Harry's Bar & Tables

This profile is in active compilation — some details are awaiting a cited source.

Harry’s Bar & Tables is a long-running Westport cocktail bar and patio at 501 Westport Road, opened in 1994 in a building that earlier housed Doershuk’s Drugstore for much of the twentieth century.

Description

Harry’s Bar & Tables is a cocktail bar and restaurant in the historic Westport entertainment district of Kansas City, Missouri. It occupies a storefront at 501 Westport Road and is known for handcrafted and classic cocktails — including signature martinis — an extensive whiskey and tequila selection, a kitchen that runs late, and a patio that has become part of its identity in the neighborhood.

The bar markets itself on longevity and atmosphere, describing itself as “a Kansas City favorite for over 30 years” with a relaxed, timeless feel and a loyal local following. The kitchen operates until 1:30 a.m. and the bar until 3 a.m. daily, with a daily happy hour, positioning it as a late-night Westport mainstay rather than a pure restaurant.

The building itself carries history: the structure at 501 Westport Road previously housed Doershuk’s Drugstore for roughly the first half of the twentieth century, and reporting has noted that Harry’s retained original windows and entrance elements from that drugstore era.

Ownership and history

Harry’s Bar & Tables opened in autumn 1994 (not 1986 as listed in the base data — the 1986 date is unverified and contradicted by independent reporting). According to a 2003 Pitch account, the founding “triumvirate” was veteran bartender Harry Murphy (the namesake), chef Trey May, and advertising figure Loy Edge.

The early years were turbulent. The same reporting describes internal conflicts, bankruptcy proceedings, and legal disputes across the bar’s first five years. Harry Murphy departed in 1996 (later associated with the Hereford House in Leawood), and Loy Edge subsequently bought out Murphy’s interest. In its earliest period the venue was characterized as “raucous, smoky and sexy, with delicious food served on linen-draped tables.”

Current ownership and operating entity are not confirmed in the sources reviewed. The original founders’ involvement after the late-1990s buyout is not documented in available sources beyond Loy Edge acquiring Murphy’s stake.

Tier classification

Tier 2 (provisional). Harry’s is a genuinely long-tenured, independent Westport institution (30+ years) in a historically significant building, which weighs toward a high tier. However, Tier 1 measures demonstrable pride-and-roots ownership tied to a born-and-raised KC operator, and current ownership is unverified here — the documented founders’ KC-roots are not established, and the bar has changed hands at least once. Pending confirmation of who owns and operates it today and their KC ties, Tier 2 is the defensible classification; it could move to Tier 1 if current ownership shows deep local roots.

Last verified: 2026-07-18 · Source: official site (menu page) · URL(s): https://www.harrysbarandtables.com/menu · Confidence: High

Cocktail-bar kitchen with a New Orleans/Cajun lean — soups, salads, pizzas, shareables, and late-night handhelds.

Soup (Cup / Bowl)

Cream of Tomato & Artichoke — served with toasted bread for dipping — $8 / $12
Red Beans & Rice — with smoked sausage, toasted bread — $8 / $12
Gumbo — andouille sausage, chicken, okra, rice, dark roux, toasted bread — $8 / $12

Salads (Half / Full)

Harry’s Caesar — romaine, caesar dressing, croutons, parmesan — $8 / $12 (add grilled/blackened chicken $5; blackened/grilled shrimp $7)
House Salad — mixed greens, gorgonzola, red onion, tomato — $8 / $12 (add chicken $5; shrimp $7)
Dressings: ranch, balsamic vinaigrette, cranberry port vinaigrette, ginger soy vinaigrette

Pizza (10” / 14”)

Margherita — oven-roasted tomato, garlic, olive oil, fresh basil — $15 / $24
Harry’s Combo — pepperoni, hamburger, bacon, peppers, onions, marinara — $17 / $26
Pepperoni — pepperoni, marinara — $15 / $24

Shareables

Pulled Pork Nachos — beer cheese, cheddar jack, tomato, onion, jalapeños, green onion, sour cream — $11 (half) / $16 (full)
New Orleans-Style Sautéed Shrimp — white wine, lemon, heavy cream, roasted garlic butter, bread — $16
Hanger Steak — gorgonzola, mixed greens, balsamic vinaigrette — $18
Hummus Trio — traditional, roasted red pepper, basil; warm pita — $8 (half) / $13 (full)
Pulled Pork Sliders — (3) brioche bun, BBQ sauce — $12
Espinaca Queso Dip — tortilla chips, salsa — $12
Bavarian Pretzels — beer cheese, tortilla chips, spicy mustard — $12
Spinach & Artichoke Dip — pico de gallo, chipotle salsa, tortilla chips — $12
Black Bean Quesadilla — roasted poblano goat cheese, black beans, grilled onions, cheddar jack — $11 (add chicken $4; shrimp $6)

Harry’s Favorites

Cajun Penne Pasta — cajun cream sauce, chicken, sausage, red peppers, parmesan, basil, toasted baguette — $18
Surf & Turf — 6 oz hanger steak, 3 blackened shrimp, sautéed green beans — $22
Fajita Burrito — chicken, steak, peppers, onions, espinaca queso, Mexican rice — $18
Cajun Chicken Tacos — blackened chicken, provolone, red beans & rice, lettuce, tomato, cajun ranch — $14 (sub shrimp $3)
Baja Fish Tacos — grilled shrimp, slaw, pico, cilantro sour cream, chipotle salsa, Mexican rice — $15 (add avocado $2)

Handhelds

Served with kettle chips, coleslaw, or red beans and rice.

Philly Cheesesteak — sliced hanger steak, onions, peppers, swiss, toasted baguette — $16
B.L.T. — peppered bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo, toasted sourdough — $13
Hanger Steak Melt — chopped hanger steak, grilled onions, provolone, swiss, sourdough, Harry’s steak sauce — $16
Double Cheeseburger — two 3 oz patties, swiss, provolone, Kaiser bun — $14
Patty Melt — two 3 oz patties, swiss, grilled onions, Russian dressing, sourdough — $14
Blackened Chicken Wrap — provolone, lettuce, tomato, flour tortilla — $14
Jamaican Jerk Chicken — provolone, lettuce, tomato, toasted baguette, jerk sauce — $15
Grilled Cheese & Tomato Artichoke Soup — swiss, provolone, shredded cheese, sourdough, cup of soup (vegetarian) — $13

Thai

Listed on the official menu page (at the end, without their own header on the site).

Gai Of Nuur Satay — skewered chicken or beef, peanut sauce — $4.95
Fresh Thai Summer Roll — shrimp, tamarind sauce — $4.50
Thai Spare Ribs — glazed and grilled pork ribs — $8.95
Tofu Tod — fried tofu, mild chili peanut sauce — $15
Fried Tiger Shrimp Rolls — plum sauce — $18

Note: a separate drinks menu (cocktails/whiskey/tequila) is linked from the site but was not rendered as transcribable text on the menu page.

Sources

Harry’s Bar & Tables — official website (self-description, “over 30 years,” cocktails/whiskey/tequila focus, late-night hours, address, social links, 816-561-3950) — https://www.harrysbarandtables.com/ — accessed 2026-05-30
The Pitch — “The Trouble With Harry’s” (autumn 1994 opening; founders Harry Murphy, Trey May, Loy Edge; Murphy departure 1996; Edge buyout; bankruptcy/legal disputes; Doershuk’s Drugstore building history) — https://www.thepitchkc.com/the-trouble-with-harrys/ — accessed 2026-05-30
Westport KCMO business directory — Harry’s Bar & Tables listing — https://westportkcmo.com/business/harrys-bar-tables/ — accessed 2026-05-30
Yelp — Harry’s Bar & Tables (listing “Updated June 2026,” 194 reviews, recent activity; address 501 Westport Rd, hours, phone) — https://www.yelp.com/biz/harrys-bar-and-tables-kansas-city — accessed 2026-06-23
Harry’s Bar & Tables — official website, status re-verification (live; address 501 Westport Road, phone 816-561-3950, kitchen 3 pm–1:30 am / bar 3 pm–3 am daily) — https://www.harrysbarandtables.com/ — accessed 2026-06-23

Verification

Drafted 2026-05-30 from web research; 3 sources (official + 2 independent). Founding corrected from base-data 1986 to 1994 (autumn), corroborated by The Pitch. Building’s prior life as Doershuk’s Drugstore confirmed by The Pitch. UNVERIFIED: current ownership/operating entity (); whether 1986 reflects an earlier unrelated business at the address. Tier 2 is provisional pending current-ownership confirmation.

Menu added (2026-07-18, Compiler — queue [a] menu batch): Transcribed the food menu from the official menu page (https://www.harrysbarandtables.com/menu); set menu_status: verified, High confidence.

Status re-verification (Pass 4, 2026-06-23): OPEN / ACTIVE confirmed. registry_status: active retained; status_last_verified: 2026-06-23 added. Evidence: official site live (hours, address, phone 816-561-3950); Yelp listing “Updated June 2026” with 194 reviews. Primary phone resolved to 816-561-3950 (official); base-data 816-561-3261 superseded as outdated. No closure, rebrand, or successor signals found. All source links verified live (no dead/hijacked domains).