Awesome music the weekend night we were there, some regulars on the patio said to come by during the week as well but haven't made it back yet. The food was surprisingly delicious, (I had a salmon dish with lobster stuffed inside and my husband had the burger) adding to a great night. Our server, Emily, was very nice and helpful in choosing our drinks and food to our liking, she seemed to know the menus pretty well so thats always a plus. Nothing worse than servers not knowing the answer to your question. The band was upbeat and little too loud but the place was humming with people dancing. I wouldn't say to go there for intimate conversation but it was so fun that I would recommend it for a night out on the town. Take a cab home because their drinks are tasty and will knock you on your butt.
Review Source:I LOVE this place. This is the ONLY place I have found in KC that knows how to pour a proper Guinness (YES, there is an art to it...one of which sadly evades all other bars in the  metro area..shame shame). They have live music every night of the week (except Sundays, when they are closed), and I have yet to hear someone I don't like (and I hear a lot, as I live right above this bar). The servers and bartenders are crazy friendly. The one time we had to wait like five minutes for someone to greet our table, we got a free beer as an apology, even though we didn't even complain. THAT, ladies and gents, is good customer service.
The only reason I'm not giving them five stars is because I'm not crazy about their food menu. I feel like it's overpriced for what it is. Don't get me wrong...it's good food. But I don't think they need to be charging 18 dollars for salmon. That being said, they have an awesome happy hour, which has come to be one of my faves in KC. I'd say def give this place a chance. And be sure to check in on Yelp so you can get a free order of sweet potato fries (nom nom).
I love me some live music! Â With that being said, I'm left voiceless from last night's Phoenix experience. Â We had my boyfriends work going away party and while it was our fault for sitting right in front of the band set up, I personally found it just a wee bit too loud (yes I understand that that statement means I'm officially old). Â We had appetizers, which were okay, I'd stay away from the spinach & artichoke dip, it was more like mayonnaise/sour cream with a few cooked spinach leaves. Â The mozzarella sticks were awesome and the avocado fries were just too off for, I'm just not a fan of hot avocado. Â From what I could tell everyone enjoyed their drinks and the server did a great job of taking care of our loud large party. Â All in all, we'll be back - but maybe we'll sit a bit further from the stage.
Review Source:Hearing live jazz was a MUST for me since I was going to Kansas City. Â Went here on a Friday night a little after 10pm. Â
I am from Los Angeles, so I was very happy to be charged a $5 cover to come into a bar and listen to live music. Â Came in to hear the Dan Doran Band- a great trio of drums, piano and bass. Â Really great! Â Maybe it was late, but when you are listening to live music, please cheer at the end of solos.
Service was good at the table. Â Had some difficulty getting a drink at the bar. Â Drinks were strong.
Free fries with a Yelp Check In - got the sweet potato fries which were okay. Â Probably would have tasted better if I wasn't stuffed full of BBQ from dinner.
Ok, so I've had a love hate relationship with the Phoenix in the years I've lived in KC. Â First of all, the bouncers can be pretty douchey. Â The first time I went there, this was the case. Â They tried to charge a ridiculous cover when we were only going to be there for about an hour, and no live music was playing. Â Also, when I asked about it, the response I got was NOT professional or polite. Â We paid, went in, and were unimpressed. Â So, at that point, "Phuck the Phoenix" was my mindset.
Since then, I've been back several times. Â I've moved into the Garment district, and decided to wipe the slate clean and give this place a totally new shot. Â The cover is about half what it used to be, which is more appropriate, IMO. Â I'm going to spend more money inside if I don't have to pay a high price for entry. Â The drinks are cheap and well made. Â This is the ONLY place in KC that I know of that knows how to pour a Guiness, and there are plenty of places that should (Flying Saucer, I'm looking at you). Â The food is really excellent for the price; their burger is eight bucks and comes with fries, plus your choice of four toppings. Â These aren't your typical toppings either - I get bacon, avocado, pepperjack cheese and an onion ring. Â FOR EIGHT BUCKS. Â That is insane.
You can get free sweet potato fries every time you come here if you check in with Yelp! Â That's a crazy deal, as they are home made and easily my favorite sweet potato fries in Kansas City. Â The music is still very good, and it can get super loud and PACKED on nights like Friday. Â However, it is a blast to sit at the bar, order some four buck beers, get an underpriced burger and let the week's stress wash away to the groovy riffs of Lonnie McFadden or some of their other guests. Â Overall, one of my favorite local joints. Â The bouncers can still be douchey, but the waitresses and bartenders are VERY friendly. Â Also, the bouncers have to deal with some a-holes at this place from time to time, so I understand their attitude.
Check the place out! Â If you haven't been in awhile, I'd vote that you give it another shot.
This is what Kansas City is about; sitting in an unassuming bar that you might not even notice just driving by, but open those doors and you are greeted with boisterous laughter and clapping and of course, live music. I don't recall every having eaten here, so I can't review the food, but hey...the music is loud enough and the drinks are strong enough to give it 5 stars. From a Kansas City native, this is the place to go if you are looking for a great, easy going time. None of the snobby pretentiousness you might find on the plaza, none of the frat boys you might find at westport or power and light. Just good people drinkin and listening to good music.
Review Source:An accidental night out started at a horse show and ended at the Phoenix. When we arrived, the place was humming, in between Lonnie McFadden (damn, we just missed him) and the JLove Band. We found a table and within a few minutes had drinks and a free Yelp-app order of sweet potato fries on the way. JLove took the stage and the fun was under way.
The first time I was here, I thought the food was average, but they've upped their game since then. I had scallops over Parmesan risotto with carrots and brussel  sprouts; the sprouts were a little under done, but the scallops were perfect, and the risotto was delicious, creamy and cheesy with a zing of lemon juice. My friend ordered a meatball sandwich with bleu cheese-sounds strange, but it was excellent. The meatballs have some heat that sneaks up on you. The bread pudding and chocolate raspberry  torte sounded really tempting, but this amounted to my second dinner of the evening, so I left that for my next visit.
This is a great place to hang out and hear music. First, it's an oasis of bright lights and color in an otherwise drab and deserted nighttime landscape, and the happy vibe spills outside even on cold nights like tonight. Inside, the dark interior is punctuated by candlelight and neon; stained glass windows and brick was add to the warmth. Our waitress was gracious and efficient, checked on us frequently without being overbearing. Â JLove's singer greeted us as she walked by after their first set and asked if we were having a good time, to which we responded with a rousing "YES!" If the quality of the music every night is like this, I need to be here more often!
Live music is apart of the Phoenix like marshmallows to Rice Krispy treats. There is always some type of musical ensemble. You can walk in and one of the McFadden Brothers tap dancing on the top of the grand piano. The next day, you might catch the Everette DeVan band with lots of KC great voices adding into a artists jam session.
The half price apps during happy hour are pretty good. It normally is pretty packed around that time. Sometimes, good things come to those that wait. They do have daily specials besides what is on the menu. I always have them create me something.
The drinks are good. They have a good selection. It is the wait staff that does it for me. They are nice and friendly
All in all, a nice place to go..
Falls a good deal short of the Mutual Muscians Foundation. And in a city in which jazz has faded considerably, its an option for live jazz most nights.
It's cozy, dark and has some of the players that scoot over to MMF on the nights it is still open. It also has some of local yokels that will never be headliners.
Depending upon the night you stop in, it could go either way.
Dim lights, smooth jazz (a mix of standard jazz and Christmas songs) and bourbon, what more could a person need. Â The Phoenix has a very cool corner spot that has a brick exterior and interior. Â The band is just to the left of the entrance and there are a bunch of tables scattered on the lower level. Â Up the steps is the bar with friendly bartenders who are welcoming of someone new and take care of their regulars. Â There is a pretty good selection of bourbons to choose from which goes perfect with the Phoenix. Â Take a trip down to the restrooms on the lower level and you will be transported through the history of the bar by pictures and albums on the wall. Â Overall a great experience and will be returning!
Review Source:Might be an attractive venue, Â but we paid a cover charge, went in, and not only were there no tables and no seats at the bar, but also nowhere to stand. Â When we asked for our cover charge back, we were told we had paid not for a table, but for the entertainment -- which there was no place to listen to even standing up. Â Rotten and shabby. Â The Phoenix gets an F from all of my group. Don't ever pay their stupid cover unless they promise you there is still space inside. They should not have been letting people in when it was that packed. (Also much too loud, music overly amplified, deafening, impossible to talk to one's friends.). BTW was just told by a local who knows the bar scene here that (1) this is their normal mean practice and (2) the guy at the door is known to be a jerk. Don't go.
Review Source:This is an excellent venue for a relaxed night out in River Market. Fabulous live music, easy going dim lit atmosphere, friendly servers, and delicious beverages - you feel pretty classy cool sitting in this place. The food is pretty average in my opinion, but the atmosph and talent really make it a special must-see of KC. Total bonus: The bar serves Moscow Mules in copper mugs. Â Check it out, future cool cats!
Review Source:Great music on a Tuesday night which can be difficult to find with my funky days off. Â I love the building and history of an old bordello and speak easy from the 1880's, can't get more authentic than that. The staff is great, I also met the guy who lives on the 3rd floor that turned it into his own luxury loft with a roof top bar (I tried to make friends with him aggressively and desperately in order to have a friend with a setup like that). I will come to this place more regularly... and hopefully have a new friend.
Review Source:We went for restaurant club, and had an OK time.
The atmosphere was excellent -- great music, cozy seating. Â But the service was not good. Â We arrived for dinner at 630 and didn't leave until 9, though not by choice.
It took forever to order. Â They had half-price apps, so a few of us got some of those. It took about 30 minutes for the appetizers to come out. Â For dinner, I ordered a chicken sandwich, and it was average. Â It just took about 45 minutes for it to be delivered. Â One of the orders at our table was wrong, and it took another 45 minutes for the right food (chicken strips and french fries) to come out. Â
I probably won't be back for dinner, but they have great happy hour deals, and the atmosphere is fun enough to get me back.
My wife and I visited The Phoenix as we passed through Kansas City in September. Â We came in for the Monday night jam session and were not disappointed. Â The service was relaxed and very attentive, the drinks arrived quickly and the music was perfect. Â If you're a jazz fan, you should stop by for a jam session.
Review Source:We had company visiting from Florida and wanted them to experience "Kansas City Jazz". After some looking and questioning, we settled on The Phoenix. I'm glad we did - we got there really early, right when the duo was setting up and it wasn't crowded yet. The 4 of us ordered drinks (my Blvd Wheat beer was absolutely fantastic - icy cold and delicious) and we sat and listened to a set. We were right up front and it wasn't too loud and we could really see the musicians. Very enjoyable. Great music, great atmosphere and the perfect, cozy place to have taken them. We enjoyed it enough that I think my husband and I may visit again on our own.
Review Source:I came here on a Friday night after escaping the rising noise levels at the Quaff. There was a $5 cover, but that was no big deal. It was already fairly late in the evening. The atmosphere is dark and mellow. the crowd leans more adult. the music was excellent, old school blues and jazz. The drinks were good. My only complaint would be the service. Several waitresses passed my table without asking if I wanted to order a drink and in the end, I had to go up to the bar to order. Maybe it was an off night and I enjoyed the rest so much I'll keep trying. They do have a nice deck, but it's small and fills up quickly on a summer night. Also, you can;t hear the band out there.
Review Source:The Phoenix is a charming little bar - small, dim, cozy. Â They have great happy hour deals. Â I tried the food once, thanks to a Groupon. Â It was pretty good bar food. Â It's not a destination for me for a meal, but great for a martini and live music. Â The jazz is always great. Â And the musicians are always fun and enthusiastic. Â
I've only been once on a weekend night. Â The place was packed and with a cover charge of $10! I choose to go elsewhere. Â But great for after work happy hour!
I used to go to the place all of the time when I worked downtown. Â Then it closed..then it re-opened. Â I bought a Groupon and thought i would give it a try again. Â The Groupon had no exclusions. Â Let me repeat this - the Groupon had NO EXCLUSIONS. Â However, the Manager decided that they were not going to honor the Groupon for happy hour.... Â Our waitress was great but I won't go back because of Management.
Review Source:Two thumbs up for friendliness, martinis, and music, and ambience. We went on a saturday at 630 pm, and it was pleasantly crowded. Â GREAT singer, i wouldn't call it jazz, but she was fantastic, and she took requests. Â The food was ok, and satisfied our needs. Â We had all had a harrowing day at work, and needed to destress, and this place did the trick. Â I am feeling super relaxed as i write this review. Â Thanks for a great night , will be back if i'm ever in kc!
Review Source:Reunited with some old high school buddies here for a bday gathering a few weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised. If the live music was as hoppin' regularly like it was that night, then I surely will be back. It's a tight squeeze on a Friday night, but that's to be expected. We caught the tail end of happy hour and enjoyed the tunes and company for a few hours. Pricing is reasonable, service was bar-typical, ambiance very chill. Heads up, there's a $5 cover on the weekends. Good luck finding a table, but if you do...you'll def stick around, down a few and treat your ears to some great, authentic KC jazz. The music alone bumps this to a 4-star rating.
Review Source:The Phoenix is one of our regular Saturday evening starting points. They are always rockin' with a great jazz or blues group, so I never have to wonder if the music will be good or not. While I prefer sitting at the bar for the view and the better service, we do not usually get there till after 11:30, so we get a leftover table to the side of the band. Â The band usually shuts down at 1am. Â Sometimes the waitresses here are slow and inattentive. They are always super nice, though. I love the atmosphere: Â dark, dark, dark, and small. Â I feel close to the band wherever I sit. Â
Always a great crowd, containing all types of grown-ups. Â Always great beer, too. Â If you are a smoker, you will find a covered, heated patio. Â If you're not, then I would suggest sitting at the front of the bar area to avoid the constant cold drafts and parade of smelly smokers that will surely hit you in the back bar area. Â
My goal is to make it down to see the McFaddens, as they are some of my favorite KC performers. Â Regardless, we will continue coming on Saturdays for as long as we are in KC and The Phoenix is open!!
I have only bellied up to this bar for happy hour, but every time I do i enjoy it a bit more than the last. Â The staff is friendly, attentive, and quick to learn a name; always a huge plus in drinking establishments. Â The real point of difference here is the live jazz! Â Kansas City is historically one of the great jazz cities in the world, so gems like this should not be as few and far between in KC as they are. Â Their calendar is slammed with performers ensuring that every night is a lively one. Â
The atmosphere is quite lively yet somehow also intimate. Â Lights are kept low and the music sets a mood ripe for dates, after work drinks, or small events. Â My last visit was a bit of a meet and greet via my boyfriends, shall we say, work. Â We were not a huge crowd but sizable. Â The bar tender never missed a step and we were well taken care of. Â Conversation flowed smoothly over the music, but I was still able to find myself listening to a favorite piece more than once.
The drinks are good and beer crisp. Â I have only had a few options to eat here, but I have enjoyed everything. Â Every time I go here I leaving wondering why I don't come more often. Â It is certainly close to work and home, and I really quite enjoy the music. Â I guess I'll just have to rectify that!
Smooth music, sexy atmosphere, excellent staff.
This place was more fun than I was expecting! I don't know why, but I was somewhat expecting and old crowd listening to sleepy jazz. That's not what I experienced at all. I dragged my mother into the place on a Friday night ($5 dollar cover on weekends), and it was hoppin' inside! The music was lively and a bit raucous (in a good way). The other patrons were fun to hang out with as well! I don't know about calling Phoenix a "jazz club." It's more like a nice local bar with great music.
Review Source:went looking for some good music, more on the blues side than not. After dissapointment at a nearby "Jazz" restaurant, we went looking and found this gem. It was a wednesday night so we weren't sure what we would find. We found a jazz quartet at the Phoenix. Was fabulous! Nice wait staff, great environment. I will return!!
Review Source:Love this place! Â The vibe is among the greatest in the entire city. Â The music is phenomenal, drink specials are excellent, staff is great and the crowd is always willing to have a good time!! The only possible negative would be the limited space but there are always people willing to share a table or offer you a stool. Â Once you decide to check out the Phoenix it will be a difficult not to become a regular
Review Source:Went here last night (the first time we'd gone at night). I had been there at least twice for lunch.
We got there at Happy Hour and stayed later.
$4 wells with LOTS of liquor and great service. The bartender came over quite often to check on us and was very friendly. We liked the entire staff.
We ordered 1/2 price apps. One was hummous, pita and sricha sauce. LOTS of hummous and a decent amount of pita. The sauce gave it a good kick, however the hummous itself was eh.
I ordered a burger with fries. They put a ginormous amount of fries on your plate, but I got the burger well done when ordered medium. The fries had way too much salt on them and the burger was just eh.
They had live entertainment from when we walked in till we left. NO COVER! Piano player playing Billy Joel hits among others. At 7, they changed up to a 2 piece band playing jazz music without the vocals. I thought the live entertainment was average.
So, my suggestion is don't come here for the food as it's just eh, though if you're into eh food, it's a good bang for the buck. It's a good bang for the buck for entertainment, service, and drinks.
My first time here...really amazing jazz band playing, with an incredible singer. Happy hour, 1/2 price apps, good house wine! Were the youngest people here by about 20 years, but on a date that doesn't matter much. Come here to experience some authentic KC music and atmosphere - one of a kind.
Review Source:I came here after work for some happy hour action. Â We sat on the back patio which has a beautiful view of the city. Â The tables were well equipped with heaters over them, and they came in handy on a crisp evening. Â
I opted for the $5 martini specials and damn can the bartender make a good cocktail. Â
The restaurant is cozy and dark with a very relaxing vibe. Â We didn't stay late enough to enjoy any live music, but the jazz they were playing on the overhead was fun. Â It just added to the greatness of the place as a chill spot with nice people and good drinks. Â
This is going to become the wacky wednesday, thirsty thursday, fun friday whatever day of the week I feel like drinking kind of spot.
I'd been dying to come to Phoenix for some time now... as I am soon departing KC, it was on my "TO DO BEFORE I LEAVE KC" list. Mission accomplished. I can't remember what night we went, perhaps it was a Tuesday. BUT the pianist/guitarist on deck was amazing. I liked how at the end he spiced it up with some folksy renditions of Outkast etc. I was very, very amused to say the least.
We sat towards the back of the club, so we could audibly chat and still hear the music, and I must say that was a very good choice. What also was a good choice was the reverse happy hour that was happening. Great choices. However, what really excited me was GOOSE ISLAND! I love this Chicago-brew. As an Illinois native, I had not seen this in any place in KC until Phoenix. I asked our server about it, and she said the owner really loves it. Brownie points for Phoenix!
Lastly, my love for Phoenix help me sell my friend on signing a lease to an apartment on the same block. I told her if I were her, I'd be rolling into Phoenix all the time for some jazz and Goose Island. I'd be a total "regular" and with pride!
Despite the big neon sign that promoted jazz, there were so many clues that perhaps this wasn't the right club to find Kansas City Jazz on a Saturday night. It started with a $5 cover charge along with getting carded (I'm double the legal age). Once we got inside, the crowd looked like a school PTA meeting in a rich suburb.
The singer was really good despite having a cold. But this was more lounge music than improvisational jazz. At times, they reminded me of the Saturday Night Live skit where Will Farrell and Ana Gasteyer played a soft spoken lounge act.
Unlike the other jazz clubs, the Phoenix serves food. We didn't order anything, but could see into the kitchen where cooks were taking food out of a freezer. Frozen food? No thanks. The servers were omnipresent, but the mixed drinks were terrible.
I've driven by it, heard about it and wondered what it was like for years, but never made it there until today for lunch. The building itself is very cool, both inside and out. It's old, but not worn down in the least; when you walk in, it's easy to imagine being here eighty years ago wearing a three-piece suit, fedora and trenchcoat - you know, The Untouchables/gangster era kind of thing. Â I love that era, so I love the look of the Phoenix.
On to the food...the menu consists of appetizers, a nice "pick 2 for $6.95" list of lunch items, a variety of sandwiches, and a few "big plates." Â Nothing out of the ordinary on the list, and they don't seem to have a signature dish or anything. Â
We started with the Pepper Jack bites - deep fried pepper jack cheese with ranch sauce - yes, they were as delicious as you're imagining right now. Â For the entree, I got their Philly Cheese Steak and fries; my colleagues each got the Buffalo Chicken Wrap. Â My Philly was pretty darn delicious, and the fries were awesome. Â They have that slightly rough taste, like the skins weren't taken off the potatoes before being cut into fries and I love fries like that. Â One of the guys with me got the Sweet Potato Fries and thought they were great too. Â Portions were big for sure - plenty of food for me.
I finished off the meal with some carrot cake, one of two desserts they had today. Â It was decent, but nothing to write home about. Â The plate had raspberry sauce on it, which was an odd compliment to carrot cake that I could have lived without. Â
Being Friday, we had beers with lunch; I was a bit disappointed that they only had Guinness, Stella, Boulevard Wheat and Boulevard Pale Ale on tap; I expect more than four on-tap beers from a good bar (EDIT: got a nice note from Matt Jones, owner of the Phoenix - they also have Blue Moon and Boulevard's delicious Tank 7 on tap). Â The liquor selection looked huge though. Â
I'll definitely be back to try it again; I need to come at night now for drinks and music!
We came here on a Friday night around 6:30/7 and the place was already packed! We were lucky and scored a table in the back.
The crowd is definitely a little older but we didn't feel out of place and really enjoyed ourselves.
Thing to note - Friday is a super long happy hour. We were pleasantly surprised when all of our appetizers were half off. And the drinks were a super great deal as well...$4 for house wine? Hell yizzy.
Also, the performance was fabulous, entertaining, and fun. And all the wait staff was friendly, attentive, and on top of their game. Overall...a great experience.
This review is strictly for happy hour, as i am ashamed to admit i have yet to go here during a weekend night. That must be corrected soon...
A few weeks back i purchased a couple of groupons for Phoenix, and last night the boyfriend and i went in for happy hour. We actually had our first date here a year ago (tomorrow!) and for some reason hadn't came back. Last night we both resolved to come back VERY soon.
The staff was VERY friendly, with the perfect amount of sass. I forget her name, but she's excellent. There were probably 6 or so groups either at the bar or at a table and she had everybody well taken care of. Our beers were never empty and empty plates were gone promptly. She left us alone for the most part, but you could tell that she had an excellent relationship with her regulars.
The food was DAMN good. Excellent crabcakes and onion rings. The hummus was just regular hummus, but hey i like it!
Nice happy hour specials. We had boulevard pints for $3, but they also had (i believe) $4 wine by the glass, and $5 martinis. All small plates were1/2 off, which is good. It lasts until 7 BTW.
I think everybody needs to go here soon, as this place deserves to be more popular. I'll be doing my part to bring along my friends and show them how great it can be.
"Dark and tan, young and lovely, the girl from Iponema was walking and when she passes, each one she passes goes 'ahhhhh'"
I heard that song tonight and it took me somewhere else.
Of course we met friends at the piano bar, during the show's half-time. Â I had a happy hour cabernet, which I really warmed up to, and a few sweet potato french fries, (I've had better) but the place was happenin'! Â It was exciting! Â
I caught myself gleaming/smiling REAL big and JAMMING like I haven't JAMMED in a while. Â Mark Lowrey is AMAZING!
I would definately go back.
Places like these define the character of a city.This place has a soul.
I was here with some close friends last saturday and without a shred of doubt i would rate this as my most memorable night in USA.
Places like power and light district can be made with loads of money and fade away with time but these little gems will somehow keep pumping the much needed breath to the otherwise dying KC Jazz scene.
Hats off to Mama Ray and The Scamps.
The Phoenix has risen!
I haven't had the food, but this is just one of the best damn bars and music spots IN THE WORLD. Period.
I live in LA and ALWAYS try to hit the Phoenix when I'm in KC, was horrified when it closed, but just recently went to the re-opened club. Can gladly say they haven't changed much except making the bathrooms better.
Bartenders are friendly (it's KC, of course) and knowledgeable , the best seats are still around the piano, where you can scrawl requests on cocktail napkins and hand them over to Dan Doran on Friday nights.
And for those who are afraid of jazz, the music is very, very accessible. It leans heavily on the blues and old fashioned r&b.
Used to be the best place in town for jazz. It's been closed for a while but i hear there's a new owner  that's to open in November of 2008.
I hope they'll kee it like it used to be.
The atmosphere is warm, friendly, and just wonderful not to mention the live music, good priced food and over all just a great place to stop in any time.