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I tried the Majestic Steakhouse, but there was a private party going on in the private club that usually welcomes guests. I was about to head over to the Copa Room and relive the Martini bar experience, but it was Monday and the place was closed. Lucky me. I investigated where I could smoke a cigar and get a drink before my dinner meeting and got turned on to Harry's Country Club.
"Well, yeah, that's me," Harry Murphy grudgingly responds when asked if he's the owner. "But the real owner is the SBA [Small Business Administration]," the big, bespectacled man adds. It's a practiced line, in contrast to an atmosphere that foments spontaneity and imbibing, which further foments spontaneity. This is Harry's Country Club, in Kansas City Missouri's River Market district. Emphasis on the word "country." It's a memorabilia museum and honky-tonk without the sawdust on the floor. It's country music overhead, not just on the sound system, but also in the form of large portraits of country music stars of the past. (I recognized only two of the 10 or so.) Harry's Country Club is comfortable in its skin, not horribly serious about itself and, as a result, makes its patrons happy to be there.
I take a seat at the bar and ask what dark rum Harry has. He brings over four bottles, two in each hand. Before he can name them I've chosen the five-year-old Flor de Caña. With the drink in front of me, I ask if there's a cigar menu. Harry seems weary of the question.
"I'll tell ya what we've got," he says. "We've got mild, medium and strong cigars. We've got robustos and coronas. Fuentes… .What would you like?"
There's a fairly large cabinet humidor in the back of the room, next to a sign that says CIGARS: ENJOY OUR SMOKES. The organization inside the humidor is chaotic. A number of very good cigars are in there, including some Punch varieties you don't often find.
The atmosphere is what makes Harry's Country Club special. People are talking, drinking, eating and drinking some more. The food is pretty good and the menu is a mix of old standards and yuppie-ish dishes. Baked brie
($8.25) is right there among the appetizers with "sea hogs" ($9.95), bacon-wrapped shrimp with a creamy horseradish sauce. The wings ($7.95) are tossed in a jalapeño barbecue hot sauce next to poblano buttermilk dressing. The word "buffalo" does not appear.
The most intriguing category on the menu is "Choice of Two Items -- $6.50."
Then, in the tiniest print, a list reads: grilled cheese sandwich, bowl of chili, house salad, turkey sandwich, bowl of soup, Caesar salad, tuna salad sandwich, spinach salad. There's a fried bologna sandwich ($5.25) and a big burrito ($7.95). Yes, even some ribs.
Behind the bar you see Harry's Country Club's ethos. To the right of a painting of a nude woman in repose, the top shelf has all the Scotch. Below that is a shelf of Tequila. The lower shelf has, from right to left, Bourbon to Irish. To the left of the painting, titled L'Amerique for whatever reason, are the vodkas, liqueurs and brandies. This is a well-ordered array.
The decor is accented by the Schlitz-hooded sweatshirt hanging under the TV.
Harry's Country Club sells "yard" beers -- Pabst Blue Ribbon, Schlitz, Hamm's and Old Style -- for $2.25. Other premium beers go for as much as $7.
You can also choose whiskey flights of three, one-ounce pours for $10.
(Tequila flights are $8.) The card encourages you to "Be your own whisky expert!" Yes, please.
Harry's Country Club
112 Missouri Avenue
Kansas City, MO
816-421-3505
10:30 a.m. until 1:30 a.m.
Closed Sundays
www.kansascitymenus.com/harryscountryclub/
Harry's Country Club also has entertainment. The acts give away the kind of music you're going to hear. Tater and Bill play beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Barclay Martin appears at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays.
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