. They also have bars in a few different locations so you can easily grab a drink. The dance floor in the middle is fun. It quickly filled up with people and there were even some dance offs. Definitely check out this spot and grab food, drinks, and listen to some music.

Firecracker Shrimp PoBoy
Samantha W.

Our server was nice and friendly. The food was pretty good. My red beans and rice were kinda bland. My husband enjoyed his shrimp po boy. The one negative thing was someone in our party walked into an area where there was a bar and an employee came up to her and said what are you doing here and she said I'm just looking. He said "get out" very rudely. She saw when she walked out of the doors which were propped open that there were 2 little signs that said "ship crew only". So while it's understandable that she wasn't supposed to be there - the way she was spoken to was completely rude and unnecessary.

Outside the bar and restaurant.

Had lunch at The Ship this week and it was great! Interesting place.....kinda dumpy....but dumpy with ambiance. We loved it. The food was also very good. Good sandwiches and hamburgers. Fries were hot, crispy and also very good. Mac and Cheese was good--but a bit spicy. Red beans and rice was also good. Drinks were well done. Beer was cold....mixed drinks were well made and the service was fine. If you want to eat at someplace with character....give the Ship a try!

Cubano - it was okay
Stephanie K.

Went for lunch and it was super cute. The interior is decorate with lots of nautical ship items. Started with the Bloodhound drink. It was good, a gin with grapefruit. For an app we had the green beans. They were delicious and crispy The Mac and cheese is creamy. I had pulled pork on this side. It was a little more fatty than I like The Cuban was decent. Staff were quick and kind. Would definitely go back to try dinner

Some of the décor.

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5 months ago

Food, service, and drinks were great. Fantastic restaurant and bar! Excellent vibe and cool atmosphere - will definitely be back!

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Ask the Community - The Ship

Review Highlights - The Ship

Love this place visited on a Saturday around 3 pm when the other West Bottom restaurants weren't open.

Mentioned in 16 reviews

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Fern Bar - KC Magazine's Best New Bar

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4.6(95 reviews)
1.1 miCrossroads, Greater Downtown
Romantic vibe
Locally owned & operated

Holy...OMG. Come here, come here, come here…read more By some spark of light and luck we start the Valentines Day evening here. Drinks we got: - No Fly Zone - Off the Rails - Mr. Collage - Mescal Espresso Martini I got a cocktail caviar bump which - YES! Appetizer burritos complimented everything. We didn't have a reservation, but they were able to sneak us in, and I couldn't be happier!! You must come here.

I've driven past the Fern Bar countless times, but had never stopped in. Truthfully, I knew next to…read morenothing about it. That changed yesterday, when Diana Condori, the bar manager, was named a 2026 James Beard Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service semifinalist. As we love supporting restaurants and bars that receive that kind of recognition, my wife and I headed to Fern Bar that evening. I was especially curious what exactly a "sugarcane and agave bar" meant. We arrived around 5:30pm and found only a handful of guests inside. After congratulating the bartender who first served us, he mentioned that Diana was working that night and would stop by to meet us. During our conversation, Diana shared that she didn't even know she had been nominated. She woke up Tuesday to a call from owner Bryan Arri, who said he had big news and was coming over. Her first thought was that something terrible had happened--like the bar had burned down. Instead, he showed up with coffee and told her she was a James Beard honoree. Diana is originally from Bolivia and has lived in Kansas City most of her life, with the exception of time spent in San Francisco during the pandemic. She further refined her cocktail craft through local pop-ups in Kansas City under the name Condor's Cove. When Bryan was preparing to open Fern Bar, he reached out to bring her onto the team. The printed cocktail menu immediately reminded me of the Monarch and the Mercury Room--not surprising given Bryan's background at Manifesto and the Monarch. Thoughtful, intentional, and clearly designed for people who appreciate serious cocktails. We planned on having one or two drinks but ended up staying for three, thanks to an outstanding lineup and a memorable conversation with Diana. We tasted: * No Fly Zone - Rum, agave, pineapple foam * Mr. Collage - Smooth, elegant, egg-white cocktail * Three Negroni Lunch - Bitter, boozy, and beautifully balanced * Pendergast No. 4 - Complex and spirit-driven * It's Bananas - Banana liqueur with bright tropical notes * Off the Rails - Creative and well-executed rum/agave cocktail One downside of many cocktail-forward bars is the lack of food, but Fern Bar offers two varieties of mini burritos for $4--just enough protein to keep things balanced while indulging. Great concept, exceptional service, and truly memorable drinks. Check it out--and be sure to say hello to Diana.

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Fern Bar - Comfortable & ample seating

Comfortable & ample seating

Fern Bar - Don't worry, the outlets were photoshopped out, but there for you to charge your phone

Don't worry, the outlets were photoshopped out, but there for you to charge your phone

Fern Bar - To-Go cocktails available now

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To-Go cocktails available now

The Blue Palm - Drink menu and sample flight

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4.9(23 reviews)
1.3 mi

Strawberry Hill has a "new" gem that took me 2 years to just cross the Kansas River from KCMO to…read moreget to LOL. The former Mockingbird (aka The View for us "old-timers") has been reimagined into one of the highest quality tiki bars I have ever experienced. The outdoor patio has been tidied up and the interior is like The Little Mermaid meets Pirates of the Caribbean with New Orleans flair (think hanging lanterns, skulls and a Velvet John Wayne) and you will get the vibe. Roxy was delighful and crafted fabulous drinks and stories. The seasonal menu changes every few months and current highlights include the "Better to Sea You With" and "Chai and Mighty". The "Zombie " was potent and "Morning Wench" with rum creme, spiced rum, black coffee liquor and cinnamon is the BEST "espresso" without espresso martini I have ever had! Take a ride on over to Kansas City Kansas or better yet take a Lyft, because you won't be able to have just one of their delicious drinks.

While they don't serve food the drinks are on point. The place is a little on the dark side but it…read moreadds to the appeal. Our waitress was amazing. She was attentive without hovering. Everyone enjoyed what they ordered and we ordered a lot. The drinks are nice and strong so a little goes a long way. It is not listed on the website but they do offer flights in case you can't pick just one drink. Can't wait to go again.

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The Blue Palm - The Blue Palm tiki bar

The Blue Palm tiki bar

The Blue Palm - Flight of Saturn, Dusky Skies & Sailors Take Warning

Flight of Saturn, Dusky Skies & Sailors Take Warning

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The Mercury Room - View from Mercury Room

The Mercury Room

4.2(98 reviews)
1.1 miCrossroads, Greater Downtown

The Mercury Room is quickly becoming a weeknight fave for me and my friends! A little known tip is…read morethat you can text their number to see if they have any patio or weeknight spots open for walk-ins. The servers and bartenders are so fun throughout the week, and are willing to talk through the drinks and provide some wonderful details and recommendations. The atmosphere is unmatched across Kansas City. You won't find a cooler interior with the lights and ceilings with a beautiful view of the city, but the lesser known star of the location is the patio seating, with great views of the skyline. My friends and I have tried most of the drinks, but the Enfleurage, Magnus, Ambrosia and Kashi are favorites of the latest menu.

We went to Mercury Room after dinner and did not have reservations. Luckily, bar seats became…read moreavailable due to a cancelled reservation. Unless you want to stand by the windows with a shelf as a table like outcasts, I would suggest making a reservation. The interior is beautiful. The lights on the ceiling mimic a starry night, visible through the glass windows from the street below. To enter you'll have to meet the host outside the bar on the 1st floor (currently Jade Jaguar). The host will send you up to the Mercury room via elevator, where you will be greeted by a server who will lead you into the gorgeous space. The space has 4 couches for larger parties, a few tables for seating, about 6 bar seats and a couple shelf tables for the unprepared outsiders without reservations (us). You will also be greeted with a complimentary tiny glass of kombucha. We didn't order food, but the drinks were delicious and unique. Mercury Room is a great place to stop by on a date night. Side note: This is the first place in Kansas City where I actually felt underdressed so if you want to dress up and go somewhere with a matching atmosphere of luxury, this is the place.

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The Mercury Room - Outside balcony

Outside balcony

The Mercury Room - Main bar

Main bar

The Mercury Room

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Prime Social - Lobster roll sushi in the foreground with prime sliders in the back.

Prime Social

4.4(247 reviews)
4.1 miCountry Club Plaza

I love the ease of making a reservation here and the vibe if the space. We were greeted by…read moreChristina at the door and she was so pleasant!! We all enjoyed our drinks. I love to see that since the last time I was there that the menu has expanded to more entree like foods. It's definitely a place I can see myself hanging out after work for a happy hour.

We took our son out to Prime Social for his 20th birthday, and it was a fantastic spot to…read morecelebrate! This rooftop gem on the Country Club Plaza has such a youthful, energetic vibe--perfect for a milestone like this. Our server was excellent--super friendly, attentive, and even recommended a beautiful and delicious cocktail that paired perfectly with our dinner. We went all out and sampled a ton from the menu: fried lobster tail, pepperoni pizza, spicy tuna roll, salmon roll, wagyu Nagiri, oysters with caviar, and wagyu sliders. Most of the food was absolutely delicious! The sushi rolls stood out with their unique flavors and beautiful presentation--what a nice surprise. Our absolute favorites were the wagyu nagiri (melt-in-your-mouth incredible) and the oysters with caviar. The wagyu sliders were also a hit. That said, the fried lobster tail was a bit of a letdown--chewy and lacking the flavor punch that everything else delivered. The atmosphere is lively and fun, but heads up: it gets very loud. We were at one of those tiny cocktail tables and basically had to yell across it to chat, which made conversation a challenge during dinner. On the bright side, we scored an amazing seat with a stunning view of the Plaza. Watching the sunset while eating was magical and made the whole experience feel extra special for a birthday. Overall, great food (with just a couple minor misses), awesome vibes, top-notch service, and that unbeatable rooftop setting. I'd definitely recommend Prime Social and we'd go back in a heartbeat--maybe just bring earplugs if you're planning to talk a lot! 4 stars.

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Prime Social - Great atmosphere

Great atmosphere

Prime Social - Truffle Fries

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Hamachi

The Ship - cocktailbars - Updated May 2026

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