Portia's Cafe (Feb 14, 2023)…read more Portiia's Cafe was not a planned visit while visiting Kansas City. It was my last day in Kansas City, and I was planning to hit the American Jazz Museum before flying back to Seattle late afternoon. As the airbnb area where I was staying did not have any fast food around, I had to decide on a breakfast place before the American Jazz Museum opened at 10 a.m. As I was traveling cheaply using public transportation, the 2 closest places to the Jazz Museum that's easily accessible and within walking distance to the museum were either Portia's Cafe or McDonald's. Bring a fan of diners, Portia's it was. It was drizzling that morning, and Portia's was a slight walk from the bus stop. Dragging my wet luggage into the Cafe, I was cheerfully greeted at the entrance and took my seat not too far from it. The waitress recommended some of the food and I sat down to observe life in the cafe. The place is old but very comfortable. A different area ( I sat near the counter in a booth) had many pictures and posters on the walls, and provided history of the restaurant, and more. The food came - a solid omelet with melted cheese and meats, a nice portion of hash browns, a fresh squeezed glass of orange juice and a cup of eye-opening coffee. It was on the greasy side, but that was exactly what I wanted as I intended to skip lunch before the late afternoon flight. The restaurant environment was lively, with many long term customers coming and going exchanging Valentine's Day greetings. Feels like "Cheers" in the day time - "You wanna go where everybody knows your name." After finishing my meal, I visited the other area of the restaurant to look at the pictures and posters. The younger waitress there told me stories of some of the pictures. I actually met Portia as well, the proprietor of the restaurant. So cool! Please have fun by visiting the place and enjoy some home style cooking. Shout out to the young waitress there who showed me around the photos and posters. I promised I shall write a glowing review, and here it is. Happy Eating !!!

it saddens me deeply a place where I've been having breakfast and sharing camaraderie not only…read morewith fellow patrons but owners and staff as well of the restaurant for 20+ years now (new staff- the younger generation in the family) has been rude, unprofessional, and uneducated, resulting in losing a 20+ year customer. I will NEVER step foot back in this establishment. SHAME ON YOU GRAND DAUGHTER- I never thought I'd be treated so poorly when 1 year ago the girls knew me well enough to know that I liked a 1/2 glass of milk but in a coffee mug. (I only came 3-4 xs a year but had been coming for over 2 decades) I am beyond disappointed & I rate this establishment w 1 star, only because I can't give them zero.

We could not wait to visit a Black-owned brewery in Kansas City! My party heard about Thursday…read moreBingo and decided to sign us up in addition to getting a flight. We came from the airport because our flight was late (big shock). The area nearby was quiet in a slightly deserted way for Thursday. There is an upstairs and downstairs, connected to a Vine Street Chicken place. One could drink/eat upstairs but the Bingo was downstairs. It was quiet for a Thursday, only 9 or 8 tables playing. We sat with our flight and listened to the numbers and patterns. We didn't win anything but it was fun. I got samples of East 71 (Cream Ale); Worth the Climb (Pilsner); Jazzman (Dark Lager) and Hood Saison. I got a full pint of the Jazzman as well. The only food they serve is VIne Street chicken, so we ordered that after the game; we wanted to eat downstairs so my party picked it up and brought it downstairs. There was eventually a bartender downstairs as well. One not great thing was that when we arrived at 7 or so, (we parked nearby) the bar downstairs was not open, so we had to order upstairs and BRING the flight downstairs. No elevator! It was interesting taking a paddle of 4 small glasses of beer down a flight of stairs. I guess after 2 flights we did not want to wait til after Bingo to get beer. The food was very good, the chicken and mac/cheese was great, but the only sauce I liked was the peach Bourbon. Yum! Both bartenders were friendly and helpful, and there were board games and sofas for cool nights, and a nice outdoor patio for sitting outside. There was a cooler of cans to take home, but since we were flying it was best not to risk it. I'd go back later if I return to KC, esp to get a few cans to drink in my room instead of paying stadium prices!

Soooo looking to buy some beer to go and the bartender was kind enough to help us figure out which…read morebrew we wanted. We got to sample: life of the party, jazzman and glory. We landed on a 4-pack with 2 of each as you can pick an assortment.. Glory and Life of the party

If you're looking for a brunch place in River Market, look no further than Farmhouse. Right on the…read morestreetcar route, and about a block from the Delaware stop, you'll find the location in a great area near other things to do and see. Reservations are available here - not necessary but depending on the day/time, you may need to wait a bit before being seated if you don't. The restaurant is rustic with farmhouse-style (hence the name!) seating. There is plenty of natural light from their street-facing windows, and if the weather's right, they have a lovely side patio. The food portions are generous and definitely shareable if your table has a few things they'd like to try! Pictured here is the Chicken n Shortstack with a chili-maple reduction and the lemon-lime marinated watermelon. The restaurant features locally-sourced ingredients and highlights them on blackboards through the restaurant. Because of this, their menu can sometimes shift and change!

If you're looking for a curated menu with fresh, farm to table ingredients, you've come to the…read moreright place. Here's what we ordered: Chicken and pancake stack Brisket Tacos Farmhouse omelet Poblano grits and eggs Coffee cake Service was quick - no complaints. There's plenty of outside seating that backs up to their on site garden full of fresh herbs and veggies. It's a bit on the fancier side, would be perfect for a big family brunch or a girls day. Will definitely be returning!

Situated along the river front in Berkley Riverfront just a block or two from CPKC Stadium, Two…read moreBirds One Stone is a solid option for those after a cocktail/beer and a bite. The space is bright, modern and well laid out featuring a fantastic beer garden with lots of seating from standard tables to picnic and informal/gather style seating...all with views of the water and the big screen tv they have at one end for all the games! Indoors there is a bar you can belly up to and a small dining room with a few tables as well, and lastly they have a fully covered patio if that's your vibe. We were walking along the water and decided to pop in for a drink and bite. We went canned drinks as upon ordering a beer we were told the CO2 was short, so they couldn't guarantee how things would taste. Given that, we went with canned drinks and a cocktail. With our drinks, we ordered the club sandwich with salt and vinegar chips and an order of onion rings. The food was decent. Onions rings were excellent, but the avocado dipping sauce didn't do it for me as a pairing with onion rings. The club was stacked and tasty, chips were fine, but were missing the salt and vinegar punch we were expecting. Service was friendly, but a tad chaotic. The place wasn't that busy and there were two servers manning the inside and out. We were helped by the bartender and both servers throughout our time, which is fine, but it made it a tad confusing on who we should go to. The space was clean, bright and had a good vibe. Views of the water and surrounding park were nice as well. This spot is one of the first in this area, which is clearly poised for a lot of industry, so will be exciting to see what this all looks like in a few years. Overall, solid visit to Two Birds One Stone!

A very nice space on the river front but I think they should have a more limited menu and stick to…read morea few things they can make well. Sort of an odd vibe the day I was there but could've been just that day. I was with a larger group so it was probably complicated but any time someone would order a drink a new bartender would come over looking around confused like no one could communicate to them who ordered what. They have a lot of different cocktails but no gin ones? Thought this was weird. The beer isn't listed on a menu. You have to go look at the wall behind the bar. Maybe the beers are all rotating? I wasn't sure. The food was the unfortunate downfall. I got the fish and chips. The fries were fine but the fish was a... shape. As in it was for sure frozen and flavorless. I think maybe just skip serving stuff like this and do more of a beer hall thing. I'm sure they're trying to appeal to a lot of people but because it's very much a bar vibe maybe just stick to burgers and wings? I'm also wondering if it just wasn't my vibe. So much like this already exists and there's nothing unique bringing me here.

This lovely, small restaurant near Crossroads in Kansas City has a very small sushi bar-style…read morecounter seating, so getting reservations can be hard, but once you get one, it's worth the work. The staff are incredible--super knowledgeable, nice, conversational, and friendly. What more could you ask for? The food is FANTASTIC. I don't know how they categorize their style of cuisine but I'd call it "Japanese fusion" for lack of a better, more specific take. It's largely (or wholly?) Japanese, but I've been to Japan many times and am a huge fan of Japanese cuisine of all varieties, and I couldn't pinpoint some of the dishes, but this is not a criticism, only an explanation as to why I am challenged with categorizing the place. All small plates, we had excellent cocktails and a variety of (recommended) small plates, all of which were surprising and excellent. Standout dishes: well, all of them, but the Corn & Crab Okonomiyaki was delicious--and different; the skewers with Jidori Chicken Oyster, Barham Farm Chicken Heart, and Barham Farm Chicken Tsukune were delectable; and the local Enoki Mushroom Tempura--also incredible and should have ordered a second. The Fried Chicken Sando was good but I was surprised it wasn't as flavorful as it looked...or I hoped. Still, not complaining!

Walked through the streets of Kansas City at night to try the dessert here. They have side benches…read morefor you so you don't necessarily need a reservation! The soft serve was delicious, so smooth, flavorful and definitely had a unique flavor with the custard/japanese brown sugar and mango. They change up the flavors and toppings which makes it super unique and you HAVE to try the trash candy. I don't know who called it that, but I will eat trash all day everyday if it tastes like this. Beautiful ambiance with a very traditional Japanese restaurant set up. Super kind and attentive service. I would love to come back one day for the food!

Harold's is back! After a 66 year run that ended last year,…read morea new owner has stepped up, did a deep clean and resurrected the name and the menu. My Cheeseburger today was old school flat grill pressed with melted cheese and all the topping. As good as it ever was. It's great to have a Kansas City icon back in business.

Harold's is a tiny walk in restaurant in downtown Kansas City. It's around the corner from my work,…read moreand I was finally able to get over there today to give them a try. Their menu is small and consists of burgers, tenderloin sandwiches, fries/tots and shakes. You order at the counter and take the food to go. There were a few people already inside waiting for orders when I got there, but my order was taken quickly and the wait was what you would expect for a burger and tots. I ordered a cheeseburger and their tator tots. The cheeseburger was pretty typical with lettuce, grilled onions, tomato, pickle, and "Harold's Sauce" but it did come on a brioche bun and was really good. The tots were nice and crispy and well seasoned. I would definitely come here again.

An excellent food and dining experience. Beautiful and intimate restaurant in the Hotel Kansas…read moreCity. Food was great, everything seasoned so well and balanced. With the seasonal menu you can always find something new. The staples we ordered were outstanding--beef tartare and Chili smoked pork chop are highly recommended. The octopus with XO sauce and sun chokes, lobster toast wonderfully done. Halibut entree also was a table favorite. Service was attentive and knowledgeable. Great cocktail selection as well as wine. Definitely in the top tier of restaurant experiences in/and around Kansas City.

I have been here twice and I have zero photos from the first time. I know we sat at the chefs table…read morethe first time around and enjoyed it. This time I went on my birthday, made a last minute reservation, and enjoyed myself. I wasn't very hungry so I ordered the pork belly which was the perfect amount of food. Taste was great! The ambiance was perfect. Solo or group you can find a place here.

Could not have been better!! Seriously, it was fabulous. We sat in the bar, and was able to have…read moregreat conversation, our waitress was spectacular and the food was phenomenal!!! No kidding!!! We were able to hold a conversation and actually hear each other without screaming across the table. It was so fun and the seafood (somethingorother) was to die for!!! Just LOVED it!! We all took desert home and oh so glad we didn't pass that up. Absolutely perfect.

A hidden gem in the area. A quick walk from Children's Mercy Hospital up the hill. We came here for…read morebrunch and they offer both indoor and outdoor seating. We started with the deviled egg flight, which was full of different flavors. I had the biscuit and gravy with a side of fruit. And my Husband had the Eggs Benedict. Our food came out hot and tasted fresh. We had a great experience and loved the intimate setting inside and we plan to come back in the evening for dinner.

Food was delicious, servers are very attentive and kind, all around good vibes!!!! Eat and drink…read morelocal people

Sometimes a bar should just be a bar. A true dive bar in heart the downtown. It kinda reminded me…read moreof Chubby's but dimmer lighting. The bar area had seeming holiday type decorations around the bar seating area. The ceiling has beer brand signs. The local bar which has pictures of patrons, possibly regulars in collages framed on the wall. Meet up for lunch. Both waitresses were excellent. I ordered a burger & fries. It was a decent burger and fries.

Cocky Ocky is a solid food truck find. I really appreciate how gluten-free accommodating they are,…read moreit's not an afterthought here and the menu has plenty of options to choose from. They offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so there's something for whatever you're craving. I ordered the Booya Chicken Bowl and added the cocky sauce and it did not disappoint. The food is always flavorful, filling, and made with care. They're conveniently located in the Advance Auto Parts lot at 2625 NE Vivion Rd, which makes it an easy stop. Definitely a food truck I love returning to.

They have a food truck located in the parking lot of Advance Auto. The prices are higher than what…read moreI expected though it comes with a big portion of food. They got my food within the expected time frame from ordering. Nice friendly staff. Food was pretty good. Ordered multiple items to try. The chicken burrito was a little salty but the chopped cheese was really good especially the fries. Cocky Ocky burrito had a good tang to it with the jam. Overall a good place for lunch or dinner.