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“Music is the shorthand of emotion.” — Leo Tolstoy
Welcome, {{secret_name | Secret Reader}}
Editor’s Note
You know what they say about KC weather…
One week, it’s snow boots. The next is grill time optimism. That swing keeps you flexible — and it keeps the nightlife interesting. This stretch feels like a reset after Mardi Gras earlier in the week. Beads packed away, brass bands faded out, the city strollin' into Leprechaun season.
Broadway energy with Hamilton at Music Hall. Live bands at Tin Roof if you want to dance instead of sit. Real-deal jazz at Green Lady, Black Dolphin, and The Phoenix. It’s a balanced week — you can dress it up or keep it low.
I’ve been thinking about lobby bars lately. They’re neutral ground. Nobody asks why you’re there. Travelers drift in. Locals post up. You can have one drink or stay for three and it’s all good.
That’s where Last Call landed this week. Cheesecake and bourbon at Zephyr inside the Marriott Hotel KC-OP. Slow bites. Slow sips. Watching the room move without having to move yourself. Sometimes that’s the whole play.
Big happy birthday to KC’s own Chappell Roan. From Midwest stages to national spotlight, we see you.
I’ll see you at the bar.
—Jay, SecretKC editor
🕯 The Pregame — Thursday
Hamilton at Music Hall Kansas City · Thu | Broadway precision meets hip-hop history.
→ Music Hall Kansas City
Free Jazz Thursday w/ KC Green at The Ship · Thu | No-cover jazz in an intimate room.
→ The Ship
Ken Lovern’s OJT at Green Lady Lounge · Thu | Classic KC jazz, seated listening crowd.
→ Green Lady Lounge
🥃 The Short List
Rooms that always understand the assignment.
The Lobby Bar of KC · Evening
Bar Stillwell
Grown Ass Bar Energy
Best place to begin and end adventures.
Date Night Moves · Evening
Fox and Pearl
Smoke-kissed plates, warm wood, no rush.
Get the Ice Cream Flight!
Cocktail-first lounge · Evening
The 1909 Club
Deep seats, serious drinks.
A room built for staying longer than planned.
Voo Lounge
Dim lighting, smooth pacing.
Works best after 9 when the room settles in.
Personal Favorites · Evening
The Monarch Bar
Serious cocktails, intentional energy.
A clean handoff between dinner and night.
XO Hifi
Intentional sound, low conversation, focused room.
Best when you want to hear the music and your thoughts.
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🧭 The Weekend Plan
Hamilton at Music Hall Kansas City · Fri–Sun | Broadway precision meets hip-hop history.
→ Music Hall Kansas City
Post Clarity at Tin Roof · Fri/Sat | Live band energy & dance-floor crowd.
→ Tin Roof KC
Jazz Quartet at Black Dolphin Lounge · Fri/Sat | Neighborhood jazz with grown pacing.
→ Black Dolphin Lounge
Late Swing Set at Black Dolphin Lounge · Fri/Sat | Groove-forward jazz stretching late.
→ Black Dolphin Lounge
Chloe McFadden at The Phoenix · Fri | Historic jazz room, late linger energy.
→ The Phoenix
Mike Bourne & KC Boogie at The 1909 Club · Sat | Soul set in a cocktail-forward room.
→ The 1909 Club
XO Hifi Listening Night · Weekend | Vinyl-forward session with intentional sound.
→ XO Hifi
Intoxicant at Nighthawk · Fri | Rooftop DJ energy with hotel-lounge restraint.
→ Event Info
Michael Shanks at Voo Lounge · Fri | Live jazz & speakeasy vibe.
→ Voo Lounge KC
The Majestic Jazz Club · Fri/Sat | Downstairs jazz room, classic KC linger.
→ Majestic Jazz Club
Nneoma Lanea & The Neo Soul Band at Sherri’s Executive Lounge · Fri | Neo-soul lounge set.
→ Sherri’s Executive Lounge
Dinosaurs: Land of Fire & Ice at Crown Center · Fri/Sat | Immersive exhibit experience.
→ Crown Center
Bram Wijnands at KC Bier Co. · Weekend | Live polka & beer hall energy.
→ KC Bier Co.
Weekend Brunch at Laney’s · Sat/Sun | Live music & laid-back brunch energy.
→ Laney’s Get Down
Bottomless Mimosas at Beer Kitchen · Sat/Sun | Westport brunch staple.
→ Beer Kitchen
Coffee Urban Hike · Sat | City hike meets coffee culture.
→ Urban Hikes KC
Last Call
Cheesecake @Zephyr Bourbon Bar
You don’t have to explain why you’re there. You don’t have to commit to the whole night. You can slide in, order one thing done well, and dip out. Travelers. Locals. Somebody on a first date. Somebody closing a deal. It’s neutral ground.
I ended up at Zephyr Bourbon Bar inside the Marriott Hotel, Kansas City, Overland Park — I kept it simple: cheesecake and a bourbon cocktail.
The cheesecake was on the money. Not overly sweet. A few slow bites, a sip, back and forth. No rush. Watching people.
Great lobby bars always feel like you’re passing through something bigger than your own night. Think The King Cole Bar at The St. Regis in New York, The Carousel Bar in New Orleans, The Polo Lounge at The Beverly Hills Hotel, or The Drake Hotel’s Coq d’Or in Chicago. They hold history. Movement. Conversation.
Zephyr has a bit of that energy.
Sometimes Last Call is about knowing where to be when you’re not ready to go home yet.
Stay sharp, KC ☾