Best Restaurants in Kansas City

Kansas City’s culinary scene is largely defined by its barbecue tradition. Butcheries, barbecues, and burgers are a critical part of Kansas City's restaurant scene. Over the years, immigrant chefs have expanded this scene, and today, it is easy to stumble upon a fine dining vegan lunch spot, unlike in the earlier decades. Kansas City's best restaurants range from cheap to expensive and fine dining to flip-flop casual. These restaurants are popular for their setting, fine dining, and signature dishes. Top restaurants in Kansas City are always busy, so we recommend making reservations to avoid waiting in line for tables.

The OpenTable Team

10 Restaurants

Updated January 19, 2022

Restaurants:	Lonnie’s Reno Club, Farina, Conductor Club…
Price Range:	$$ - $$$$
Cuisines:	American, Contemporary Italian, Cocktail Bar…
Neighborhoods:	Downtown / River Market, Kansas City, E. Kansas City…

Lonnie’s Reno Club

$$$$

American

Downtown / River Market

5.0

453 reviews

This upscale restaurant combines history, class, and jazz. It pays homage to the famous Reno Club, and Paul Coty owns it. Its menu offers eclectic dishes and an extensive wine list. Popular entrees include chicken franchese, beef wellington, and Salmon en Papillote. Started in 2021, the restaurant offers a large eating area and an entertainment space. It offers a classy interior with rich colors, a black and silver ceiling, alongside a wall lined with photos of the club’s great memories. Reservations are highly recommended.

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Experiences available

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Farina

$$$$

Contemporary Italian

Kansas City

4.9

1230 reviews

This James Beard chef-driven restaurant specializes in Italian dishes. Michael and Nancy Smith opened the restaurant in Kansas City in early 2019. It offers a chic restaurant that houses up to 90 people. Its rustic interior evokes Tuscany and Umbria, and features natural light, stone, and wide-planked floors. Chef Smith leads Farina’s kitchen team, and it focuses on classic recipes from all regions of Italy. Popular dishes include Burrata, grilled octopus, and duck meatballs.

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Conductor Club

$$$$

Cocktail Bar

E. Kansas City

4.9

189 reviews

Established in mid-2020, this cocktail club has beautiful views of the Grand Hall. Conductor Club focuses on casual dining, and it features a restaurant alongside a cocktail bar. It also specializes in fine dining with dishes like seafood and prime steaks alongside a wine list that has been awarded by the Wine Spectator. Since its establishment, this restaurant has been awarded as " Best Place to Entertain an out-of-town Guest," " Best Place to Take a Group," " Most Iconic Bar," and “Most Romantic Atmosphere." Popular entrees include steak tartare, buffalo cauliflower, and roasted bone marrow.

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Experiences available

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Harvey's at Union Station

$$$$

American

Kansas City

4.5

14 reviews

This open-air restaurant offers a charming casual dining experience to diners. Its menu offers the best-prepared meals made from scratch. Harvey’s menu features a wide variety of world-class cuisine with fares from northern, Southern, and Midwest America. Popular entrees include coconut shrimp, grilled quesadillas, and streetcar tacos. It offers a vintage interior with simple but elegant furniture in the Louis XVI period in detail, color, and design. It was established in 2013 by Fred Harvey.

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Society

$$$$

American

Kansas City

4.4

82 reviews

This art-driven restaurant is popular for its international cuisine served in a chic atmosphere. It offers an airy, sprawling dining space with dimly lit interiors alongside a bar with modernized craft cocktails. The interior offers a beautiful bar top with giant-sized multicolored glass light fixtures. Chef Juan Jimenez and his team focus on inspirations from North and South America to create a diverse menu. Popular entrees include Californian roll sushi, pork chops, burgers, and fried chicken sandwiches. The restaurant was established in 2021 by Scott Mars.

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Trago Bar & Tapas

$$$$

Tapas / Small Plates

Kansas City

4.6

106 reviews

This fun upscale bar is popular for its custom cocktails and sharable foods. It offers a restaurant and a lounge alongside live music. The restaurant was started in 2016 by Kandi Kerns. Warm, yellow-colored walls with Spanish and Guatemalan décor provide an elegant experience to its diners. It also features chic chalkboard displays of wine selections available in the restaurant. The cozy oasis also offers several tropical plants, a fireplace, and an outdoor patio. Its menu focuses on Spanish-accent dishes, and popular entrees include fried potatoes, fried calamari, and marinated steak.

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Plate Restaurant

$$$$

Italian

Plaza / Brookside

4.6

784 reviews

This modern Italian restaurant offers an elegant dining room and an outdoor terrace equipped with heaters for colder seasons. Established by restaurateur Christian Joseph in 2014, it burnt down in a fire but later reopened in 2019. The restaurant’s menu focuses on traditional Italian cuisine designed by Executive Chef Brian Mehl and wine, and popular dishes include meatballs, carbonara, and garlic bread. Plate Restaurant offers a sleek interior with an art deco-era mirrored chandelier, bold paintings, and gray, cool white, and wood tones with a slatted wood ceiling. Its huge plate glass windows provide natural lighting offering diners a casual hip atmosphere.

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Takeout available

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JJ's Restaurant

$$$$

Steakhouse

Plaza / Brookside

4.7

1385 reviews

This classy American restaurant achieves a rare balance of elegant fine dining with a romantic atmosphere. Featuring a bar with an acclaimed wine list, the restaurant was purchased by Jimmy Frantze in 2013. Its menu focuses on North American cuisine with steaks and wines. Popular dishes include Paco shrimp, petite filet, and lobster tail. Since its establishment, Zagat has ranked it as one of Kansas City’s top restaurants. Its bar is dominated by a library of liquors and an extensive wine list. JJ’s Restaurant offers an elegant interior with wood furnishings and low-hanging chandeliers. Its dark wood and white table-clothed tables add a touch of elegance to the restaurants.

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Grünauer

$$$$

Austrian

Crossroads / Freight District / Boulevard

4.8

4194 reviews

Grunaeur is located in the heart of the city center, and it offers Austrian and German cuisine. Established by the Grunauer family, the restaurant offers two dining rooms and an outdoor garden. Its menu focuses on dishes with influence from Germany, Austria, and Vienna. Popular dishes include Kartene Schnitzel, Spatzle and Sauerkraut. It was established by restaurateur Peter Grunauer in 2010.

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County Road Ice House

$$$$

Barbecue

Downtown / River Market

4.4

113 reviews

This spacious brick-walled restaurant features a bar in the shopping entertainment district. Its menu has a unique concept featuring smoked meats served in an indoor and outdoor setting. Popular entrees include smoked brisket nachos, boneless wings, and pork ribs. Its interior offers a rustic design with tan, red and brown shades that provide an elegant ambiance to its diners. Jeff and Joy Stehney established County Road Ice House in 2012.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

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