Lew's Grill & Bar

Lew’s Grill & Bar is Waldo’s flagship sports tavern, a neighborhood anchor on Wornall Road serving a full American grill menu until 2 a.m. daily — one of the most dependable late-night kitchens in south Kansas City.¹²

Description

Lew’s Grill & Bar is a casual sports-bar-and-grill in historic downtown Waldo, located at 7539 Wornall Road.¹² The venue bills itself as “Waldo’s flagship tavern” and a longtime neighborhood gathering spot, with extensive sports viewing (50+ TVs and satellite sports packages), indoor and outdoor seating, and a heated, covered patio.¹³

The kitchen serves classic American pub fare — burgers, sliders, sandwiches, and shareables. Lew’s has been recognized locally for its burgers and sliders, and is known for novelty offerings such as the “Das Boot,” an 84-ounce draft beer served in a glass boot.¹³ The full food menu is available until 2 a.m. daily, with the bar open until 3 a.m. daily, every day of the year.¹ This positions Lew’s as one of the few KC venues running a full kitchen into the early-morning hours.

Ownership and history

Lew’s Grill & Bar was established in 2002 by brothers Chris and Andy Lewellen, local operators who set out to build a neighborhood place to eat, watch a game, and have a drink.²⁴ The Lewellen family has remained a sustained investor in the Waldo commercial corridor: the brothers later opened The Well — Bar, Grill & Rooftop just down Wornall (construction begun in 2009), and Chris Lewellen is associated with additional KC venues including Charlie Hooper’s Bar & Grille.⁴⁵ Combined, Lew’s and The Well have employed 130+ people during peak seasons, underscoring the family’s role as a major Waldo employer.⁴

Whether the Lewellen brothers are born-and-raised KC-metro natives is not confirmed in available public sources; their multi-decade Waldo neighborhood investment is well documented.

Links

• Official site: https://lewsgrillandbar.com/
• Waldo KC business directory: https://www.waldokc.org/businesses/lews-grill-bar/

Sources

Disputes

None recorded.

Footnotes

1. Lew’s Grill and Bar — official website (homepage + About). https://lewsgrillandbar.com/ — asserts: address 7539 Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO 64114; “Open 11 AM – 3 AM Daily with Full Menu til 2 AM Daily”; open 365 days a year; “Waldo’s flagship tavern”; Das Boot 84 oz; 50+ TVs / satellite sports; heated covered patio. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

2. Lew’s Grill and Bar — About Us / company description (official + aggregated). https://lewsgrillandbar.com/kansas-city-historic-waldo-lew-s-grill-and-bar-about-us — asserts: established 2002; owners Chris and Andy Lewellen, local owners; located in historic downtown Waldo. ↩ ↩² ↩³

3. Yelp — Lew’s Grill & Bar, 7539 Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO (updated May 2026, 180+ reviews). https://www.yelp.com/biz/lews-grill-and-bar-kansas-city — asserts: current operating status (recent reviews May 2026); address; American category; sports-bar atmosphere. ↩ ↩²

4. The Southtown Council — “The Lewellen Family Continues Investing in Waldo.” https://www.southtown.org/lewellen-family-continues-investing-waldo — asserts: Lewellen family ownership/investment; The Well as the brothers’ second Waldo establishment near Lew’s (construction begun 2009); Lew’s + The Well employ 130+ during peak seasons. ↩ ↩² ↩³

5. LinkedIn — Chris Lewellen, Owner, Lew’s Grill & Bar (also The Well Bar Grill & Rooftop, Charlie Hooper’s Bar & Grille). https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-lewellen-507028b/ — asserts: Chris Lewellen is an owner of Lew’s Grill & Bar and operator of related KC venues. ↩