I stopped down to meet some friends who were visiting and when I walked up to the venue and presented my ID I was told there was a $10 cover charge (with a couple of drink tickets included.)
I will freely admit that the Power and Light District is not my normal scene, but I absolutely will not pay a cover to walk in the middle of an open facility that my tax dollars paid (and are still paying for.) Â If the individual bars want to charge a cover that's fine, but I find it unconscious that the Cordish Group is charging just to walk through the area.
No thank you. I will go and support a local business instead.
This place has a split personality. This area is KC Live, kind of inbetween all  the mediocre bars and restaurants in the P and L district. I don't like the P and L district.
During the day, when it's warm outside, this area can be kind of cool to walk around, but face it, there's not much to do. Sit around. That's it. No shops, atleast I can't think of any. The bowling alley is kind of cool. I've not been though, at night when it's hella crowded. I doubt if they'd let us in, my son's girlfriend is just 18.
During the night, well, if you are under 21, forget it. Sometimes they have concerts. Saliva played at KC Live. The concerts maybe under 21. They also have the Chiefs pep rally. If you get there early enough, you can actually get a legit place to park. I went to the Chiefs rally. It's during the day, an all ages event. Lame, they serve the same drinks at night that they do during the day.
Frankly, the area is void of anything that does not include alcoholic beverages. I don't get that. I don't get the idea of an area based on a bunch of stuck up bars, with an outside area, no shops? I can drink elsewhere. I can walk around in more interesting places. Granted a couple of the bars are on my list to visit in this area. Unless they have decent shows, why even bother? It's just an outside venue, and not any fun. It's actually my reasoning to not even go to that area in Kansas City. I'd rather the Crossroads.,
If you're visiting KC and need something to do, then the KC Live! area will offer something for everyone. It's more of a chain/corporate type of entertainment venue. However from a beer brewery to a bowling alley, a bourbon lounge and a club I'm certain you'll be able to enjoy something!
It's open late so you can always end your night in the heart of KC or start your night and head else where. Keep in mind most of the club/bar places will charge a cover and have your ID handy b/c you will need it to enter the main area.
I find this to be the collection of young and old and mostly party going young bucks having an awfully good time, drinking shots by the handful and acting a mess. But hey it's worth the visit at least once or twice in the evening to get the feel. During the day it's great to bask in the sun, enjoy the live music and sip a cocktail from the Makers Mark Lounge!! Or maybe hit up Flying Saucer and sip one of the beers on tap out of about 50.
I've always found myself enjoying the Power and Light district even if it is a little touristy.
Honestly, I'm just not sure how to rate this place. Â I live a couple of blocks away, so part of me absolutely hates the P&L in general due to obnoxious, loud drunks populating the streets and puking/dumping trash/passing out in my park on weekend nights. Â But another part of me is happy to see so many people coming downtown, even if 3/4 of them are d-bags. Â
I tend to only go when friends are visiting from out of town. Â The free summer concerts are nice and it's a convenient spot to pop in for a drink pre-Sprint Center show.
But I like coming here during the day when not so many people are around. Â They call it the Living Room, I guess because of the couches and chairs. Â But it's a nice place to hang out and read a book or bring your laptop. Â Two things would make it perfect: Â 1. If they let you actually bring food in from outside and 2. If you could bring your dog. Â I understand they want you to buy food from their chain restaurants right there, but forcing you to do it is a little assholish. Â If those restaurants actually served good food, maybe I wouldn't mind.
And come on, it's OUTSIDE. Â Why can't my dog come in a lay at my feet while I eat crappy food from McFadden's and read a book? Â Lame. Â
I had high hopes for this place while it was under construction that it didn't even come close to living up to. Â
It's nice to see activity downtown...so to all the dbags, I say, "Come on downtown and spend your money!" Â I'll be hanging out somewhere else.
Amateur hour. Â Young people acting stupid.
And somehow they manage to keep the place totally "white," if you know what I mean. I hear they use the "dress code" to profile. Yuk. I wish for good things, really I do, because the city dropped so much $$ on this ordeal. But for now its a giant frat party in the city.
This isn't your local flavor. Â
It's mostly filled with chains and has a very corporate feel to it. Â That being said. It's still pretty fun and like I always say, it's not where you go, it's who you go with.
Yes, it is expensive. Â A couple tips: Â hit up Raglan Road for good beer for the same price as the rest of the area. Â Go inside the bars to buy your drinks, it's usually cheaper unless one of those stands is having a special. Drink heavily to fit in.
What's not to like? I mean seriously?
KC Live is the closest thing Kansas City has to Bourbon St. With the ability to go bar hopping (alcohol in hand), it's definately a different feeling from Westport or other parts of town.
Being from New Orleans, this is only natural to me. To others it may be a little off fthe wall. The "Living Room" concept has to be one of the best ideas i've seen ahywhere in town. It's nice to be able to get a drink and chat it up with friends. Keep in mind, im not a drunkard, and hard to believe, I've never been drunk. As opposed to the majority of the population, I prefer to always be in my right state-of-mind. I'm crazy enough as it is anyway without the need of being trashed.
KC Live is one of those things that makes you proud of living in Kansas City. I have yet to bring any out of town friends and family, and them not be awestruck by the place.
YES, the Power & Light district is trendy. Â YES, there's douchey people there. Â But I'm sure those people think you're lame and douchey, too.
That's actually what I found cool about KC Live! Â The variety of people is great for people-watching. Â It's a little like hanging out on Mass St in Lawrence, except with a lot more fake boobery.
Grab a big group of people. Â Go early so you can grab a couch. Â You're only going to have a bad time if you've got the idea set in your head.
3.5 stars.
This is a cool concept. I'm not too sure if I like the Power & Light District yet. I haven't made it down during the day to check out its shopping or the places beyond the KC Live! Block yet. But being able to carry drinks from bar to bar in the open courtyard (covered by a translucent canopy that keeps the elements out) is a pretty awesome idea.
I've been to the P&LD at night a few times, but last Saturday was the first time we'd ventured into the courtyard. Each bar had a line with at least 10 people in it, and we were told at a few places it was one in/one out unless we had a table reserved. Umm...nope, didn't think that far in advance. Also, for just the two of us? We were definitely not going to be spending $100 or more for a table reservation, thankyouverymuch.
But fortunately for those people who didn't feel like waiting in lines and didn't reserve tables, there's a bar in the middle of the courtyard. Except...beers are $5. Small beers. Five buckaroos. I could get bigger beers at concerts for $5! And even that's a rip off.
So, my suggestion: pre-drink, pre-drink, pre-drink. And also, beware of the stairs. They're killer when you're tipsy and wearing heels. Of course, this is something we should all know by now.
The Power & Light District would be a fun place to go with a group of people. I can imagine it will be CA-RAZY crowded this summer and fall. I'll probably be making it down to the district for a few nights of heavy partying...but not every weekend. Definitely not every weekend. Too many people. And too much for beer.
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