Mini Bar

A unique hold out in a sea of boring! Always a fun spot. Love the local element — great Boulevard selection!

This is the greatest bar in all of Kansas City, possibly North America, certainly this Northern Hemisphere.

I’ve been here a couple times now to grab a drink and see a show. They have a decent beer selection offering both cheap cans and craft drafts. I generally drink PBR here. It’s that kind of a place. So the whole space isn’t big necessarily but very minimalist in decoration so it feels bigger than it is. It’s a concrete room with some very midtown-​feeling-​falling-​slightly-​apart furniture. Upstairs, there’s another concrete room with a bar for beverages and a couple beat-​up couches in the back. Which is okay except both times I’ve been here, I’ve seen some pretty loud live music. The second show I saw here used their reverb like it was going out of style and with very little in the room to soak up the sound, it was pretty intense. Think about seeing a show in somebody’s basement with 50 – 100 other people. It’s like that. Some people like that sound. I will probably skip any rock concerts here. That’s just my preference. Which is too bad because the space definitely feels more punk/​rock-​band than folksy singer-​songwriter.

Many bars along the Broadway’s Midtown corridor play along with the neighborhood’s divey and gritty aesthetic. Mini Bar on the other hand, is a nice change of pace. It offers up an almost minimalist, sleek and modern feel and backs it up with good bartenders and well poured drinks.
Mini Bar isn’t a large space, but it does offer a little bit for everybody. If you watch the calendar, the weekends rotate among some local djs, you can sing to your hearts content during Karaōke Tuesdays and you can even find an occasional DIY rock show here and there.
If those things aren’t your bag, that’s okay. There are plenty of fine folks from the neighborhood who will gladly grab you a stool and enjoy a cold one with you.

I liked mini Bar. It is a dive that tries to be classy. It could use some repairs to the booth cushions and bar stools. It is not fancy at all, but it has a lot of positives.
The bartenders are fantastic. Super friendly and attentive. My drinks were well mixed and the prices were good.
I went for Nerd Nite and they really filled up. Get there early if you go.
Although it has the feel of a neighborhood day drinking spot, they do not open until 8pm (with the exception of special events like Nerd Nite and they open at 6pm.)
I like the unisex bathrooms. Often there is a long line for the ladies and no one in the men’s. This helps solve this problem and it is first come first serve!
Overall, if you want somewhere perfect and upscale, mini bar is not your place. If you want somewhere to hang out and have a good time, stop by.

Great Bar. Great staff. Never obnoxious, and if there is any riff raff, it’s dealt with. A lot of the other bars in the Westport area could take a lesson here. Also, love the karaōke on Tuesday nights.

Nasty hipsters in ugly vests dancing to awesome 90’s music dancing on musty entry way rugs.
mullets are definitely welcome

This is my neighborhood bar. Sister to Record Bar and every bit as cozy and great for a regular except on weekend nights when the crowd can really pack in.
There’s never a cover here, the drinks are affordable, and there’s something different going on almost every night. The frozen pizzas made by the great cooks at Record Bar can be a life saver if you’ve had one too many and need to dial it back a bit.
Given its location, the travel theme is highly appropriate here. Though it can be a great place to set up camp for a night if things are happening, it’s a great place to stop between destinations, to regroup, to kill some time waiting for a friend to come out.
Love this place. Had my birthday here this year and it was one of the best ones in memory.

I’ll agree with the other reviews, there’s nothing incredibly special about this place… except it’s so much easier to deal with than anything around the corner in Westport. Easier to park. Fewer sloshed girls jaywalking. No other bars around. mB is small. If you give me the choice between miniBar and [Harry’s, Foundry, etc.] after 10p, I will pick miniBar every time.
miniBar has a decent beer selection and doesn’t gouge you on prices. I can usually get a decent Boulevard or something of the Mother’s variety. They also have average pizzas, which are tasty whether you’ve been drinking or just want a late-​night snack.
I love the travel theme: the globe lights, the world map with time zone clocks, the airplane silhouettes in the bathrooms. «miniBar. cocktails. adventure.»
They have good DJs some evenings, and the music isn’t so loud you can’t hold a conversation. Occasionally, they’ll have a show upstairs.
I don’t think I’m getting THAT old yet — I appreciate there’s a low-​key bar in the area to finish out the night with drinks and conversation.

Not sure what the draw is supposed to be here.
This is a concrete room with another tiny concrete room on the 2^nd floor.
Drinks were pricy and not very good.
The DJ on the 2^nd floor was fine, but seemed superfluous on a Sunday afternoon, even if it was St Patrick’s Day,
Can’t see any reason I’d be back. There are better hole-​in-​the-​wall bars.

Mini Bar has been on my list of bars to visit for several months now. I finally found an opportunity to try it out last night and I left surprised at how much I enjoyed it.
Atmosphere: They were pretty dead when my friends and I got there around 11pm on a Saturday but we loved that. We could snag the corner table with the plush seating and take our time ordering and looking around. They had Animal Planet’s ‘Too Cute’ show on the tv’s and a Lord of the Rings pinball machine right next to us. Again, love that! I think our collective favorite aspect of the ambiance was the travel theme. The wall-​sized map, the clocks with times from all over the world, and the lights over the bar made out of globes cut in half to make lamp shades. As the night progressed we saw more and more ‘hipsters’ walk in the door but this is not just a hipster place. We didn’t feel out of place at all and none of us had on our skinny jeans. The bar was very clean and even the bathroom on a Saturday night at 2am smelled good and was still clean. Unheard of in most Westport bars!
Food/​Service: Pizza all night! Not great for lactards like me, but once the cheese came off my slices, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality. Thin crust but not crunchy and lots of toppings that seemed fresh. We were a little disappointed by the BBQ Chicken pizza because it was a little lighter on the sauce than the Supreme we also had, but the flavor was good and definitely better than the ‘drive-​thru’ that we had considered visiting. They didn’t have an actual server on shift but the bartender often came over to our table to check on us and brought us drinks as if she didn’t have a full bar and was busy. They were friendly and knowledgable and did not make us feel awkward for being new to the scene.
Drinks: Strange combinations but what they had seemed to fit the travel theme. They had some spirits to choose from but what was most memorable to me was the selection of Sake on the menu! I didn’t expect to see that but I think that’s a theme for Mini Bar-it’s not what you expect, it’s better. The beer menu was not extensive, but they had staples that everyone likes and definitely took it beyond the PBR etc that one might expect when visiting a hipstery bar. They had probably 8 taps to choose from that weren’t out and 2 – 3 times that many bottles.
Mini Bar has not claimed a spot on my favorite bar list but I look forward to my next visit there and will definitely suggest it to friends looking for a bar near Westport that is quiet but fun at the same time. The DJ plays his music at a loud but not yell-​requiring level and no one there seemed to be annoyingly wasted. Mini Bar seems like a great place to go with friends to hang out, not a place to go to get silly trashed or go nuts. And I like that. I’m giving Mini Bar a 3 star review but only because I can’t give it a 3.5. I think one or two more visits may put it to a 4 star review for me.

I was invited to this wonderful bar after a friends birthday party in Westport to check out what I was assured would be great music combined with reasonable drink prices in a fun, laid-​back atmosphere. Needless to say I was not disappointed.
The DJs spinning on this particular night decided to delight the patrons to some unknown yet unforgettable soul and funk which had me and the rest of the bar dancing until we couldn’t dance any more. Good thing the bar was so close. You simply take a couple of steps to the left and the bartenders are happy to help you choose a drink to quench the kind of parch that can only be obtained from too much laughter and fun.
I was reluctant to leave the dance floor and the congenial company you are sure to encounter in this wonderful space. Good thing they are open to 3am =)
With no cover charge, decent beer/​spirit selection for such a small bar and an almost guaranteed good time I highly recommend stopping in and spending some time.

There’s a big gap between 2 and 3 stars, but I dislike when people give ½ star ratings. This one really probably is a 2.5 though. We were here for a special bingo event, not a regular service. Well drinks were quite affordable although having only one bartender who was socializing, cooking and serving drinks caused a bit of a wait. I like the location and seating in this teeny tiny establishment.
They have a huge menu board, but it seemed everything we tried to order off the board (beer) was something they didn’t have. It’s a chalkboard, you’d think they could manage to keep it up to date.
In anycase, I’ll go back again.

This should be no surprise, we knew this was coming. I’ve worked in the restaurant biz and retail. One thing you learn early on — assume positive intent. My experience was the opposite of that.
After ordering drinks I snagged the bars’ snacks in front of me for a little late night sustenance. Within a few seconds somebody was in my face. Veins popping out in your neck style. As it turns out it was the owner of MiniBar, Steve. After a few minutes of hostile finger-​wagging and few minutes of a regional bar etiquette discussion, Steve and I resolved the issue on good terms. I was even offered unlimited access to the «expensive» Mini Bar snacks. I have some responsibility in it too –I shouldn’t assume I can jam stuff laying around a bar at 2am. The owner took responsibility and said he can’t rush up to patrons yelling to «apologize or get the fuck out!»
The confrontation mixed with the annoying vibe — super loud funk music (either be a dance floor or a bar, you’re not big enough to be both) — warrants the bad rating. I feel bad because I know people that work there but I couldn’t imagine going back. Nothing positive sets it apart from any other drinking establishment in the area. My recommendation, not because anyone asked but since I own a locally run business and want to see everyone else succeed, would be for everyone at Mini Bar to relax. Turn down the music, relax the policing and slow down the bartenders.

I love this place. Very chill and laid back vibe. Good place to listen to music or just talk it up with friends. Drink prices are really good and the staff is super friendly, i cannot wait to go back.
I was impressed by how clean this place was compared to the previous tenant and the other bars along broadway.

Minibar is the latest great bar in Kansas City. Minutes away from the Plaza and Westport, the Douchebag quotient is negative here. This place literally offsets P&L Douchebaggery on the KC scales. In a hot summer day the cool, modern/​retro travel theme, dim lighting and great bartenders (ask for Kara or Vi) make this a place not to miss. And they don’t play any bad music here.

Friendly!
We popped in our way to a concert at the Uptown Theater for a quick drink. This is the place that made me think everyone in KC is friendly. The patrons, the owner and bartenders could not have been nicer! We were trying unsuccessfully to find a shuttle or ride to the Royals game and the owner scoured the Internet trying to help. He even made some calls to help us out.
It sounds like the place just opened, so I’m hoping it succeeds. They had all my favorite adult beverages available — Jeremiah Weed, Limon, and domestic beer. What’s not to love?
It’s got charm, cold drinks and friendly staff!

The owners of recordBar have recently opened up a new bar near Westport. It’s a totally new concept from their live music venue, completely gutted out than when the space was Gusto Lounge or the Lava Room before it, and very different than the other bar offerings on that strip of Broadway.
miniBar has only been open for a couple weeks, but has already carved out its own character in this area, known for some seedier, divier bar options (and in some cases this is good… in others, not so much). The globe and suitcase light fixtures and «worldly» feel gives miniBar an air of class and freshness without the pretentiousness. Being a 3 a.m. bar, it provides a new option for those not in the mood for Chez Charlie or the Newsroom. I’ve been here a handful of times already, and it’s provided a comforting respite from the busyness of Westport or music venues after a packed show.
recordBar pizzas will soon be appearing here, which will automatically be a win in my book. I’ve had good experiences with the bartenders, but it probably helps that I frequent their big sister bar, so that might be subjective. Either way, I look forward to seeing this business grow and become a permanent fixture on Broadway.
P. S. I gave this review only 4 stars instead of 5 because I don’t drink, and since it’s a bar, I don’t want to speak for the drink selections or prices since I know nothing about them. Otherwise, 5 stars!