Exceptional. A true farm-to-table experience delivered with a high level of service and culinary…read moreexpertise. The five-course meal, crafted by a remarkably talented chef using a variety of techniques from their farm, was beautifully executed in a surreal indoor-outdoor setting. Every dish was spectacular, and the beverage pairings were creative and perfectly curated. The owners' labor of love is evident from start to finish, making this a true gem in the Lawrence/Lecompton area. Our guests from Leawood, Kansas said they would gladly make the drive back anytime to experience another one of these magical culinary evenings.

We heard about Burning Barrel and Origin Restaurant from a friend and quickly booked tickets online…read morefor one of their first weekends of service. We were not disappointed. We arrived on the farm (after our Ford GPS took us a wonky route along a few miles of dirt road--so make sure you stay on paved roads and you won't have trouble--I was told by Kristin, our host and one of the owners, that Google Maps has no problem). I have to share our experience in detail because I feel we discovered a new must-visit experience in the KC area! We arrived at the 30-acre farm, parked in the field, and were greeted by our server who welcomed us warmly and offered us an arrival cocktail to sip while we explored the truly lovely grounds, pond, and nearby goats. After our leisurely stroll, we returned to the dining pavilion and found our seats at the gorgeous (and massive!) live-edge dining table along with a menu specifically for this weekend. Our gracious host Kristen and server brought out our first drink pairing, a minted lime seltzer that was refreshing and light. Our first course arrived--Blue Jade cornbread with arugula, sweet pea salad, and chicken liver paté. The cornbread was unlike any I had before and was absolutely delicious. The sweet pea salad was literally bursting with flavor the peas were so fresh and the chicken liver paté out of this world. Such an interesting flavor profile and combination. The next beverage pairing arrived a short time later as we enjoyed the perfect evening, a blackberry purple basil shrub. This drink was also delicious and refreshing (and save that blackberry for last--what a treat!). The Mangalista pig, we were told, is the "wagyu of pork" and the crisp, tasty, marbled pork chop was excellent. It was served with a beet "kimchi" with fennel root and a sheep cheese dumpling that was creamy and flavorful. Finally, our coffees were served and a dessert of yellow squash cake, lemon honey ice cream with mulberry compote was brought to us. Again, the dish was original, delicious, and a perfect ending to our meal. We can't wait to come back and have try a new menu in the future. Such a perfect evening and the chef has such an exciting vision for hyper-local farm-to-table flavors and dishes.

I loved strolling through the Kay Mcfarland Japanese garden. This garden is within the Topeka zoo…read more There is a separate entrance for events taking place at the event center. It would be a lovely venue for a wedding reception or quinceañera. I had no problem paying the zoo entrance fee to visit this garden. While there, I also walked around the zoo to look at all the native plantings. I spoke to a very nice, very knowledgeable gardener about the native plants. If you have any interest in plants, this is a beautiful Japanese garden to tour!

We were traveling from Colorado and needed somewhere to stay over night…read more We needed a hotel that was dog friendly and this hotel charged $50 for one night. So we were spent a total of $158 including the dog fee. As soon as we came into the lobby there was no air conditioning, only fans and dehumidifiers. So I asked the clerk at the desk what was the story? She said they shut off the air so they can work on the system. Warning #1!. Then I went into the ladies room and there were big signs that 2 out of three of the toilets were out of order as well as one out of the two sinks! Warning #2.! I was sort of freaking already feeling that we made a mistake by coming here. I have really bad allergies and some of the walls were sagging and I know that is a sign of mildew and mold. Dave had already called and joined the Hyatt Club. I just don't understand why the condition of the hotel wasn't disclosed? We got a room that was conveniently located on the first floor. It was very large with a bedroom area and a sitting area. I put the air on manually, because the thermostat was off the wall. I tried to make it as cool as possible, but the unit was too small to cover the entire room. There was only one bath towel, so we had to ask for some more. There wasn't a hair dryer either. I had to ask them to change out the feather bedding for synthetic and that wasn't a problem. The housekeeper was polite and efficient and told me that you have to ask in advance for regular bedding. So Dave brings his clock which shows the time, temperature and humidity. So all night I felt uncomfortable and sweaty bc the humidity in the room was 72%. The temperature never went under 73 degrees even if I lowered the air! The biggest plus was the breakfast, a little nicer than most hotels and served on regular plates. There were eggs, sausages, oatmeal, bagels and butter. The coffee was very good. So this is my tale of woe about the Hyatt in Topeka. Shame is they have a nice pool and grounds around them ate lovely with a path around the lake. Well at least Freckles had a pleasant stay lol!

Place is terrible! Only 1 elevator for 6 floors. Understaffed. Can't see the TV from the bed. Way…read moreoverpriced. The only redeeming value is the bed was good. Supposed to be a 3 night stay, left after 1.

This event space is simply gorgeous! I love the historic details & amazing craft cocktails! It's…read morereally perfect for any gathering because of the variety of options! Bring your own food, hire a food truck or they have a nice catering kitchen! The A/V equipment is on point & they even have a disco ball! We didn't need the 'ready room' but it's well equipped and had a separate entrance. Best cocktails around & the price is right!

Let's start at the beginning. Check in was not pleasant. I…read morewas initially told that my card was denied. That it looked like it was being flagged for fraudulent activity. I contact the bank and they know nothing of it. No flags on their end. Turns out that at check in, the desk attendant was not putting in the correct expiration date. So after a long while and calls with the bank I got my two rooms. Then another strange thing happened. There was a white male checking in ahead of me. He was greeted very nicely. Was told pool hours, drink hours and even breakfast hours. Guess what I was told? Nothing. Really makes me wonder why. Now let's talk about the rooms. I was going from Cali to Kansas for SIX days. Yes I rather overpack then be missing essentials while there. To my surprise this place has NO ELEVATORS. YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT! NO ELEVATORS. If I had known this it would have been a deal breaker. Once in the rooms they aren't really clean. I moved the bed to put it against the wall and found candy and trash. The curtain had a stain that looked very unpleasant, if I had to guess I wouldn't doubt that it was stool. Each room did had a small fridge and an ironing board but no iron. The AC also had a bad smell released when in use. If you stay here and need your trash taken out or extra towels it's like pulling teeth. I'm guessing it's a covid related that the housekeepers do not go into occupied rooms. Hallways are dusty and dirty. The same trash was on the stairs the day I checked in and the day I checked out. I doubt that it had been vacuum in a very long time. Breakfast bar seems like a nice plus. Just keep in mind that it's the same thing every day. Eggs, sausage, bacon, waffles, fruit and a whole lot of attitude from one of the woman working the bar. She gets really upset if a lot of people show up to breakfast. She does nothing but complain in Spanish about all the people wanting to eat. Do not be surprised if the tables for breakfast are dirty because no one cleans them. They are dirty and sticky. Make sure to bring your own wipes. Hope this helps when booking your stay. Pay the extra money and stay somewhere else. I know that I will. THIS PLACE IS NOT WORTH A SECOND STAY.

I read previous reviews on this place but gave it a shot. Happy that I did…read more We decided to do a STAYCATION here, just to get away from the kids for a day and relax. This place feels like you're in a cabin in Aspin. Though they are in the middle of remodeling, I actually like it the way it is. The lobby is nice and clean and the staff was so pleasant. Check in was super easy. Our room was clean; with microwave, coffee pot and fridge. We got a King bed and we really enjoyed our stay. The place itself was nice and quiet even though it's located off Wanamaker. We had breakfast the next day at 7am which came with the stay. Most hotels have a just a very basic continental breakfast that offers the bare minimum but they had great options; from biscuits and gravy to scrambled eggs, potatoes and sausage. They had a variety of bread choices, coffee and juices. If you wanted cereal and/or oatmeal, they had that too. Overall, we plan to come here again for our relaxation necessities. Make sure to use your AAA option when booking. Compared to the other hotels nearby, the cost was best.

We were in Topeka for a family event and got a block of rooms at the Cyrus. The hotel is clean, the…read morestaff is friendly, and the room we had was large with a comfortable bed. The night we arrived, we had met in the outdoor area of the bar and had fantastic service. There also are plenty of restaurants and bars around the hotel if you'd like to venture out. We'd definitely stay again.

I'm smitten! This trip, I stayed in a king deluxe suite! These rooms are ginormous! 2 TVs,…read morebeautiful sitting area! I love this hotel so much! The people are amazin

The building is looking like it needs a refresh but our room was clean, pillows are perfect, and TV…read moreis great. Perfect place to relax after a long car journey. The app allowed check in but there was no digital key so we stopped at the front desk and were helped by a very nice gentleman. Breakfast was ok. Only instant oatmeal which isn't my preference. There were a couple of track teams staying there and everything seemed to be well stocked despite the busy area. All in all a good stay.

Couldn't have been treated better fantastic room great location the breakfast was superb love…read more pancakes, and very clean . The room was so nice and clean, very nice. It even had a handicap chair in the shower. So helpful for me. Very nice hotel and great location! Ariel was super nice and helpful!

Great customer service. We had a reservation for 30ppl. Fun, easy going environment. Reserved a…read morecouple courts for the kiddos which was fun!

The food choices are good, pizza & wings, strips and turkey burnt ends --all are good! Cheese…read morecurds and our favorite! The beers are good, but I loved the wit & uts no longer available. So I am trying spurs, seltzers & specialty drinks. All are good! The decor is fun and music is good. The only knock is that it can get pretty loud & acoustics are not 'sound absorbing). So it's fun here but pretty loud most of the time. Every time we go, the service is great. Even if it's kinda slow, the servers are always friendly & fun. Food comes fast once order is taken.

Mighty Mushroom burger. 1/2 pound patty. Remarkable…read more Garlic Parmesan fries. Some of the best in the industry'. Milkshake. Showstopper. So smooth. Simple but so good. Such a gem in a small city.

We came to the Pennant after dinner for dessert. They have a pretty long list of sweet treats and…read moredrinks. Our server wasn't sure what items were gluten free but took the time to check, which we appreciated. We ended up splitting a PB Chocolate Madness, which was plenty of sugar for both of us. The Pennant had TVs tuned to hockey and basketball playoff games, arcade games, and a bar area. It was a bit loud, but we enjoyed dessert and checking out the playoffs games.