Social media spotlight on Walnut bar & grill

By Tyler Antle

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said Travel Kansas had given His & Her’s the best burger award in 2017. That has been removed.

WALNUT, Kan — A small town bar in Kansas might not be where you usually see national attention, but Walnut bar and grill His & Her’s has done just that. Influencers on social media this past year discovered the bar and considered it one of the best small town places to go for food and drinks without breaking the bank.

Attention fell on the restaurant in mid-January when pop-culture website Barstool Sports published an article titled “I found the Best Cheeseburger and $2 Beers in the Middle of Nowhere.” The article includes an Instagram video that has garnered over 1.4 million views.

The video’s creator, an avid duck hunter, came into the bar with their wife after a hunting trip. While the staff didn’t realize they were making a video while dining, they discovered the impact it made a couple days later.

“I think he came in on a Tuesday, and on a Thursday night, some of the duck hunters were in and … one of them said to me ‘Did you see that video? It got 1.2 million views,’” said His & Hers owner Janice Norris.  “I was like ‘What! That’s crazy,’ so I went up to the bar and told my son …and the guy next to him said ‘Yeah, that’s why I’m here. I saw the video.” He lives in Kansas City.”

This exposure made Walnut, a town with a population of 187, a destination for travelers. Bartenders said that for a while, when they would see a new face, they would ask how they heard about them most and would answer online.

“Sometimes customers will say, ‘Did you know there’s a video out there?’ Yeah, we saw it,” Norris said.

Norris said they’ve had customers come in from all across the midwest. While the initial flare up has died down, they still get new visitors coming in.

The social media post highlighted the bar’s excellent food quality while noting it was affordable. They specifically noted the paper plates food was served on, providing a homestyle atmosphere.

That atmosphere is what many customers say gives the restaurant its signature feeling. The building is about the size of a studio apartment and features plywood walls.

Upon entering, there aren’t formal greetings or designated seating. Customers themselves find somewhere to sit and will be greeted by an employee shortly after.

The social media attention caught even the eyes of students at Pittsburg State University. PSU student Enrique Garcia said he visited the bar after seeing it online and said he felt at home while dining.

“I really enjoyed the aesthetic of the bar,” said Garcia. “It was simple, and that’s what made it feel homey.”

Another PSU student, Jax Jeffries, said it was much different than what he experienced back home. After moving to Kansas from Virginia, it gave him a minor dose of culture shock.

“Coming from a clustered, fast-paced city area, it was nice and almost strange to see something so simple yet effective,” Jeffries said. “It was one of the largest small-town America moments I’ve felt since I’ve moved to the midwest.”

Besides itsbasic design, His & Hers is recognized for its decorations. Picture frames and posters of outdoor life can be seen on the walls. There are trophies from adult softball leagues and even a Bud Light sign autographed by 2008 Bassmaster Angler of the Year winner Kevin VanDam.

Despite the national exposure, Norris said the restaurant’s employees remains rooted in their environment and still take care of their loyal customers. 

Garcia said his favorite part of being there was how social the staff was and how they loved to talk to anyone.

“I think by far the best part of it were the ladies—they were very warm, friendly and welcoming,” said Garcia. “They made great conversation and were attentive to detail. I never had to ask for a refill.”

Norris said the staff knows customers’ names and families and vice versa. Some regulars have gotten so comfortable in the restaurant that they will even write their own tickets.

“I always tell people that we’re a family friendly bar,” Norris said. “We have our regulars and we talk to people that come in randomly and strike up conversations with people about just about anything.”

Norris joked that some of the regulars might’ve been worried about the public attention due to the chance of the restaurant being overflowed with tourists.

“Our regulars were like, ‘Don’t be getting that stuff out there, it would get too crowded all the time,’” Norris said.

While she said that as a joke, the potential is there. She noted tourism in the smaller-than-average restaurant could make it crowded.

“When they first told me about the video I said, ‘Well, they’re all not gonna be able to come in at once, cus’ we’re obviously not big enough,’” Norris joked.

Despite her jokes, she said that this popularity surge is not the reason they’re able to stay in business. It’s the loyal customers that come in nearly every day.