Night of Fun in Kansas City
You’re ready for a night on the town (with the kids, without the kids, with your friends or a significant other), but you don’t want to spend a lot of time going from place to place in the cold and in a hurry. These venues dish up delicious dinners and fabulous fun for the perfect winter (or any time of year) night out!
Kid-Cool Rock ‘n Roll!
The Doo-Dads at Record Bar (1020 Westport Rd., Kansas City, MO, 816.753.5207, www.TheRecordBar.com. All ages welcome; enjoyed best by elementary age and younger.)
Seven nights a week, the Record Bar hosts live music groups ranging from favorite local artists to national groups. And once a month (typically on the 3rd Friday of each month), the Westport landmark clears the dance floor for Kansas City kids the Doo-Dads, one of our favorite local kids’ rock ‘n roll groups. Parents love the Doo-Dads’ signature throwback sound. The music is not cheesy and campy, but is high-energy rock ‘n roll. At the Record Bar, the music is cranked, and the kids are invited to dance and sing to their favorite group’s sounds (super moms bring ear plugs to protect young ears from the volume) while enjoying the Record Bar’s much-loved pizza, burgers, fries, drinks, appetizers and fresh popcorn!
World Class Art & Fine Dining
Rozzelle Court at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (4525 Oak, Kansas City, MO, 816.751.1ART, www.Nelson-Atkins.org. All ages.)
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is free to visitors year-round and offers one of the finest collections of art in the world. Visiting the galleries is a feast for the eyes and soul. Complete your visit with a meal at the Rozzelle Court, one of the loveliest settings in Kansas City. The restaurant, at the center of the Nelson-Atkins, offers the ambience of a 15th-century Italian courtyard. With live music and a decadent menu, including selections just for children, this is a great choice for special occasions or a nice evening out. Enjoy the art gallery before or after your meal and use the “Nelson-Atkins Scavenger Hunt” on KCParent.com for a custom treasure hunt to add to your fun!
Super Sleuthing!
The Mystery Train of Kansas City (Various local restaurants, www.KCMysteryTrain.com. Recommended for teens and adults.)
If you love to play the game Clue with your family, you’ll love the Mystery Train! The Mystery Train of Kansas City performs interactive mysteries at Kansas City’s finest restaurants. The mysteries are full of humor and clues, each story written as a piece of historical fiction with Kansas City as the backdrop. The fun begins as you arrive and are greeted by the conductor who explains the evening's schedule...this character’s job is to ensure "the train is on time." All guests are provided with "bribe bucks" to be used at their leisure throughout the show in an attempt to extract information from the suspects. The meal is served between each of the four acts of the live interactive mystery, with appetizers, salad, a main dish and dessert. During these interludes, audience interaction is encouraged, and you're able to compare notes with other guests at your table to try to determine the solution to the mystery. If you're looking for a novel idea for your next night out, the Mystery Train may be just the ticket.
A Slice of Magic!
Minsky's Pizza (Live magic at your table, Fridays, 6:00-8:00, at Prairie Village location: 6921 Tomahawk Rd., 913.262.6226. Live magician and balloon artist, Saturdays, 6:00-8:00, Leawood location: 12920 State Line Rd., 913.317.9965, www.Minskys.com. Perfect for all ages.)
Minsky's has been serving gourmet pizza in Kansas City since 1976. Their fresh pizzas are made from scratch with hand-rolled dough topped with generous portions of fresh ingredients. They also make some of the best Buffalo wings in town and offer a gluten-free menu option, as well. Live magicians perform on weekends (see schedule above), dazzling kids with sleight-of-hand tricks. Enjoy Kansas City’s own gourmet pizza and live entertainment—the perfect family night out! TIP: Read Magical Meals for MORE magic acts at Kansas City restaurants all week long!