My bestie and I had a blast here the other day for Lunch. Â Yes, I was using another of my expired Groupons. Â It is convenient to where I work and we waited until after the lunch rush, around 1pm to stroll in for a quick dine! Â Greeted by a nice fellow and a server directed us to a table. Â I like the ambience of the place, kind of hip, casual, interesting...I ordered the Bourgeois Pig pulled pork tamale (should be tamal...tamal is singular..) with chorizo with two eggs, refried beans. Â Absolutely delectable. Â had a little salad with it too which was kind of nice. Â I would like to go back again and try some of the other things, maybe go for happy hour to see who's cocktailing as I rather like the location and the ambience. Â Anyhoo, my dish was delish. Â I'll be back.
Review Source:Nyet. I've been here several times for lunch, dinner, and parties. Let's start with the positive:
It is separated into two halves: One has the main dining room and bar, while the other one is their event space, dining area, and bar. They can rock the music rather loud in the event space area. It's pretty useful when having an event, so the rest of the dining room isn't bothered too much. They have interesting looking menu items and the price is reasonable.
What I don't like:
Their bartenders tend to be awful rude, don't care to make suggestions of drinks for you, and are dismissive. When events are held in the other room, the music is way too loud for conversation even if someone is right next to you and within "kissing" distance. Turn it down, dude!
The place is rather empty, yet twice I've been asked if I had reservations, said no, and greeted with a dismissive huff and then seated at the bar instead of a table. I've tried their entrees as well as the mix n match and have been disappointed each time. The flavors don't mesh well and end up being too sweet or tangy and hardly edible. When sat at the bar (where no one else is), we expected good service. The bar tender was nice enough serving us food, but disappeared for very long stretches and didn't check in on us. Aren't bartenders supposed to tend to bars? Where did he go???!!!????
So, why should I come back for meh food, dismissive staff, and parties so loud we can't communicate with anyone? I shouldn't! Cyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Nica.
First time reviewer, but felt obliged to write given my poor experience. Went to Nica's for a happy hour to catch up with friends, sat down next to the bar and tables and ordered drinks. We looked at the menu and were going to order a bunch of the happy hour specials (which appeared to be tasty) and were informed that #1 we couldn't order happy hour in the chairs NEXT to the bar (so close to the bar you could breathe on the neck of someone saddled up to the bar), #2 that the seats at the bar were RESERVED for some other group (I can't remember the last time seats at a bar were reserved), #3 that we could sit out in the patio to receive the special (it was raining and about 40 degrees) and #4, the kicker, that the "VIBE" from our "TABLE WASN"T SENDING OFF POSITIVE ENERGY." I'm not so sure how the restaurant business works, but evaluating someone's aura doesn't seem like a normal thing to happen. I kind of laughed because I was so dumbfounded by the experience. I would have given the place the benefit of the doubt and attributed the strange experience to a waiter/waitress under some sort of chemically-induced vision quest, but our aura analysis was performed by the actual owner of the restaurant.
If you look at other reviews, sounds like food is ok enough but service leaves much to be desired. Hope this is helpful.
Confrontational owners. Â Our table of 7 was out for a birthday and had questions about happy hour. Â For some strange reason they do happy hour at the bar but don't offer it in the dining room. Â Never been to a bar that does this, but not a big deal if the service and food are good. Â Owners started loudly arguing with us rather than politely answering our questions (guess that's too much to ask). Â Didn't make it to the food. Â Plenty of other great bars in the area though. Â Unsurprisingly, the place was pretty deserted at happy hour. Â Won't be back.
Review Source:I would give this place less than one star if I could. Â We came with a party of 8 for a friends birthday. Â We ordered drinks and attempted to order appetizers (why someone would turn us down from ordering appetizers I have no clue). Â We could apparently only order them at the bar which was full. Â We asked to speak to the manager. Â A lady came out in pajamas and disheveled hair with her husband and was EXTREMELY rude. Â Since we are all physicians and were appalled at her unprofessionalism, I reminded her that her she is in an industry of service. Â At this point we had had enough, and I told her that we would be taking our party elsewhere. Â She said "thank you" and stormed off. Â Save yourself the gas money. Â I'd rather eat out of a trash can.
Review Source:We tried this for the first time last night. I enjoyed it. Â I ordered the Strawberry Fields for a drink. It was ok, but tasted a little cough syrupy, I probably wouldn't order it again. But they do have a nice selection of specialty drinks and absinthe that I would try.
I had the Sinfire for dinner. I love rissoto, so that was where my eyes wondered first and I was immediately intrigued by the unique ingredients (apple pie moodshine onions, cherries, candied walnuts and pork belly). I was a little scared that it would be way too sweet, but ooo it was good. The flavors were perfectly balanced and complimented the pork belly surprisingly well. The pork belly itself was a bit on the dry side, but it was still pretty good.
Guys, If you want to impress your date this would be a place to considered. The service was good and the ambiance was nice, quiet and casual, but still intimate and romantic. Â It is a bit pricey, plan to spend at least 20 dollars for an entree. But it's good and she will be impressed that you didn't take her to one of the million chain restaurants all the other boys take her to. :) Â Â I will definitely be going back , there were a few other things I wanted to try and I REALLY want to check our their brunch.
Before I visited Nica's for the first time, I heard over and over about the mac & cheese. Â Get the mac & cheese - it's the best in town! Â Have you tried the mac & cheese yet? Â Over and over. Â Well, I guess I'm a rebel because I finally went to Nica's and I DID NOT GET THE MAC & CHEESE. Â Sorry, everyone.
But you know what? Â It doesn't matter because Nica's weekend brunch is so good that I'm considering giving up eating the 4 days of the week that they aren't open for breakfast. Â I had the Mr. Bacon omlette because, you know, bacon! Â It was light, fluffy, packed with delicious bacon and served atop a piece of toasted focaccia bread (a surprise because apparently my eyes glazed over after I read about the bacon and I didn't notice it on the menu). Â A perfect omlette, and the green salad it came with was a nice palate cleanser.
Next up: cornmeal pancake! Â Seriously, why haven't I ever eaten a cornmeal pancake before? Â I had it with pralines and caramel sauce, and if I hadn't stuffed myself with my friend Mr. Bacon, I would have ordered three more. Â I can't wait to try some of the other preparations on the menu.
Finally, beignets. Â Oh dear God, beignets. Â I'm pretty skeptical of anything outside New Orleans that calls itself a beignet. Â I've been let down before, people. Â But Nica's nails it with their classic, piping hot, powdered-sugar dusted deliciousness. Â Hands down the best one I've had outside the French Quarter. Â We also tried the chocolate hazelnut-filled one, which was wonderful but the plain one was so good that honestly, that'll probably be my go-to.
I feel like brunch here will be my weekend thing now, especially since it's walking distance from my apartment. Â YUM.
I finally made it to Nica's 320 and I'm very glad I did! Â I loved that I was made to feel right at home from the moment I stepped in the door. Â I decided to sit at the bar since I was alone for an early dinner. Â I had the BBQ Sesame Salmon Salad, it was PERFECT, candied walnuts, sun-dried cherries! The bar mistress Cris impressed me with her attentiveness to every detail. Â I will definitely go back!
Review Source:Dark little boulevard secret (formerly Shiraz) that shouldn't be for long. Word is going to get out about this place and I'll have to find a new place to trumpet. 'Till then...
I want to brag about the whiskey and scotch menu. They have flights of different tastes and structures. Seriously! Sweet and smooth was the path I took recently and loved it. Weird flavors but well worth the sampling. When you are finished, they have you fill out a survey, ID your favorite sample and then, at the end of the month, they perform a drawing and if your name is selected, you get a free bottle of the whiskey you selected as your favorite. It's enough to merit repeat visits... hourly! (*grin)
Second visit. Really like the atmosphere. It's warm yet modern with great music. Menu is slightly confusing and busy, but everything we have ordered has been really good. Some of the Risotto dishes are blended with too many powerful complex flavors for my simple pallet (Tried many that our party ordered). The Menage a Trois small plate is my favorite appetizer in KC with beer or wine. The bar is long with plenty of room. Good happy hour as well. On my two visits, the Staff has been outstanding. This will be a 2 times a month location for us.
Review Source:We've now been back to Nica's several more times and every time we are so glad we went. Â We have yet to have a disappointing trip. Â We've gone for brunch and dinner and both are awesome (as long as they have the caramel sauce, all will be right in the world). Â
First up, the service has been fantastic every trip. Â The servers are personable, knowledgeable, and very attentive.
Second, the food is always excellent. Â The menu has changed a bit since the first time we went and isn't as confusing as it once was. Â There are lots of choices and an endless set of combinations you could come up with. Â Of the new things we've tried, the Stewed appetizer is EXCELLENT. Â It's like a hearty italian stew that will warm the inner regions of your cold, dead heart. Â Very tasty. Â I've taken to getting the Mac & Cheese done my way, with any number of combos of additions. Â Basically you start with a delicious batch of creamy, oozy Mac & cheese and then add delicious bits to it. Â Hard to screw that up. Â My boyfriend has fallen in love with the Thai Me Up, which is chicken in a thai BBQ sauce, i believe and comes with mac & cheese. Â He loves it and I've tried it as well and agree it is very tasty. Â Last trip we tried some potato cake thingamijig of an appetizer that had this maple butter something on it and shrimp that was excellent.
Seriously, this place is a great place for a nice meal. Â It's a little on the pricier side, but nothing like some of the higher end places in town (for a meal that would be every bit or more satisfying). Â It has become our favorite place to eat in Kansas City and we will be back many, many more times.
Love this place. Â Great service and atmosphere. Â It is pricey... The Mac and cheese is kind of crazy priced. Â Had a groupon and got some happy hour and was charged for artichokes even though it clearly said 2 ingredients were included. Â The menu is definitely confusing and hard
To navigate. Â I love love love their desserts... Their apple fritter alone is enough reason to go.
Quiet, dark, romantic, fancy food. Â Perfect for date night, but their happy hour makes for a great spot for bellying up to the bar with your friends. Â The drinks (even the wells) are high quality and plentiful and with 2 for 1 happy hour specials, you're sure to get out for less than a mint! Cris is a very helpful, friendly, personable, competent bartender. Â All the staff were friendly and attentive. Â Felt like the type of place where after a few visits they call you by name.
The reviews all raved about their mac n cheese and it's part of the happy hour special so I HAD to try it - fully expecting to be let down by the huge hype. Â BELIEVE THE HYPE! Â That mac n cheese was amazing and with the over 30 mixins you could have it every day for a year and never have the exact same combination (I didn't do the math on this, but there are TONS of combos!)
As I said, the staff are awesome, the food is top quality and creative, the happy hour specials are great and they last until 7 pm, and they have many gluten free options and creative menu items - I'll definitely be back.
My only warning is that the full menu, non happy hour, is really quite expensive. Â I'm a frugal person so I personally can't justify spending $30 on a pizza or mac n cheese (the mixins are priced ala cart -they can add up fast), even if it's the best in the world. Â But I will certainly be taking advantage of their happy hour specials!
The reviews also stated the beignets were great. Â I found them to be too heavy, but hey, how bad can a fried donut rolled in powdered sugar be? Â Not that bad!
Bought a  Groupon and took our newly minted 21 year old daughter out to dinner. We arrived early and our table wasn't ready, so we enjoyed the end of happy hour at the bar. They have great happy hour drink and food specials. We decided to try the Mac & cheese at the bar since we had read so much about it (and it was only $7). The bartender recommended candied jalapeño and andouille sausage - let's just say... amazing!
We were seated and had a great waiter who helped us navigate the menu. We shared three dishes: tamales (bourgeois pig and I am Smokey) , a flatbread and ranchero wok noodles. It was a pleasant surprise that the meals all included an organic greens salad. The food was all really good and different than the typical restaurant. My only concern is that it is a very wide variety of flavors thrown out there at once; consider what you order if you are sharing!
This place had a cool vibe. Would definitely suggest getting there for a bit of happy hour; a great way to check out the menu on the cheap!
First time visit. Went for dinner on a Friday night. Arrived fairly early, 6pm'ish and the place was not busy at all. However, by the time we left 8pm'ish it was packed. It is a very quaint and cozy atmosphere but yet still new and edgy. The menu is very fusionistic meaning they don't have just one type of food but many different variances  of Mexican, Cajun, American all in an eclectic way and done so very well.
Suggestion...if ordering bar drinks then order two at once or flag the waitstaff earlier because the bar service is extremely slow. Â The food service was okay and we did not have an issue.
Overall, very good place and we'll be back.
Nica's confuses me.
Sometimes, I really think I enjoy it, but others, I'm left with a hefty bill and a wide uncertainty that my money could have been put to better use elsewhere.
For example, the last time I went, it was really pretty decent. I had some sort of Cajun pizza creation with shrimp and crawfish and other things that Gatsby never ate. It was outstanding, even though I'm not the world's biggest olive tapenade fan.
The time before that, I went with a large group, drank absinthe, ordered some sort of sliders appetizer and had a Vinnie Barbarino sandwich. It had some pepperonis and some ham and a thick red sauce, and it too was largely forgettable. (And I'm fairly certain it's not a thing anymore.)
And therein lies the rub: A) This menu is horribly confusing to navigate in the best of times, and B) after some absinthe, it's like reading Finnegan's Rainbow while fighting through a migraine. Â
It changes weekly, it seems, keeping you from ever truly finding a "favorite," and the costs make it somewhat prohibitive.
Hey, I've heard their mac and cheese is the BEST, Jerry, the BEST! So let's get it, but let's add candied jalapenos and mushrooms, and because we're not pussies, let's add some chorizo and smoked bacon. CONGRATS, you've just ordered a mac and cheese bowl that costs $19.95!
Seriously. The mac and cheese itself starts at $8.95, and the veggie add-ins are $2.00 each. The meats? $3.50. And if you're some kind of masochist who wants seafood, be prepared to shell out $5 for crawfish tails or $8.50 for lobster.
Again, lobster chunks that are MIXED IN to your noodle dish.
Yikes.
I guess there's something to be said about a restaurant ambitious enough to give you Thai, Italian and Cajun options.
I just don't know that those things to be said are good ones.
@StanfordWhistle
My little sister and I rolled out of bed on a very hungover Sunday two weeks ago (no one should be sold FourLoko after the age of 22). We wanted food. Lots of food. Because good decisions are my forte, I limited all brunch options to places with a full bar, but we had to avoid Westport...we had done enough damage there the previous night. Fate (and Yelp) brought us to Nica's.
This place feels cozy while also maintaing an edge. It has a very New Orleans feel to it without all the dumb beads & fleur de lis. The abundance of bengiets & crawfish on the menu confirms that the people responsible for this place have done serious time in NOLA.
To quench my thirst for irony, I ordered a Death in the Afternoon (absinthe, champagne, sugar cube). Â It was perfection, and aided a hangover Hemingway would be proud of. Sis and I ordered omelettes, which were ginormous, and accompanied by a side salad with a tasty Thai dressing. Since I can't seem to quit carbs (or is it the carbs that can't quit me?), I also indulged in a white chococlate chip cornbread pancake. Just one!! SO good, fluffy, and had the flavor of cornbread without the gritty texture.
The service was fantastic. Our guy had a dry sense of humor that was right up my alley. As a fellow soldier in the service industry, I appreciate when the waitstaff is just honest, and acts like a real person and not a goofy smile machine. He asked if my sister and I had called earlier to ask when they stopped serving brunch (I had), and informed us that they had been holding off on starting the dinner menu until we had arrived and ordered! Talk about above and beyond, it had us feeling very special.
Why not 5 stars? The menu is too cluttered with choose your own adventure dishes. With so many options, it could be hours before I'm ready to order. I don't have that kind of time, you guys. Regardless, I can't wait to return here for dinner sometime.
I've been to Nica's twice for brunch now and have somewhat mixed feelings about it. First, their drinks and drink options are fantastic. Something for everyone.
The decor is warm, woody and welcoming, except for the clowns.There are clowns hanging everywhere. Nothing creepier really than a flock of clowns ready to dive bomb unsuspecting diners.
The menu is ambitious and creative, which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. I've tried items I really liked and then items that made me cringe a little. Points for creative combinations, but maybe they need slightly stronger execution or refinement.
The beignets are super.
Had a great brunch here. They have a cool artsy vibe that's part bar part restaurant. I really liked their style of cornbread pancakes that tasted airy, yet not fluffy (hard to describe, but worth getting). I also liked heir style of omelette because it came with a piece of focaccia bread kinda in it. That was a great way to cut down on the overwhelming amount of egg that usually stops me from finishing my dish. Our service was excellent with an attentive and very knowledgeable waiter. Another group across the way ordered some special morning cocktail and I overheard the waiter describing the ingredients, but also why they chose them to blend together. It was great to hear someone that's just not quoting the menu, but really explaining it. I'd definitely come back here for another brunch, but also interested in their dinner service now also.
Review Source:I have been once to this place for brunch....and will go back. There was much to love about their menu. Good gawd, they have Nutella on the menu. Like a moth to a sweater, any cafe offering Nutella automatically starts at a near-love experience for me. I mean, if you have Nutella, in my mind....you don't need much more than a bit of oxygen and you have a life fully lived. But I digress.
My companion and I ordered what we hoped would be great brunch options. Both had a big slice of bread shoved under them. An omelet sitting on a slice of French bread. What the heck is that? It was good, if you pushed the bread aside.
Service was awesome. Even with TVs up high and turned on, I still liked the vibe of the place. I loved the location. I loved that they have Nutella. I said that, right? We had the basic beignets, and they were good. Next time, I'll try the chocolate... that is if I don't get the Nutella-whatever-is-on-the-menu. Did I already say that?
I am going back. I am giving them a second chance. My hopes are high. And I would encourage them to lose the bread under their omelets. For realz.
Just got back from dinner here. Â They're normally closed Monday, but they were open for Christmas Eve. Â We have a few picky eaters in our family, and this place was great for them (and the rest of us too). Â The build your own pizzas and mac and cheeses were great, especially for my sister and cousin who aren't very adventurous when it comes to food, though in my cousin's defense she is only 4.
It was definitely tough deciding what to eat. Â So many things sounded interesting and then on top of that, you can customize so much. Â I loved all the different styles they included on their menu: Cajun, Thai, Italian, etc. Â There's definitely something for everyone here.
If you come here, be sure to get a beignet, a type of French pastry. Â They're fabulous. Â I recommend the chocolate hazelnut one. Â They're made fresh and served hot with a generous amount of powdered sugar. Â I probably could have eaten 12.
There wasn't a single thing in this place that I didn't like, from the decor to the music and last but definitely not least the food.
My office building decided to hold our holiday get together here since it's veg and gluten friendly. Â The service is quick and friendly and our server in particular had a sense of humour which is always a plus in my book. Â
My husband and I ordered the Sweet Potatoes Frites and Slip & Slide from their small plates menu as well as a margherita pizza. Â Our friends ordered the Cheech & Chong and the Toadstool. Â
I don't know if I have the words to describe their sweet potato fries accurately enough except that it was the best fries of the sweet potato variety I've ever had. Â It comes with three dipping sauces: Â a creamy aioli, a banana sauce and regular ketchup. Â I couldn't stop dipping in the aioli and the banana sauce was very interesting.
The Slip & Slide was a trio of sliders made from chicken, pork and a mixture of italian sausage and pepperoni. Â The italian and pork won over my mouth. Â The pork especially was tangy, sweet and spicy and downright gorgeous.
Their pizza was tasty with artichokes and whole roasted garlic cloves. Â
I also decided to try what they called a Storm in a Cup. Â Which was essentially black currant tea with dried jasmine pearls floating in it. Â You can watch the jasmine unfold as it steeps and it was beautifully delicious. Â
The entire time you can sit and listen to great jazz and oldies. Â I love this place so hard and will definitely be coming back as often as I can.
I am a fan, Yelp, you're right! The first time I went I had breakfast sliders and they were delish. Â We had a large group and sat at the bar and the service was exceptional. - The bartender/server was a brunette gal that calls you babe :-)
The second time I went in for just coffee and beignets. They were both amazing, but the service was just ehhhhh... Big tall guys had a case of the hum-drums, but the other servers more than made up for it.
If you haven't gone - this is a hidden gem!
I can't believe I haven't written a review on Nica's  I have been here three different times and had a different experience each time. So going here as many times as I have I can't give it less than four stars as I obviously like something about it, right. The atmosphere is very cool with a red and black montage of Tim Burton - Jack Skellington like characters that makes for a fun and artsy place. The first time I went was strictly for drinks, and by drinks I mean was in a big beer only kick, and they definitely had a good selection of craft beers and many I have never heard of.
The second time I went was for dinner and got ordered a Thai dish that had caramelized onions and they accidentally caramelized the onions in salt rather than sugar. I pushed them off and the dish was still very tasty, but still salty. The server took care of us for the mistake and we returned because the food leaves you wanting to try other dishes. There are so many unique options including mostly Thai and spicy options (two of my favorite) and "Create-Your-Own Mac and Cheeses that I had to go back.
We have always had the same server each time we have gone and had the same guy last time. Usually he is outstanding and easy going and ready to give any drink or meal suggestions. He must have been having a bad day as he treated us very crudely and like we were wasting his time. He made up for it by giving us free and DELICIOUS bread pudding.
Every time I think my trip to Nica's is my last they totally redeem themselves and I always go back. I will, most likely, continue to do so as well.
Came to Nica's 320 on a whim one night to check it out. Â I was very pleasantly surprised!! Â The menu is different and eclectic which goes well with their decor. Â Its modern and upbeat with a kind of Orleans jazz feel to it. Â I enjoyed the Mac N'Cheese with Thai chicken and veggies. Â The way the menu works is that you can put things together like pick and choose ingredients. Â The bartender (who was awesome!) told me the weirder ingredients I choose, the better the m&c will be. Â He was right! It was awesome!
They have a lot to offer for brunch and lunch as well. Â Not just food, the drinks are wonderful! I recommend the bloody mary's! Best I have had in town! Their beignets come with your meal and I have no words. Â Your salivating mouth will answer that one for you!
Thanks Nica's for being there for the crossroads kc district! And having many napkins on hand! Cheers!
Overpriced for Dinner.
Those with Coulrophobia beware- clown dolls are used as decoration, one is freaky.
Went with my wife to use a Groupon for Dinner and heard good things about Brunch. I got the Dr. John Risotto and my wife got the Sinfire. Both were decent but without the Groupon I wouldn't pay that much for either. Â The portions are large and you could probably split a risotto between two and get small plate to start. We both enjoyed the chocolate hazelnut beignets for dessert and will probably inspire us to return to try their brunch menu.
Only two stars because of unprofessional, overly casual service.  My wife received a flippant answer to a question  she  posed to our waiter.  His service bordered on rude.
Our party is comprised of 60 somethings so I just assumed this place was for a much younger clientele. Â Food was so so and a little overpriced. Â None in our group voiced a desire to return.
The last time I was here was at the YEE last year before Nica's 320 opened to the public. Â Now I finally came back to try this place out.
My friend was in town so we came here for dinner around 7pm. Â It wasn't busy but I don't know if it was always like that during that time. Â There was a band playing in the room in the back and our waitress said bands played there sporadically. Â Nica's had the Front Flip QR code where you download the Front Flip app on your Android or iPhone and scratch to win. Â I actually got $10 off my dinner so that was sweet.
I was looking at the Mix N Match section of the menu and the Build Your Own Creation. Â Since I remembered the Mac N Cheese at the YEE was good, I decided to order Mac N Cheese ($8.95), added Spinach (additional $2 per vegetable added), and Jerk Steak (additional $3.50 per meat). Â There were other options as well. Â
The salad we got was okay and really nothing special. Â Our food came out shortly after and my friend's food (Voluptuous Vegan ($14.95)) looked like a pretty big portion. Â My Mac N Cheese, on the other hand, looked like a small portion. Â The Jerk Steak was delicious and Mac N Cheese and Spinach were good. Â I was pretty full when I finished so I totally underestimated the portion. Â I was tempted to get the beignets for dessert but I was too full.
Good food and I'll have to come back to try something else.
One of my favorite places in Kansas City hands down. Brunch, Lunch, or dinner. The highly experienced head chef and wife duo who started out in Overland Park made a great choice to come down to the crossroads area. The building and decor is very nice. The food even better.
The cinnamon and chicory infused coffee, beignets, and cornbread pancakes for breakfast.
From lobster mac and cheese to blackened trout..you can't go wrong for lunch or dinner.
Live music back in the Red Room on certain occasions is an added bonus.
I just wish I lived closer and I'd come more often, but once a month is a must. I'll be back and recommend you come as well.
My husband and I had breakfast there on a Saturday morning a little before 10:00 am. I had made reservations but we didn't need them; this delighted me, as I hoping for a little more intimacy and a little less chaos than one often encounters when dining out for breakfast. Â This was perfect for a leisurely morning.
The food was fantastic. Â My husband had the Upstream (salmon) omelet for 12.95 and I had the Moonshine for Breakfast sliders, priced at 14.25. Â We easily could have split my plate of sliders and would have been ultra satisfied. Â Both meals were rich, flavorful and had beautiful presentations. Â
I indulged in a standard Bloody Mary that was tasty and priced reasonably at $5.00. Â The coffee was rich with a barely-there hint of cinnamon when first sipped. Â $3.00 for a large, oft refilled cup. Â Good stuff.
I'd recommend this spot. Â And for the smaller appetite, split something or be prepared for a large doggie bag.
Walked in to Nica's 320 because other brunch spots were busy and I'm happy about it. At the time the place had O'Fallon's Wheach, which was perfect for the hot day. The atmosphere and the service was nice and laid back. I appreciated this because my party was new to the menu. Our waitress happily answered our questions.
The restaurant still was serving its breakfast menu. I opted for the General Chau Specialty Omelette. What I am about to say I do not say lightly or whimsically. It was effin' AWESOME!
The place puts the omelette over focaccia bread and serve it with a green salad. So you get the bread soaking up the buttery goodness from the eggs and then when you put it all together in a bit (sans salad), it just explodes with texture and flavor in a really harmonious way. I highly recommend going for breakfast or brunch for this experience and I don't know if I'll be able to order anything but the General Chau from the breakfast menu because I enjoyed it so much. But I will have to as I am curious about the cornbread pancakes.
While everyone at my table was feeling full, we decided to split some beignets. They were slightly doughy, but I still found my taster to be enjoyable!
I recommend giving Nica's 320 a shot for brunch.
I've had the bread pudding a couple times, and I miss it now. Not because it's not on the menu anymore or anything tragic like that, but because I can't afford to eat it at Nica's 320 every day. Â Warm, sweet, dreamy.
Before dessert, however, I can't recommend the build-your-own Mac N Cheese enough.  Rich and creamy and topped with just about anything you can imagine.  Bacon and candied jalapeños are my favorite add-ons.
I'm not a huge fan of their dinner cocktails, but I love the lunch options. Â Someday I'll work up the nerve to try that Hotter'N Hades bloody Mary!
As if the food wasn't great enough to make me love the place, the service is always great as well. Â I've dined on the patio, the Red Room, and in the regular dining room, and I've never been disappointed. Â Super helpful and friendly staff.
Currently my favorite brunch place! The house bloody mary is mouth watering. Â And you can get beignets. Â My favorite item on their menu are the Szechuan beef sliders, they're complete with Siracha and the best hash browns I've ever had.
I've been there for dinner and wasn't very impressed with the dinner menu. But the bartender was great! I can't remember her name but she was firey and exciting. She just made the experience worth it. Â Now that it's nice enough I want to head to their patio!
After being extremely excited about visiting Nica's for the first time (come on, seriously, their menu is fabulous. Everything is just wild sounding with so much potential), the experience fell very short of my expectations. The service was lazy, slow and bland. My dining partner (a chef) had the sandwich with carnitas and andouille, which is a great combination but both were so shredded and the sauce and cheese so overpowering that it was a lot like chili on bread. My blue crab sandwich was missing the bacon and instead of blue lump crab, it was a bland, mayo based crab salad (not worth the $2 up charge ever). Also on this sandwich were supposed to be fried green tomatoes - raw green tomatoes were a huge disappointment. The side of Mac tasted as uninspired as and suspiciously like velveeta with shaved parm on top.
Nica's gets a star for their sweet potato frites - the spicy ketchup is a win. The second star is for the chef who, upon hearing my sandwich had no bacon, made me a bacon and cheese filled bengiet. This was absolutely the best thing we ate, hands down. We concluded that in general, the service and execution of the food, however creative it sounded, was lazy.
Also, the clowns and dolls hanging from the ceiling add a highly uncomfortable ambience to an otherwise lovely, dimly lit and warm room.
I would be a fat kid if I lived anywhere near this place. I loved my caramel praline cornmeal pancake and the husband's white chocolate cornmeal pancake was good as well. I also had an egg with Bacon to settle up my stomach from the night prior.
The Makin' Bakon Bloody Mary. Definitely in the top Bloody Mary's ever! Korean BBQ sauce, Bakon vodka, sriracha. It was spicy. Probably not what I needed at the moment, but it sounded Divine and it was. My husband had the grounds for Divorce which I believe had baileys in it. It was sweet and good as well. Their coffee was decent at this place. I loved the staff and the little restaurant. this is like no other place I have been. A wonderful way to end our trip.
Loooove Nica's! Their menu is a fiesty french creole (MUST have a beignet) and they have a creative cocktail menu. The menu's a bit complicated, but break it down: I want [pizza/pasta/sandwich] and I want it with this flavor scheme: [margarita/Mediterranean/etc]
The only real room for improvement would be that the waitstaff can be hit or miss.
We usually get pretty attentive service but have had the exception a couple times.
Also, their mashed potatoes mixers are highly recommended, but I have yet to try 'em!
It is difficult to label this unusual "fusion" restaurant, but I'd say that it leans towards "New American," which emphasizes fresh ingredients and sauces, often including sugar or fruit, as opposed to my preferred Mediterranean style, which emphasizes less sweet preparations, often including olive oil. Â In fact Nica's even includes such oddities as candied jalapenos. Â Good grief.
Relative to its style, Nica's is excellent. Â We arrived with a Groupon, but ordered more than was covered with the Groupon, so we tried a lot. Â Everything was first rate. Â The street construction in front was somewhat of a nuisance, and made it too difficult to get to the restaurant's parking lot, which is directly across the street. Â Instead we parked in the lot at the corner of Broadway and Southwest Blvd. Â That lot charges $3. Â The lot across the street is free.
Nica's has wifi, but it is secure and requires a password. Â If you ask them, they'll tell you the password is the restaurant's phone number, 8164712900. Â There are outdoor tables, basically in the alley between the building and the one next to it. Â I am not a big fan of dining in alleys, so we chose a table indoors. Â The dining room is very attractive with many table choices. Â We chose one of the two 4-top tables in back, providing good privacy. Â They are table numbers 25 and 26. Â We'd choose one of those tables again, but we'll wait for the street construction in front to be complete, before we return.
Sunday was my first time visiting Nica's 320 right before the Memorial Day fireworks at Union Station. I came here with a group of friends and we were all excited to try this place.
First of all, minus one star for the super slow service. We had to flagged down our server to order and get our checks. The weird thing is this place wasn't super busy so I'm not sure why the service was subpar.
Nica the owner was super sweet though. She apologized for the service and gave us both free appetizer (homemade hummus) and dessert. The beignets were so good! She told me they came straight from Cafe du Monde. It really made me miss my trip to New Orleans...I had beignets every morning for breakfast while I was there!
My spicy cajun salad was fine. It wasn't really a salad because I swear there was more seafood and meat than greens. I should've asked for the salad dressing on the side because it was drenched in oil. My friends all loved their mac and cheese dishes.
I will be going here to try out their brunch next time.
The challenge: find a suitable Sunday brunch location for the in laws during a recent visit to KC. Â Nice to have the option of drinks, but had to be a family friendly affair. Â
The solution: Nica's eccletic brunch menu. Â
Yeah, it's a bar and the wait stuff are tatted-up. Â But they're friendly as can be and kept just the right pace for hungry brunchers. Â The menu was just the spot for our group. Â Omelets, crabcakes, crepes, and pancakes were all consumed. Â Mac & cheese with bacon (what else) served a delicious starter for 4.
Drinks (like the bacon-infused bloody mary looked divine. Â Next time. Â Thanks Yelp--as usual, you're on it!
It's infinitely frustrating when something that you want to like in a very bad way, just never "gets it right." It's like listening to Iggy Pop records from the 80's.
The first time I heard about Nica's 320 was over a casual Pitch reading at my old house when Rachel pointed out an advertisement that read "Best Late Night Food in Town."
Rachel teaches aerial acrobatics classes until at least 9:00PM on most nights, and for a very long time, I worked in bars and restaurants, so the idea of late night food is pretty appealing. It's a total, manic nightmare trying to find something to eat in Kansas City after 10:00PM, especially if you are looking for a restaurant with a bar that isn't just a bar, or you don't want El Pueblito or Town Topic.
I had just finished with work at 9:45 and Rachel picked me up to go get some dinner. We decided to check out this new place on the 'Boulevard that advertised with some confidence the superlative nature of their late night menu.
We pulled up at the place no later than 10:15. The door was propped open. The "open" neon was illuminated. There were people drinking at the bar. Yet, upon approaching the door, someone stepped in front of us and informed us that they were no longer open. So, we headed on down the street.
The second time we tried to visit Nica's, they were actually willing to accept us into their establishment. Jason, formerly of Bar Natasha, was working and we were hopeful. After being talked out of a fairly labor intensive drink from the cocktail menu, and deciding on a Blvd. Wheat instead, I watched him make the drink I'd originally ordered for an art-school girl, who came in later than us. When I asked him what he was making for her, he just kinda gave me the brush off.
The food itself has always been fine. The menu is online. You can check it out at <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nicas320.com&s=d168e260593a47c8bb6bbd9c159eb067cf0a2a738a9a3106e9752ec03c256fb5" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.nicas320.com</a>.
My issues with the place have always revolved around service standards, with the exception of one bartender named Beau, who speaks calmly and casually with a Southern flare, and recognized Rachel from the seventh grade. That's the kind of memory you want in a bartender. Though, with the exception of one happy hour and one Yelp event at the Foundation, just down the street from our house, he seems to have vanished.
I don't know. Maybe this review is inconclusive. I can't say for sure if it's the stick-figure advertisements, the couple of misses early on, or the fact that they still can't get a decent cocktail menu together, but something always just rubs me the wrong way about this place.
It's so close to home, that we wind up there sometimes, but as a result of my experience, I'd advise you to get take-out.
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