Cityscape

They created a backyard saloon just for friends. Now they’ve opened a Kansas City bar

The Savage Saloon menu includes chicken strips with a side barbecue dipping sauce and seasoned french fries.
The Savage Saloon menu includes chicken strips with a side barbecue dipping sauce and seasoned french fries. ecuriel@kcstar.com

Savage Saloon started as a fun place for friends to gather in the backyard of the owners’ 80 acres in eastern Jackson County.

Tracy McDaniel named it after her husband, Robert “Big Rob Savage” McDaniel.

“He likes to cook. So we would have a bonfire, send out the menu and say, ‘Here’s what we will cook for you.’ We would just have fun nights,” she said.

A painting of co-owner Robert “Big Rob Savage” McDaniel.hangs on a wall at Savage Saloon.
A painting of co-owner Robert “Big Rob Savage” McDaniel.hangs on a wall at Savage Saloon. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com

The McDaniels own Capital Plumbing Heating & Cooling, and FaithWorks Productions, an entertainment company. A couple of months ago they heard about a West Bottoms space that was available.

They remodeled it, removing all traces of the graffiti and black walls (as well as the stripper pole) from the former tenant, the troubled Rockstar Burgers.

It opened earlier this month at 1611 Genessee St.

Employees of Savage Saloon chat around the bar as they wait for customers to arrive.
Employees of Savage Saloon chat around the bar as they wait for customers to arrive. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com

The menu includes the burgers with a secret sauce (and stuffed with grilled onions, peppers, mushrooms and jalapenos), Reubens, chicken strips and a grilled tuna. For appetizers there’s onion rings, queso, wings, quesadillas, mozzarella sticks and nachos.

Tracy McDaniel, co-owner of Savage Saloon, sits in the bar’s lounging area.
Tracy McDaniel, co-owner of Savage Saloon, sits in the bar’s lounging area. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com

The owners plan to put on theme nights — ’70s, ’80s, rock, comedy, open mic and more.

It is currently open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays and will expand its hours once it has a liquor license.

Rockstar Burgers closed after its owner was charged with domestic assault and indicted in a federal drug trafficking conspiracy case in October 2020.

Lights flicker outside of Savage Saloon in the West Bottoms.
Lights flicker outside of Savage Saloon in the West Bottoms. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com

This story was originally published January 18, 2022 at 12:11 PM.

JS
Joyce Smith
The Kansas City Star
Joyce Smith covered restaurant and retail news for The Star from 1989 to 2023.
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