New sports bar opens in Kansas City, but it’s ‘not your dad’s basement’
Looking to watch the next big game on a 100-inch TV in a space that’s bedecked with ironic sports references?
Beckett’s might be your best bet.
The new bar opened Thursday at 1701 McGee St., Suite 200, moving into the former Brick River Cider space in the Crossroads.
Don’t expect a dingy dive bar. Owner Josh Immerfall promises Beckett’s is “not your dad’s basement.”
Instead of dusty sports trophies, the spot features a wall of framed photos of Dua Lipa in FIFA jerseys. Ted Lasso’s yellow and blue “believe” sign hangs above the stairs leading to the mezzanine level.
“We’re really proud of how the space turned out,” Immerfall said. “There’s always something to look at here. Your eyes just kinda keep drawing to the random things all around.”
Several other posters with references to sports memes. Basketballs filled with pathos plants hang from the ceiling. A neon “shoot your shot” sign sits next to an arcade basketball hoop.
“Sports are funny. Sports are silly,” Immerfall said.
Twenty-two sizable TVs line the space. A scoreboard against the wall will project major games’ scores in real time.
Between the spot’s two levels are several games: bumper pool, air hockey, darts and a claw machine.
At Beckett’s, cocktails are served in buckets. A 12-ounce mug is $8, a 32-ounce bucket is $14, and a 128-ounce super bucket is $48 (better to share that one with a friend or two).
The “Big Red” — a reference to coach Andy Reid, of course — has gin, lemonade and passion fruit. Ranch Water is tequila, soda, lime and bitters.
An order and pickup window in the bar offers wings, burgers, fried curds and more. A scrap of metal against the wall is painted to make the window look like the exterior of a food truck.
From 2 to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, Beckett’s offers $6 big beers, $6 burgers, and $6 off buckets.
“We pride ourselves on throwing a party at night, so it’s not just a game-watch destination,” Immerfall said.
Celebrating a birthday? Beckett’s offers drinking hats — they hold beers on either side of the wearer’s head while a straw and are slurped through a straw.
This isn’t Beckett’s first location.
The original bar opened last year in Minneapolis, and Immerfall said that spot has been a success. But Kansas City seems like the place to be, especially with the World Cup approaching.
“We’re just excited about the Kansas City market,” Immerfall said.
Beckett’s is open from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. Mondays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays.