The island-themed Sunset Grill seems out of place in the middle of suburban Overland Park. But the chill atmosphere at this six-year-old establishment is pleasantly welcoming, and the lack of intentional irony and kitsch is refreshing. The bar is mostly separate from the dining area, and the high-top tables are hand-painted with tropical motifs including hula girls and palm trees. Tiled mosaics in the shapes of orchids and salamanders adorn the walls, and the bathroom walls are painted with inspirational quotes. Daily drink specials are available, and the weekends feature live entertainment, including local rock bands, magicians and Elvis impersonators.
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Appetizers, Bar Food, Brewery, English, Irish, Salads, Sandwiches, Seafood, Soups, Music Venues, Bars/Clubs, Menu Available, Menu
In the strip-mall dominated landscape of the suburbs, Llywelyn’s stands apart. It’s not in a strip mall but a former church, which was converted into an Irish joint in the dark, homey way of pubs. It offers a wide range of beers from England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland, but keeps enough room on the menu for local Boulevard options and Schafly. There are plenty of American classics on the food menu (burgers, chicken wings, steak sandwiches), but Irish favorites also make a showing, including shepherd's pie and bangers and mash. And if you’re looking for a place to hold a small, private dinner, Llywelyn’s offers “The Snug,” a tiny room with space for approximately eight people just off the main dining room. Live music takes over Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
Jerry’s Bait Shop is a comfortable, laid-back neighborhood bar with sloping wooden floors and mismatched bar stools, but it’s nicer and cleaner than the average dive. The friendly staff serves up daily food and drink specials, including an all-you-can-eat lunchtime pizza buffet during the week. A couple of the specialty drinks have extra-saucy names, such as the Finger Me Good, and a shark hanging above the bar has women's underwear dangling from its teeth. Indeed, when there is live entertainment six nights a week, it can be a rather wild time, especially during Wednesday-night jam sessions. Also, be prepared for the blaring train right across the street -- it can easily scare away a buzz.
To find a true cross-section of the Prairie Village population, one doesn’t need to look further than the weeknight crowd at the Blue Moose Bar & Grill. Local restaurant group KC Hopps has created a cozy, charming space for this mostly white-collar neighborhood. Its menu includes small plates, seasonal salads and an extensive wine list, and its bar area has a state-of-the-art sound system and enough flat-screen TVs to please the sizable college football- and basketball-viewing crowd (mostly KU fans). Generous drink specials run from open to close, making this place hard to leave, especially in the summer when the patio is usually full.
Barley’s Brewhaus in Overland Park has 99 taps of beer on the wall, but that doesn't give you the right to start humming that song. That song just doesn't belong where Belgian trappist beers (like Chimay and Gulden Draak) are on draft, alongside a wide selection of local beers, including Tallgrass, Free State and Boulevard. What does belong at Barley’s are folks who like upscale bar food (pizza, steaks, etc.) that isn’t just cheese-covered fried stuff. Live music during the week keeps things hopping amidst all the hops.
If “family” bar-and-restaurants leave a bad taste in your mouth, wash it out with a cold glass of Shiner Bock and slow-smoked brisket at Wil Jenny's. The staff and regulars at this Texas-themed hang -- named after the owners' children -- treat everyone who walks in like one of their own. Take a seat up front if you prefer the bar, or mosey back to the lodge-style dining room, where high ceilings and plastic gingham table cloths give the place a picnic-area vibe. Live music is a huge draw on the weekends (even Hootie has played here), and expect anything you order to be Texas big. Popular choices include the Ranch House Snack (a sampler of smoked meats and candied jalapenos), Chicken Fried Steak and the Dr. Pepper Baby Back Ribs, slathered with a sweet and tangy sauce made from the soda.
913-681-1722
