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You don't need to tell me that restaurants come and go. I know all too well. Before I gave up my illustrious career as a server, I worked in six or seven Kansas City restaurants (one was such a torture chamber that I've completely erased the experience from my memory bank) that are now all closed and long-forgotten. Three of them are still operating as different restaurants, one is a check-cashing business, two are retail stores and one was torn down.
Some restaurants die forever, some go to culinary purgatory. That's when some brave entrepreneur takes over a lease and either revives the business (not a good gamble, by the way) or re-invents the restaurant as something else or, in the case of Stroud's, moves a successful concept into a seemingly-cursed space vacated by many dead concepts.
Since the beginning of 2009, Kansas City has lost a number of restaurants -- new and established. Two barbecue joints, Beauchamp's on the Rail in Lee's Summit and Bandanna's Barbecue in Independence, found the economy wasn't quite hot enough. The long-running Rainforest Cafe -- a tourist trap for the toddler set -- didn't survive puberty. The Saddle Ranch Chop House at Legends in Kansas City, Kansas had mechanical bulls, big dinner platters and even visits at Santa Claus at Christmas, but finally shut its doors and rode out in to the sunset.
Vivace, in the River Market, was turned into a gay bar. Bar Natasha, which served booze, food and cabaret theater, closed last fall, but will be revived as a nightclub-with-food featuring the talents of drag queen Flo. The River Market Brewery, just down the street from the former Vivace, shut down its draft spigots right before another nightclub-restaurant, Seven, ended its run.
Other casualties: Trolley's Downtown Bar & Grill in Overland Park, the iconic Joe D's Wine Bar in Brookside, and the Raphael Restaurant in the Raphael Hotel, which has already been reincarnated as Chaz on the Plaza. And in other reincarnation news: Accurso's Italian Restaurant has already moved to its new location, just down the street from the old joint, and there's a rumor that the venerable Pumpernick's Deli may be reborn as a Cupini's. Frondizi's will become the new home of Cafe Trio soon. And there's always a new restaurant ready to open in the old Macaluso's space on 39th Street -- the newest arrival will serve Schezuan fare.
You see, it's not all bad news...
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Yes, I am one of the owners of Trolley's Bar and Grille in Overland Park and we are thriving and open for business! Reid is a great bartender at Trolley's! We will not be doing any advertising with The Pitch EVER as we only support credible publications!
Hope to see you all at Trolley's soon!
http://www.trolleysgrille.com
Hey Charles Ferruzza or anyone else that is drinking his bullshit kool-aid. I work at Trolley's and have for 2 years. We are not only open, but have remodeled, and re-vamped our menu. I just got off work at one a.m. and had nothing but positive feedback from my guests. So.. If your going to call someone out at least have your facts straight,or if you did your home work then have the testicular fortitude to put it in your article before all of KC buys in to your BS. My name is Reid Jolly I bartend Friday night. Come in and I will buy you a beer. BECAUSE WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS!!
I think it was off and on during the winter. Should be closer to normal for the summer.
It was open this weekend, so I apologize for the false alarm. I wonder if maybe he's ditched the dinner hours because twice I saw the gates closed after 6:30pm.
Danny Edwards closed? I thought his business was booming at the new place with beer and real chairs and tables.This sucks
Owen - I didn't know Jones closed. That's a bummer.
Lou - Are you talking about Tonic? That reopened as Taste not so long ago.
How long has Danny Edwards on the Boulevard been closed? I went by a couple weeks ago and it was gated up!
The Legends area is getting obliterated. Saddle Ranch, Chili's, Hash House, Caliente, and Margarita Mama's/Banana Joe's have all closed in the last year. There is simply not enough population base to support the restaurants M-Th. Of course, when you consider Chili's was the most pleasant dining experience on that list, you learn part of the reason why.
Trolley's is still open...I'm thinking you mean the bar in downtown OP...Drink? or some stupid name like that....
Jones BBQ belongs on that list as well. A big loss to the KCK community and with its big patio, it would have great to eat at on a day like today.
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