Diners' Choice: Innovative restaurants in Kansas City, MO

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for the best restaurants that are fit for foodies in Kansas City, MO? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Conductor Club

4.9

4.9 (414)

$31 to $50

Cocktail Bar

E. Kansas City

About the restaurant

Tucked away in a hidden corner of historic Union Station, the Conductor Club is a unique rotating themed cocktail bar. We feature a specialty cocktails, small bites from Pierpont's kitchen and lots of fun.

*All guests must be 21+ years old. Reservations are exclusively through OpenTable. Kitchen is open until 9pm on weekdays and 10pm on weekends.

Top review

Courtney

Dined 6 days ago

Fun atmosphere excellent food and drinks. We had a great time

Extra Virgin - Kansas City

4.8

4.8 (1967)

$30 and under

Mediterranean

Kansas City

About the restaurant

James Beard Award Winning Chef Michael Smith's latest culinary creation is Extra Virgin, located in Kansas City's historic Crossroad's Art's District. Open to rave reviews in December 2008, Extra Virgin serves Mediterranean Tapas and has an extensive wine list and full cocktail menu. We offer patio dining for 50 people & private dining for 30 people.

Top review

MichelleVIP

Dined 2 days ago

One of our favorite places in KC. Always a great experience, with terrific servers, fun atmosphere and amazing food!

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Popular dish

Chickpea Fries

Popular dish

Grilled Bread & Ricotta

Noka

4.8

4.8 (85)

$50 and over

American

Kansas City

About the restaurant

The dining experience at Noka is about inviting guests to immerse within the familiar, while our senses simultaneously transport us somewhere new. Primitive yet modern, our dining space offers many different avenues—whether you’re looking for an intimate experience near the bar, a hands-on culinary view into our live-fire kitchen at the Chef’s Counter, or feel like dipping out of your comfort zone at one of our communal-style tables, there truly is a little something for everyone. So venture in soon, we look forward to hosting you.

Top review

thao

Dined 2 days ago

Great meal. Their happy hour is fantastic with half off many dishes. Highly recommend

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Experience

TASTE OF NOKA - $55.00 - FOUR COURSE MENU

Experience

HALF-OFF SUSHI!

Experience

TUESDAY - HAPPY HOUR ALL DAY

The Savoy at 21c

4.7

4.7 (1057)

$31 to $50

American

Kansas City

About the restaurant

Located inside the 21c Museum Hotel, The Savoy is a creative effort to honor our rich history while also looking to the future. As we focus on a progressive style of Midwest hospitality, we aim to use classic techniques with contemporary touches in our kitchen. Our food is thoughtful, yet approachable as we pride ourselves on welcoming all guests from all walks of life.

Our focus on seasonal ingredients from local farmers gives us deep ties in our community and allows us to use the highest quality products for our dishes. Our evolving and interesting cocktail and wine lists reproduce this idea of using products from local distilleries and family-owned vineyards to give our guests classic yet progressive options to enhance your dining experience.

Come as you are, for a special occasion or just a casual night out in the historic district of Kansas City, we look forward to welcoming you to our space.

Top review

Stephon

Dined 3 days ago

Ribeye Steak was excellent and juicy with the right taste and tenderness

Lazia

4.7

4.7 (1155)

$31 to $50

Contemporary Italian

Crossroads / Freight District / Boulevard

About the restaurant

Welcome to the Crossroads, where Kansas City comes together. An evening at Lazia begins at the hearth with a complimentary house amaro blend as the sound of hip hop's greatest legends fill the room. The menu is both familiar and surprising in its selection of Italian favorites. It offers a collection of Cicchetti and Antipasti to start your meal; an expertly prepared and seasonal selection of handmade, fresh pastas; a satisfying collection of Secondi; and few moments of surprise & delight!

Named for another Crossroads O.G. and pal of Pendergast, Johnny Lazia, our dinner-only restaurant sits at the Crossroads of Italian culinary inspiration and the farms and fields of the Heartland in the Midwest.

We are currently open 7 days a week from 5:00pm - 10:00pm
Valet Parking for Lazia guests is $9, but street parking is also available.

Lazia is happy to accommodate most dietary restrictions.

Top review

Nicki

Dined 1 day ago

We had a mess up with our reservation and the hostess was so accommodating and helpful. She went above and beyond to get us seated and out the door in time for our next reservation that night. She walked through the entire menu with us and basically acted as our server taking our orders before we sat down. Food was absolutely phenomenal - definitely recommend!! 11/10 for communication and attentiveness from the hostess.

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Popular dish

Hand-Pulled Mozzarella

Popular dish

Lasagna

Tom's Town Distilling Co.

4.7

4.7 (289)

$31 to $50

Distillery

Kansas City

About the restaurant

Inspired by Kansas City’s legendary political figure, Tom Pendergast, Tom's Town Distilling Co. blends history and innovation in every glass. Our tasting room reimagines classic prohibition cocktails with a contemporary twist, featuring our award-winning spirits: Double Oaked Bourbon, Pendergast’s Royal Gold Bourbon, Double Grain Vodka, Botanical Gin, Barreled Gin, and Straight Rye Whiskey. Every cocktail, crafted by our expert mixologist, JT, is a bold, creative expression of flavor.

Join us in our inviting tasting room or explore our seasonal, revolving speakeasy downstairs for a truly unique experience. Walk-ins are welcome for both spaces if available, but reservations are encouraged. Scroll down to 'Experiences' if you would like to book our speakeasy.

If you’re interested in bringing a larger group but don’t need a private room, contact us at 816-308-2131. We cannot split checks by item, but multiple cards are accepted. Must be 21+ to enter the Tasting Room.

Top review

Marnie

Dined 7 days ago

So cozy and cute! Loved the cocktails! Appetizers were good as well!

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Experience

Tinsel Town 2024

Blue Sushi Sake Grill - Westwood

4.6

4.6 (313)

$30 and under

Sushi

Kansas City

About the restaurant

Blue Sushi Sake Grill unites creative ingredients with energetic vibes, premium cold sake with happy moments to give you a fresh and fun new way to experience sushi. Our sushi and grill menus allow you to explore your sushi favorites in new and unexpected ways. We like to say that sushi is for sharing, and our menu encourages it. Order a spread of all your maki, nigiri and sashimi favs from the sushi bar, and throw in a few orders of starters from the grill. We'll stagger your plates so you can savor it all bite-by-bite, and maximize the sushi experience you've been craving all week. If you're not sure where to start, tour the menu during Happy Hour, where all our guest favorites — from our sushi, grill and drink menus — are available at an amazing value. We offer Happy Hour every day of the week at Blue Sushi Sake Grill!

Top review

Mary annVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Great all the way around As the crowd builds pretty noisy !

Pinstripes - Overland Park

4.5

4.5 (484)

$30 and under

American

Kansas City

About the restaurant

Pinstripes: Where Sophisticated Fun Meets Exquisite Dining. With over 30,000 square feet of entertainment space, indulge in scratch-made Italian-American cuisine, handcrafted cocktails, and a robust wine list. Enjoy our weekday happy hour from 3-6pm, or don't miss our famous bottomless brunch buffet on weekends. Experience modern bowling and bocce with full-service dining and entertainment options. Perfect for corporate gatherings, celebrations, or family events, our versatile spaces accommodate parties of 20 to 1000 guests. Book your unforgettable experience today!

Top review

Ringley

Dined on Dec 2, 2024

Fabulous helpful service Excellent meals Perfect drinks & friendly staff

True Food Kitchen - Kansas City

4.5

4.5 (1325)

$30 and under

American

Plaza / Brookside

About the restaurant

True Food Kitchen is a chef-driven restaurant and scratch bar that was founded by Dr. Andrew Weil, the pioneer of integrative medicine, to provide food that tastes great and is good for you. At our table, delicious dining and conscious nutrition go hand in hand, without sacrificing flavor, creativity or indulgence. Our expertly trained chefs craft flavor-forward dishes, handcrafted cocktails and freshly pressed refreshers so you can enjoy epic food experiences that aren’t just good for you, but good to you. Join us in Kansas City for lunch, dinner, or weekend brunch. Located in Kansas City at Country Club Plaza, off of Ward Parkway and Pennsylvania Street, near Club Pilates. New flavors, new combinations, new obsessions. Come see us for something completely new and delicious.

Top review

valenciaVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Delicious, light and seasonal food. Fun and flavorful cocktails. Clean, vibrant environment and perfect location on the Plaza.

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Popular dish

Chicken Sausage

Triune

4.5

4.5 (73)

$31 to $50

American

Kansas City

About the restaurant

Experience fine casual dining in the Kansas City's Westside at its best with TRIUNE, where we emphasize small plates, dinner, brunch, and an invigorating cocktail program. TRIUNE is a true dining destination that engages all your senses: smell, sound, sight, touch, and taste. Our commitment to excellence is evident in every aspect of the dining experience, with a focus on creating lasting memories for each guest who walks through our doors.

Top review

Arielle

Dined 1 day ago

Our experience from start to finish was wonderful. The ambience, vibe and music were perfectly suited for a Saturday evening in KC. It was nice to be able to have a late booking and really enjoy the experience. Kelsey took great care of us and kept the laughs at our table going. She was attentive and not overbearing and always quick witted and very good about recommendations. We tried a few different items on the menu and shared it with our group of 4 and it was a great amount of food for the group. The brussel sprouts, the octopus, meatballs and the scallops were our favorites of the evening. Only item we would not repeat was the cauliflower. Based on how well seasoned all of the other veggies were, that one was a bit lackluster and just bland. The elotes were also a hit, however it would have been MUCH easier to eat and share if the corn was cut off the cob. In addition to the food, we also enjoyed several of the cocktails. We mostly had the seasonal cocktails which were a hit with the table.

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