The Hi-Dive Lounge

We love the High Dive! Sadly, we hadn't been in a few years, so remedied that yesterday! Went for lunch. I had the pretzels and he had a meatloaf sandwich. Everything was good, bartender was great. Definitely recommend!

To the bartender who took my carryout order on the afternoon of 9/9/2025 not only did you mess up a plain cheeseburger that repeated to you over twice on the phone. The dismissive attitude you had when I came to pick it up because apparently you were too busy chatting with the ONLY TWO PEOPLE at the bar to be professional and get my simple order right. Do better!

This bar is a must visit spot every time I’m in KC. Grab a mystery beer from the vending machine, eat some delicious food (I recommend the burgers and wings!), and grab a seat to watch a game or listen to some tunes.

Service was awesome! Like really awesome. Atmosphere was cool. Mix of a good crowd of all ages. Food was good, not the best bar food I’ve ever had but it was decent. Smash burger was not a true smash burger. Patties were thiccc.

5 stars for everything!!! I met a friend for lunch & the food was outstanding! Service was great, even though the bartender was left to take our orders & such. The atmosphere was fun, vibrant, comfortable & everyone was singing along with the great song choices they had playing. Totally ready to go back!!!!

Stopped in because I heard the meatloaf was good.. And it was delicious. The mashed potatoes and green beans that came with it was good too. Tried the wings and they're good too. The atmosphere was cool, more like a bar setting. The service was good and the price of the beers were normal/average. They have $5 random can beer machine that's pretty cool too. My only complaint is that the meatloaf could be a couple dollars cheaper. I'd recommend it though if you can get past the sticker shock.

Great food and great beer selection in a great dive bar with a fun atmosphere and great service! The mystery beer machine is fun, too!

One of my favorite BLTs in KC. Get the chips over the fries. I previously gave it four stars but after my last visit, two. I spoke at length with my server about my order and I was served an item I'm allergic to, anyway. I didn't realize it until it was too late and I had a reaction. It wasn't too busy, there's no reason for the lack of regard.

A very divey place, but great food! I'd recommend this place for anyone looking to hang out and catch up over drinks or food as well! We had a group of 16 people during lunch and the bartender was fantastic on keep everyone in order and coming out fast.

Yes Hi Dive is a dive bar, but with the tvs and good food it's a great time for everyone. I really like going for lunch or dinner. Most of my visits have an intention for food. I like the wings a lot, and that's probably my go to order. Accompanied by a mystery beer, you can't go wrong.

Bacon Double Smash burger* Ordered the smash burger. Wasn't a smash burger. It was a regular burger. Don't advertise smash burger if it's not smashed. Bartended with the pineapple tattoo was superrrrr nice about it tho, loved her.

Very neat dive bar and a very good Bloody Mary. Stopped in on a Sunday and the crowd was a mix. Felt like the place had a kind of people they prefer and we didn't necessarily fit in. I'd try again just to see if it was an off day but...

Hi-Dive is a great establishment on 39th street. Dark and divey. They have a great bar if you like it cheap. They have $2 mystery beers from a vending machine. All beers in the photo came from there. There are lots of yard beers in there and a few nicer ones too. They also have a full bar.

If you've read some of my reviews, you might know that I love a good dive bar. Hi-Dive definitely meets the criteria of a great dive bar. "Dive" is in its name, and it doesn't pretend to be anything else. What you might not know is how great the food is and how much fun you'll have. I've been here a few times and absolutely love it. They gave several vegetarian options, including tofu eggrolls and portobello tacos... the thing is that the food is *actually* good. It's not just your usual run of the mill throw it in the fryer kind of stuff. This is the kind of food I would expect to find at a trendy bistro type of place. Also, who can go wrong with a "mystery" beer? Okay, you can actually go wrong and end up with a Natty Light... or you might hit the jackpot and end up with something good. It's a true gamble. I love this place. They have trivia on Wednesdays. While it's hard to hear, you can see the questions and fill in your answers online.

The perfect local dive with the most underrated food on the street. You MUST go for Friday lunch and have the chicken-fried chicken special- one of the best dishes I have had anywhere.

Great food. Servers were super friendly and helpful. Homemade chips were to die for. I had the the chicken fried chicken and it was super crispy and the mashed potatoes were great. Stop by if you're in the area.

Love this place. Nice daily specials and best chicken fried chicken in town (only on Fridays, though). Another highlight is the mystery beer machine. Check them out!

This is one of our very favorite places to grab lunch or brunch! The food has been excellent every single time. For a "dive bar" you will be so impressed with the fresh, high quality ingredients they use and the terrific flavors in their dishes. The staff has always been very professional and friendly and the prices are great for the portion sizes and the quality of the food that you receive. Be sure to try the Jalapeño chips, the short rib tacos, mushroom tacos, any brunch item, burger, salad, etc - I'm sure you're getting the idea here!! Besides their awesome food, they also have a great selection of beers and a full bar which can make it the perfect place to hang out and enjoy the day!

Super friendly!, great food!, should try the meat loaf, delicious. NOne of the sandwiches look traditional.

A fun and casual spot! They have a mystery beer vending machine, which is fun! A neighborhood vibe that we enjoyed.

my friends and i all love this place! love the food, the drinks and staff. i don't drink but the mystery beers are a fun touch.

Really fun dive bar. The bartenders are friendly. They are known for their mystery beer. But have a fair share of Irish and bourbons. Good selection of local bourbons. Glad I made this my first stop in Kansas City. If I lived there I would be here all the time.

Two words: Mystery Beer. Just go here with a group for the fun of the Mystery Beers! $2.5 for a random beer out of a vending machine and play beer roulette with your friends! So fun. Their seasoned chips are amazing too and they have plenty of other affordable drink options. It's also great to bop around here and Drunken Worm and MO Brew. Have yourself a night on 39th street!

A nice chill neighborhood hang-out. Patrons are quite welcoming. Love the Gold Margaritas!

Enjoyed a group visit to High Dive. Amber took excellent care of us with beers and snacks. Nice patio area for outdoor relaxation.

Braised beef tacos are very good & I would recommend ordering them. Burgers are also good & so is the chili!

The food is amazing here, not just for a dive bar. The service has always been amazing. I love their wings and pretty much everything I've tried on the menu. One of my favorite neighborhood spots.

My type of place! I always enjoy a good dive bar, and Hi Dive Lounge has vaulted itself to my short list of Kansas City favorites. They have a good amount of seating, staff, and TVs and a nice little back patio as well. The biggest draw for Hi Dive is the "mystery beer" vending machine. For a few bucks, they'll pull a lever and your surprise Natty Daddy, Old Milwaukee, Hamms, etc will fall out of the machine. Quite the prize!

We have been a few times and enjoyed. This time we have beef tacos, wings, and BLT - all great. The mystery beer is always interesting to see what you get.

Cheers to mystery beer! When you can order a cheap surprise there's something right about the night. You'd probably rather order it from someone who seems to care that you're there, however. We arrived to high expectations because the server who greeted us was not just friendly but actually engagingly hilarious. We thought, wow, we're in for a treat tonight! Then she got our drinks and then ... disappeared. Only to be replaced by ... no one. At least as far as we could tell. So we went to the bar to order and were treated fairly distantly. Not sure what was going on. We were a small group of middle-aged people, mostly women, so we weren't rowdy or treating the servers with disrespect. Have no idea what happened there. Anyway, it seems like it could be a decent stop during a night out. I'd like to give it another go sometime and see if the experience is the same.

Chicken Sticks and fries were good And recommend the mystery beers and the jalapeño chips as an app!

The bartender and manager were rude. They care more about money than customer service while working in the service industry. I told the bartender I wanted to TRY not BUY one of the beers to see what it's like. She served the full bottle in a glass and charged full price. I was nice enough to let that go and my kindness was then abused... I went across the street and came back and used the restroom all in less than 5 minutes. When I came back from the bathroom they already charged my card and added 20% for themselves. They would've received more and even more often if they waited, for 5 minutes or less. I could've spent more and become a regular without being closed out. The bartender was leaving her shift at that time and obviously just wanted to make as much as she could off of credit/debit cards before clocking out. I think she especially thought my card was credit since it has a MasterCard logo on it, but it's debit... She was caught when she confessed to still even have my card when I came right back. She wrote, "walkout" as one word on the receipt she handed along with my card. I obviously was NOT trying to "walk out" on the check when it was my 4th time there. And while there I was going in and out back and fourth of the bar within less than 5 minutes. I contacted the owner, Grant Nagule and haven't heard back. It doesn't seem like they care about customers besides their wallets here based on their behavior... Definitely don't go if you're paying with a card and have to get up to go to your car or the bathroom. You'll come back to a surprise tip charge. Also with the manager claiming is fair unless the customer thinks them "unworthy" of a tip... She simply didn't want to admit she was wrong and give proper customer service to make it right. It's NEVER right to write your own tip on someone else's card while they're going in and out of the be. Especially when it's not the customer's first time there and of course didn't skip out on the tab before...

One of my favorite bars in the city. They have also done the best job of any bar I've seen enforcing social distancing and capacity protocols. The highlight is of course the mystery beers for $2.50 all day every day. These are best enjoyed with friends. Each group has their own variation on games for how people get to choose their beverage but the gist is simple. You pay $2.50, the bartender hits the button on the 1970s soda machine and you get whatever comes out. It could be a yard beer, it could be a nice craft, or something really random. The next time you're on West 39th just go! (They also have a solid food menu and A++ service).

All-around great staff, and an excellent constantly rotating beer selection. Menu is strong but IMO they have the best meatloaf in town, pro tip- ask for it charred.

Yup! It's in the name of the place. Seemed a little pricey for a dive bar, but I guess that costs extra nowadays. Thanks Obama! My 1st venture into what I guess is called Midtown. Not a bad experience. I sat at the bar and had a front row seat of the mystery beer dispenser machine & the unlucky hipsters trying their luck. I did not partake since I can't stand canned beer, but come up with a mystery beer tap or bottle dispenser and I'll be all over that!

MYSTERY BEER MACHINE!! Love this bar! The food is nothing to rave about, but good variety on their menu for a bar. Everything else is great. Cheap food, cheap beer and drinks, great place to watch games, always a good crowd, consistently excellent service, and the mystery beer machine!! The mystery beer machine is an old school pop machine that they load with a wide variety of canned beer, never knowing what you will get. You could end up getting a Genesse, Natural Light, PBR, Naturday, or many other lower shelf beers, OR you could end up getting an IPA, Lager, Brown ale, or other great craft beers. Either way, every mystery beer is only $2.50! On Sundays they have all TVs with volume on the Chiefs game, where they also serve $3 brats. If going out on a budget, this is your place. While it is considered a dive bar, I would put it above the typical dive bar and more a sports bar. The whole area along 39th is great, highly recommend!

Very simple little dive bar. Drinks are very reasonably priced and the alcohol isn't under or over poured. The food is fresh and surprisingly well flavored. I'm not saying this bar is dirty, but it doesn't put off a "good food" vibe. However, the food is quite delicious. The wait staff is very friendly and they keep your glasses full. If you're looking for good drinks, good food, some TVs, and a place to kick it with friends... this is it.

It's hard for me to reconcile this as a dive bar. In fact, I think it's really just a bar focused on the sport of diving. We arrived on a Saturday afternoon when it wasn't busy yet. Service was friendly and attentive. The beers, food selection, and happy hour prices are all-around top notch. That mystery beer is a fun novelty for cleaning out the beers that won't sell. My friend got a lemon shandy and ended up not hating it! I was inside for a couple hours, moved to the front deck when it cooled down, and enjoyed myself there so much I even took a shot and a selfie. If I'd had more time I would have gotten some food. The items on the menu looked outstanding. Alas I filled up on all that happy hour beer.

This is a Gourmet restaurant (ok, well almost) under the guise of a Dive bar. Tucked along the street just East of KU, the decor is plan but clean and comfortable. They have a patio our back and in the front and they have Amber! Amber is a Gem (get it), who makes you feel at home and takes good care of you. She makes wonderful drinks and humorous small talk and really makes you feel at home. But the FOOD is the Star (OK, besides Amber) The menu is not huge, but covers all the bases for taste and appetite and everything is just Wonderful! Start with the house made chips with jalapeno dust and Blue cheese and bacon. Delicious (and not too spicy). All the sandwiches are extremely well made and remarkably tasty. The ingredients are fresh and high quality and honestly you won't find better food in Kansas City. The only reason I am telling you all this is we get there early enough to get our seats and you are on your own, but more than welcome to join the crowd in this neighborhood bar with food to die for. Don't believe me? Read the other reviews!

I've been twice now and I'll say I'm officially a fan. The first time I went it was early, 7pm or so on a Saturday night and quiet. It was the perfect place to grab a bite of food, try some craft beer and catch up with friends. The second time was later 10pm on a Friday and the place was packed and the music quite loud. It was a bit difficult to have a convo but we managed. I agree with the reviewer that mentioned how distracting the TVs are. The joint is small, so why are there like 10 TVs in there? That being said, I have no other quibbles with the Hi-Dive and plan to put it on my short list for go-tos. Go for: the BLT, the short rib tacos (amazing!), Monks Cafe Belgian beer and diverse clientele (neighborhood barflys, gays, straights, you name it, I saw it) Skip: the roast beef sandwich and the queso dip (seriously, why bread?)

sub par. at least last night. went in for some royals/tigers viewing. ordered 2 beers and pretzels. my qualm: the service. unless this place is called phux and the whole role play is talking down to customers and sticking it to them, this isn't acceptable. waitress was definitely not on top of her game, no pun intended. no napkins or utensils brought. being talked down to, negative bonus points. lots of bars on this strip, this ain't the only one. might be a last chance opportunity IMHO. this encounter by the twilight zone part 2 was brought to you by Steigl Radlers Grapefruit malt liquor. Thank you, enjoy the show.

In the location of a closed dive pizza joint, this place does not use the word "dive" in that sense. In fact it is far from a dive bar, as was immediately evident, when I walked in and saw the bottles of quality wine and beer behind the bar. Got a glass of Poggio Anima Asmodeus Italian red wine blend. No way would that have been in a dive bar. Then got a bowl of the soup of the day, which was tomato basil. After I had added some crushed red pepper to spice it up, the soup was excellent. Also got the shrimp salad, which was really good, with surprisingly good shrimp. Yes, they have a pinball machine and TVs, but this is no dive bar. Hi-Dive is a neighborhood bar in the best sense of the term. The logo is of someone diving off a high dive board at a pool.

My new favorite dive! After searching "sports bars" on Yelp, I called to see if they had NFL Sunday Ticket as we were looking for a local place to catch the last half of the Broncos game. Surprisingly, for a place this small, they said yes! Now let me just say I have tried several of the bigger chains that show NFL games. My husband and I go almost every Sunday during football, being Bears fans in Chiefs country. I am soo tired of the high prices, sub-par food and service we typically run into at Johnny's or Tanner's. But unfortunately, a lot of the smaller dives, hole-in-the-walls, or non-chain bars don't carry Sunday Ticket because it's too costly. Anyway, I was thrilled to find a place with "Dive" in the name, and football on the TV! We hustled in and were met with a packed place full of friendly faces, adorable Christmas decorations, and such a cozy feel. PLUS football. Being married to a football fanatic, I really appreciate a place that has things other than football going on. The crowd was diverse and they were playing lots of throwback 90's music ranging from rock to pop to rap. Things you haven't heard in forever, and when it comes on, you're like, "I LOVE this song!!" The bar was full so we sat in a booth and were served cold cheap beer (the special - $2.50 Miller High Life) immediately, and the game we requested was put on the TV. I only wish I had read about the mystery beer machine before going! The menu was small but diverse and had lots of classics with a (fancier) twist. Our party of 3 tried the charred tomato chorizo con queso served with both tortilla chips and grilled foccocia (yum!), a cheeseburger with a cute little sidecar of fries, and the $3 brat special. All were great. We will definitely be back to try more food (sweet and spicy short rib tacos, jalapeno dusted potato chips), play the Geeks Who Drink Tuesday night trivia (www.geekswhodrink.com), and drink more beer!! This is the type of place where I could easily become a regular and feel right at home.

I've been coming to the HI-Dive ever since it opened when I found out about this very cool eclectic bar I knew this was going to be a place that I would come back to. It has a mystery beer machine to where it's only $2.50 they pull the lever and it's a mystery!! What beer are you actually going to get? The staff is always friendly and willing to help you with any beer selections and the chef makes the most amazing jalapeño burger and sticky Asian chicken wings. Come down to 39th St. and check this place out! You won't be disappointed!

I love Hi Dive, and I don't care who knows it! Hah the staff is very friendly and fun. They have a great selection of great beers on tap and they don't seem to run out fast. They have twelve taps and a few options in the can. The tap beers are all quality though, they don't allow space for bad beers on their tap (with the exception of rolling rock for some odd reason). When I went I had a few great craft beers and their fish and chips. The price on the fish and chips was a little high ($14) but it was delicious and about the perfect portion. It came with 3 seemingly small but very filling fried fish, 3 delicious hush puppies, a tin cup of fries, two lemons, ketchup, and tartar sauce. It was worth it. They have a vending machine as well with cans of Hams, Old Style, Stag, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and two rows of mystery beers. I haven't seen a decent beer come out of the mystery column yet, mainly natty or something similar but I believe the others are also included in that mystery column. Get out of the house and get over here, the whole district is great (39th West) but this place shines.

I come here for happy hour a lot and I absolutely love it. The service is amazing, and the food always taste great. The prices are beyond reasonable, and the happy hour specials are to die for. I hope that this bar never goes away, and that it continues to thrive. I've made a lot of great memories over the years here with friends and family!

Place is great. Very casual just like the name says. Food is great. Drinks are quick and service is friendly. One of my favorite places to hang out in a non pretentious atmosphere.

I love this place, I just wish the staff was a little friendlier. The mystery beer machine is awesome! $2.50 for a random beer from their machine. You may get something great, but you'll likely get something crappy. Half the fun is dividing up the beers amongst your group. The patio definitely needs some work, as it is in a state of severe disrepair.

My favorite dive bar ever! Nice selection of cold beer and food is always on point every single time. Try the Asian sticky wings or the jalapeño burger (the bun itself is delicious and like no other) Great spot for a day drink or a random night to catch a game and chill. Check it out! You will not be disappointed.

Fun little place for a bite to eat and a couple of beers. Good people watching in KC. I had the meat lovers plate and it was really good. Bratwurst sour kraut, german potato salad with just the right amount of vinegar. Would be a regular if I lived in that city. Good times.

Hi Dive hits all of the notes one wants in a dive bar. Friendly wait staff, good bar food, and of course a great selection of beers. This spot is the perfect spot for after work or a Saturday or Sunday night out. Also it is located in between some great restaurants on 39th street which makes it a good stop for a pre or post meal drink. The highlight of the bar is the mystery beers though. For 2.50 you get to test fate and hope you get a college beer favorite. There is nothing more satisfying then getting an old style or a hamms instead of a stag. Located close to KU med, I recommended this spot for any thirst patron looking for a casual drinking atmosphere.

I read this was a dog friendly place, then I was barked at by the bartender that said "not here" so yea... don't bring your puppy. It was super rude. I read in a few places that the patio was dog friendly, even found a cute dog pic online taken there. One source being an app called "Bring Fido". Food was over priced anyways and the only cool thing about the place is a mystery beer machine (not cool enough for me to go back) and patio to take your dog (supposedly). Save your money, buy a sampler beer pack from Mikes, and definitely take your pup elsewhere. Not welcoming at all.

Hi Dive is one of my favorite bars in KC and definitely my favorite spot to grab an afternoon drink on 39th. Sitting outside having a beer on a nice day, you're bound to meet like 50 dogs walking by which is an added bonus! Hi Dive has the mystery beer machine which is the greatest invention ever! Lastly the food. I thought the food was gonna be like any other Dive bar food, but it's surprisingly tasty! The BLT is my favorite I've had around and the wings are super dope!

Really good, flavorful food. I was skeptical from the first impression ambience, but I'm glad I followed the reviews. The music is robust, so don't expect a quiet dining experience...embrace West 39th. Great job in the kitchen! Great service!

Normally I don't dream about food, but I literally dreamt about Hi-Dives Sticky Asian Wings the other night. So I HAD to go outta my way to stop by for some. Well worth the time & effort. I suspect they may be laced with powerful narcotics due to their addictive nature. HINT: Ask to have them charred - it enhances their slurptasticness. In addition, this was my 1st experience w/bartender Tiffany. Excellent service & pleasant conversation made the wings even better. Will definitely return!

I'm a fan. Of all the places on 39th this the one I want to sit at the most. We've been twice both times I had wings, once the Asian the other time the Chipotle, I like wings. They were good, Fric and Frac's are better but these can definitely hold their own. The bartenders are great!! The servers...mmmmm...not so much. I'd go as far as saying my server was kind of a beotch. Sorry but it's true. The beer prices are comparable to anywhere. They do have these really cute 7 oz. Miller high Life's, just adorable. The place is on the "nicer" side of things. I appreciate that, seeing as how everything on 39th is so divey!! They have tv's everywhere - which I actually do like. I'm a sports fan I like having somewhere within walking distance where I can go watch the game! I also don't have a problem tuning tv's out. One thing I am not a fan of though - is some of the clientele. I'm going to assume that it's because it's a new place but some of the patrons there recently were down right obnoxious. Dude, if you're trying to impress the girl that met up with you yelling in her face isn't going to do it....especially when you're yelling about your orange blazer and blue bow tie...what a douche!!!!! The whole lot of them! I'm sure I'll love the place even more when these guys start migrating back to P&L. All in all, I'll be a regular. p.s. I know there is no way you can do this with limited space, but I want a pool table and some darts in there!

This is a bar with an identity crisis. The faux-dive schtick isn't working. When a bar tries to brand themselves a dive, they've missed the point: dives are about not trying. They've got vintage beer paraphernalia randomly sprinkled throughout the place, a few yard beers in cans, and other random standard-issue cliches. They've also got a decent tap selection, which I appreciate but doesn't fit the schtick. To add to the confusion, the beer prices are spendy. I didn't try the food, but the menu was littered with options and prices you'd expect at a gastropub. The main bar space itself is pretty nice, in an old, narrow 39th St building that used to house a tight Minsky's knock-off. Off to the side, though, is another space where you can find the largest tables in the place. These are next to the kitchen door, though, so you can only sit on one side of them, and you face the march of food into the bar. There probably isn't much they could do about the location of the kitchen, but the "patio" further makes the interior space even tighter, surrendering it to an outdoor space that seems too small to serve as a real patio. Instead, it seems to be a glass-enclosed smoker fishbowl, where we all have the joy of watching people indulge in their unappetizing habits. The final straw in the identity crisis? There are way too many TVs in here. I hate TVs in bars, but I'll forgive one or two behind the bar. Here, they seem to be wanting to add sports bar to the identity as well. Given the small space and the prevalence of the TVs, they are more distracting than usual and take away from the vibe. So, if you want to go somewhere for a well-curated beer selection, there are great beer bars to choose from. If you want a great restaurant menu, you've got a ton of options next door. If you want to relax in an unpretentious dive, you should go to an actual dive. Want to watch sports? Go to a sports bar! This bar tries to be a little bit of all of those things, such that it can do none of them well.