On any given night in Westport, you can get a beer at about a thousand places.

However, readers of The X prefer Kelly's Westport Inn.

Housed in what is purported to be the oldest building in Kansas City, Kelly's has a tradition that dates back to the repeal of prohibition and is still run, to this day, by the youngest sons of Randal Kelly - Pat and Kyle.

Randal bought out the joint from a trio of ex-cops from the Pendergast era and ran the popular bar for more than 40 years before the sons took over.

And there you have the uncomplicated history of an uncomplicated bar - one that has become one of the hottest spots for a drink in all of Kansas City.

"The greatest thing about it is the diversity," said Kyle, surrounded by paperwork, bottles of hard liquor and a busy ice machine from the back office behind the bar. "Every walk of life, every economic strata comes to Kelly's."

It's doubtful since Kyle came on full-time in 1975 that there's anything he hasn't seen at the bar. Doctors, lawyers and the like can be found there most afternoons. When night hits, the crowd tends to turn a little younger.

But Kyle and Pat can keep up. They spent the better part of the '80s checking IDs at the door. These days, he's mixing drinks behind the bar. Just what you'd expect from the owner who takes enormous pride in his establishment.

"There's something to be said for longevity," says Kyle. "We have a lot of name recognition here."

"I also hope the response is an indication of our staff. We have an incredibly loyal staff and customers."

Take General Manager Mark Weber, for instance, who has called Kelly's home for more than 27 years. Or longtime bartenders like "Red" Cross and Dave Needles. Needles has been a part of the Kelly's family for 33 years.

"I feel like we hit a lot of markets," Kyle said. "In the afternoon, the neighborhood retirees come in. Late at night in the summer, the 21 to 24 year olds are here in hordes. There's even a difference in the front and the back bar."

The Kelly's tradition will doubtful end when Pat and Kyle call it a day. Kyle's 21 year old son, Mitch, is on the payroll and will certainly see his fair share of wild St. Patrick's Day festivities - a tradition Kelly's is very well known for. After shutting down from 1965 to 1982, Kelly's will likely always be the hot spot during that famous day in March.

"That's a great day for us," Kyle said.

Kyle and Pat go to great lengths to make sure others benefit from their biggest day of the year, too. A $2 cover charge on St. Patrick's Day goes to Welcome House, a 60-bed recovery unit for male alcoholics.

Despite the drastic changes in drinking laws and city ordinances, Kyle believes Kelly's will continue to be a desired watering hole.

"There's always going to be changes," he said. "Westport is faced with many challenges that are unique to Kansas City. The community really gets together, though, for this area. And the KCMO police are great to work with."

Kelly's Westport Inn, 500 Westport Road, can be reached at (816) 561-5800 or online at kellyswestportinn.com.