Retro Downtown Drinks and Dance

I can’t say enough positive things about the Thursday night dance lesson they host with Whitney. It’s $ 10 for the class & cover. Go already!

Love this place!

Cool bar with a great vibe right across from the KC Star building. Reminded me of a place in Chicago, with the bowling alley type layout. The bartenders were all over it. I wanted to order extra drinks just because they looked so eager to serve.
On stage was Sellout, an 80’s cover band that felt totally out of place in this venue, but could settle in at almost any college bar. I chatted with Erin’s Devo friend during the break (I wish I knew more Devo trivia) and he said he was thinking of switching characters.
Parking is still hard to come by in that area. You will have to circle a few times or just hit the strip bar first. They have a huge lot.
The crowd is eclectic to put it mildly. College kids, bikers, neighbors, date couples and a few after work types thrown in for good measure. It is a place where anyone can feel comfortable and tip a few.

This is a conflicted review.
I had an AMAZING, AWESOME time this past Saturday at Retro. But that is pretty much completely because we went to see Sellout, Lawrence’s sweetest cover band. It was a glorious trip down memory lane, to those hazy nights at the Jazz Haus, all cramped in the tiny space with $ 1.50 drinks and a crazy Sellout-​induced dance party in full effect.
My friend in the band (Devo hat-​wearing saxophonist, oh man I looooove name dropping) had said there would be a $ 5-​$ 10 cover… but there was no one manning the door once we got there. Score! Getting a drink took forever. Once I got a bartender, he was OBVIOUSLY still in training. Wasn’t sure where the well vodka bottle was, took a while to get change, etc. Which is fine, but maybe you’d think to add another barkeep on a busy Saturday night?
The space is nice. The area the band performs is raised up a bit, but patrons can come shake their thang right up there with them. There’s also a balcony space to overlook the whole place. Drink prices were OK (2 vodka sodas for $ 9.50…at least that’s what tender-​in-​training gave us) but I’ll have to see it on regular night to see if they pass the fun test.
Long Live Sellout!

OK, so I’m officially and OLD FART and I’m not a real active bar hopper, but I really like Retro. The place is intimate, the dance floor is accessible and the people are cool.
I especially like the place when they have Danny Button playing. Dan’s been in a lot of bands and been touring for nearly 30 years. He’s one of the leads in KC Melt Down a local blues group, but his one man show is great! He mixes electric and acoustic instrumentals and plays mostly Rock Classics. He’s a great entertainer and I encourage everyone to go see him.
Retro just signed him through the summer on Friday evenings, go check him out this Friday on the 9^th!

Simple place with a good little VIP area that sits up above the dance floor /​stage. Does not serve food, but you can get food at a place next door called the Cigar Box.

Wow, what a cool place. RETRO is a stylish bar with very nice furniture and a great ambiance. It’s not like walking into a dark, old bar that you wonder what you are sitting on when you find a chair.
Two great things about this bar…1. the gigantic mural painted on the wall that is a replica of the John Lennon Wall in Prague. Very cool! I spent a lot of time just reading the graffiti written all over. 2. the loft in RETRO is designed as a space for small groups (20+) to hang out. The loft overlooks the dance floor and has it’s own private bathroom and wait staff.
If you are a fan of ‘60s and ‘70s music, this is definitely a place to go! The jukebox is loaded, drinks are cold, and the sound system is great.