We were here on mother's day for brunch and it was borderline poor. Â First our waitress was on slow motion- really slow motion. Â The restaurant was not very busy and yet it took forever to get refills on coffee. Â Often we had to flag down another waiter to get refills. Â They were out of 2 menu items, the french toast and a chicken dish, so I ordered the waffle. Â It came out luke warm and soggy. Â The "strawberry compote" was truly frozen strawberries that had been thawed. Â For a restaurant that bases their menu off "freshest ingredients and dining experience possible" that was very disappointing. Â My friends ordered the veggie hash and grilled cheese, both these dishes were tasty but also served luke warm. Â It took forever to get the bill and at this point (despite being mothers day) the restaurant only had a few patrons in it. Â Overall, very disappointing.
Review Source:I have been here to dine on two different occasions. The restaurant is nice but nothing unique. The food is okay but definitely not worth the price. The mac and cheese was fine...but $15 for mediocre mac and cheese is a bit crazy. Service was fine but nothing outstanding. There are definitely better options in the same part of town.
Review Source:Being both vegetarian and a foodie can be challenging! I tried their winter quinoa, with Brussels sprouts, winter squash, kale, parsnips, walnuts, goat cheese and more and it was PERFECT! Â I had fresh fruit (pear, grapes & blueberries) for desert. What a fabulous meal! There is nothing more to say; I was so happy to find this meal!!
Review Source:Unfortunately, after having been wanting to try The Westside Local out for many months, we checked it out and had a pretty disappointing experience.  I'll start with the good. My fiancé ordered a burger and said it was good.  The deviled eggs weren't bad either, but Beer Kitchens are exponentially better.  The limeade was good though.
Now for the bad. Â The grilled cheese was just average. Â There's so much bread that I ended up taking off one slice. I noticed that there was something in it that looked like a piece of paper or something. Eventually the waitress came back and informed me it was the rind of the cheese and that it was edible. Then she took away my meal without asking if I was done or would have liked a box for the deviled egg and tomato soup I had left. Â Also the ketchup(?) was a bit runny.
The service was what was really disappointing. Besides the fact that she took my food away, she also never brought my fiancé the lemonade he ordered. After bringing our food, she never checked on us until we had already finished, despite there being only four occupied tables and her checking on the table right next to us twice. Â
It's a shame since I'd been looking forward to trying it. Had the service been better, I would be willing to give it another shot and try something different on the menu.
I've had drinks at the Westside Local before but this past weekend I finally got to eat dinner there and wow - such a home run decision that was! Â I will definitely be back soon. Â Drinks and appetizers were perfect - I love roasted garlic so was excited to see that on the menu along with a lovely cheese plate. Â I ordered the grilled cheese and fries which was an upscale version with several kinds of cheeses and a little cup of tomato soup for dipping. Â My husband ordered the pork belly which he said was delicious. Â The service was great and the prices were reasonable. Â Go there.
Review Source:Delish!
Grabbed a bite to eat last night, namely the grilled cheese sammy with the side tomato soup (when I dip, you dip I dip) and french fries. Holy crap that sandwich is huge. Come hungry and the menu will satisfy you for sure. They have a small and simple menu, though it provides a lot of vegan and vegetarian options as well as catering to the fellow carnivores. Drink menu was extensive and they have daily specials; can't vouch for any of their specialty stuff, I just rolled with a PBR yesterday. The space is small and intimate and our server was SO nice and genuinely made us feel welcome. Can't say enough nice things about this joint. See you soon!
This is the perfect "Go To" place. Â The menu is small, but I still have a hard time deciding what I want every time I go.
The inside atmosphere is pretty cool - nothing amazing, but unique. Â The outside space is what really gets me though - it's awesome. Â Huge picnic tables and a fenced in, covered area.
I'd recommend this place for happy hours, business lunches, or dinner and drinks. Â Probably not the best venue for any more than 4 people.
Ladies night was just kicked up a notch! Â The drink were amazing, our server was super helpful with the menu and suggestions and the food delicious. Â I can't wait to bring my boyfriend here! Â I gave on less star because of the snooty little hostess who not only spent the entire time we were there playing on her phone but dismissed us when we asked for a table away from the door because we were really cold. Â Other that her this place is one of my new favorites in Kansas City!
Review Source:I am already looking forward to coming back to The Westside Local. Â The ambiance is great and the food was delicious. Â I definitely recommend the kale salad. Â I have never had a salad so delicious in my life, I need to get the recipe! Â
The reason I gave it 4 stars was because I also ordered the mac and cheese with my kale salad. Â I wish I didn't order the mac and just got a bigger salad, that's how delicious it was. Â The mac was pretty good, it wasn't the most amazing mac I have ever had. Â I think it lacked some salt and I think they should have used a stronger cheese, it was very mild tasting. Â Perhaps it's just a personal opinion, but I like a little more pizzazz to my mac.
We had a large group (7 adults plus a toddler), and they accommodated well. The atmosphere is casual but cozy; I'm looking forward to coming back when I can try out the patio area. My boyfriend and I ordered two burgers and shared, and both were delicious! The fries were also awesome. My only complaint when it came to the food is that it seemed like they were out of several items, which limited their menu.
Review Source:After not having been back here for a couple years, I've found a surprisingly renewed interest - 4 visits in 4 weeks! Â Either I just had bad luck when I'd been here before or they have really improved. Â One of the best mac and cheese dishes in the city - maybe tied with The Jacobsen. Â The burgers are so fresh and juicy and I love anyone who uses the local Farm to Market pretzel buns. Â French fries are very tasty and crispy - I tried my best to eat them all but it's a lot of food with the burger. Â One of my visits, a friend veered off the usual mac and cheese / burger and tried the pulled pork - not as good as the burger, but if I'm not in the mood for cow, will definitely go for the pig next time.
Review Source:My husband and I love coming to this place. Â But we know that we should try to go before we get hungry, because there is always a wait to get in as it is a smaller restaurant. Â I think it usually is about a half hour wait or more every time I have come during the dinner hours, which is the only downside of this restaurant to me. Â I keep coming back for the hamburgers and beer. Â I think they do a great burger. I love that they try to use fresh and local ingredients in their cooking. Â It does have a pretty fun, trendy kinda vibe.
Review Source:Gosh I love this place!
We had our belated holiday dinner here last week and it was phenomenal!
The service was outstanding. Â We arrived one at a time and he had no problem getting each person a drink as they sat down. Â
Food was great: Â rosemary hummus and french fries were divine!
My salad was lovely. Â
Such a fun funky atmosphere. Â Love it.
I only heard of this place because someone had given me a gift certificate, stating, "It's a foodie place - and you seem like a foodie."
Not knowing what to expect, I made a reservation for two for a Saturday night. When we arrived the hip little place was no where near full, though the hostess was turning those without a reservation away. We sat down near the back of the old store-front turned restaurant layout and admired the local art on the walls while watching the place fill up at an enormous speed. Though the atmosphere at first seemed snoody, our server was personable and very patient with us as we read over the menu at length. The options were awesome - appetizers are create-it-yourself cheese plates with humus or bread or olives :) I ordered a bunch of cheese and bread and an entree of mac and cheese with sweet potato (I can start my diet tomorrow). We enjoyed a few drinks with our food and left perfectly full but not stuffed.
As we were leaving we noticed a huge line waiting to get in. Sure glad we made online reservations through Yelp earlier that day (a super easy step which made the whole evening possible). I can't wait to show this place off to my out-of-town friends here.
I was so damn close to giving 5-stars. So close. Just the texture of the burger was the difference. Let me explain... but first know that it you want a good burger you can pull the trigger on this place without hesitation.
You see, I am a burger guy. It is a last rights food for me. Beef, fat all ground into a juicy patty of goodness. On a bun, Farm-to-Market brioche no less. Chopped jalpenos. Aioli. Arugula. Out. Of. Control.
The only thing not perfect about my southwestern burger was that it was a little too "tight" or patted together too long. Other than that... this place nailed it.
The fries were a crispy treat, and were flour dredged or something. The coating was light and they stayed crisp in my take out box for 10 minutes. I know treated fries may be blasphemy to OCD spud lovers out there, but get over yourselves long enough to taste something purely on its own merit. There are no rules in cooking these days unless you profess them as part of your business model.
Which Westside Local does do on a different plain... in their name. Much of the ingredients are local sourced. : )
I took my girls (3 and 6) out for a fancy dinner, for them, and we were treated very nicely by the staff at Westside Local.
Our host was cordial and seated us quickly, with crayons and paper. The room is somewhat noisy, so some kid noise wasn't overly disruptive.
Our waiter offered to split the mac and cheese (which is a large portion) for them, in fact he suggested it. I had the crispy pork belly which is one of the tastiest things I've had at a restaurant all year. I'd love to learn the secret of the crispy outside and decadent inside. Wow.
Great selection of draft beers, and craft bottles.
I've been here many times, and it seldom disappoints. The inside bar is very cozy, great place for a grownup drink. The outside beer garden can not be beat in warmer weather in Kansas City, in my opinion.
I can't say enough how nice they were to this (for the night) single slightly overwhelmed dad and small girls.
We stopped here for a late lunch after a show at the Kauffman and spent $70 for 4 lunches and 2 beers. The portions were good sized and seemed reasonable for the price we paid. The burgers were excellent! The fries were unique and very good. If you decide on the fries, ask for some aoli sauce for dipping:) The soup was also good and the fruit was very fresh. The staff was very friendly and helpful when ordering.
I love the look of the bar and patio and will definitely need to make a trip back when we can spend some time there.
Since I love restaurants where the food is locally sourced, I'm not sure how I haven't dined here sooner. Â The decor is simplistic and not over done. Â Local art is displayed on the walls. Â Service was attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly. Â Good beer selection as well. Â
To start, my dining mates and I shared a cheese plate and charcuterie plate. Â We let our server decide on the meats and cheeses. He did an awesome job at doing that! Â The Beemster cheese and Rabbit Pate were outrageously good. Â I also loved the roasted garlic on the cheese plate. Â
For my meal, I went with the Crispy Pork Belly. Â I was expecting a larger portion, but it was still delicious. Â The polenta was creamy and tasty. Â The pork belly was crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. Â Everyone else was very happy with their meals as well.
I'm looking forward to dining again so that I can try more of the menu options.
Five stars, solid.
What a delightful venue. We were checking several restaurants in the area for lunch but when we saw the menu here the deal was sealed. Why? Anyone using products from The Local Pig on their menu (one of our next stops for the day) is *really* serious about the food they're putting on the table. It shows here. A restaurant can get their products elsewhere easily enough, so why go with a small independent local butcher? Quality. The Local Pig is head and shoulders above the crowd in quality.
Now, for the food... best french fries in town, hands down--a real surprise--insane. Someone message me where they're better because I want to go there. We split the cheese and charcuterie platter going for Gorgonzola, Manchego and Rosemary Goat for the cheeses and Rabbit Pate, Prosciutto and Andouille for the meats. Along with that came a marvelous Kale salad (picture included with review) and a couple of great beer selections.
We spoke to a few other diners and everyone was raving about the food, and for good reason. The entire beer selection is exceptional, and the wine selection appears to be well thought out as well.
The service very pleasant and was ahead of the game (more crackers with the cheese?), another beer? All OK? Appropriate, but not pushy, shared her experiences with some of the dishes. I'm in the area this coming Friday for the opera--no high brow dining for us beforehand. We'll be at The Westside.
Keep up the great work!
Last week the Westside Local announced 4 new menu items for Autumn.
1. Â Chipotle Glazed Salmon
2. Â Crispy Pork Belly
3. Â Grilled Portobello Mushroom
4. Â Autumn Quinoa
All four sounded great to me, so I couldn't wait to get there and try them. Â On this trip, I took my son and met a friend. Â We started off with a Goat Chorizo and queso fresco flat bread, the goat chorizo had been made by Local Pig. Â This was the perfect pick to start off the evening; we all really enjoyed it, the chorizo was just spicy enough and was balanced out nicely by the queso fresco. Â I don't think that this is a regular menu item, but I wish it were. Â I definitely want to have this again.
I decided to have the Autumn Quinoa, sweet onions, brussels sprouts, diced sweet potatoes, roasted cranberries, sautéed kale greens, port reduction, rosemary goat cheese and pecans.  Oh my gosh this was good, all of these ingredients really blended nicely together.  It was such a large portion that I couldn't even eat it all.
Espresso Pot de Creme
My friend had the Chipotle Glazed Salmon, which is served with mushroom wild rice and an arugala-walnut pesto. Â All of us agreed that the chipotle glaze really made this dish and was nicely complemented by the arugala-walnut pesto, both really nice toppings to the sushi grade salmon.
I wanted my son to try either the Crispy Pork Belly or theGrilled Portobello Mushroom Sandwich, after all, we were here to sample the new menu items. Â But he ordered the Macaroni and Cheese with sweet potatoes and bacon. Â The pasta was very large rotini and it wasn't very creamy and turned out a little dry. Â He disliked the presentation, he thought it looked like it had been spooned into the bowl and reheated. He didn't like it and managed to eat only about 6 bites. Â In his defense, he has sampled mac & cheese from many establishments and he was expecting it to be more like the mac & cheese from Bin Wine Cafe in Wicker Park (Chicago). Â Oh well, c'est la vie.
For dessert we each ordered a cup of Rosterie blend coffee (I love that they use local suppliers) and shared a Chocolate, Double Espresso Pot de Creme served in a small ramekin with a dolop of fresh whipped cream on top. Â We were each given a demitasse spoon to eat this with. Â You could taste the graininess of the ground-up coffee beans in the rich mousse-like chocolate. Â I have to have this again. Â It was great and we all loved it. Â It was a perfect way to end the evening together.
I'll be back again soon to try the two remaining new menu items. Â Maybe I'll see you there.
I want to give this restaurant more stars, but I just can't. The food has been really hit or miss for us the past few times we have been.
The "hits" we have had In the past were the chicken sandwich, mac and cheese, and their burger. all were fantastic.
However, we went on Saturday, and had a horribly disappointing meal. I tried the Halcyon mussels, the broth had a weird bitter after taste. I didn't even use the bread to soak up any of the broth, that's how bad it tasted.  Husband had the pork sandwich, which was nothing special, just a  bland, boring sandwich. Our friend had the quinoa dish, which was also completely bland. What an over-priced, disappointing meal.
My advice: If you are a risk-taker go for it, you may happen to have a great meal! But if you don't want to risk spending good money on a mediocre meal, there are so many better restaurants in the area.
I read the reviews prior to going, and I really resonate with those put-off by the service. Â Local is by no means a new fad, but that doesn't mean you need to half-ass it. Â I mean you don't need to go all Portlandia on us and offer a dossier on our meals, but please gratify me and explain how my sub-par BLT was locally sourced. Â (Or my husband's mussels, for that matter.) Â As a bleeding heart, I can concede a little quality if I know a little bit of the story. Â But from Westside Local? Â Nothing. Â No stories, mention of local farms, just a hastily printed (and soggy) menu. Â
Additionally, the critiques of service are dead-on. Â I found the waitstaff detached and unconcerned with our experience. Â The host took us to a booth where I immediately sat in a HUGE water puddle and soaked my dress. Â When I asked the server for an explanation, he gestured up and mumbled "uh, yeah, that happens a lot." Â Evidently they're okay with the AC dripping condensation on patrons during their meal. Â
The food? Â Mostly uninspired nu-comfort food. Â Drinks were expensive and watery. Â If you go, I'd stick to the pint o' fries and a table not under the AC ducts.
This is a go-to restaurant for us; the food is consistently good and the staff is friendly and competent. Â Usually we go for dinner, and this weekend we decided to stop in for brunch. Â While the night staff is excellent and the food consistently some of the best in Kansas City, our brunch experience was mediocre.
We were seated outside, in spite of the fact that it was raining; there's a slight shelter over part of the patio, but several in our party got soaked before we were able to readjust, and there was still a lot of dripping throughout the meal (including onto our food). Â
Our waiter took a long time to show up to take drink our orders, then disappeared for over 15 minutes before taking our food order. Â
The food quality in our party varied wildly. Â Folks who ordered half-orders of biscuits and gravy got plates of food the same size as those who ordered the full meal; the biscuits were fluffy and flaky and the gravy was delicious. Â The grilled cheese plate was generous and the Belgian waffles perfectly cooked. On the other hand, those who ordered the vegetable hash with Hollandaise were given less than a cup of the hash with a tablespoon or so of sauce. Â Absolutely outrageous for $12, and on top of that, it was lukewarm and the potatoes in the hash were undercooked.
We all agreed that Westside Local is on hiatus for us, brunch-wise, until they get the staff and food situations under control.
Past experiences here have been excellent. I recommend then when they do their groupons or  for Taste of Kansas City.  Their steak and chips are awesome, and they have a huge selection of beers. I enjoyed their unique salads and desserts in the past as well.  I'm noticing an increasing lack of service each time I go, however. This past weekend was one example:
1. I fell through a chair on a rotted-out back patio that they have, immediately when sitting down. The owner and waitstaff were mildly apologetic, but asking me if I'm going to sue them BEFORE asking me if I'm ok was pretty rude. Â They didn't even do anything to try to make my experience better (maybe a beer or an appetizer or dessert for the table would have been nice!). Learn some courtesy instead of mocking your guests, please.
2. When we asked what we should eat, the waitstaff told us about their specials and recommended items that they liked, and then told us that they were out of these! Â Why tease us with your "best dishes" if you don't have them to serve us! Â Rude!
3. Some dog of the owners was jumping on the tables and stretching out all over the peoples' food; then it got into a dogfight outside, then came to our table begging. Â I'm sorry, but at the prices we pay at this place, I'd rather not have some scrappy mutt disturbing my dinner. I'm a dog-lover, but please let me enjoy my dinner, thanks.
4. It got dark; it took them about 25 min and us asking TWICE to get a few candles to our table. Â
Seriously, The Westside Local, you need to improve your customer service and courtesy to your patrons. Â Shame on you! Â (Also, PotPie's mussels blow yours out of the water!)
There are some things I really enjoyed about my lunch at Westside Local. Â The outdoor patio is a really great space - easy on the eyes and nice place to relax with friends. Â Also, the beer selection is pretty good. Â As another Yelper mentioned, this is a great place to enjoy a beer on the patio. Â However, the food didn't really do much for me. Â It wasn't bad by any means. Â It just wasn't anything worth detailing. Â I expected better based on the hype. Â And our server...maybe he was stoned...hey, I'm not judging...but he was very forgetful. Â He forgot our appetizer completely and would wander by, see us, and then like realize where he was. Â And we'd still have to remind him we did want another drink. Â Frustrating, but at least he was friendly.
I'm not ready to write this place off, yet. Â I'm in no hurry to go back, but if it was suggested by friends I'd give it another chance. Â For now, it's only 2-stars for me.
It was the end of the academic year, and for my teaching company, that meant an end-of-the-year celebration. Â Brandon was nice enough to accommodate our group of 15 and we had come up with a special menu beforehand for 3 courses and two beers/wines/well drinks for $30. Â
Our waitstaff was excellent, the food was well done, and the dessert was AMAZING (a granola-chocolate concoction with some creme fraiche): Thanks Nina!!!
We went to lunch on a lovely late spring day and got right in at one of the shared tables in their courtyard. There was so much sun I went back to the car to get our hats and sunscreen. When some guests left we moved over a bit into the shade under the grape leaves.
Our service was quick and pleasant. The food was perhaps the best we've had in KC. We shared the arugula salad with the restaurant's buttermilk dressing, and their grilled cheese sandwich, probably the best I've ever had. This was served with amazing French fries what were seasoned to perfection including some Parmesan cheese and the restaurant's own ketchup for dipping.
It was all finished off with a horchata coconut granita and chocolate truffle dessert. This was perfect.
It made for a great lunch and we'll certainly be going back.
I went for brunch with four girlfriends about a month ago. I was excited as I'd heard and read great things about The Westside Local. The restaurant only had a few other tables sat when I got there, and we went to a cute picnic table on their back patio. Here's where things start going wrong.
I'm not going to get in to the specifics with how poor the service was because even now, weeks later, it still annoys me to think about. Our server was incredibly inattentive and inappropriate. Do we want to know that you went on a bender last night and that's why you've been so MIA? No. Now I can't stop wondering if you've been puking in the bathroom in your hungover, sweaty state, and you're touching my plate, which makes me feel ill. Never mind that the food, once it did come out 35 minutes after ordering (I wish I was exaggerating), was delicious. I had the egg & bacon biscuit and wish somewhere I enjoy going to would duplicate it. I also couldn't believe that the manager didn't notice (with so few patrons in the restaurant) that our service was beyond poor and we were clearly distressed sitting there, waiting.... and waiting for our food.
I do think I'll try it again and hope for a better experience, because I do like supporting local restaurants and food providers. But if I see that server in the restaurant, I'm out of there and never looking back.
I'm a happy camper after having lunch at The Westside Local today. Â It is always fun to find a "new-to-me" place where I know I'll want to make a return trip because there were so many good choices on the menu that I couldn't try them all.
Today I chose A Vegetable Sammy that was wonderful with portabella mushrooms and lots of other sliced veggie goodness and picked a wonderful spicy bean soup which was the daily selection as my side. Â Even the whole grain, hearty bread (from Farm to Market) was exceptional. Â Hubby got a Summit Burger and fries and Sis ordered a phenomenal looking Grilled Cheese with a cup of tomato fennel soup for dipping and some yummy looking spiced roasted potatoes as a side. Â Both got compliments from the diners and had me plotting a return trip. Â Everyone was too full to order dessert but I'd like to save room next time, as there were a couple, including a bread pudding, that sounded intriguing.
The restaurant space is all exposed brick and has a soaring ceiling and there were a series of beautiful urban paintings on the walls that just popped and seemed to complete the feel of the place. Â
It was a good lunch and I was very happy to find another good place to eat on Summit. Â (Which is becoming one of my favorite destination spots in the city.)
Went for lunch and enjoyed it! Â I love the farm to table aspect of the place--it delivered in most areas! Â We went early and avoided the crowd for the most part. Â
We  both had the grilled cheese and it was very good!  The tomato soup was flavorful, homemade ketchup had a nice flavor, and our server recommended accompanying the garlic fries with their homemade ranch dressing as well.  I chose the fries because of the raves I'd seen, and really these were a little disappointing.  I think I was expecting more "farm" and less "Sysco" taste.  I will be back, and order a salad with the sandwich next time.  The food was good--simple and tasty.
Which brings me to the service. Â Attentive, helpful, friendly but not bothersome. Â The person I was with and I were pretty deep in conversation and he read us perfectly! Â Thanks for a nice lunch.
I finally made it out and gave The Westside Local a try and while I think it's a solid restaurant it just didn't live up to its hype.
I stopped in for brunch and what really stood out were the biscuits. Amazing. I ordered the biscuits and gravy and another in our party had a bacon egg and cheese biscuit. Â Both of us couldn't stop talking about them. Â The mushroom gravy over my biscuits held a good flavor and was nice and thick. Â Another party ordered the french toast, which were seasoned well, but fell apart way too easy.
I was a little disappointed in the service. Â Our server scoffed a little when all of us decided to stay with water as a beverage. I also ordered a egg to go with my meal. The server asked if I wanted scrambled, I told her over easy, but she still brought me scrambled. I didn't send it back, but I was disappointed she didn't write my order down.
I'd like to give dinner a try sometime because I've heard some of those dishes can put you in a coma but I'm not sure if that will be any time soon.
I generally tend to think of Westside Local as more of a place to drink than eat, but that may just be because of my more recent visits and the fact that the beer garden is incredible on a warm summer night.
However, it is one of the great places around town that offers delicious, thoughtful options for both vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. Â For brunch, the veggie hash is a tasty combination of veggies, potatoes and hollandaise sauce that makes you forget it doesn't have any kind of breakfast meat involved. Â The grilled cheese sandwich on the lunch/dinner menu is a must try, with an amazing dipping sauce that is reminiscent of tomato soup. Â The garlic french fries are some of the best fries I've ever had, and the deviled eggs are spicy and fresh-tasting.
The impressive beer menu is what keeps me coming back, and the happy hour prices are competitive to other, less cozy and sophisticated settings. Â I love the tiny bar area (off to the left when you walk in) probably more than the main dining area. Â It gets crowded, but it feels friendly. Â As I said above, the beer garden is one of the best outdoor restaurant spaces in town, but when it gets crowded be prepared to be patient when ordering food or drinks.
The food was really good, but lately I've had better.
Tried their mac n cheese...good. Burger...very tasty...deviled eggs...ok. Spinach salad...ok. Sorry, not sure why it wasn't over the top for me. I look forward to coming back again when the weather is nicer and we can sit out on the patio.
This is definitely a place I'd like to try a few times and improve upon my overall review!
What this place gets right, it gets really, really right. The deviled eggs have a devilish kick, and the mac and cheese is worth every single calorie.
The service is always friendly and personal. The appetizers and localities are tasty and fresh. The quinoa is delicious. The bar is cozy and inviting for hanging out with your friends. The patio is perfect for a warm spring night. The ambience is warm and comfortable.
Just a few quibbles. The bathroom door was too small for my buddy to get into in his wheelchair (not cool), and both times I've had sandwiches here, the bread was greasy but not flavorful. So as long as you're not bringing a good friend with a disability here or wanting the grilled cheese, this is the place to be.
I hate to write a bad review because of one horrible experience, but i'm going to. this restaurant used to be one of my favorites. so much so that we had our wedding night dinner there.
last friday, we showed up at about 6:30 without a reservation. the hostess couldn't even look us in the eye to tell us how long of a wait we would have (even though we were willing to wait over an hour or more). instead, she said things like "well, it's going to be very long" and "um, yeah, you don't have a reservation?" (they had at least 7 empty tables at the time. )
Lucky for us, a couple was just leaving a table in the bar where we were told we could eat dinner.
We sat. We waited. The service has always been slow, but this was ridiculous. We finally ordered a couple glasses of wine, which were nice pours and good wine. Then, I chose to order the kale salad described as kale with shaved parm and crispy prosciutto. to add chicken or fish was $6, but i did. And then, I waited for my $16 salad. You guys, SIXTEEN DOLLARS.
My salad and my husband's sandwich were delivered to our table by a server from the dining room. She was so rude to me and gave me the bitchiest look I'd ever received that I actually had to ask my husband if she was a former girlfriend of his. When I asked for salt and pepper, she brought it out, threw it down on the table, turned her back and stomped off.
Now let's talk about the $16 salad.
It had one 1-inch size piece of crispy prosciutto. ONE. I paid $16 for a handful of kale, 3 shaves of parm, 1 inch of prosciutto and a 2-ounce portion of chicken.
I'm sad because I've had so many other experiences there that have been good, but this was horrible. You know what they say about first impressions. Well, it's also true for sixth impressions.
This place has been on a downward spiral for me.
I've been here 5 times. 4 out of 5 times food were misses. However, here is what is going for it:
Great service, great ambience in the beergarden and the patio dog friendly. I've really enjoyed their drinks and they have quite a good bartender who knows how to mix them up well.
Would I come back? Yes, to hang out with friends and my dog at the beergarden and enjoy some drinks. Food? I really have given up.
I stopped in for a cocktail while I was waiting for a friend in the area to get home so I could visit him. There's a separate bar and outdoor area slightly off the main dining room that's cozy and sweet. Received friendly service and an okay cocktail (not the best mixology but not the worst).
Intrigued by the food menu, and lo and behold, two hours later my friend and I went back and ate dinner. Again, super-awesome/friendly service and great grub. I just really like the atmosphere here. Can't wait to return on my next visit to KC!
Westside Local fills the "restaurant for out of town coworker business meeting that is deliciously enjoyable, locally pertinent, classy but not stuffy, hip but not pretentious, quite enough for a meeting but pleasantly buzzing" niche. Yes, yes I know this is a ridiculously specific niche, but somehow I end up pulling the Westside Local card at least every other month. Â Not only does it's artsy vibe and location impress, but the food is consistently satisfying and interesting.
The beer garden on pleasant nights is a fantastic place to spend time socializing, enjoying a fancy beer, and scarfing down plate after plate of deviled eggs... Â OK, so I generally stop at one plate, but good lord they are delicious with their lemony kick and their micro arugula. Â The long tables force you to get to know your neighbor, which for a painfully social individual like me is worth some bonus points. Â The grilled cheese is great, the quinoa is darn good, and the servers are always friendly and prompt. Â Maybe it's the good vibes of the joint, perhaps it's the stiff drinks, but every meeting I've ever had at Westside has ended with great results.
I absolutely love this place. I've always wanted to dine here but a friend of mine gave it a terrible review. Fortunately, I decided to check it out myself the other night and I regret nothing! Moral of the story: Follow your own desires. ;]
My party and I walked in to a full house with live music. I was rather impressed considering where it's located. Nonetheless, its live entertainment provided a great atmosphere.
I ordered their P.E.I. Mussels. It's pretty much a stew with "spanish chorizo, cilantro, tomato, jalapeños, and lime with a side of grilled baguette slices". One word...AMAZING. I very rarely finish an entire plate because I have a small stomach but this dish was so good I finished everything! I also had their summer shandy cocktail which was quite tasty!
I tasted my brother's Quinoa dish which has "haricot verts, corn, tomato, zucchini, red onion, golden raisins, shaved parmesan, & crisp garden ruby chard". I totally loved that dish! Â
We shared everything and nothing disappointed us...including our server. ;]
This place is a nice weekend dinner spot. I totally recommend it.
I've heard the name "The Westside Local" several times in the year I've lived in Kansas City. Â Why I haven't been there before now is beyond me. Â A friend invited me to dinner there on a Friday night. Â All I can say is YUMMMMMMMM! Â I have been missing out!
To start off, I looked at the drink menu. Â It's filled with all kinds of imports and microbrews... Oh, and my favorite local, Boulevard's Tank 7. Â Most places that serve this particular brew have good food, I have noticed. Â While sipping on my delightfully strong beverage, I glanced over the menu. Â So many delicious sounding options! Â I'm used to having slim pickings when it comes to salads, but The Westside Local has some of the best sounding salads. Â However, I decided to go with a heartier entree and I chose the quinoa ($14). Â I love that the standard version of this dish does not include meat (although you can add salmon or chicken). Â
The quinoa dish consisted of zucchini, corn, tomato, onion, raisins, parmesan, green beans, and ruby chard. Â I'm pretty sure I had a mouthgasm with my first bite of this delight. Â The vegetables were crisp and their flavors paired perfectly between the parmesan and sweet raisins. Â Parmesan and raisins? Â Yes, not something I would think to put together, but amazing! Â
I'm definitely returning here in the near future. Â There are a lot of vegetarian options I look forward to trying.
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