124173 Wed Jun 01 23:03:31 -0700 2005 24 8 Midwest 0 674400 We are looking for affordable local restaurants in Kansas City. We've been to lots of wonderful EXPENSIVE restaurants, but would like something a bit cheaper for the everyday meal! Does anyone have any brilliant ideas? Wed Jun 01 23:03:31 -0700 2005 0 Katie 1 674403 One of the best restaurants in my neighborhood is Room 39. You can spend under $12 for a very good lunch. Room 39 is on the south side of West 39th between Genessee and Bell. Thu Jun 02 07:41:03 -0700 2005 674400 0 sumac 2 674407 Goodness! That's my neighborhood, too, and I'm on 39th all the time and I don't ever recall a Room 39. Is it new? If so, where is it? In the space previously occupied by either Porter's Market or Muddy's Coffeehouse? Those are the only two places I can think of on the south side of 39th between Genessee and Bell that weren't occupied. Can you enlighten us about this place? What kind of cuisine? Thu Jun 02 09:57:19 -0700 2005 674403 0 KC-Jane 3 674411 Room 39 is awesome! I have been there 4 or 5 times and it is always great. Pot pie in Westport is good also. I don’t know if you mind bars but Downing’s on Rainbow Has really good Hambugers. Thu Jun 02 10:22:15 -0700 2005 674407 0 Chris 4 674433 I haven't done Room 39 yet, but I hear nothing but good. It's lunch-only, though. At night, they rent it out for private parties. One of my clients had a wedding rehearsal dinner there for around 30 dollars per person, including wine! Thu Jun 02 17:18:23 -0700 2005 674411 0 Rattail 3 674429 Room 39 is indeed where Muddy's was. It's very good. Thu Jun 02 16:00:26 -0700 2005 674407 0 sumac 1 674408 The city's full of inexpensive good restaurants. Uusally when folks want "everyday meals" they want to be fairly close to home or work. In what part of town would you be needing recommendations? What ethnic fare interests you? Thu Jun 02 10:00:53 -0700 2005 674400 0 KC-Jane 2 674419 We live in Overland Park, but we like to venture out too. We feel like everything around us is a chain restaurant, so we're hoping for some insight! Thu Jun 02 11:45:24 -0700 2005 674408 0 Katie 3 674447 In OP, check out Cucina del Puerco, 91st and Metcalf. New owners, cleaner and still the same great food. Lunches top out at about $8. Dragon Inn in downtown OP can't be beat for cheap Chinese. Fri Jun 03 10:13:47 -0700 2005 674419 0 chileheadmike 4 674461 I love Osteria Il Centro at 51st and Main for delicious fresh Italian. Nothing's over $16. Great seafood ravioli, pasta in gorgonzola sauce with Italian bacon, etc. No reservations and the place is small, so I prefer weeknights. They're open for dinner only. Fri Jun 03 23:01:45 -0700 2005 674447 0 Rattail 5 674838 How long of a wait should I be prepared for on a Thursday night for 2? Thanks, Frank Tue Jun 21 01:13:38 -0700 2005 674461 0 Frank 1 674428 I grew up in Overland Park, and though I don't live there anymore, I visit frequently, and I feel your culinary pain! It seems like Johnson County is chain-restaurant hell, but there are lots and lots of great options. There are several good places not far from you on 135th Street, between State Line and Holmes, an area called Martin City. 135th Street Barbecue, on the south side of the street, is incredibly reasonable and is a family-owned BBQ joint that's been around since at least the 1960s. Wonderful 'cue; I'm partial to the the sliced pork. And their cole slaw is amazing. Around the corner on Holmes is a branch of Margarita's, a popular and very reasonable Mexican place that has several K.C. locations, including the original on Southwest Boulevard. A bit pricier but still a far cry better than any southern Johnson Couty chain are Jess & Jim's Steakhouse and R.C.'s, both on 135th in Martin City. Not earth-shattering cuisine, but down-home Midwestern fare. But frankly, if I were in Martin City, I'd skip those places and go to 135th Street BBQ or Margarita's, depending on my craving. In Westport, you must try Thai Place if you like Thai food. Also quite reasonable, especially their lunch specials. Just south of Westport Road on Pennsylvania. Downtown Overland Park has also experienced something of a renaissance lately, with several local coffee shops and a fantastic Brazilian restaurant, of all things, on 83rd Street (I think) just west of Metcalf. It's on the same street as the Rio Theater. Great, authentic Brazilian cuisine in Overland Park, of all places! There's also a pretty good red-sauce Italian restaurant called Villa Capri that's been in the same location on Metcalf at about 85th Street since the late 1950s (again, I'm not totally sure of the cross street, but it's right on the corner on Metcalf with parking in the back -- and there's a great local donut shop right next door that you MUST check out as well.) I'm sure you'll get lots of other suggestions, so don't despair -- there are really good eats to be found not far from home. Thu Jun 02 15:25:23 -0700 2005 674400 0 Lou 2 674434 Villa Capri was originally on 80th just a tiny hop west of Santa Fe. It was the hangout for my high school group after games in the '60s, and it was one of my little daughter's favorite places in the late '70s. They moved over to Metcalf in the late '70s or early '80s and Red Dragon Chinese moved into their old spot. Thu Jun 02 18:59:02 -0700 2005 674428 0 KC-Jane 3 674435 Ooops, in thinking about it, Villa Capri may have moved a bit earlier than that to Metcalf. But I know they were on 80th for sure when I returned to KC in 1971. But now my feeble brain in kind of thinking Villa Capri may have had the two locations simultaniously. Hmmmmm. By the way, is Red Dragon still in downtown OP and in the Corinth area near Mission Road? Thu Jun 02 19:19:16 -0700 2005 674434 0 KC-Jane 4 674436 I believe it's called the Dragon Inn. The original is still in downtown O.P., and there's a second location in Corinth (where the late, great Putsch's Cafeteria was located for many years). The Dragon Inn serves fine, reasonable Cantonese. Thu Jun 02 19:45:17 -0700 2005 674435 0 Lou 5 674442 Good grief. Memory betraying me tooooo much lately! Thanks for the correction from Red Dragon to Dragon Inn. Yes! Yes! That's it! I was writing that past as I was dashing out of the house and didn't have my act together! Thanks! They do a really decent job. If my swiss cheese memory is working right this morning, I believe Dragon Inn is (or was originally) owned by cousins of Richard of Bo Lings. Before he opened his first restaurant, he worked at Dragon Inn. That was long, long ago. Fri Jun 03 07:37:35 -0700 2005 674436 0 KC-Jane 2 674438 Lou- Thanks for all the great suggestions... I'm sure we will try some of them soon! We have found a couple that we like... Golden Leaf at 119th and Roe and La Cocina Del Puerco at Metcalf and I think 91st, but other than that, everything has been pretty expensive, so I'm excited to try your suggestions! Thanks again! Keep em' coming if you or anyone else thinks of more ideas! Thu Jun 02 22:44:28 -0700 2005 674428 0 Katie 1 674450 The middle eastern place on westport rd, next to matsu's can't think of the name now, is good and priced good. I tried Grinders the other day not really my cup of tea. It's hard to find good solid local food, I really don't know much about the Ks side. there's always D' Bronx haven't been to Rm 39 yet have to give it a try! Good Luck Fri Jun 03 12:36:19 -0700 2005 674400 0 Tom 1 674469 Katie - I haven't had a chance to make a little list until now so I hope you're still reading this thread. Though I lived in Johnson County for eons, I don't get out there very often anymore, but when I do, there are a few affordable places I always like visiting. Thai 2000 on Shawnee Mission Parkway (it will always be 63rd Street to me!) east of Nieman Road in Shawnee. The original Thai Place on Santa Fe west of Antioch in Overland Park. Ruchi (Indian) in the Shannon Valley Shops on the southwest corner of Antioch and College Blvd. El Caribe on 87th west of Quivira in Lenexa. Lucky Brewgrill on Johnson Drive east of Nall in Mission. You can get some very affordable meals and pizzas at Il Trullo on the northwest corner of 91st and Metcalf in Overland Park. The same family also runs an "economy" Italian counter service place on Martway west of Lamar in Mission. Though I'm not normally a chain fast food fan, I'll take a Backyard Burger anywhere I can get it, especially the Black & Bleu Burger, with a nice grilled Black Angus burger and lots of bleu cheese. Sat Jun 04 09:15:49 -0700 2005 674400 0 KC-Jane 2 674470 Good suggestions, Jane. And also by Lucky Brewgrill is the Claret Club, which has lots of delicious food and fresh, filling appetizers. McCoy's Public House in Westport makes a lot of great meals at fair prices. Sat Jun 04 09:21:37 -0700 2005 674469 0 Rattail 3 674475 Is the Claret Club across Johnson Drive from Lucky's? If so, it's been there for years, hasn't it? Gosh, I didn't know they served food. Thought they were a dance club! Thanks for the tip. Oh, and I forgot one I wanted to mention -- Mr. Gyro on Metcalf about 87th Street (or is it 85th?). Heck, I hadn't even started on Westport! LOL Yes, McCoy's in Westport (Westport Road at Pennsylvania) does a good job. I love those spelt rolls! Across the street from McCoy's is Jerusalem Cafe and they also have another shop on Westport Road a tad west of Roanoke. Over on Westport's 39th Street Restaurant Row, I'm fond of d'Bronx, Saigon 39, and Fric & Frac. In fact, Fric & Frac has some good cheap eats -- 1/2 price appetizers during happy hour most days (you can make a whole meal of their appetizers) and nightly special deals after 6:30 most nights. Like 2-for-1 burgers, discounted decent steak or fried shrimp dinners, etc. Three tacos for about $1.25 or $1.35 on Saturdays until the run out (usually available until late afternoon). Bottomless Pepsi. A funky place for people watching, too. Sat Jun 04 10:52:08 -0700 2005 674470 0 KC-Jane 4 674489 I think the Claret Club is almost next door to Lucky Brewgrille. The food is terrific. I agree about Fric & Frac as well. They also have a great shrimp dinner on Thursday and Friday nights, $8.95 for a dozen large breaded shrimp, salad and potato. Mon Jun 06 04:21:28 -0700 2005 674475 0 Rattail 4 674490 I think the Claret Club is almost next door to Lucky Brewgrille. The food is terrific. I agree about Fric & Frac as well. They also have a great shrimp dinner on Thursday and Friday nights, $8.95 for a dozen large breaded shrimp, salad and potato. Mon Jun 06 04:23:13 -0700 2005 674475 0 Rattail 2 674486 Jane- Thank you for all the fun new places to try... we are very excited to try all the places recommended! We have been to Il Trullo and loved it! I was feeling so disheartened by the restaurant scene before I found this website, and now I'm itching to try again! I will post when we try one of your recommendations! Thanks! Sun Jun 05 23:51:36 -0700 2005 674469 0 Katie 1 674863 one of our favorites is cupini's, just east of westport and stateline. they have great italian, pasta, pizza, panini and unbelievable desserts. they've just recently opened a small market next door and a new location downton, at 12th and walnut. another of our favorites is pot pie on westport road, which is only about 2 yr old. haven't had their pot pie (heard they weren't great), but their pan roasted chicken is on the same level as cafe zuni, in san francisco. they also have seafood dishes that change often and are very good. Tue Jun 21 14:02:47 -0700 2005 674400 0 mpollmann