Great little dive bar. Easy to talk to locals. Friendly and super efficient bartender. We arrived around 9 pm on a Saturday night. Sat and BS'd the guy with the Harley out front before going in. 2 sides to hangout on. 1 bar with pleasant bartender. Clean bathrooms. Mini beers were frightenly good, dangerous! Decent price on PBR- $3. Basic drinks, in the pricey downtown area. read more

Great local dive bar with great drink prices, way better than the chain bars that are close Exactly how I like my dives -1 star for non friendly staff at times read more

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"Please Don't Feed the Animals" but Please Do enjoy "The Zoo" which I consider the best dive bar in Downtown KC and the cheapest place to drink for miles. Still cash only, with a handy ATM, but their Mini-beers are famous and they still pour with a heavy hand and have a great selection of canned beer. If you see me there ask me to play pool, I could sure use the practice! read more

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Executive Summary: Dive bar is divey. This dive bar has all the fixin's you could ask for: gratuitous graffiti, friendly locals, cheap beer that is fine, cash only, dimmy lit, loud jukebox. Many cities have many bars like this, this one is slightly unique in that it's in a very central part of downtown. Worth a shot! (or 4) read more

Great for a dive bar! When going out in the power & light area, we love to start our night here. This bar is cash only, has darts & pool tables and has tvs for any games that are on. There's also writing all over the walls so would recommend asking for a sharpie to leave your mark as well! The bartender kept asking for other forms of IDs (to our group in our mid-20s, all very much legal) and had surly service from the bartender following that but again, great for a dive bar and was a fun, small place to hang out. read more

Zoo Bar - Mini beer shots - Dive Bars Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Cash only little hole in the wall bar. Pool table, good service. Easy place to stop and get a beverage.

I love this place! But, know that it's a dive bar, cash only with an ATM in the back and no food. It's a very local crowd and sometimes the local residents will want to talk to you as you walk it (we got a marriage proposal on the way in). Just nod, smile and walk on in! There is no wifi or frills, this is a good-ole dive bar to get a drink and play some pool! Every inch of the inside has writing on the walls (you can get creative to sign your name...mine is on the back of a hanging sign by the front door with a friend of mine from a few years back). It's a great dive bar, but not a place to take a large group of stuffy corporate colleagues (just the cool ones)! :) read more

Had such a great time here! The atmosphere was lively but still chill enough to relax and enjoy the night. The music fit the mood perfectly, and everyone around seemed to be having fun. The staff kept everything running smoothly, and the whole place had that laid-back local charm that makes you want to stay longer. Definitely one of those spots you'll want to come back to again and again! read more

If it doesn't have sectioned off bike parking it is not a biker bar I don't want to go to a bar and have a drunk and a car knock my bike over so I don't know why this bar claims to be a biker bar read more

We were staying down by power and light. We asked a "local" for a dive bar in the area. Zoo bar was recommended to us. It was a short walk from our hotel. We arrived just as a concert at T-mobile was getting over. We walked in, and we knew we would enjoy this place. It's definitely a dive bar, but that it's charm. Everyone from Bras hanging from the ceiling to sharpie on the walls. The bar was very quiet when we arrived around 1030. By 1130, the place was filling up. Mini beer shots seem to be the most ordered item there. We were sitting at the bar watching the bartender pour 4 or 5 at a time. She was a one person show. read more

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I love bringing my friends here and showing them a really nice dive bar. That's full of really nice people. The bartender is exceptionally wonderful. She's the sweetest and very welcoming to everybody. read more

Great place to enjoy a drink with friends and watch sports! Really good food and great atmosphers!

Best food and atmosphere in St. Petersburg. Service was awesome and the owners were cool

Very neat bar with tons of reading material on the walls. Bartender was nice, efficient. Cash only. Had one drink. Couple of sketch dudes smoking outside but not the bars fault. read more

Absolutely loved the vibe here! The music was on point, and the crowd was super friendly. Drinks were creative and well-priced. Perfect spot for a fun night out with friends! Highly recommend! read more

Pretty much zero signage for this place unless you are randomly driving north and see the side of their building. A cute little place that was totally empty the Wednesday we went in. Pretty standard as bars go, but completely quiet unless you pay for music. I bet if it was full it would be a much more memorable experience, but it was just myself and my friend. I think it's in a cool location and could do really well if they advertised a bit! But then again, maybe it's just a place for regulars. read more

This is a very legit dive bar. It's sort of in a location where there aren't many others. We were downtown at that big location I can't remember the name of it and I searched for dive bar and this came up. When I say it's legit, it's legit it looks like my house in college when I was 20. There's beer cans laying around and graffiti all over the walls. There's a couple pool tables. The bartender is suitably grouchy and the bathrooms are suitably dingy. Everybody that was in there looks like they hang out there all the time. Prices were decent. I think it would be fun if you lived in the area and we're able to go there on a regular basis. read more

Best bar in KC!! Make sure you see Theresa at the bar to take care of you, she is absolutely amazinggggg read more

Zoo Bar - a person holding a glass of beer - Dive Bars Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Good spot. Cash only. Beer is cold and place is appropriately dark. Dispensary nearby too, if you're into that. Friendly people, service was above average for a dive bar. 8.2/10 on the DBS. GB. read more

Dive bar at its finest! Limited bar seating inside, this is a great place to check out if you want the opposite of Power and Light. Cheap beer and drinks, grabbed a couple $3 High Life tall boys on my stop in. They have a pool table and dart board, but very little room to play if this place fills up. Don't expect craft beer or fancy cocktails. They had a couple IPAs that I am guessing rarely ever see action. Their walls are covered in customer signatures/quotes dating back to at least the 80's from a few I found that were dated. If you enjoy dive bars, you need to stop here. read more

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BEST DIVE BAR. Need a place to go in the middle of the week with a big group? This place fits the bill. Need the memory of holding a can or bottle of your favorite beer from college. That may come true too. Just make sure you have cash. There is a pool table around the back. Also one of those new jukeboxes to play some fun jams. Don't forget to ask for a sharpie too and draw on the walls! I made my mark - ghoatst. Just a fun spot to just hang with friends, and the bartender was such a sweetheart. This will be on the rotation when I'm back in KC. read more

This place is great. Cheap drinks and good people. Cash only but has an Atm in the back.

When you look up "dive bar" in the dictionary, a picture of Zoo Bar in Kansas City should pop up. An all time classic local dive with a working juke box, darts, pool, and cheap drinks. I have yet to find a more fun hole in the wall in my time in KC! And as one of their favorite signs read: "The customer is always wrong!" read more

Zoo Bar - a variety of liquor bottles on shelves - Dive Bars Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

fun little bar outside of p&l. nice place to get the party started. cheap drinks but limited space. read more

Zoo Bar - a pool table and a woman standing in front of a pool table - Dive Bars Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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The Zoo Bar is a small dive bar located in the heart of downtown Kansas City. Sitting just a block north of Sprint Center, this would be an easy walk before or after a show or event at the arena. Please note, street parking is the best option and this is a cash only bar. Kenneth was our bartender on a weekday afternoon. A friendly and social guy. He was able to debrief us on the history of the establishment. The bar has a 50 person capacity and mostly caters to those who work and live downtown. During our visit, we had the entire bar to ourselves. Eyes are drawn to the walls and ceiling where gratuitous amounts of graffiti document who was there. A two-room establishment. Bar in the first half with barstools lining both the bar and walls. The second room has a low table and chairs plus a pool table. Beverage options are limited to bottle beer and mixed drinks. Drinks are well-priced. read more

Zoo Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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Classic dive bar with great energy!The bartenders are friendly and pour a good drink. Be sure to try the shot that looks like a miniature beer (tastes sort of like vanilla ice cream). read more

Zoo Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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Visiting from Boston and had to visit a dive bar. This didn't disappoint. Jell-O shot a plus. Ok, maybe two! read more

Had a great time drinking here after a Pantera concert many years ago. Still a great dive bar, and one of the only fun ones downtown. Why I ever went to a Pantera concert however remains one of life's many great mysteries read more

Had never been here, such a fun dive bar full of interesting and friendly people. If you are looking for a place for cheap beer and a good time just swing by. Make sure to bring cash or you will have to use the ATM, it's a cash only bar. read more

Pretty interesting hole in the wall. Server was super awesome, they have a modern juke machine for music, pool, and of course pretty cheap drinks. The walls and ceilings will give you ample amount of entertainment. The oldest I found was from '88. And everything in between was just mesmerizing. Not your place for a swanky, fancy, or group good times. This place is great for just a few friends, casually just wanting a drink. Cash only! read more

For a dive bar, this is a five star. Markers on the wall, Drinks, a pool table & darts. Old beer smell, locals sitting at the bar for hours in the middle of the day. Sweet older lady bartending and taking care of us. If youre looking for a dive bar, this is definitely one to hang in. read more

A quiet, upscale bar where you can slowly sip on a martini over deep conversation, have Vegas style service and listen to live jazz, this is NOT! This is for those who like to dive on in to a bar and channel their inner college student. It's a blast. It's more fun than some of the contrived bars, because it just is what it is. A lively, fun spot with cheap drinks, bar games and friendly people. It's what a bar should be. There's not a ton for me to say that isn't already covered, but roll in here with some friends and take over the place. Don't expect concierge service, but just roll with whatever happens and have fun! read more

Just updating to mention that Zoo Bar's new* back room is now open... sorta. As of this writing you still can't take drinks back there just yet, but you can leave then within sight on a table on the yellow side of the bar as you go back to shoot pool. (Though Missouri has some of the most liberal liquor laws in the nation, you have to go through a lot of hoops and the license to allow drinking on the north side of the bar is still being processed.) At the moment the new room just has the pool table and a small karaoke stage. Additional plans include a dart board, maybe a shuffleboard, and maybe another arcade game. *The new room is a partial re-creation of the back room Zoo used to have about 20 years ago. This new room is a little smaller than the original. read more

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One statement. Ask for the "mini beer." It's super delicious shot. Just do it. One of downtown KC's best kept secret is this cash only dive bar. No draft beer, but many choices for bottled beer and a full liquor bar. They also have a pool table in the back room. read more

Zoo Bar - Zoo! - Dive Bars Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

What the hell? How is this place under my radar? I have never heard anyone talk about it, except on Yelp.com. The reason may be because they probably can't fit one more person in this long narrow space. It is tiny, old, very few seats. Check it out and rub you will rub shoulders with KU college students, old folks and downtown loft dwellers. The energy is great, drinks are cheap, the jukebox rocks. It is only a few blocks from my house! One star off because the lights are too bright to be considered a complete dive bar. Love it! read more

Zoo Bar - Entrance - Dive Bars Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Rikki Tikki Tavi at the ZoO? I'm in love. I think I've found my regular spot away from all the P&L madness. Zoo bar is the best of the best of dive bars. And as the bartender said when I called to ask about happy hour,"Every hour is happy here. We pour them long and hard.' I'm there. It's located close to everything so it's great to stop by for a few super cheap drinks and good tunes. Everyone is friendly there and the jukebox reigns supreme. Lots of music flashbacks at the ZoO. Lock me up, cause I'm here to stay. read more

Zoo Bar - rikki tikki tavi at the ZoO - Dive Bars Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Wouldn't recommend. The bartender did not treat us well and would also change/skip our songs that we paid money to play on the juke box. Will never go back to the Zoo bar and would not recommend for anyone. read more

I loved this place! We were looking for a dive bar in downtown KC after eating at the Flying Saucer, and Yelp hooked us up with an easy 3-block walk and one of the coolest dives I've ever experienced. Of course immediately upon entering we were pulled into a conversation with a regular and felt right at home. The Zoo isn't worried about how you look or how it looks to strangers. It just is. You are encouraged to write on the wall, which is great, because you can feel you've left a mark on the place, plus there's all kinds of weird pictures and knickknacks along with the graffiti. It's the kind of joint that has built up a history you can only begin to comprehend as a newbie. The Zoo is really comfortable and laid-back. There's a jukebox so you can play your tunes and one patron even has a name plate on the bar indicating where his usual spot is. The beer is cheap and the bartender was very friendly. The place is big enough to accommodate a decent-sized crowd and the pool table is a plus. Right by the P&L district / Sprint Center area, you can't go wrong with a trip to the Zoo. read more

Zoo Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

It's a fun dive bar and the atmosphere is fun! The bartender was super sweet. It's kind of annoying that it's a cash only bar, but there is an ATM available! read more

This is beyond bizarre, but I went in on Saturday night with a friend and got asked to leave because my perfume was too much of a sweet smell and the bartender was going to get a headache from it. This is completely ridiculous to kick someone out for this reason and I was also a paying customer. Super unprofessional and I wish I'd never gone in to be honest. read more