It’s not difficult to find bar grub for $15 or less around the city. But part of the fun in finding something affordable to eat is discovering the spots that are lesser-known and sometimes overlooked. In creating this list of cheap bar eats, we prioritized the hole-in-the-walls—the strip mall gems and joints that take you off the beaten path—while still indulging in some KC staples.
Some of Kansas City’s best bar food is actually some of its least expensive … if you know where to look. Check out our list of Top 5 Places In KC To Get Bar Food For $15 Or Less:
Louisville Hot Chicken Sandwich With Fries | $14
Lucky Boys
Lucky Boys is the perfect dive bar. Tony Hinchcliffe, a popular stand-up comic who just appeared on Netflix’s Roast of Tom Brady, went to Lucky Boys after his show at Uptown Theater and fell in love with it. Don’t let the fact that he used to drive a Corvette with the custom license plate “IROAST” deter you. If there’s anything a touring comic knows, it’s a great dive bar.
There’s no Instagram wall, reclaimed wood or $30 mocktail menu. There’s cold beer and a small menu of great bar food featuring burgers, poutine and fried bologna Cuban. If The Peanut has the best wings in Kansas City, then it’s safe to say that Lucky Boys has the best chicken sandwich. It’s spicy Louisville hot chicken over a bed of coleslaw on a Farm to Market Bread bun. Their kitchen is open until midnight, so when everything in Overland Park closes at 8 pm, Lucky Boys will always be there for you.
3 Wings And Fries | $13
The Peanut
(various locations)
The three wings and fries at The Peanut is one of the best meals you can eat in Kansas City. It may say three wings on the menu, but it feels more like six, since they give you the entire thing (the flats and drums are still connected). They’ll warn you of a 20 minute cook time when you order. I assure you it’s worth it.
I prefer the downtown location, but my friend, comedian Scott Shaffer (his new special White Noise Machine is now streaming on YouTube) prefers the downtown OP location, and I know several people who only go to the Main Street location. No one is wrong. They’re all great. The blue cheese dipping sauce is what I would recommend. And most definitely get cheese on your fries because it’s the right thing to do.
Pep Boi Pizza | $15
Fortunati
Fortunati Pizza is not only one of the best pizza joints in town, it’s also affordable. Owner Justin Norcross, who also owns the dive bar Lucky Boys just a few doors down, opened this West Bottoms pizza spot due to his bar’s wildly successful pizza nights. Because Fortunati is so close to the bar, you can still order Fortunati’s pizza while seated at Lucky Boys, which is why we consider this spot bar grub.
The flour Fortunati uses is milled locally mere blocks away. The sourdough starter they use for their pizza is over 80 years old from Malta, near Italy. It was gifted to Norcross from his friend and the late owner of Observation Pizza, Nick Vella, who tragically passed away in a motorcycle accident. Fortunati is a love letter to Vella and what he started with Observation during the pandemic.
The combination of local flour, sourdough starter and all fresh and local ingredients is what makes this the best pizza in Kansas City hands down. Their hot honey pepperoni and jalapeno pizza, called the Pep Boi, will send you into such euphoria you won’t even notice the heartburn. The crust is perfectly thin, and the contrast of the sweet honey and spicy jalapeno is a match made in heaven. If you’re like me and like to dip your crust in ranch, Fortuanti makes their own. It’s this attention to the small details that makes Fortunati worth your time and money.
Reuben Sandwich | $6.95
Breit’s Stein and Deli
Breit’s manages to stand out even among Strawberry Hill’s stellar bar scene. The pub’s atmosphere is steeped in old world Irishness and nostalgia. If it’s your first time visiting, the regulars will give you a once over when entering, but who cares? Every sandwich is $6.95 and served with chips. The Reuben won’t let you down. The $4 pint of Guinness won’t either
Wednesday Taco Night The Easy Inn | 3 For $5
The Easy Inn
My apologies to all who want to keep this once-in-a-blue-moon kind of deal on the down-low, but it’s just too good. Every Wednesday, the Strawberry Hill dive bar offers three hard-shell ground meat tacos (gringo-style), along with a shot of Montezuma Tequila Blanco and a cold one of Tecate. Come in right at 5 pm and enjoy your steal on the patio.
Looking for more cheap eats ideas? Check out our 34 Amazing Kansas City Meals For $15 Or Less
