Kansas City is NOT boring (restaurants, sightseeing)

When I think back I became real serious about restaurant lists and well known for it when I was made aware of a comment quite a few years ago that Kansas City is too boring a location to have a complex-wide meeting. I developed this little travel guide, the world according to Baskerville as it were on KC and sent it out. After this I began to be looked at for identifying the best places to eat whenever I was on a business trip; sometimes asked about a location even if I was not going to the meeting. So without further adieu here is your travel guide (both restaurants and sightseeing) for KC. Please note I did add a vegetarian section in response to a comment.

Top things to see or do (in no particular order)

• Harry S. Truman Presidential Library, Home, and Farm
• Zoo
• Arabia Steamboat Museum (1850's steamboat sank in the Missouri River, tons of artifacts salvaged, restored, and on display)
• Local Theater (WSJ calls the New Theater Restaurant one of the best Dinner Theaters in the country, American Heartland in Crown Center, and others keep talent in the KC area - the shows are excellent!)
• Liberty Memorial (WWI museum)
• Union Station (restored to 1930’s glory, now has Science City and other attractions with good restaurants – connected to Crown Center via walkway)
• Professional soccer (indoor and outdoor)
• Professional baseball
• Professional football
• Nelson Art Gallery
• Crown Center
• Plaza
• Alexander Majors House (he founded Pony Express)
• Lyric Opera
• Gambling on River Boat Casinos
• more multiplex cinema houses than you would believe
• Missouri Town
• Kansas City Museum
• Toy and Miniature Museum

Here are the best places to eat (in no particular order)

Best BBQ - anyplace in town but the most authentic is Bryant's at 1727 Brooklyn and Jack’s Stack’s menu includes lamb and fish.

Best Steak - Hereford House, Majestic

Best Filet - Main Street Inn in Grandview

Best Mexican - Manny's or any place on Southwest Blvd. for authentic Mexican, but it is not New Mexican, it is Mexican.

Best Italian - Il Trullo, Lidia’s, Carmen’s, Milanos, Garozzo’s

Best Breakfast – Corner Café (local) or First Watch (chain)

Best Chicken Fried Steak - Stroud's

Best pan fried chicken - Stroud's

Best Sunday Brunch – Peppercorn Duck Club

Best Desserts – Andre’s (local) or Chocolate Bar at Peppercorn Duck Club (local) or Cheesecake Factory (chain)

Best Reuben - Pumpernick's

Best Pizza - D'Bronx

Best Mashed Potatoes - RCs

Best Salmon Patties - Family Cabin

Best French Restaurant - Tatsu's

Best German Restaurant - Rheinland

Best Chinese – Genghis Khan’s Mongolian Grill at 39th & Bell (local) or PF Changs (chain)

Best Mongolian BBQ – Genghis Khan’s Mongolian Grill at 39th & Bell

Best Seafood – Bristol (local) or McCormick & Schmicks (chain) or Bonefish (chain)

Best "joint" – Main Street Inn in Grandview MO

Best upscale – 40 Sardines

Best Tenderloin sandwich – Main Street Inn in Grandview MO

Best sport’s bar – Nick & Jakes

Best vegetarian – Bluebird Bistro (local) or Sweet Tomato’s (chain)

This is a lot to absorb so I'll summarize the things to do and places to eat for you.

Overall Top things to do

Truman Library

Steamboat Arabia

Zoo

Plaza

Nelson Art Gallery

Crown Center/Union Station

Liberty Memorial

Overall Top places to eat

Tatsu's

Bryant's

Main Street Inn

Stroud's

Il Trullo

Rheinland

Lidia’s

40 Sardines

Jack’s Stack

I know I probably left out some places to see or eat, but these are my personal favorites, others may have differing opinions, especially on BBQ

YMMV