You guys are always such a great answer source, so I must ask...We are planning a little family trip to KC in March, any advice on hotels, restaurants? I start so many food threads so you all know I love cheesy, yummy, greasy Tulsa food, but am really looking for some good KC BBQ, etc.
Is that Plaza area all that? Should we stay there? (Anyone know of an indoor hotel pool that isn't freezing cold water also? That sucks)
Thanks!
The Quarterage (//%22http://www.quarteragehotel.com/%22) is a wonderful little hotel in Westport. They have free happy hour and awesome breakfast.
Great Wolf Lodge is a hotel with a great indoor water park.
http://www.greatwolflodge.com/
Bryant's Bar B Que is the best.
arthur bryants can be hit or miss, the ribs are mediocore (at best, the brisket is good and the turkey is great- the sauce is vinegary and not my style...
rosedales has great brisket and ribs, but the sauce, while being honey based, has ****loads of cinnamon in it and can be off-putting...
my vote (and it is no bull****) is oklahoma joes... the original is on 47th and in an old gas station (still functioning)... the carolina (pulled pork) is amazing... the bbq sauce is outstanding... i'd kill you for a slab of the ribs, seriously- i'd stab you if you had some...
the plaza is all that....
i lived there for 8 years...
the embassy suites is a decent hotel (near the plaza) with an indoor pool and cheap... rm is spot on about great wolf lodge, we go twice a year... be warned, it is expensive...
I'd say ribs worth stabbing someone have got to be the ****. I'll try Okla. Joe's next time I'm up there.
We used to eat BBQ somewhere down near Kemper and American Royal (7th street ring a bell?) shows how long it's been since I lived there.
You are probably thinking of Winslow's.
http://www.kcrestaurantguide.com/winslows.htm
You guys are the best. Thanks you sooo much for the links. I really, really appreciate it. [:)]
We usually stay at Embassy Suites in Dallas, so I think we may do that b/c they are pretty kid friendly, but the pools are usually Brrrr....
The lodge looks cool, but kids are 1 and 4 and probably would not appreciate the $$$mucho dinero$$$ spent by mom and dad. PLus they go to bed by 7:30! When they are older, absolutely. I saw one in Grapevine and wondered what it was.
Travel the backroad.. East on 44 exit at Miami then forward though the turnpike gate on through the light pass the casino and mushroom plant when that road ends take a right and head through Quapaw and keep going through Baxter Springs... Pittsburgh/Frontenac KS...Ft. Scott on to Kansas City....I made it in 3 hours and 50 minutes driving the speed limit....Take the kids to see Big Brutus it's on the way...
Try LC's BBQ. The original is on Blue Parkway between 71 and 435, and there's one on the Kansas side as well (Lenexa IIRC.) And you can't go wrong with Gates, with locations all over the KC metro.
quote:
Originally posted by bugo
Try LC's BBQ. The original is on Blue Parkway between 71 and 435, and there's one on the Kansas side as well (Lenexa IIRC.) And you can't go wrong with Gates, with locations all over the KC metro.
blah... "HI, MAY I HELP YOU?"- no thanks... gates gets a lot of press but the quality of the meat cuts has dropped dramatically... the pulled pork and chip beef looked like piles of bbq stained vaseline...
RM was correct about winslows... i always forget that one...
go to rudys tenampa taqueria.... and get the fish taco, a-frickin-mazing... or ponaks for solid traditional mexican food... no matter what anyone says, skip mannys...
for lunch, hit d'bronx deli/pizza on 39th and bell... outstanding two handed pizza and an almost genuine new york deli..
quote:
Originally posted by Breadburner
Travel the backroad.. East on 44 exit at Miami then forward though the turnpike gate on through the light pass the casino and mushroom plant when that road ends take a right and head through Quapaw and keep going through Baxter Springs... Pittsburgh/Frontenac KS...Ft. Scott on to Kansas City....I made it in 3 hours and 50 minutes driving the speed limit....Take the kids to see Big Brutus it's on the way...
Or straight up 169 to Olathe then catch I-435.
That's doable in under 4 hours as well.
Go to the Nelson Atkins Museum. It is one of my favorites.
Kaleidoscope is a good art place for the kids. Your kids are a little young for Science City at Union Station, but in a few years it is a must see.
I thought the Arabian steam boat museum down by Farmers Mkt. was outstanding. Then again, I'm into old steam-powered things and history so it was right up my alley.
We're thinking of going to Kansas City in March too during Spring Break!
How good of you to start this thread.
For good steak, where do you all recommend? What about outstanding Italian food?
I have heard good things about Great Wolf Lodge and know form personal experience that they don't over charge. In fact, they don't charge enough to turn a decent profit. Stupid Great Wolf Resorts.
The KC Zoo is a nice place to visit with your family, if the wife and you want to get away some evening alone (not sure how old the kids are here) there are several nice "boats" (aka Casinos) in the area. West Port and the Plaza areas are the place to be as far as I know... both really cool.
If you want Ribs (you do) there is a place behind the Union Depot that is really good. Park at Union Depot so you can walk through it (pretty interesting), then go out back over the tracks (there is a walkway) and viola! BBQ. Getting there is a mini adventure on this route.
I lived in KC briefly in the late '80's and had to go there on business about once a month for four or five years in the late '90's. You are all making me start to miss it terribly.
I guess it's time to go back up there for a fix.
I didn't like the zoo as much as others we have been to. It's main theme area was Africa and it just seemed hot and dry to me. We go to a lot of zoos and I would rate it average.
The best steaks I have had there was at the Hereford House next to Kemper Arena.
The big 12 basketball championship is in town in a couple of weeks. Rooms and hotels are pretty packed, but it is a great time to go to Westport, Zona Rosa, or the casinos.
I am so overwhelmed by your help, everyone! [8D] Much, Much appreciated.
Thanks for the tip, Brutus!
Cannon, I didn't think the Great Wolf place overcharged...(I saw they had deals for $169) my children are still young enough so I can say "Let's tell the pool bye-bye" when I am freezing cold and tired of swimming...(btw, I am the mom, but I will let the husband know you suggested he should take me out!LOL!) We plan to hit the zoo, they have supposedly expanded the children's area.
Thanks for the Kaleidoscope tip, RM. The 4 year old will love that.
[;)]
I always like reading this forum b/c of such helpful, friendly people. (conan, and TulsaMINI, I'm talkin' 'bout you)
(Thanks also Bruno and Honeysuckle, bugo and Cannon!)
The KCRag forum (//%22http://forum.kcrag.com/%22) is a place to look around. It is by and about KC by the locals there.
My favorite pizza is Pizzabella (//%22http://www.kansascitymenus.com/pizzabella/%22) in the Crossroads area. I thought the tour at Hallmark cards was pretty hokey and probably would not hold the interest of a 4 year old.
I highly recommend checking out The Country Club Plaza (//%22http://www.countryclubplaza.com/%22) if you have never been to Kansas City. If your there on a weekend, then the City Market (//%22http://kc-citymarket.com/%20%22)is a fun place to wander for a while. There is a great Asian market adjacent to the market, lots of food stalls.
From everything I hear, T-REX cafe (//%22http://www.trexcafe.com/%22)is a place to take kids to eat. Sort of like a Rainforest cafe except with dinosaurs.
When I go up to KC, the last place I stop is at Dean and Deluca (//%22http://www.deandeluca.com/Aboutus/Default.aspx?id=196&selItemId=196&parentItemId=14%22) to pick up some sandwiches for the trip home.
Can I suggest a round trip, go up on 169 to Garnett, then 59 to I-35 and on in to Kansas City. It gets you there quickly with out having to go through too many towns. Then on your way home, take 69 down to the turnpike through Baxter springs and Miami. Or vice versa. Ft Scott and Pittsburg are kind of fun to go through. Plus, you see different country and it is not that much further to go.
THere are several beautiful fountains around Kansas CIty, try to see several of them and some of them the kids can play in.
The Pitch (//%22http://www.pitch.com/%22) will have lots of restaurant recommendations and things to do lists.
This guy, Chef Jaspar Mirabile (//%22http://www.jaspermirabile.blogspot.com/%22) is a character and may have some suggestions for good food that a local there would know.
Have fun. My next trip up is to be a judge at the Oklahoma Joe's bbq competition. And for bbq, Oklahoma Joes. In my experience, the old more famous places are not as good. 'But BBQ is a personal experience and opinion.
quote:
Originally posted by HoneySuckle
We're thinking of going to Kansas City in March too during Spring Break!
How good of you to start this thread.
For good steak, where do you all recommend? What about outstanding Italian food?
steak- hereford house or plaza III (i vote the for plaza III)
italian- lidias (as in lidia bastianich- it is her only restaurant not in new york)... newer but awesome... i've been there when lidia came by and checked on our dinner, it was surreal...
but for real italian go to garozzos... go to the original locale on harrison... old school mafia hang out... get the veal spiedini or fettucini diablo con pesce- holy crap... the calamari is some of the best i've ever had... more ambiance
quote:
Originally posted by brunoflipper
but for real italian go to garozzos... go to the original locale on harrison... old school mafia hang out... get the veal spiedini or fettucini diablo con pesce- holy crap... the calamari is some of the best i've ever had... more ambiance
(nods in agreement)
The Big 12?
Man, lots of places sold out for Spring Break weekend[:O] I figured it would be as easy as finding accommodations in Dallas, but so wrong.
Any ideas?
quote:
Originally posted by HoneySuckle
The Big 12?
Man, lots of places sold out for Spring Break weekend[:O] I figured it would be as easy as finding accommodations in Dallas, but so wrong.
Any ideas?
You're going during the tournament?
I tried to warn you about the big12 tournament.
Blue Springs to the east has some decent hotels at affordable prices.
even Olathe? that is pretty far out.
Should we change plans to avoid this tournament?
It depends on what you plan to do. This tournament shouldn't affect everything, but does sell out hotels and fancier restaurants.