The Blue Line

The Blue Line is a family-owned hockey-themed bar in Kansas City’s River Market, operating at 529 Walnut Street since 2011. Billed as “KC’s only premier hockey bar,” it is a hockey-and-sports watch destination with hockey-themed decor and a menu of items named after the game. Owned and operated by Steve and Letty Stegall, the bar drew citywide attention in 2018 when Letty Stegall, a longtime manager and co-owner, was deported to Mexico — a story that cemented the bar’s reputation as a tight-knit neighborhood institution.

Description

The Blue Line is a hockey-themed bar in the River Market district of Kansas City, Missouri, at 529 Walnut Street. It markets itself as “KC’s only premier hockey bar” and “the only Hockey Themed Bar in the Kansas City Area,” distinguishing it from the broader field of KC sports bars. ¹²

The interior carries hockey-themed decor, and the kitchen leans into the motif with menu items named after the game — its signature “Mavericks Mac & Cheese” nods to the Kansas City Mavericks minor-league hockey franchise, alongside pub staples such as wings, cheese curds, bacon-wrapped shrimp, and pizza. The bar operates with long hours (roughly 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. daily) and functions as a watch-party venue for hockey and other sports across its many televisions. It is described in listings as dog-friendly and family-welcoming. ³²

Ownership and history

The Blue Line is family-owned and operated by Steve and Letty Stegall. The bar’s own About page states plainly: “We are family-owned and operated and since 2011.” ⁴ The bar has operated continuously at its 529 Walnut Street address in the River Market.

The most widely reported chapter in the bar’s history came in 2018, when Letty Stegall — Steve’s wife, the bar’s manager, and co-owner — was detained by ICE and deported to Mexico following a years-prior DUI conviction, despite a pending federal court matter. The case drew sustained local coverage (KSHB 41, FOX4, KMBZ) and prompted community rallies in support of the family. During this period the business was targeted by coordinated fake one-star reviews; Steve Stegall publicly attributed the harassment to backlash over the family “standing up for immigrants.” The episode reinforced the bar’s identity as a neighborhood staple whose regulars describe themselves as the “Blue Line family.” ⁵⁶⁷

The business has continued to operate through subsequent events, including a temporary health-department closure that the bar publicly addressed, and remained active into 2026, when KC bars including The Blue Line were the subject of coverage on extended World Cup operating hours. ⁸⁹

Links

• Website: https://thebluelinekc.com ¹
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluelinekc/
• Phone: Seed lists (816) 421-5454; third-party listings show (816) 472-4825 and (816) 472-7825. Confirm the correct current number directly with the business or its website. ¹⁰³

See also

• river-market
• Registry

Sources

Footnotes

1. The Blue Line Hockey Bar — official site (home), “KC’s only premier hockey bar.” https://thebluelinekc.com/ ↩ ↩²

2. KC River Market business directory — Blue Line Hockey Bar member listing: “the only Hockey Themed Bar in the Kansas City Area.” https://kcrivermarket.com/member/blue-line-hockey-bar/ ↩ ↩²

3. Restaurant/listing aggregators (Wheree, Restaurantji, GameWatch) — hours, menu items (Mavericks Mac & Cheese, wings, cheese curds), NHL watch-party venue. https://the-blue-line-hockey-bar.wheree.com/ ↩ ↩²

4. The Blue Line Hockey Bar — About page: “We are family-owned and operated and since 2011.” Owners identified as Letty and Steve Stegall. https://thebluelinekc.com/kansas-city-the-blue-line-hockey-bar-about ↩

5. KSHB 41 — “Bar owner says internet trolls bashing business because his wife is an immigrant” (Aug 3, 2018) — identifies Steve Stegall as owner and Letty Stegall as his deported wife/manager. https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/bar-owner-says-internet-trolls-bashing-business-because-his-wife-is-an-immigrant ↩

6. KMBZ 98.1 FM — “KC River Market bar manager deported to Mexico, supporters rally for her.” https://kmbz.radio.com/articles/kc-river-market-bar-manager-deported-mexico-supporters-rally-her ↩

7. FOX4 KC — coverage of the Blue Line and the Stegall family. https://fox4kc.com/ ↩

8. FOX4 KC — “Blue Line explains why it had to temporarily close after visit from Health Department.” https://fox4kc.com/news/blue-line-explains-why-it-had-to-temporarily-close-after-visit-from-health-department/ ↩

9. FOX4 KC / KSHB / KCTV5 — May 2026 coverage of KC bars extending hours for the 2026 World Cup. https://fox4kc.com/sports/2026-world-cup/kansas-city-bars-extending-hours-for-world-cup-under-new-missouri-law/ ↩

10. Google Maps / Yelp business listing — 529 Walnut St, Kansas City, MO 64106; sports bar in River Market. https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-blue-line-hockey-bar-kansas-city ↩