The Drop used to be a great place, but now after the Chef left for the Westport burger joint, the food has changed for the worse. The olive plate is not as diverse, and presentation no where close to that of the previous times. Also, the bruschetta is a big heavy handed now. The service is good however.
Rating Detail:
Food: 1
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 2
Value: 2
Overall: 2
i really wanted to like this place. the group of friends that went there last thursday meet once a month for drinks and dinner. there are varying numbers and so we always make reservations. it's apparently their policy not to seat those whose parties are not complete. even when you have reservations, even when their restaurant is empty and there is no discussing with the g.m. any variance from that policy. even when we're talking a party of 10-15 and there is no seating for these patrons at the bar.
one of our group needed to get in and get out in 45 minutes. we asked if perhaps he and another could get seated just for this reason. let the others get seated later. nothing doing. their g.m. doesn't have the skills required of a person in his position.
some of us left without being served and others stayed. apparently the wait staff was good but it's tough to make up for bad management.
my understanding is that tapas bars are intended to be a place that friends can come and go and share the time they have together. especially when your tapas bar stays mostly empty all night.
we went on to the bluestem and had great service and good food.
Rating Detail:
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 3
Value: 2
Overall: 2
I love Maker's Mark, the bourbon, so much that several years ago I convinced my college friends to pile in a car an make the trip down to Loretto from Mizzou to see its place of birth. Marker's Mark the restaurant, unfortunately, did not even begin to live up to the wonderful product that made the name famous. The menu was expensive and extremely boring. It was essentially TGI Friday's with a better designer, better (but more expensive) cocktails, and slightly higher food costs. You would think a restaurant named after one of the country's greatest whiskies might attempt to incorporate some in at least one recipe. Maybe a KC strip with a great whisky sauce or whisky braised short ribs. Unfortunately, nothing of the sort exists. Instead, the menu consisted largely of tired "nice" restaurant staples. That wouldn't be a bad thing really if everything was well executed. But to this reviewer's disappointment, that was far from the case.
I recently dined there with my wife and a friend who's love of Maker's Mark surpasses even my own. Everyone was disappointed. I had the cleverly named "duck squared," which was ok, but for $28 I was expecting something that had some more thought behind it. The breast was overcooked and the whole dish was, frankly, boring. Even worse was my appetizer, the "signature" onion loaf. Why someone thought baking onion rings all together in a loaf pan was a good idea, let alone a "signature dish," is completely beyond me. Imagine you purchased some wonderful onion rings from Sonic, put them in the fridge for a few hours, then smashed them together on a plate and micro-waved them for a couple of minutes. Sound like a good idea? Well, that is the best way I can think of to describe my experience eating "the loaf." It was a soggy, greasy mess. The rest of the table's food was similarly disappointing. The only bright spot was a very well-made Maker's Manhattan.
The atmosphere was, in a word, odd. The bar area was loud, but fun. The porch out under the KC Live canopy was great. The small room in which we were seated, however, was uncomfortably quiet and strangely bright. The place would be better served by seating everyone in the main bar area. Though, at least our server was relatively attentive.
With so many other restaurant choices in the downtown area, I cannot fathom ever eating at Maker's Mark Bourbon House and Lounge again. 1924 Main, Michael Smith, Le Fou Frog, Harry's Country Club, Phillip's Chop House, Bristol, and The Majestic all offer a much better dining experience for essentially the same price. Hell, I'd rather chomp down on one of Ted Turner's buffalo burgers or sip a wonderful milkshake at the fantastic, if a bit dirty, Town Topic before exposing myself to a place that considers the onion loaf a "signature dish" and then has the audacity to charge me to eat it.
I may go back to Maker's Mark, but I'll be drinking my dinner.
Rating Detail:
Food: 1
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 3
Value: 1
Overall: 2
(continued)
Every waiter/waitress I liked has been removed as well. The bar staff has improved, immensely. But good luck getting a good seat! The bar is so tiny for them to be focusing all of the place's energy on it.
The sushi is awsome. Very fresh. Takes a while but if you saw how small the sushi bar was you'd understand.
Rating Detail:
Food: 3
Service: 2
Atmosphere: 5
Value: 2
Overall: 2
Oh. My. God.
Can you say clusterf***? The place is, to quote, "demented and sad but social".
I've been there quite a bit. I will probably not go back except to drink, maybe. I've told my friends that we should eat somewhere else and really only go there for drinks if necessary. I'm telling you this too.
Atmosphere is very pretty but just know that with all of it's glitz it lacks ev-e-ry-thing else.
Then I first went there, last year, the place was awesome.
They had this wacky chef who made very interesting cuisine, and he would come out and chat with you about it. The food was amazing. There was a pretty solid staff and the atmosphere was delightful.
Since then every plate that I liked has been removed from the menu. A couple of wines I liked are no more. For this restaurant wanting to be known for sake, that menu certainly hasn't grown much. Cocktails have become bizzaro >Pernod tastes like liquorice people, just so you know
Rating Detail:
Food: 3
Service: 2
Atmosphere: 5
Value: 2
Overall: 2
Sushi is not fresh. Other dishes are overpriced and bland. Chefs don't know how to make the rolls or sushi very well as they kept falling apart.
Service is also abysmal. Atmosphere is great however. Go there to hang out and drink, just don't eat there.
Rating Detail:
Food: 2
Service: 2
Atmosphere: 5
Value: 2
Overall: 2
This was a special dinner for four and it was so mediorce that it is hard to explain. Food with no garnishes, side dishes plopped down on a crowded table in gratinee dishes that looked cafeteria style. One out of two $85 wines was really great, one should not have been on the wine list. Total cost with tip $500. Excellent view and excellent service. There are just too many fabulous restaurants in KC to have to go here except for a cocktail and the view.
Rating Detail:
Food: 2
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5
Value: 1
Overall: 2
This was a special dinner for four and it was so mediorce that it is hard to explain. Food with no garnishes, side dishes plopped down on a crowded table in gratinee dishes that looked cafeteria style. One out of two $85 wines was really great, one should not have been on the wine list. Total cost with tip $500. Excellent view and excellent service. There are just too many fabulous restaurants in KC to have to go here except for a cocktail and the view.
Rating Detail:
Food: 2
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5
Value: 1
Overall: 2
Re: “76th Street Bar and Grill”
I would like the $3.00 off my next meal.
Rating Detail:
Service: 2
Atmosphere: 3
Value: 3
Overall: 2