Location: Kansas City
Top Restaurants in Kansas City
Top Things to do in Kansas City
- 1. National World War I Museum and Memorial
- 2. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
- 3. Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
- 4. Arabia Steamboat Museum
- 5. The Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden
- 6. Kauffman Stadium
- 7. The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures
- 8. Kansas City Public Library
- 9. Tom's Town Distilling Co.
- 10. Kaleidoscope
Countries
Kansas City Food Guide: 10 Must-Eat Restaurants & Street Food Stalls in Kansas City
The home of swing and bebop for some, "The City of Fountains" to others, Kansas City is different things to different people. Music enthusiasts are drawn to the jazz clubs and old haunts of famous musicians such as Charlie Parker and Count Basie. With more fountains than Rome, there is ample opportunity for scenic strolling from fountain to fountain. Stop along the way to discover interesting neighborhoods and browse through eclectic shops. Families are particularly attracted to the city because of its child-friendly events and venues. Science City features hands-on exhibits including a mock television studio where kids can deliver a weather forecast, while the Zoo houses impressive African and Australian exhibits plus an IMAX Theater. The city's museums cover everything from the history of jazz music to a celebration of African American baseball players. Once a trading post for pioneers heading to the Western United States, today Kansas City is a burgeoning metropolis with activities and attractions for visitors of all ages and interests.
Things to do in Kansas City
1. Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By Scott P
Best restaurant in an old gas station. Pulled pork and smoked sausage are my favorites here. The “hog heaven” sandwich is pure bbq happiness.
2. Q39
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By Monica J - Platte City, Missouri, United States
Being from KC I’m pretty particular about my BBQ. This place did not disappoint! It quickly climbed to one of our top places. The food is absolutely delicious! It’s nice that you can make reservations. Everything that we have tried has all been good.
3. Seva Cuisine of India
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 226 reviews
Fresh, flavorful, wholesome as well as balanced meals. Genuine friendly service. Clean and lively atmosphere. Many Vegan, Gluten-free and Dietician Approved options. Seva is the best Indian dining experience in the area.
Reviewed By Baldy47 - Liberty, Missouri
We ate lunch at Seva's buffet for the first time this week. Nice, evenly seasoned selection of entrees, vegetables, salad, coconut soup, and nan. We enjoyed rice pudding for dessert, and the chai tea (although really caloric) was great. All of this in a very pleasant, airy, bright restaurant. Lunch hour at the buffet is busy, and one frequently needs to wait for more of some dish brought fresh from the kitchen. Service was what one expects for a lunch buffet (i.e., no water refills without asking, etc.) Lunch is $12/person so go hungry for this very good food.
4. SLAP's BBQ
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 220 reviews
Slap's BBQ (Squeal Like a Pig) opened in June of 2014 and started with just a few hundred pounds of meat. After running out within a few hours, we knew Slap's was going to be a major success. As the weeks went on, we added more and more meat to the daily production finally reaching our capacity and comfort level a couple months after opening. We sell out every day because we are committed cooking fresh and putting the best BBQ on the plate we can. Slap's BBQ is one of very few restaurants in the City that is actively competing on the KCBS circuit throughout the year. On average we compete in 25-35 contests each season. We do this to stay sharp, relevant, and because we love it. Try our famous ribs and burnt ends that always run out within our first hour, or our imported Texas sausage to get a mouthful of amazing flavor. Although we try to serve as many customers as possible, we're only open until we run out daily so be sure to get here early! For finger lickin' goodness, we'll see you at Slap's!
Reviewed By YouDontOwnMe - Kansas City, Kansas
The burnt ends melted in my mouth. They have a culinary concoction called Baked Potato Casserole that is not to be missed. I want to go back right now just to have that again. The feel of the restaurant was urban rustic. We sat at a community table with a couple and their baby. I wanted to love the cheesy corn and I will likely try it again but I do not know if it can survive in the shadow of that baked potato casserole.
5. Bluestem
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 202 reviews
Bluestem | Fine Dining in Kansas City Their dream became a reality when chefs Colby and Megan Garrelts opened bluestem in March of 2004. With Chef Colby's Progressive American Cuisine and Chef Megan's new varieties of American desserts, bluestem is dedicated to providing not only a meal, but a truly memorable experience. The restaurant's unadorned elegance, staff dedication and attention to detail allow you to simply settle in and enjoy your stay. Bluestem has received local and national accolades including being named as the James Beard Foundation's "Best Chef Midwest" in 2013 and a 2015, 2016, & 2017 James Beard Semifinalist for "Outstanding Restaurant" for an invigorating marriage of cuisine and hospitality. Chefs Colby and Megan invite you to experience all that bluestem has to offer, from cocktails and snacks in the bar, to a tasting menu in the dining room, or even late night drinks and dessert.
Reviewed By Jim H
This is a great restaurant — what you would expect from a James Beard award-winning chef. Menu is always interesting and creative and food is consistently excellent. Go for the five-course tasting menu (the desserts are always superb and easily worth the calories!). The tasting menu shows the range of what this restaurant can do. You can add paired wines with the tasting courses if you like. Otherwise, an excellent wine list is offered. Service is professional, classy and efficient. Ambience is pleasant and understated. If you like to watch the open kitchen in action, request a table where you can do that. This is easily one of the best restaurants in Kansas City and, even though it’s pricey, it’s a restaurant where you can feel like it was worth it. Highly recommended - edible art is made here.
6. Cafe Gratitude
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 205 reviews
Reviewed By 230ml - Tempe, Arizona
Had the pleasure today of hitting up a really cool vegan restaurant called Cafe Gratitude. Located in the regentrified section of downtown Kansas City. Nestled among old brick buildings that have been reborn as luxury lofts,it would be very east to drive or walk right by the cafe. Although you can see can sense the up scale new life of a once less lively section of downtown, the area is not pretentious at all.
Upon entry the whole vibe is like being outdoors in a park. I sat at the bar (they serve beer and wine) to pick up my Togo order. I was greeted by Luke, at the bar. Among many things, what impressed most about him was the way he spoke to me about the place..with pride and ownership. This for me, said a lot about the management and also Luke's humane temperament. It was refreshing.
I ordered Magical, Luminous, Warm Hearted and Eternally Youthful. Yes, this is how the food items are listed on the menu. Eternally Youthful was my vanilla milkshake, Warm Hearted is a polenta entree, Luminous is salad with sweet potatoes, quinoa, nuts, avocado among lots of other goodies. And Magical is a homemade veggie burger. Although I hadn't planned to, I ate everything in one sitting. Couldn't stop myself. Great textually and delicious. This will definitely be a place I'll revisit when I return here.
At the bottom of my receipt I noticed a question - What are you grateful for?
Cafe Gratitude offers food for body and mind. Pretty nice!
7. Jack Stack Barbecue - Freight House
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3 reviews
Reviewed By DMartin216 - Chicago, Illinois
We made our first visit to KC to celebrate my birthday weekend with barbecue, and I picked Fiorellla’s Jack Stack (Freight House location) for my birthday dinner. I couldn’t have made a better choice. We learned just how wrong we could be when, a mere 24 hours earlier, we had falsely assumed that we had found the best BBQ in KC at some "other" establishment. It was waiting for us all along at Jack Stack.
One of the things that intrigued us most was unique to Jack Stack’s menu—their hickory-smoked lamb ribs. Our server was also trying to talk us into another unique menu item, their Prime Beef Ribs (2 ribs for $39.99), which had my wife intrigued. I felt I needed a moment to confer and asked our server to give us a minute. Yes, they sounded delicious, I argued, but we’ve already strayed from the comparison strategy with the lamb ribs, so we decided that we would each order a two-meat Kansas City Combo ($20.99), my wife’s with beef ribs and burnt ends, and mine with chicken and lamb ribs.
Did you ever taste something for the first time and feel that the world had just changed? We did, and we are now looking to buy a smoker for the lamb ribs that we immediately ordered online after our trip. The ribs were clearly cooked low and slow, the result being meat that was fall-off-the-bone tender and redolent of a lamb stew. They had just a painting of sauce so that the meat could speak for itself, and it spoke volumes. Everything was delicious, but those lamb ribs rocked our world. I apologize to diners at nearby tables for losing all sense of decorum and tucking into those ribs up to our elbows.
And while Jack Stack was one of the larger establishments of our entire BBQ Tour, the service was also amongst the friendliest and most personal. This was the only BBQ joint to invite us back to the kitchen to see their smokers. Their chef carefully explained the entire process to us, with me making copious mental notes. When they learned it was my birthday, a free crème brûlée was somehow waiting at our table when we returned.
Our bill for two was $83 including tip, even with a few cold Boulevard beers (and they had quite the variety to sample—this was my first taste of Tank 7). Not only was Jack Stack perfectly 60th-birthday-appropriate, it was by far the most memorable meal of the trip and an evening we will always recall hungrily. How fitting that this would be our final taste of KC BBQ for the trip.
8. Jack Stack Barbecue - Martin City
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 804 reviews
Reviewed By Glock A
My wife and I just happened to be in Martin City at dinner time. So Jack Stack BBQ was the perfect place for dinner.
Just one word “Delicious”, one of the best places to eat for bbq. I had brisket and chicken and the chicken just melted in your mouth it was so tender.
The cheesy corn and onion rings are outstanding !
I would recommend Jack Stack if you’re in the neighborhood.
9. Garozzo's Ristorante
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 365 reviews
Reviewed By Richard H - Kansas City, Missouri
The location, the staff and the food are all good. The portions are unimaginable. The portions are will-feed-a-family-of-four portions. Unfortunately, quantity over quality. The house salad was ok but the dressing was not. Order the dressing on the side. The visit was a late lunch visit for a take away order. Oddly enough the large portions are more than enough incentive to order take away only. No reasonable person would eat the entire portion for a meal. The waiter was friendly enough and helpful enough. I really do like the immediate area and the restaurant is an asset to the immediate area. I would really much prefer smaller portions of higher quality food.
10. Grunauer
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 551 reviews
Reviewed By B K - Angola, Indiana
2 alcoholic drinks, 2 appetizers, 2 entrees and dessert...less than $100.00.
Rebekah, our server, knew the menu and made suggestions and answered our questions. My salmon on a bed of lentils was wonderful. My husband had the pork loin with red cabbage and dumplings. Bread basket was refilled.
We made reservations for a Tuesday night...really didn't need to for a 5:30 seating in Winter. It did get busy. Really enjoyed the soft, light jazz music in the background.
Easy walk from the Westin...using skywalk and Union Station and the short walk outside.
