My compadres often go here, and I usually sigh-frown, yet still join them.
As others have said, it's a pretty big place with games galore, basketball, shuffleboard, etc. As such, it's a great place for large groups.
It's street parking only in downtown so it can be a hassle. The service varies from good to spotty. The waitresses dress up in slutty outfits which are often not that becoming. I wish they would lose that schtick...I'm sure the waitresses wouldn't mind losing it either.
All in all, it's an okay place with a happy hour everyday of the week (3-6) and weekday food specials. I know others like it, but I just find it very blah and would prefer to go elsewhere.
The Quaff is an eclectic mix of downtown executives, just out of college kids who are unemployed and enjoy drinking and loser drunks.  One night I was sitting outside  enjoying a drink and a sexy young lady came and sat on my lap asking about my 72 GTO I pulled up in..that was a good night.  Another night a lady I used to work with got drunk and puked on me, not such a good night.  The last time I was there someone who resembled a cross between a giant and a hillbilly stopped by to talk with us as we ate.
It's a strange crowd, the waitress staff (no men, just young chicks) sometimes dresses like strippers which makes for an entertaining time. Â This is NOT a family friendly location, think more of a Hooters atmosphere with a little shot of Cheers thrown in. Â Try it out, the locals seem to like the place but that is because they get trashed and stagger home to the cheap apartments around the corner to hook up in a drunken stupor :)
The Quaff is a good dive bar with lots of TV's to watch a game, have some bar food, a beer and a good time.
We enjoyed happy hour here. Â The drink prices were good. Â Can't go wrong with a domestic draw usually @ $2.50. Â The appetizers were $5. Â The food was A-Okay. Â I would not was it was inspired food, but if you want a snack and a beer this is a good spot. Â They were setting up for a DJ as we were heading out. Â This bar is good for groups or catching a game. Â
Our service was good. Â I will say they have the fastest bussing staff I have ever encountered. Â
It's an A-Okay place to stop in downtown.
DO NOT EAT LUNCH HERE! Â I had a gyro with dry burnt meat and a side of cottage cheese. The cottage cheese had some kind of dry crusty stuff in it....YUCK! I watched the bus boy drop his rag on the floor, pick it up, shake it off and use it to wipe down another table....YUCK!
I'm sure this place is great for a dive bar and drinks, but do not go here for lunch...EVER.
This is a fun, casual bar. The wait staff are very friendly. The drinks are strong and cheap. It's what used to be called a tavern, back in the olden days in Wisconsin. Decent food that comes fast. Outside seating on a beautiful summer night. What's not to like? Well, maybe one small complaint... it gets really loud outside the neighborhood when bar time hits and the Quaff's weekend customers are sent on their way.
Review Source:Yesterday my friend Jules wanted a tenderloin and suggested The Quaff since we were both downtown about the same time.
Now I haven't been to The Quaff in years. Â Walking in it was like being back at an old friends place. Â Little has changed. Â Still had the hang out and have fun atmosphere that I loved back in the 90s. Â Of course it doesn't look exactly like it did then, but the ambiance was just as great. Â We were there around 3 PM so it was slow. Â A couple were at the bar and two tables were occupied. Â Our server was on it! Â She was fast and friendly. Took our orders quickly and the food arrived fast. Â I ordered a half order of Quaff Nachos and each of us ordered the tenderloin sandwich.
The Nachos came fast and were HUGE. Â I asked the server if that was my half order and she did say that the chef made a full order, but they only charge me for the half order (kudos for the charge, boo on the error). Â The Tenderloins arrived and WOW! Â They were big cuts. Â The plate had plenty of garnishes with (tomato, lettuce, pickles, onion) and was served with choice of fries, potato salad, or cottage cheese. Â I was good and had cottage cheese. Â The sandwich was great. Â the cutlet was crispy and flavorful on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. Â I almost couldn't get through the whole thing, a rarity for me. Â
During our meal, the waitresses were always checking on us and refilling our tea, a gentleman (I believe he must have been an owner) came by and checked on us. Â Very friendly man.
I was going to give them a 4 star because of the nacho mishap, but the people, taste of the food, and the handling of the order error definitely makes them a 5 in my book.
Damn! Â I want a tenderloin again.
The Quaff is awesome. Family owned. Great drinks, good food, and awesome people! The bartenders and servers treat you how you deserve to be treated. Great outdoor patio. HUGE establishment-3 rooms. Usually on the weekend there is a DJ in the back room. In the middle room there are games like pool, darts, shuffleboard, etc. In the front room, there are a ton of TVs with all kinds of different games on. Come here for Monday Night Football, Sunday Funday, Thirsty Thursday, Wastey Wednesday, etc! Furthermore, this bar is also a liquor store-which is awesome for anyone in this area, because it will be the safest liquor store and the closest and most convenient. The doormen and bartenders take care of their patrons. This is Kansas City. I love this bar!
Review Source:The Quaff is your average bar with your typical bar food and musty smelling bar. they have pool tables, fooze ball, a ton of TVs to watch your game, cheap beer, scantily clad girls, Â and a decent food selection. Â I'm not a meat eater so I just had the grilled cheese and fries. Guys with me had the half price burgers, good deal for them. Second time I stopped by and got grilled cheese and some awesome potato salad. Ended up waiting over 30 minutes for it since some type of issue with the cooks that Sunday. Bar was crazy most nights because of the Woman's 12 games going on. I would stop by again just to grab something to eat.
Review Source:I have been here several times now, so I guess it's time for a review! Â
First, the atmosphere. I love The Quaff for this! Â The high ceilings with the tinprint, the tile floors that have to be from the 1950s, the woodwork in the back . . . All of this makes me feel like it's mid20th century and I am in a diner/bar. Â I would love to know the history of the building! Â I am not sure how long it has been The Quaff, but I would guess nothing has been updated in 40 to 50 years other than necessities to run the bar and kitchen.
The place has three main sections. I prefer the bar area, as it's quieter and much more intimate than either of the other two rooms. The bar is frequented by locals, for the most part. The center room is the game room. Â Pool and shuffleboard. The third room is just weird. I guess this is where I would hang if I were with a larger group. It is by the kitchen and just feels isolated from the rest of the place. On weekends, Â they often have a DJ, and yes, there is a whole $1 cover! Â That doesn't bother me, even though I'm not there for the DJ. I have found that one can still sit in the bar and have a decent conversation while the music is thumpin'. Â
The service? Â Meh. Â I am going to sound sexist against my own gender, but hey Quaff, can you find any intelligent girls to work there?? Â The dudes are great! Â The owner always greets us, checks on our dining/drinking experience, and makes sure we are taken care of. The guys who bus and work behind the bar? Â On it! Â The girls are just airheads and usually have to go check on things before they can answer any questions for us. Â
The food is decent. Â Their Wednesday steak night is a great deal. KC strip and baked potato for about $11. Yum! Â I have also had the philly, and it is decent, too. Â Tap selection leaves much to be desired, but they do have Blvd Wheat and Fat Tire. Â Decent bottle selection.
So, I started this at three stars, but after thinking through it, I realize I really like coming here; I always feel at home. That's four.
Well Quaff, you are what you are, and that is not much. Â I have been here a few times over the years and only once really enjoyed myself. Â It was the first time I joined you for an adult beverage, and this was after I had already enjoyed a few somewhere else. Â Long story short, my friends and I had an amazing time, took great photos and all of it really had nothing to do with you because your waitress did nothing but get onto us. Â Really, every table in this bar is roudy and you single us out? Â The next time I tried to go to your bar I was the DD, hadn't had a drink in days, literally, yet your bouncer said I was clearly drunk and would have to wait outside. Â Wait, you want me, the one sober person so wait out in the cold until a bunch of drunk people realize that their DD is no longer with them. Â Hmmm. Â Well, that was the end of you as far as I was concerned until I had a group of friends already there after a game. Â Overly loud, but cheap beer, so it was OK. Â I recognize that I am basing this entire less than stellar review really on a couple of shitty employees, but still, going off of the yelp matrices, two stars mean "I've experienced better." Â And that I have! Â From many, many other bars. Â I may or may not be back, but I can assure you it will only because my options have been restricted to The Quaff or The Quaff.
Review Source:Sportsfans, rejoice! This is a great place for large groups on gameday. They have ample screens plus darts/basketball diversions for those with ADD. Food is cheap, so-so bar food. Waitresses tend to show off their assets so beware if you're taking prepubescent boys or if you tend to be possessive/jealous of your man. (whatever.) Overall, a good sports/dive bar in downtown KC...plus who can really resist a name like "Quaff?"
Review Source:I don't usually write reviews, but I want to warn others. This bar has better than average bar food and nice enough servers and bartenders, but I have one major complaint. Waitresses keep track of drinks on a notepad and it does not seem to be a very legit method. If you're drinking all night, pay as you go or keep track of your drinks very carefully (however, this could be hard if you're drunk). We were there for several hours, but with 6 people we had an almost $500 tab combined-only 5 of us were drinking. The waitress got an attitude and was very defensive when we questioned her, she was talking in circles so we ended up paying the full amount because we didn't really have proof to dispute the bill. In the future, I'm going to stick to bars and restaurants with less questionable business practices.
I also want to add that I checked my bank account and the waitress took it upon herself to add a 20% tip that I did not authorize. This place is essentially stealing from their customers.
Cheap beer, Monday Night Football, scantily clad women roaming about. Â Yep, this is The Quaff. Â Plop yourself down in an average chair, or be adventurous and grab a stool. Â Grab some friends, equip yourself with a $2 16 oz. Coors Light, gaze at the nearest television. Â Either way, you're going to have a good time. Â
It's not classy, but since when do you need class to have a good time?
The Quaff is definitely a dive but a perfect representation of KC. Â Located in historic downtown KC at the corner of 10th and Broadway you can bet when you walk into this seemingly unimpressive bar you are going to see a brilliant representation of every kind Kansas Citian. Â
Great little sidewalk sitting area that unfortunately is NOT dog friendly but a good place to sit drinking a Fat Tire, watching the city walk by.
The food is your typical bar fare w/ the exception of a decently priced/cooked steak on Wednesday.
When I meet someone visiting our fair city and they ask me "where can I go to get a real feel of KC", this is one of the places I ALWAYS recommend.
My colleague and I wanted to grab a drink and get a taste of the KC scene after a hellaciously good BBQ session and before we hit the hay. We didn't want to drink at the hotel bar so we asked the peeps in the hotel where was a good place to go. Of course they mentioned the hotel bar, but then they mentioned this place. The best thng about it was that it was only a few blocks around the corner from the hotel.
Made it over and decided to sit outside as the nightime air was very nice. the very front of the building has Miller Lite & Coors Light signs/lighting all over the building. Our very cute waitress came over and had a few laughs with us and took our orders. I went with a Makers Mark & Ginger Ale...they didn't have ginger ale so she said she would mix coke & sprite. It was actually really good! I had one more cup before we called it a night.
This is a cool joint. There were a few patrons that were there alone with a book. This is a place where everyone minds their own business and have a good time. No one had trouble parking as parking was available in front of the building. Definitely a place I will come back to when I return to KC.
Cool little bar, service is great, DJ sucked Friday and Saturday night, drinks were a little soft but they were cheap. They have a couple pool tables, a basketball game and a shuffle board! They also have a weird bathroom with two toleits side by side with no barrier and they are no joke maybe 6 inches apart from one another. You can also but beer and ect to go.
Review Source:They now have $2.50 Natural or Coors Light and $3 Rolling rock for 16 oz cans as their every/all day specials.  Make sure to ask for Mallory or Valarie for your waitress if you want quick friendly service.  Another special that I didn't mention in the last review was Thursday nights which is  chicken parmesan  or spaghetti and meatballs with a salad for under 6 dollars.
Review Source:Great service - love the bartenders! Would go here every day. Drink specials are wonderful, and the drinks are even better! Ladies: the margaritas are great and only $3.00. If tequila isn't your thing then ask one of the bartenders to make you something special, like the peach tea or strawberry shortcake drinks. They will change your life! Now, let's move to the food. Three words: to. die. for! Not only do they serve food late into the night, but the pizza is the best in town. If you're not in a pizza mood then shoot for the patty melts and any of the apps. Everything is worth trying! Love this place, and adore the service!
Review Source:Should be 1 star, but I will give 2 because I used to like this place. Â Not sure if its new ownership or what, but it is NOT the same bar. Â Dollar cover chargers for an empty bar with no live music? Frat boy door guys on a power trip? Grumpy old men bartenders? Snobby and rude cougars as waitresses? No thanks! Â
Yes its local, yes its been there over 60 years, and yes it USED to be fun.
Oh, and if you must go here, pay cash! Never fun when the waitress decides what she should be tipped...
I'm fast becoming a regular at this joint. Â C'mon, it's Monday night, your week has just begun, and you need a good drink, some cheap food, and hey, it wouldn't hurt to see some fine young ladies hustlin to get you your order. Â The Monday night special - 50 cent tacos and $3 margaritas. Â I've had more than a few of each. Â The best part, though, is the people. Â The people that frequent this place are an eclectic mix from the newly 21 to over 70, and most of them are quite friendly and social. Â I have never failed to have a good time at this place, and the waitstaff is always friendly and chatty. Â I've never experienced the $1 cover mentioned by some, nor have I had a problem with my bill that wasn't easily resolved - but I have caught a number of glimpses of the cleavage mentioned by one of the other reviewers. Â ;-P Â If you're the type that avoids P&L because of the ridiculous prices and the more-ridiculous attitudes, give The Quaff a shot. Â Come by on a Monday and say hi to me, I'll be sittin on the sidewalk with a margarita and a pile of tacos!
Review Source:Very rarely do I dish out the one star reviews for local KC joints. But today, I am reluctantly dishing one out.
What has happened to this place? I honestly don't know but I don't recall it ever being this lame...back in the day, I used to have such a grand ol' time at this place, throwing back the brews and enjoying a decent crowd of bar regulars intertwined with college kids. They had a great vibe that could appeal to anyone, and that's why I've always enjoyed The Quaff.
But then again, that was a couple years ago. Fast forward to last weekend, and I had to double check the name of the bar to make sure I was at the correct bar.
One dollar cover. Ok, so it's only a dollar and normally I wouldn't mind. But to pay a dollar cover charge and walk into a bar with absolutely nothing going on, is completely bogus.
The place was DEAD. I felt really sorry for The Quaff. I wanted to chalk it up to the holiday weekend...a lot of people were out of town, right? I wouldn't mind that it was dead if maybe they were playing some background music or summmmthang' to set a welcoming tone to the place, but it was silent. And empty. Empty and silent bar.
I was with a group of people, about 7 of us or so, and we were just enjoying a casual night out on the town, avoiding the P and L district at all costs...when browsing local bars within walking distance from my friend's apartment, we all concurred that The Quaff was the place to go. When our group enters, we're scrutinized by 5 or 6 male bartenders who convey absolutely no facial expressions. That's welcoming. Stroll on up to the bar to order a drink, and each bartender standing around just simply gives an aloof glance in my direction to grab my drink order. Mainly all of the guys--with the exception of one, who was actually really friendly--didn't even offer up a suggestive "hello" to greet customers and initiate conversation. The whole situation was just extremely awkward. After their cumbersome glances were exchanged with my half smile, I realized no greeting was coming my way, and I went ahead and proceeded to order.
Through the course of the night and ordering drinks, I ever so discreetly hear one bartender murmur to another guy, "These kids are ridiculous". I'm sorry, whaaaa!? Since when is it ridiculous to buy a beer at a BAR. The group that I was with was a calm, fun loving crowd who were socializing and drinking with each other because that's what people do--they talk and drink at bars. After hearing his snide remark, I was ready to close my tab and head home. I am quiet in nature, so I didn't get hasty back or cause a scene after hearing his scornful words. I just simply thanked him for the beer, paid, and left.
Everything from the atmosphere to the grandpa bartenders was just a disaster. I don't know what has happened to The Quaff I remember, but they have lost their appeal big time.
I really want to like The Quaff. Â Â Â If I had experienced this place only at lunchtime, I'd give it four stars. Â As a bar and grill goes, their food is better than most. Â
I used to be a regular here, coming in so often that all the servers knew my name and knew what I wanted. Â It was a fun place to hang around with friends.
But eventually I got tired of the  surcharges when I paid with a credit card.  I got tired of them trying to slip additional drinks I never ordered nor received onto my tab.  (My understanding is that unlike at most bars, the servers here buy the drinks from the bartender and then re-sell them to the customers... the bartenders are secure but the servers get screwed if customer stiff them, so they try to find gullible/drunk marks to make up the losses on.)   Then there's the $1 cover on weekend nights -- obviously not paying for a band and not high enough to keep out the riff-raff, it's just another way to screw over the customer and make a few hundred extra bucks for doing nothing.
So, if you want to have a good time at The Quaff (which if not for these practices would be a really good sports dive), your best bet is to go during the day, sit at the bar, pay in cash, and pay as-you-go. Â Gives them no opportunity to pull a fast one on you.
Some people are lucky enough to live right down the street from a cute little cafe or wine bar they can call their own. Â They can stop in for happy hour, first dates, and everything else in between for intelligent conversation, sexy atmosphere and impeccable service.
I, however, got stuck with the Quaff.
OK, The Quaff is The Quaff. Â It's not fancy, it ain't romantic and you drink out of plastic cups.
I find the drink price a little steep for this kind of bar. Â (That may just be my scarred memories from a very hazy, VERY expensive Sunday Funday here last summer.) Â Sometimes they charge a $1 cover, which is annoying. Â And just a word of warning: The bathrooms are completely dismal.
BUT. Â There are enough reasons to at least check it out.
I have to admit, service is pretty awesome here. Â These chicks don't take any shit from anyone and are very intent on keeping tabs separate, following groups of people around the huge space and giving quick service. Â They're also all very nice, and you're probably going to get a good eyeful of cleavage around the place. Â Also, their liquor selection is amazing and it's one of the few places I've found where you can buy beer or liquor and mixers TO GO! Â Markups aren't too bad, and I bought a bottle of Smirnoff here (long night) once that was downright cheap.
The food is basic bar food. Â There's apparently some great deal of a steak night on Wednesdays, but even if I still ate meat I'd be a little suspect of a $10 steak dinner. Â
...BUT THERE ARE GAMES! Â A huge, awesome shuffleboard table, Pop-A-Shot, darts and foosball.
---Aside, for the life of me I could not remember the word for "foosball" and kept thinking of "babyfoot" which is what it's called in England. Â So there's your daily random crap from me, you're welcome.---
The Quaff is perfect for entertainment and GREAT for people watching. Â Give it a shot!
I love the Quaff.. I have never had a bad time there.. We usually go for steak night on WEdnesday! and $3.00 margarita's.. cant go wrong.. The staff is always friendly and chatty and I always walk out of there more tipsy than not! Jess is usually our waitress.. we try to sit with her every time because she is super nice .. anyway, i give it a thumbs up. maybe two!
Review Source:Quaff is truly is good as it gets if you are looking for a dive neighborhood bar. Â Family owned and operated and always friendly. Â Pool, shuffleboard, foosball, darts are all available. Â
Don't head to Quaff expecting martinis and great wine but for some cold beer and good times, Quaff delivers.
Pay by cash.
I really like this bar (But then again, I'm not one for drinking establishments that call themselves 'nightclubs'- I like the down home feel of localized bars). It's cool to see the bar all lit up at night- they have neon signs in every window, as you can see from the pictures.
Like other Yelpers have said, it's more of a casual, younger crowd, but even when it isn't all young people, that's fine too. It is usually really busy, especially weekend nights because it is the closest bar in the area since Tanner's (the basement bar next door) closed.
I have never been here for lunch, so I can't say much about the food menu. But if you don't like to always be caught up in the P&L crowd, I'd recommend the quaff.
Ehhhhhhh....... it's allright.
One of the first joints I visited in KC when I moved up here. Burger's were decent, but nothing I couldn't get anywhere else. Waitress was also courteous. It did take a bit of time to get our food even though the place was rather empty (It was a Saturday night?!?!?!?!?!)
The Quaff is cool. It's a totally mixed crowd, with lots to do and lots of people to talk to. Admittedly, it is mostly college kids, but I've visited with locals of all kinds here and that makes it so much more interesting. I've always had a great time here.
The layout on the main bar side reminds me of many pubs of I visited in England, and often is standing room only. Wear comfortable shoes. I've been here several times and it's usually packed. I feel sorry for the waitresses; it seems most people are oblivious to their exsistence unless they, themselves, are waiting for a drink, and don't feel the urge to get the hell out of the way. I often find myself hoping beer gets spilled on heads.
When I lived in Kansas City, the Quaff was my "Cheers," if you will. Located downtown, directly across the street from my office at the time, this big, boisterous bar was where all of my colleagues congregated for happy hour, and was the site of my farewell party when I moved to San Francisco. I dare you to go there and not have a blast.
Review Source:I like this bar.
The staff is great, there are pool tables. Â Yes, its sort of a young college or local crowd. Â It's the frat boys that don't want to be with a hundred other frat boys. Â I guess you can call them the nice and laid back ones. :/
Anyway, the price of drinks are high. Â Yes, there are plastic cups, but I could care less. Â I just go to play pool..oh, and they have a great Taco day (don't remember if its Monday or Tuesday) where Tacos are either a dollar or a couple of quarters.
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