Max's Kansas City

Max's Kansas City was a restaurant and nightclub in the Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, known for blending dining, live music, and contemporary art. The space stretched across three floors and included a bar area on the ground level, a back room with tables, and an upper floor with rotating artworks on the walls.

Mickey Ruskin opened the club on Park Avenue South in December 1965, creating a place for New York's creative scene. The venue became the center of the artistic avant-garde in the late 1960s and 1970s, before closing for good in 1981.

The name recalls Mickey Ruskin, whose nickname was Max, and his ties to Kansas City. The spot became a gathering place for artists like Robert Rauschenberg and musicians from the emerging punk scene, who developed new forms of performance and exchange here.

The venue was located near Union Square and opened from late afternoon into the night, with the busiest hours starting after midnight. Visitors could choose between the front bar area and the back room, where musicians and regulars often stayed until dawn.

Forest Myers hung a kinetic sculpture above the bar that slowly rotated and reflected the light of the bulbs. John Chamberlain contributed a crushed car to the decor, which stood between the tables and served as an improvised seat.

Inception: 1965

Founders: Mickey Ruskin

Official opening: 1965

Website: http://maxskansascity.com

GPS coordinates: 40.73667,-73.98861

Latest update: December 13, 2025 18:14