Dads' Favorite KC Restaurants
With Father’s Day just around the corner it’s time to celebrate dad and all the things he does for your family. Take him out for a meal you all can enjoy together and toast to the man of the hour.
Boy Meets Grill
Dads are known for manning the post behind a sizzling grill on a hot summer night. Give your top chef the night off on Father’s Day and take him out for some barbeque instead. Here are our top picks for barbeque joints.
Arthur Bryants
Arthur Bryant’s has been cooking up ribs for over half a century. Pioneered by the King of Ribs himself, Bryant’s special sauce has been a favorite of presidents, celebrities and hungry dad’s alike. There’s no better place to give your dad the VIP barbeque treatment and with take-home sauces available for purchase, he can try to imitate the master all year round.
1727 Brooklyn Ave. in Kansas City, 816-231-1123
1702 Village West Pkwy. in Kansas City, 913-788-7500
3200 N. Ameristar Dr. in Kansas City, 816-414-7474
Entrées $10 – 20
Jack Stack
Stack your plates high with this Kansas City classic. Choose from a variety of sandwiches and entrees slathered in your choice of sauce and cooked on hickory. Jack Stack’s is a family tradition you’ll want to be a part of.
13441 Holmes Rd in Kansas City, 816-942-9141
9520 Metcalf Ave. in Overland Park, 913-385-7427
101 W 22 St. in Kansas City, 816-472-7427
4747 Wyandotte in Kansas City, 816-541-7427
Entrées $10 – 25
Oklahoma Joe’s
This restaurant may have started on a 24 inch Oklahoma Joe smoker, but with outstanding flavor and booming business, it has far outgrown its roots. The original location adds unique ambiance in its gas station home, but check out either restaurant for always-delicious barbeque.
3002 W 47th in Kansas City, 913-722-3366
11950 S Strang Line Rd. in Olathe, 913-782-6858
Entrées $10 – 20
It’s Amore
You love the man in your family and he loves pizza. Show him you care Italian-style with a big family pie to share. These are the best family joints in town to grab a slice.
d’Bronx
Kansas City captures the essence of a New York City pizzeria in this hometown favorite. Choose from tons of classic toppings on one slice or a whole pie. Still hungry? Chow down on one of d’Bronx thick deli sandwiches.
3904 Bell St in Kansas City, 816-531-0550
2450 Grand Blvd in Kansas City, 816-842-2211
7070 W 105th St in Overland Park, 913-649-1000
Large pie starts at $13.50
Boys and their Toys
Everyone knows a little boy never really grows up, even when he becomes a dad. Let your kid-at-heart play with his own children at one of these restaurants full of fun and games.
Dave & Buster’s
This arcade-restaurant serves up a menu of the best in games from classic to interactive to video. Let everyone in your family unwind with friendly competition, creative cocktails and delicious food including burgers, pasta, seafood, steak and more.
1843 Village West Parkway in Kansas City, 913-981-6815
Entrées from $10 – 25
Crayola Café
Visit the word’s only official Crayola Café where you can dine in every color of the crayon box. Stop in for lunch or dinner with light sandwiches and salads for the adults and classic kid favorites on the little one’s menu. Don’t forget to save room for one of their rich and fun desserts.
Inside the Crown Center, 2450 Grand Blvd in Kansas City, 816-398-4820
Mostly under $10
T-Rex
If you’re not taking the kids to a theme park this year, don’t sweat it, T-Rex has you covered. Dine in prehistoric times when dinosaurs roamed the earth at this interactive restaurant where you learn and play as you eat. You won’t have to chew on any dino-bones, T-Rex offers a variety of selections for herbivores and carnivores alike.
1847 Village West Parkway in Kansas City, 913-334-8888
Most entrées $10 – 25
Buffing Up
Is the dad in your family a macho man? Does he pile his plate as high as he can? Take him to a buffet for Father’s Day where he can fill up and try everything on the menu. Here are our top picks.
Genghis Khan Mongolian Grill
For a unique atmosphere full of local art and photography and delicious foods from all corners of the earth, visit Genghis Khan. Featuring a Mongolian Barbeque buffet, diners can also choose from Chinese-inspired appetizers, entrées and drinks.
3906 Bell St. in Kansas City, 816-753-3600
8634 N. Boardwalk in Kansas City, 816-587-8883
Dinner buffet, $11, most entrées $10 – 20
Sung Son Vietnamese Bistro
If you’re looking to get a little adventurous while piling your plate high, travel east to Vietnam. Here you’ll find tons of delicious choices you may have never had before, and if you find something you aren’t a fan of, just try another dish! Sung Son even offers Chinese food for picky eaters.
4116 Pennsylvania Ave. in Kansas City, 816-931-0670
The Horizons Buffet
Casinos are known for their buffet-style dining, but you don’t have to go to Vegas to find what you’re looking for. Visit The Horizons Buffet at Ameristar Casino which allows eaters to decide between varied choices from spaghetti to tacos to stir-fry.
3200 N. Ameristar Rd. in Kansas City, 816-414-7000
Dinner Buffet $16
Enough to Stuff
Take dad out to dinner and tell him to eat his heart out as you present him with some restaurants that offer the biggest servings for the hungriest of dads.
Em Chamas
Dad will never run out of savory Brazilian grilled meats at this Churrascaria, where slow-roasted cuts of beef, lamb, chicken and pork are skewered and served tableside in continuous service all night. He’ll eat until he’s stuffed and the unique dining experience will be fun for the whole family.
6101 NW 63rd Terrace in Kansas City, 816-505-7100
$36.95 all you can eat
Salty Iguana
If you really want to fill dad up, take him for Mexican. At Salty Iguana, he’ll munch on all the chips and salsa he can take, and rich entrées that are sure to hit the spot. There’s even a Little Lizard Land menu where even the pickiest of kids can find a favorite. At Salty Iguana, it’s big food, little price.
8228 Mission Road in Prairie Village, 913-381-3888
17717 E. 40 Highway in Independence, 816-350-8003
Most entrées under $10
The Melting Pot
At The Melting Pot your meal becomes your own creation as you choose fondue sauces from cheese to oils to chocolates and decide what to dip in them. Dad and the kids can imagine together to create the perfect combinations and keep dreaming until everyone is full. Children will enjoy dining in a different way and adults will love the four-course meal.
450 Ward Parkway in Kansas City 816-931-6358
For fun things to do with Dad in KC this Father's Day, see our Complete Guide!
Taylor Engler is a graduate of Syracuse University with a degree in magazine journalism and a minor in child studies. She lives in Kansas City and is a lifelong babysitter.