Riverfront Beer Garden Gets Names, Opening Date

By Kevin Collison

The new beer garden and permanent building planned for Berkley Riverfront Park has two names and an expected opening date.

The upstairs of the 8,200 square-foot building will be an upscale bar overlooking the river called “Moonstone.” The lower level contemporary beer and wine place will be “Two Birds, One Stone.”

The half-acre beer garden is expected to open next summer, according to Port KC and The Thrash Group.

“This will be one of the more impactful food and beverage properties that are going to pop up in the country next year,” said Joe Thrash, a partner at the firm.

The new beer garden will be set among a grove of trees that will be planted by Port KC. (Rendering by STEM Studio)

Thrash said the lower level will be a contemporary beer and wine place spilling out to the outdoor beer garden and the upper level being a more sophisticated “mixology” bar.

“A little more sport coat upstairs and downstairs will be more flip flops,” he said.

The full-service Moonstone bar likely will have limited hours, possible Thursdays through Saturdays, while the downstairs Two Birds having more expanded hours. The managers haven’t determined the menu yet.

The development deal with was approved last March by Port KC. The Thrash Group is building the 120-room Origin KC hotel across Riverfront Drive from the beer garden. The Mississippi firm will operate Two Birds.

The beer garden will offer more outdoor food and entertainment options to residents in the riverfront neighborhood, hotel guests and anyone looking to enjoy the Berkley Riverfront Park, according to a release from Port KC.

Another view of the planned beer garden facility. (Rendering by KEM Studio)

The two-level beer garden pub will be built by Centric, which also is doing the hotel project. It was designed by KEM Studio and is being designed to blend in with the park’s current surroundings.

“Although two stories, the design uses simple and refined building materials immersing the visitor into the park atmosphere,” according to the release.

The entire half-acre site is being called The Grove and will see extensive new tree planting and native landscape to further enhance the park.

The new beer garden will join other major investments in the riverfront including the new KC Current women’s professional soccer stadium scheduled to open in March and an extension of the streetcar to Berkley Park that’s expected to begin operating in 2025.

The 410-unit Union at Berkley Park and the 348-unit CORE apartment development also were completed the past couple years.