Knuckleheads

Crowded and casual. Fantastic vibe. And the staff? The staff! I can't ever remember being treated so well. And these folks were absolutely working their tails off. One person had nearly her entire area closed, yet when asked, she gladly made one last cocktail. Going so far to having to open the bag of plastic cups she had already put away for the evening. She could have easily said: Sorry, no more tonight. Instead, she acted as if it was the easiest thing in the world. I loved that. We had a blast at this crazy KC institution!

If you want live music in a unique environment, this is it. We listened to music in the gospel room. So many legends have performed here. Don't forget to bring cash. They are known for cash-only bar. Food is good at a reasonable price. Credit cards work for food. This is a local venue worth the visit.

Affordable shows. Music up close. You can often see three shows at the same time on different stages in an intimate down-to -earth atmosphere. It’s a small trucking company turned venue/bar. Bring cash for the bar food. They do take cards for drinks and admission.

Went to Knuckleheads for the Merle Jam 2025. It's not too bad of a place. The food is expensive and kinda bland and greasy. One of the bartenders kept double charging my mom for sodas. Drinks were supposed to be $2 each, and she was charging my mom $4. Brought it up to the manager, and the bartender denied it, of course. Other than that and bland greasy food, the atmosphere was fun.

I've been to shows at the Outdoor Stage, The Garage and the Saloon Stage and enjoyed all of them. They are venues where you can watch great bands/artists in a very intimate setting and their staff do a great job with the sound and lighting. Tickets prices are usually quite reasonable.

Great place to enjoy live music. Several buildings that artists can perform at on the same night. Not a bad seat in each one. Amazing view and close to the stage. Four Fried Chickens and a Coke perform an amazing show. Amazing lead singer with a great brass section. 4 saxes, 2 trumpets, a trombone, 1 harmonica , 1 bass, and 1 lead guitarist. Playing all of the best funk, R&B, rock and even Johnny cash. Martin Sexton was absolutely amazing. Best performer I've seen right below Paul McCartney.

Very nice. Quite small, but great accustics. We saw Tinsley Ellis in the gospel room. Sat dead center and four rows back from performer, amazing

This was my first time visiting this establishment, for a concert, or at all. Great time, great experience. staff was great, smaller venue so feels more like a personal experience then a mass following, if that makes since. The facility was clean and up kept, look presentable but still keeps its roots. Just be warned it is cash only to purchase things inside. Very inconvenient but something to plan for.

This is my second visit to Knuckleheads for a concert. The last time I went it was probably six or seven years ago before I even lived in Kansas City. Recently, I went to the Knuckleheads Garage to see the Texas Headhunters, which is a newer band featuring my favorite guitar player and singer Ian Moore. The experience was pretty great from start to finish. I was able to buy a ticket online and save it to my Apple wallet. It was super easy to get in. Parking was on-site and plentiful. They had a great opening act that was a local band from Kansas City. I liked that the drinks were affordable and super cold. I got a tall Quirk for $8. Beers were similarly priced. Later in the evening, I got hungry and scored a hotdog for six dollars. The whole place is cash only. Be advised you will not tap to pay. They have an ATM on site if you need cash. The concert was fantastic! The band was amazing and I was very pleased with the experience. There's a large seating area with tables and chairs in the middle of the venue and on the north side there are rows of old airline or bus seats with cupholders that are amazing. You are even welcome to go down into the pit without an extra special kind of ticket The sound was great and not too loud, it was very clear and clean, the lights were well done and they even had robotic video cameras with someone mixing the video on screen and out in the bar area so you didn't have to miss what was happening. The restrooms were clean and nice. The whole thing was a great experience. I will most certainly be returning to Knuckleheads for live music!!

I went with friends to a Saturday afternoon jam session. It was a great experience. Live music played by musicians for musicians. It resembled a karaoke for musicians to my unschooled ears.

This KC gem is tucked away off Front Street so use Maps to guide you. Another landmark you might recognize is J. Rodger & Co. on the other side of the railroad tracks. Knuckleheads offer a wide variety of music- no joke so check their website often. They have 4 different stages and theres great music at different times throughout the day and night at one of these outdoor stages: the courtyard with an upper 'open sky' level, the Garage stage, Saloon Stage and intimate Gospel Lounge seating up to 75 people. This particular night Gang of Four an English post-punk, political and funk rock band from the late 70s early 1980s graced the outdoor stage for their "Long Goodbye" tour and would be their last. They rocked it! And the crowd didn't disappoint in their fashion! Also Gail formerly of L7 and Belly was playing bass and killed it! !!! Cash only !!!

Awesome open mike at noon on Saturday. Great atmosphere and food. Fun people and reasonable drink prices

Food was great. Atmosphere was great! If you like to be up and close to the action, this is the venue for you. Staff were very nice, with one exception. I would suggest bringing a stadium seat or cushion to sit on if you are on the bleachers.

Favorite dive bar in KC. So many different stages & none of them have a bad seat. Highly recommend going to the open jam sessions to see some extremely talented local artists playing together. Bring cash for the bars!

We always have the best time at shows here! The only thing I wish was for more parking nearby!

We are so lucky to a venue like Knuckleheads and all the varied music we can hear. So glad it's standing the test of time.

Knuckleheads is Kansas City's best kept secret. There is only one rule: NO PISSY ATTITUDES!

Always fun times at Knuckleheads. Kansas City oldest live music venue. There is usually two different performance each night. Purchase ticket online or at door. Cash only for drinks.

We drove from Cincinnati for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a favorite artist perform. It was a particularly special event for a very special friend. We arrived early and gathered in the Gospel Lounge Stage, objectively the most interesting of the stages. It was great to have time to look around look at the extensive galleries of rock and roll memorabilia. The concert was on on the Saloon Stage. On stage it was just the performer and her guitar. The sound was fantastic, perfect even. This room was covered with signed photos of performers that have graced the stage. Not quite as interesting as the Gospel Lounge Stage, but pretty impressive nonetheless. I wish Kunckleheads wasn't so far away because it's a fantastic concert venue!

Food is delicious! I highly recommend any of the burgers! Service is awesome as well!

Music is always outstanding Bar food is great Multiple stages and variety of music is something to be seen

The Food is Great (for Bar Food) the Beer and Cocktails are Great and BEST OF ALL.....the Music is always top notch !!

What a venue! In the middle of an industrial area that'll have you wondering if you took a wrong turn. Then you arrive and know that things turned exactly right. Indoor/outdoor vibe with a roadhouse feel throughout. Great sound, right next to train tracks, it transports you into a world of only the band you're hearing and the people you're with. The singer (James McMurtry) and this venue are a perfect pairing. So were the throwback beers ($2 Hamm's!) and surprisingly good gin and tonics! I came here to see James McMurtry, who rocked, but after seeing the show here I'd come back here just because. Great vibe, great night!

A Great place to meet up with friends and family. Good food and Entertainment and Good service. I try to go there at least twice a month. First time visitor you will be HOOKED on going again!!!!

Great service, atmosphere was outstanding, food was ok just typical bar food. Entertainment was awesome. Not Quite Brothers was fun. They return November 15. Going to definitely see them again

We had a great time. They have several stages, so make sure you know which one you're going to. They have a bar with several can and bottle options. $5 beer. $2 for a cup or soda or water. The food is around $12 to $15 and a good portion.

Came here to see Jaron Myers a local, very funny, young, newly engaged comedian! I found the place. It ain't the suburbs! Parked ACROSS THE TRAIN TRACKS - don't do that - and Jaron himself hauled 4 of us I up and over a bridge to get us around a stalled train to our cars. Even though he'd had food poisoning. After his gig. Dead tired. But still! I truly loved Knuckleheads even though it was my frat time! Crazy location, yes but a great venue for an intimate setting at their Gospel Stage or just to hang out, it seems! Will be back!

A place where geriatrics (and everyone else)can rock all night. Everyone was less 50ft away from the stage .The music was crazy good. The HogSlop String Band (super high energy band from Nashville) opened for the Mavericks who were The Maverick's what more can I say Whatever show people are going to see ,get there early,it was quite the lineup when we got there early

Guy selling tickets with the black curly hair was the MVP. My date and I are younger compared to the crowd, as opposed to just taking our money he encouraged us to take a look around and told us about the bands that were playing. The place and staff are a total vibe, highly recommend!

I had my first visit to Knluckleheads last night and will certainly be back. Tucked away practically under a bridge, this venue has multiple stages and multiple bands performing from all genres. For example we saw Black Flag perform while the stage across the street featured the Hi-Jivers. Two very different bands. The stages are close to the crowd with plenty of seating for those of us who'd prefer to sit or an open area for those who want to stand or dance. I had the pleasure of meeting the owner Frank who couldn't have been nicer. Food was pretty standard bar food. Nothing crazy, but also fairly priced. The same goes for the bar. Black Flag put on a killer performance and came down to meet everyone after the show. So for a fun, unforgettable experience, head on down to Knuckleheads, grab a beer and some food, then kick back and enjoy the show.

I loved this place. I came for the Celebration of Life for Kris. I love Danielle Nicole and was a Trampled Under Foot fan. I have been dying to visit from NYC because I have heard so many good things about it. I wish we had a place like this in NYC. The stage and sound system was great. I liked that it was a mix of indoor and outdoor seating. The crowd were very welcoming, my kind of people. The drinks were reasonably priced. Just remember it is cash only. I hope to come back again one day.

Knuckleheads is one of my favorite places in Kansas City. Saturday & Sundays are great to go enjoy the day with open jam (live music) for FREE!! They have good food & cheap drinks! Concerts here are amazing rather it's in the garage or outside. Knuckleheads don't disappoint! During open jam you can see some pretty amazing people sign up to play & sign, some will blow your mind. The staff is always very friendly & most of them have around there for years. If you like music & a chill time then this is the place for you to check out. Enjoy!

My first visit to this concert venue was excellent! I noticed two buildings at the Knuckleheads complex. Knuckleheads Saloon was an uncovered venue, and Knuckleheads Garage was a covered venue, with a group of garage doors along the west wall, and an extremely large ceiling fan. The tribute bands concert I attended ($15 including taxes and fees for Elton Dan and Almost Kiss) was at Knuckleheads Garage. It had a mix of seating including picnic tables, tables, and benches (on the west side). The cash-only bar area in the rear was nicely separated from the stage by a wall to reduce sound levels, and had a lounge area with a big screen TV showing the concert. Drink prices were fairly reasonable for a concert venue ($3.50 tall cans of beer and $6.00 wells), while the service at the bar was friendly and cheerful. Plenty of parking was available. Excellent, especially for the price!

What a blast!! Great drinks! Great venue! What an amazing night! M-80s! It was such a vibe! The ambiance was perfect! The service was great! Perfect night out!

Went for the first time last Friday night and absolutely enjoyed the band Outlaw Jim and the Whiskey Benders. Sorry to say we didn't get to see much of the next band, Amarugia Ridge Runners because of impending ice on the roads but I had a great time. If it's your first time and using GPS, don't freak out when it looks like its taking you to a kinda sketchy part of town because even though it IS, the parking lot is lit up pretty good. The staff was very friendly. I'm looking forward to going back!!! Great concerts coming up!!! AWESOME: HONKYTONK ATMOSPHERE!!!! Band!!! Staff!! Ticket Price!!! NOT so awesome: Parking. It's fine, but just know your surroundings.

Great venue for fun music and people watching. Stout drinks, I am told. N/A beers are a solid few but stick more than most bars.

great place, fast service. open mic at certain times.Beer was COLD, people were nice, i will be on the lookout for some of their other locations

We love knuckleheads. My husband has been playing in the jam for several years and enjoys it very much. It's welcoming for new players and just fun in general. They have great Acts for reasonable prices. It's got a relaxed ambiance and people get up to dance at the jams which is particularly fun. I'm not completely fond of the food, the tacos are not that great but they are that cheap. It's just a fun cheap date.

This was my first time to see a show at knuckleheads. I will be back! What a great venue. I love the people watching especially when the train rolls thru 15 feet away from the property. Went there to see the Boxmasters and ended up standing next to Ron White before the show was over! Only dig is the smoke. It's unreal how much the smoke can be an issue in an outdoor space.

was invited by a musician and tried to show support and was very Rudely ejected for cheering for being "too loud" all we did was cheer when said performer was finished as a crowd should no?

I have gone to Knuckleheads for their Saturday afternoon open mic sessions a couple times. I really enjoy the place. The music has a good beat, the place is casual, there is a dance floor and reasonably priced food. The special is 1.25 tacos and 3 makes a tasty lunch.

So, I bought tickets to a show at this venue and the experience for me and my wife was awful. I am a veteran with combat PTSD and I was treated deplorably. As a veteran with mental disabilities I require certain things that are not unreasonable requests. This instance I had bought my tickets and had a show scheduled. I always have to case out any place that I go. I have to know areas where I may be able to go incase of anxiety. I also have to be aware of the layout incase I feel I need to leave quickly due to one issue or another. I showed a couple days early as to arrange for these reasonable accommodations and was turned away. I waited in line to get to the door man. It was rather hectic but not too busy. I asked the door man if I could have a quick look around to case out the layout. I was told that I wasn't getting passed him without a ticket to the current show. I tried to explain my situation but was again told no. As I was talking I was quickly dismissed me and went to the next person in line. The show was not to start for at least another half hour. I said what a douche quietly on my way out and he told me to look at the camera like I was going to act out. I was treated as if I was trying to steal a show. He could have contacted somebody to help me out. I didn't return to watch the show I purchased the tickets for because I didn't want to be treated like I was burdening this establishment. I do not recommend this establishment if you have invisible disabilities.

The stories are true, this is a great place to check out live music in KC. I've always heard this is a "rough" bar. Sure you have to pass over several train tracks to get here but that doesn't necessarily make a place "rough." the staff was friendly from the moment we walked in to when the last note was played. The crowd was there to have a good time and dance and drink. The acoustics were spot on considering we were in low ceiling "saloon." I need to come back and check out the garage and gospel room. Overall, our group had a fun time. As a music fan in KC, this is one of the great places you need to come to at least once.

When visiting KC and looking for live music all the locals suggested Knuckleheads. We checked out their website and found out Tommy Castro and Marcia Ball were playing. What?!!! And $25 a ticket?!!!!! We were on our way. The place is great. While the tables were sold out and all that was left was general admission, we got there early enough to get some seats along the side. That really wasn't a problem as we ended up dancing half the night. We had such a great time!!! $4 16 ouncers was not outrageous for a venue like this. And let's not forget about the friendly staff. This place has the perfect recipe for a great evening out! Great music, great prices, friendly staff and a great vibe. No wonder everyone recommended it. Check it out when your in town...and bring your dancing shoes!

I can't comment on the food YET, but I will b back to try that! Last night we explored Knuckleheads and I'm glad we did. Walking up to this biker bar look a like I felt like we were walking onto a movie set of western Texas. The neon lights glowing, the music drifting from the stages, and the smiling faces greeting you at the bar. It was truly spectacular. Not the typical dive bar, this was exactly like how Austin, Texas was which feels like home to me. Walking in to an old time saloon, with wooden floors, chain fences and Rolling Rocks on tap, this is a little Texas inside KC. The music was phenomenal. I discovered a little band called Erika Weenerstrom. I NEED TO SEE THIS BAND AGAIN. The lead singer was nothing short of amazing. Wherever they play next I must go. Check them out. We also saw a Missouri native, Bryant Carter, play in the Gospel Lounge. Nashville has done him well playing his own version of country with a lot of soul behind it. It was a pleasant surprise as well. As for the negatives, the Gospel Lounge is very small and limited seating, but that's good for the music and sound. It's a Cash only bar, which in this day and age is very inconvenient. They do have an ATM though.

Always fun! Knuckleheads is always a fun outing. We went even during Covid since we could sit outside. Have been here many times. I do wish they had some seating that was a bit more comfortable for outdoor events. For those of us with physical disabilities it can get pretty uncomfortable. But we still have a lot of fun. We need to make another trip over soon for some 80s tunes or maybe for "Elvis" in the Gospel Lounge.

Such a fabulous music venue with multiple stages running shows concurrently. We saw a band in the Garage, which is a larger room with a variety of seating options from standard banquet chairs and long tables to high tops with stools. We snagged plush, rocking movie theatre seats to the left of the stage, which were super-comfy and gave us a great vantage point to enjoy our concert. The sound of the bathroom air hand dryers on the other side of the venue echoed through the hall periodically, which just made me giggle, but didn't take anything away from our enjoyment. The staff was universally friendly, including the guy directing people away from the sinkhole (!) in the dirt parking lot. Yes, Knuckleheads is nestled right up against the train tracks in an industrial part of town, but there was nothing sketchy about it. Just a group of music lovers coming together for a fun night!

Came here there other night for Danny Cox's birthday event. My mentor describes this place as "honky tonk" and it truly is. Really like what they have going as an outdoor event space. Those should be a part of some Kansas City experience.

Awesome time, we had never been here before but what a great place to catch a show. Will definitely be back!

When you roll up on this place it looks like a neon covered commercialized bar, but step inside and it is the real deal blues bar. Remember that movie Brewster's Millions when the train would roll through the outfield. An outdoor show at Knuckleheads wouldn't be the same if the train didn't roll up next to the bar and blow the horn. The outdoor stage is awesome. It is a great place to see a show. The indoor stage isn't nearly as cool. The living room is a third area that is a small room for a band. To call it intimate is an understatement. Very cool place to see a show. Any closer to the band and you would be on stage with them. Their merchandise is classic. Love the Johnny cash shirt with him flipping the bird. After you toss back a few drinks and start to get hungry, make your way inside and get a few of their tacos!

This is a fabulous and fun venue! Plenty of room, many different, seating, standing and viewing options. Service was excellent no long lines at the bar. The food was delicious, promptly served and reasonably priced.

Good music, atmosphere, service, food, and drinks. All of the staff was super friendly.

Talk about an old throwback. Knucklehead's is a music venue where the lights are hot, drinks are ice cold, shirt collars are blue and a perfect place to let your hair down and have a good ole time. Much of the music is slanted towards the old-country honky tonk hepcats, but you'll also see some good blues and rock artists come through and play on either the indoor or outdoor stage. I will say that if you know your inside show is going to be busy you might want to get there early because the sight lines diminish as you get farther back. Another small note, as much as I love this venue, it is literally in the middle of the nowhere that is the East Bottoms. If you're having a good time, which I guarantee you will, please make sure that somebody in your group is okay to drive or make sure you bring some extra cash for a cab because there's nothing close that you can walk to.

Knucklehead's is as perfect a venue for good, old country music as you're going to find. I love the music scene in Nashville and Austin, but when exploring those cities I never did find a venue that is as raw and real as Knucklehead's. The last show that I saw here was Billy Joe Shaver, a legendary older country musician who owns the stage when he's on it. Maybe it's all the pictures on the wall of him around the joint, but I get the feeling he's at home here every time he plays. What's even better is after the show the musicians can mingle with the crowd and you can have a few drinks with them more often than not. Whether the back patio is open or not, you're bound to have a good time here with some great music and colorful characters. *Last note: I saw the Black Keys at Sprint Center back in April and could not help but think how much better the show would be in a setting like Knucklehead's. If you've ever been somewhat bored at a large venue event like I was there, then check Knucklehead's weird website calendar and get some friends together for it.

Great juke joint where you can drink , grab a bite , dance , listen to bands . They have three different stages if I'm not mistaken and they keep the place hopping. The staff is friendly and bathrooms kept well for so many going in and out of this place having a good time ! I will continue to enjoy my nights out dancing here as long as they're open .

I agree with most of the other reviews...building repurposed, open space, table reservation options, decent sizes dance floor. I'm not a fan of the long tables in the middle...difficult to get in and out. Cash only..not a fan. Pluses..decent size dance floor, good variety of music choices and the size of the venue.

2, not a typo, two bartenders for the entire concert. Poor planning on management. Love the concept, love the ambiance, but whaaaa?!?