Delicious food. Warm ambience! Friendly staff! STRONG mixology game! Always new selections each…read moremonth. We'll be back!

We went out to dinner last Friday as an early Valentine's Day dinner as we don't like to deal with…read morethe crowds that pile out on February 14. We've dined at The White Linen now at least eight or nine times, including the private chef's table in the old safe (the restaurant is in an old building where a bank once was). The food is always delicious, exciting, thoughtful, and nicely plated. We appreciate the fact there's a fine dining restaurant option in Topeka (it's a lot closer than Kansas City!). But every time we go we are always struck by the service. As good as the food is (and it's very good) the service is always lacking. It feels like the servers (often high school or college age) are play acting at fine dining service. Everything is always just a little off. For example, the silverware: it stays out through the whole meal. Normally, you finish a starter and they take away the used knife and fork and bring new, clean ones. (This could just be easier on the servers but perhaps the restaurant doesn't have enough silverware to do this.) Then, there's usually on every visit one mess up or another. If this happened once on one meal I'd say it was an anomaly, but when there's something every time we dine there you start to question what kind of training goes on with the front of house staff. Here's a list (not an exhaustive one) of things we've experienced: * Entrees for another table being set down in front of us. This by itself is no big deal, but when the problem is pointed out and those entrees are then picked up and set in front of other diners, I wince. * When asking for salt and pepper a small bowl with salt and pepper mixed is provided. I don't know if this is a chef's choice or the server's, but I'd like to dose any salt and pepper myself, thank you. * My wife is allergic to cilantro (not a dislike as in "it tastes like dirt" but an actual EpiPen-carrying allergy) and it was noted both on our reservation on Tock and described verbally to the server when we ordered. A starter arrived with microgreens as a garnish. When my wife asked what the greens were, the server took them back to the chef and another one was sent out because the microgreens had cilantro in them. I worry the server did not communicate the allergy in the first place. * Cleaning equipment left out on a dining table next to ours (see photo). For all the care and attention to the food and the menu, I wish Adam VanDonge paid as much attention to the training of the front of house staff. Certainly, they must be working on the tightest of margins running a fine dining establishment in Topeka. Staff is at an appropriate minimum, but the lack of a Front of House manager shows. When asked what a certain item was on a menu, a server replied, "I don't know. I don't eat this kind of stuff." I wrote such a long review because I have a hunch none of these issues get back to the kitchen. They are kept in the dining room. I think most diners coming to The White Linen are thrilled to have a great night out--and they should. I applaud Mr. VanDonge for the fortitude to keep TWL alive with a vision of great American cuisine. The front of house staff are eager and enthusiastic, don't get me wrong. I just wish the service reflected the quality of the food.

Too much to complement. Overall, an excellent dining experience and a much-needed relief from KC…read moredining. The decor has an unexpected New Orleans vibe, vibrant and cozy. The service was spot on. Susan and Barbara were amazing, ensuring that a food allergy was managed. Thank you both! Aside from an extensive menu, there is a board of specials, making the decision more difficult. I doubt you can go wrong with any choice. Start with one of their creative cocktails and follow with a glass from their extensive wine list. We loved the rich Foie Gras Frais starter. We ordered off the specials, so I cannot recall the names. The KC steak looked extravagant, served with two delicious sauces and sides on a butcher block. The scallops were seared to perfection. The chocolate mousse cake was clearly the correct dessert choice. Make a reservation and be ready to indulge.

I wish I could give this a 4.5. Really good food overall. Service was great as well. We had a…read morereservation for our anniversary and they seated us in a row of tables right next to other couples, so it didn't feel very romantic. Especially when you can hear their conversations so easily. My other complaint is the bread, they used to give you a basket of warm bread and now it's a room temp roll.

If you're looking for a romantic date night in Kansas City, Tailleur is one of my favorite…read morerecommendations! I've visited twice, once while helping capture content and another time for a bachelorette party, and both experiences were incredible. This French-inspired restaurant has a beautiful, intimate atmosphere filled with antiques, equestrian touches, and European charm. My personal favorites are the peach and brie appetizer and the pork chop. Both were absolutely delicious! Here's a fun fact: Tailleur opened in 2021, and owner Heather White found an antique French sign in Kansas City's West Bottoms that inspired the restaurant's name and spelling! Between the incredible food, thoughtful decor, and cozy atmosphere, Tailleur is definitely a spot worth dressing up for!

Pescatarian verdict: #stlouispescatarianapproved…read more Tailleur happens when someone decides Kansas City needs a little Parisian fantasy. I'm not mad about it. The space is gorgeous, with an old world, French romantic feel. Tailleur describes itself as French in spirit and that pretty much nails the vibe. We started with the focaccia, and since the breads are made in house, obviously we had to investigate. Then came the grilled peach salad, which was delicate and refreshing. And then I stopped pretending to be delicate. Pesto rigatoni with a huge fillet of salmon on top was choice. Fat Kid Activated! The pasta was fantastic, and that salmon took it from good to extravagant? Their current menu confirms both pesto pasta and Faroe Islands salmon are part of the rotation. Pretty sure I just wandered into Paris from Kansas City!

Bigger than it looks from the outside, which was a nice surprise. There's a great patio area with…read morelive music, and the wine selection is what you'd hope for from a place like this. The food was excellent across the board, exactly what you'd expect from a French restaurant, and the pastries were outstanding. They also have a small grocery section inside, handy if you want something fresh to take home.

French Market is a very popular spot located in Prairie Village Shops…read more You order at the counter, get a number and if you come with a group everyone needs to be present in order to sit down. No holding tables! Full bar. Food is tasty. I've had the chicken salad and ordered the Ruben to go. Cold brew was delicious, I always add cream to round out the flavor. . Bon Appetite!

The space is INCREDIBLE! Cocktails .. insane…read more The owners Hannah and Avery have taken every possible thing in mind from the space, to the menu, to the service. The menu is always evolving. Come out for an amazing dinner, wine on the patio ... you won't be disappointed.

06/16/2026 I visited Cru today for the fourth time, and…read moreunfortunately this visit left me disappointed with the quality of service. As a Vietnam veteran, I'm very aware of my surroundings, and something about today's experience felt off. I arrived during happy hour and ordered a drink, assuming it was part of the happy hour menu. I later realized it wasn't, and I left feeling a bit taken advantage of. I understand that a happy hour menu is provided, but I didn't realize I needed to specifically ask which items were included. No one behind the bar explained the pricing differences or mentioned that what I ordered was not part of the happy hour offerings. Clear communication would have prevented the misunderstanding. When I received my bill, it was about twenty dollars more than I expected. I asked about the charges calmly and respectfully -- I never raised my voice, even though it was difficult in the moment. The bartender simply told me, "That's what you ordered." She's a very sweet woman, but she didn't seem to realize I was upset, and shortly after that she stepped away. That's when I spoke with Hannah. Hannah is truly exceptional. She immediately understood my disappointment and asked if I wanted her to remove the extra charges. I declined, because my frustration wasn't about the money -- it was about the lack of attentiveness and the absence of honest, proactive communication I expect from a respectable establishment. Hannah handled the situation with grace, kindness, and professionalism. She has a personality that stands out the moment you meet her, and she made it hard for me to stay upset. My real concern was the overall experience. During the hour and a half I was there, the bar was never busy -- never more than two people -- until a woman who works at Starbucks arrived with her boyfriend. It was clear the bartender knew them, and the level of attentiveness shifted noticeably. While I understand taking care of friends, it made me feel overlooked as a paying customer. I spent nearly a hundred dollars during my visit, yet I received almost no conversation or engagement from the staff. I'm not a young man, and I'm certainly not in the same age group as the bartender's friends, but that shouldn't affect the level of service. I own a business in Brookside and often recommend local restaurants to my clients. Today's experience left me feeling neglected and uncomfortable, and it has made me reconsider those recommendations. In the end, I wasn't upset about the cost -- I was disappointed by the lack of communication and the absence of effort to make guests feel acknowledged and comfortable. Hannah was the bright spot in an otherwise discouraging visit.

What a great restaurant. Each course was superb beyond expectation. Our waiter was exceptional.read more

Awesome spot and a hidden gem in KC. We had dinner there tonight and everything was 10/10. Burrata…read morewas a great start super yum. Pregame old fashioned and champagne recommendation were spot on. Filet with ratatouille and au gratin potatoes paired with another recommendation...cab from SA was perfect. Barramundi fish and beaujolais (recommended) was fantastic. Mousse desert with Tesseron cognac was a great finish. Guillaume was an excellent host with an awesome presence and sense of humor. We will be back!!

Fabulous time spent with co workers and family Just…read morewonderful staff great food Love the coffee shop options And full menu Love the people around

This is such a cute location and it has so much potential! It's been a Brookside staple for years…read morebut it missed the mark for our dinner. Starting out - hostess was great! Friendly and informative. We sat outside it was a lovely evening. Our waiter came by the table - I don't know his name because he never introduced himself. He came by to get our drink and dinner order. Delivered drinks, never checked to see if we liked them - we did. Dropped off our dinners - never came by to see if we liked them. We didn't. So - salad of the day - had potential but lacked flavor. Mussels - bland, ceviche - bland - they served it with plantain chips which I normally love, but they were stale. Waiter dropped off our check. We left more than half of our food. Didn't ask, didn't enquire about dessert. Walked away disappointed.

My wife and I went couldn't decide where to have a date night dinner. We didn't want to go to one…read moreof the trendy places on IG, and were leaning toward French food. Cafe Provence won and ended up being the perfect decision. Each course was delicious, and the waitress was able to guide us to each choice off the menu. We started with scallops for the first course. Then I had chicken breast with morel sauce for the second course. For dessert, I ordered the sorbet of the day which was strawberry-rhubarb. I recommend each of those dishes. I ordered their house Negroni, which was good. With dessert I had white sambuca, which was an ideal compliment to the sorbet. They have a large drink menu, but I didn't get too carried away and ordered simple drinks. It's a cozy place and there were a lot of older couples here. Mid-30s was probably the youngest age group represented that evening.

To step through the doors of Café Provence in Prairie Village is to experience a delightful,…read moredefiant fracture in the space-time continuum. It is an exquisite temporal illusion, a portal that bypasses the predictable geometry of a suburban shopping center and deposits you squarely into a perfectly stuck-in-time Parisian brasserie on the Left Bank. For one glorious evening, the midwestern plains recede, replaced by the seductive, buttery hum of a romanticized mid-century Paris. Eating here is not merely a matter of ingestion; it is an act of total surrender. I quite literally ate all the things, embarking on a sprawling, hedonistic pilgrimage through a menu that reads like a love letter to classical French gastronomy, executed with an absolute precision that would make the most demanding Parisian chef weep into their copper pans. The atmosphere possesses that elusive, crackling energy where history feels thick and the present feels beautifully paused. One cannot help but look at the warm lighting and the intimate arrangement of tables without evoking the ghosts of the great French literary pantheon. It is the sort of room where you half-expect Albert Camus to be sitting in the corner, nursing an espresso or a deep glass of red, brooding over the beautiful absurdity of existence while quietly marveling at the perfection of his steak frites. If Camus famously posited that one must imagine Sisyphus happy, I can assure you that Sisyphus would be ecstatic if his eternal boulder were instead a giant wheel of triple-cream Brie from this kitchen. There is a profound, comforting rebellion in the restaurant's commitment to timelessness. In a modern culinary landscape obsessed with the fleeting whim of the avant-garde, Café Provence stands as a magnificent monument to the enduring truth of heavy cream, rendered fat, and impeccable technique. Our culinary odyssey began with an assortment of appetizers that set a dizzying standard for the rest of the evening. The escargots arrived swimming in an emerald sea of garlic, parsley, and butter so rich it felt like an existential revelation. Each bite was a masterclass in texture and balance, demanding to be aggressively mopped up with shards of crusty baguettes. Next came a charcuterie board that looked like a still-life painting by a French master, featuring terrines and pates that struck a perfect chord between rustic charm and refined sophistication. The french onion soup was a dark, brooding, caramelized masterpiece, blanketed in a thick, blistered layer of Gruyere cheese that stretched on like a beautiful, unending prose sentence. It was the ultimate comfort food, elevated to an art form, offering a depth of flavor that felt like a warm embrace on a chilly night along the Seine. As the main courses arrived, the kitchen continued its relentless assault on our senses. The duck confit was a revelation of physics and flavor, boasting skin so astonishingly crisp it shattered like delicate glass at the touch of a fork, yielding to remarkably tender, deeply savory meat beneath. It was accompanied by a rich reduction that tied the entire plate together in a harmonious symphony of decadence. Not to be outdone, the trout almondine was a triumph of classic restraint, the delicate fish perfectly seared and bathed in a nutty, brown-butter sauce that sang with a bright splash of lemon. Every dish that crossed the table felt like a deliberate argument against the fast-paced negligence of the modern world. The kitchen does not cut corners; they honor the slow, deliberate rituals of classical cooking, and the result is a menu where every single option feels like a definitive, unimpeachable victory. Of course, no journey to the Left Bank would be complete without a grand finale from the pastry station. We indulged in a tarte tatin that was a masterclass in caramelization, the apples softened to a luxurious consistency and perched atop a beautifully flaky, buttery pastry crust. Beside it sat a creme brulee with a sugar crust so flawlessly torched it required a satisfying, sharp tap of the spoon to break through to the velvety, vanilla-flecked custard below. To experience this level of pastry work outside the borders of France feels like a beautiful, benevolent trick. Café Provence does not just replicate the flavors of a Parisian brasserie; it captures its very soul, proving that exceptional hospitality and transcendent cooking are entirely universal languages. It is a glowing, triumphant jewel of a restaurant, and I am already plotting my inevitable return to eat all the things all over again.

Charisse is a pretty little restaurant down in the Power and Light area of Kansas City. The…read moreservice was good and the ambiance was nice but over-all, our food was quite salty across the board. We enjoyed the mussels in saffron broth with grilled bread. The Bolognese pasta and Impossible burger were both well prepared but very salty. Happy to give it another try though!

I'll start with my pros. First, it's adorable in there and I love the city location. It feels very…read moreurban and authentic in that way. The service is also wonderful. Our water was kind and quick on all counts. Now when it comes to the food, the menu looks great. A lot of unique options that could really allow for each dining experience to take on a new look. That said, of the three items we ordered, they were all heavily salted to the point that they were almost un-finish-able. Now this does happen, so I don't want this one experience to dictate whether or not I return, but it was interesting that all three dishes were like that. Additionally, we went during spooky season and they were decorated for Christmas so that was a little weird but like...cute? I would love to give it another try at some point so will update if/when that happens!