I recently took a fun weekend getaway trip to Kansas City, Kansas. The trip was hosted by Kansas City Kansas Convention and Visitors Bureau and we discovered a bunch of really fun things to do in Kansas City Kansas with kids. To me, half the fun of traveling is trying the local eats so today I want to share with you 3 Kansas City KS restaurants that you won’t want to miss. This list includes best Kansas City BBQ as well as restaurants with high entertainment value such as the dinosaur themed restaurant.
3 Must-Try Kansas City KS Restaurants
Kansas City, Kansas offers a variety of dining options that reflect its rich cultural diversity and culinary traditions.
1. Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque
Kansas City is known for its Kansas City Barbecue Restaurants. We are talking BBQ meats that are slow-smoked with various woods and covered or served with a thick tomato and molasses barbeque sauce. Bring on the meats! While in Kansas City, you have to try world famous Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque and Sauce. I got a beef brisket sandwich with slaw and my son got the pork ribs with fries. That was one satisfying meal that was finger licking good.
2. T-Rex Cafe: The Dinosaur Restaurant in Kansas City!
The T-Rex Cafe is another of my Kansas City KS restaurants not to miss. The T-Rex Cafe is more than just a restaurant. It is a whole entertainment spectacle all by itself. Of course there is a huge tyrannosaurus rex to greet you but there is so much more. From animatronic dinosaurs to a fossil dig area, it is so impressive. Schedule accordingly because you will want plenty of time to check out the whole restaurant and the gift shop area. We spent about 2 and half hours there and it was so much fun and there are so many great photo backdrops! It is the same American eatery chain that also draws crowd in Downtown Disney.
We shared a Dual Dip appetizer. I had Croissant Chicken Salad Sandwich and my son got the Cosmo’s Cheesy Macaroni kids meal. We upgraded his drink to the fancy Collectible Cup. The food was all very good and the the service was excellent but I am not going to lie. It is hard to even notice the food when you are sitting next to life-size dinosaurs. There is so much to see visually while you are eating. Eating is only half the fun at the T-Rex Cafe.
There are huge, life-like dinosaurs all around you and every so often they move! There are woolly mammoths in ice caves, underwater scenes and simulated meteor showers. Basically, T-Rex Cafe is a feast for all your senses!
There was this one amazing booth that was themed like a jellyfish and it makes me want to gather all my friends and go back again!
My son could have stayed all day in the dinosaur-themed retail store which included a Build-A-Bear Workshop for dinosaurs. They even had an interactive Paleo Zone kids play area with a Discovery Dig fossil sandpit. We had so much fun at the T-Rex Cafe. It is basically a theme park restaurant which makes for a pretty awesome time! The entire family will love this prehistoric adventure.
3. Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant
A Kansas City tradition since 1954, Fritz’s is another fun restaurant. They have classic dinner food in old style booths with antique jukeboxes but that is not all. You can order your food by a telephone actually attached the wall (ancient technology!) and it’s brought to your table by an overhead train. Yes, really.
My son and I got the KITCHEN SINK burger and BACON CHEESEBURGER. Those were some good burgers and we got fries and fried mushrooms too. Good solid diner food at amazingly good prices. And the shakes, well, those were amazing shakes. Don’t skip the shakes because they are such a treat and not made with a bunch of fake junk. I wish I had one right now!
But let’s get back to the delivered by train part! There is a track for an electric train suspended from the ceiling and every time an order comes out, you get to watch the train zoom around with box of food and then it drops off the food and it is lowered to your table. Kind of makes me want to order food all day! It really is something to see.
Bonus Suggestions:
I have one more suggestion for Kansas City KS Restaurants. This one is just a bonus because it is an eatery in side of a retail store- Cabela’s. They have a deli with wild-game sandwiches. So if you have always wanted to try wild boar, elk, or bison, now’s your chance!
Also, if you have a giant sweet tooth like I do, you may want to try the Kansas City Cupcake Co. Yummy!
Conclusion
While in Kansas City, you absolutely must try the Kansas City Bar-B-Que and smoked meats. If you are looking for soul food, I hear Aunt Mary’s Kitchen is just the restaurant you are looking for, serving comfort food like fried chicken, catfish, and collard greens. If you want more of a modern fare, the The Mockingbird Lounge is a trendy spot with a great view of the Kansas City skyline, offering a variety of cocktails and small plates.
I hope you enjoy my top picks for Kansas City KS Restaurants. I know we enjoyed trying them! Have you been to Kansas City, KS? What are your favorite Kansas City Eats? Which of these popular restaurants is your favorite?
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