AMAZING FOOD! WOW everything we had was so good! Would 100% be back. Wasn't blown away by any of…read morethe drinks, but the food oh my gosh!!! We sat outside and it was just lovely!

In town to visit my sis and haven't tried this place yet, do we headed to dinner for me to try it…read moreout! Sat outside, so not sure what it looks like inside, but the outdoor vibes were super cute. Service is very Lawrence; super chill and friendly. They immediately came by with water and then gave us some time to review the menu before taking beverage orders. They also asked us if we wanted apps, so we ordered those too. Food came out in a reasonable amount of time and mostly tasty; the fancy mushroom hummus was too salty for me. The pork and beans were my personal fave, but everyone had a different fave. Desserts were too sweet for me; butter cake too sweet and the chocolate tort too chocolatey.

Fantastic staff, everyone was helpful and friendly! We came in close to close, and got…read morerecommendations on where to go and what to do. A regular had her huskies in, and I absolutely love having a few beers while I make new furry friends.

Unlike many hipster bars who think that having a beer on tap that only five people have ever drunk,…read moresomebody at GG who knows beer actually curates the stuff available. It's next to impossible to find a place like this. It's so much better than the trendoid dumps pimping for reviews that say "chill vibe."

Visited Arterra for an event recently--what a beautiful space. It feels uniquely Lawrence in the…read morebest way: modern, inviting, and full of personality. I was just a guest, so I can't speak for the hosts, but from where I stood, everything was spot on. The space was open, easy to navigate, and had that rare mix of elegance and comfort. The food and beverages? Fabulous--no rubber chicken here. If I were planning an event, this is exactly the kind of place I'd want. Stylish, spacious, and effortlessly well-run. Arterra nails it.

On Saturday evening, I attended a wedding here and was beyond impressed with the level of…read moreattentiveness, friendliness of staff, gorgeous decor and delicious food. The inside was elegant and tastefully decorated. They allowed the bride and groom to put their own touches on the wall by hanging engagement pictures and decorations. The ceremony was outside and I was surprised by how comfortable the chairs were. I also appreciated the shade tents they put up to block the sun for the guests. Dinner, drinks and appetizers were delicious. The staff came around to make sure you had everything you needed without being too pushy. This would be a great place to have an sort of event or wedding. I really enjoyed being a guest.

The Cherry Blossom at LOCAL is sooo good--definitely the perfect summer drink. Light, refreshing,…read moreand just a little sweet. I also love that they let you sample drinks before you commit, which is such a nice touch. It makes trying something new way less risky. LOCAL seriously knows how to make the cocktail experience fun and easy.

If you love the big open sky surrounding Lawrence, KS, and the sound of crickets, cows and a…read morepicturesque Midwestern night, you're going to see the appeal of the Historic Taylor Barn. That was our thinking when we booked this for our wedding in 2015. This beautiful working farm, although a bit more on the rustic side than some photos would have you believe, really is a place where you can breathe deep, relax and make for a wonderful evening. Being in the event world myself, I was less than thrilled with some of the steps leading up to it when we booked this venue. They are friendly folks, but there was a sense of a vaguery around a lot of things. We had to have every vendor "approved" by them, but the responses were slow. In the wedding planning process, things move so quickly that you better nail down that photographer, caterer, etc. and not have to wait and follow up continuously. Something that bugged me as my stress was H-I-G-H that final week before the wedding was that a big time cold front and high chance of rain were forecasted to move in. With over a week's notice I requested that they go ahead and get the heaters and tents that we'd talked about as our agreed upon contingency plan. No response. Followed up, and by then it was too late to get all that we needed, even though we were still four days out. They had told me 48 hours would be sufficient notice so I was very disappointed. Thank god it didn't rain as forecasted! She also quoted me pretty high on the heat lamps and I grew weary. I called the rental company (Sunflower Rental) myself and found that the total price I was quoted was bumped up to nearly double what they actually charge. So I could've just ordered these myself and saved a lot of money, and there was no explanation for the upcharge except that I called them on it. Now the wedding day was great, they were accommodating to the caterers, they dressed up and were around but not too present, and were just overall great. I chalk it up to the fact that everyone EVER who is in the wedding business realizes the cash grab that it can be and that a few things here and there fell in that category. I think this would probably be the same for a lot of venues, I just wish there had been a bit more transparency from the get go. Also not a fan of the $300 clean up charge, that's bogus. Thankfully as the bride and groom we were not on the hook and our family stepped up to do this. Our wedding was beautiful, and the weather cooperated. It was crisp, they had a bon fire stoked for us, and the historic barn (built in 1887 I think?) and I was thrilled with the way everything worked out.

From the owner: Wedding/reception venue Rehearsal dinners…read moreAnniversary celebration Photo opportunities

We first stayed at the Oread Hotel on their grand opening many years ago. Whenever we come to…read moreLawrence, we have tried to stay at the Oread. It's always been a good stay. This trip so far has been the extreme opposite. We came to the hotel at 12:30 hoping to be able to check in a little early. We stood at the front desk for almost five minutes before a woman came out and said, "do you need something"? She asked our name and said, "we have nothing available right now". We had hoped to change clothes and freshen up before a meeting with University of Kansas officials and a subsequent dinner with them. There is no school going on at KU as commencement was the previous week. There were only six cars in the hotel garage. We have never been treated so rudely by a hotel's front desk personnel. I also asked when the room might be available and was told 4:00. She made no effort to look anything up or accommodate us in any way. Very disappointing.

Something very strange is happening at this place. The staff all seem extremely confused about how…read moreto provide basic customer service. The room I stayed in had plaster and paint peeling off of the wall in the bathroom. It also just felt very sparse--no carpet, no rug. The bed was only half made. Other reviewers have mentioned odd noises at night, which I also experienced. The service at the restaurant is absolutely terrible. I waited about 50 minutes after ordering breakfast. My order included a cup of coffee. After about 25 minutes, the lone server came over and explained that she had many things to do before she'd get to the coffee order and could I just get some coffee from the lobby instead? What?? You're serving breakfast and you can't just pour me a cup of coffee?? I would never, ever go back to this hotel. It's truly terrible.

I was able to enjoy this venue in downtown LFK for Brewfest! This venue has so much to offer…read more From the little individual rooms that look like town shops, to fountains, to a riverside Deck. Large space that even with the mass of people and all the booths set up to get drinks at didn't feel crowded.

We went to a Fabulous event planned by KU's Hall Center for Humanities. It was centered around…read moreHalloween but with an educational flair. And a bar!! They featured food by Latch Key Deli which looked delicious but we opted for a drink and wandering around. This event is annual so you have to be ready in the fall. See attached photos of the fun stuff and we didn't even see it all.

Exceptional. A true farm-to-table experience delivered with a high level of service and culinary…read moreexpertise. The five-course meal, crafted by a remarkably talented chef using a variety of techniques from their farm, was beautifully executed in a surreal indoor-outdoor setting. Every dish was spectacular, and the beverage pairings were creative and perfectly curated. The owners' labor of love is evident from start to finish, making this a true gem in the Lawrence/Lecompton area. Our guests from Leawood, Kansas said they would gladly make the drive back anytime to experience another one of these magical culinary evenings.

We heard about Burning Barrel and Origin Restaurant from a friend and quickly booked tickets online…read morefor one of their first weekends of service. We were not disappointed. We arrived on the farm (after our Ford GPS took us a wonky route along a few miles of dirt road--so make sure you stay on paved roads and you won't have trouble--I was told by Kristin, our host and one of the owners, that Google Maps has no problem). I have to share our experience in detail because I feel we discovered a new must-visit experience in the KC area! We arrived at the 30-acre farm, parked in the field, and were greeted by our server who welcomed us warmly and offered us an arrival cocktail to sip while we explored the truly lovely grounds, pond, and nearby goats. After our leisurely stroll, we returned to the dining pavilion and found our seats at the gorgeous (and massive!) live-edge dining table along with a menu specifically for this weekend. Our gracious host Kristen and server brought out our first drink pairing, a minted lime seltzer that was refreshing and light. Our first course arrived--Blue Jade cornbread with arugula, sweet pea salad, and chicken liver paté. The cornbread was unlike any I had before and was absolutely delicious. The sweet pea salad was literally bursting with flavor the peas were so fresh and the chicken liver paté out of this world. Such an interesting flavor profile and combination. The next beverage pairing arrived a short time later as we enjoyed the perfect evening, a blackberry purple basil shrub. This drink was also delicious and refreshing (and save that blackberry for last--what a treat!). The Mangalista pig, we were told, is the "wagyu of pork" and the crisp, tasty, marbled pork chop was excellent. It was served with a beet "kimchi" with fennel root and a sheep cheese dumpling that was creamy and flavorful. Finally, our coffees were served and a dessert of yellow squash cake, lemon honey ice cream with mulberry compote was brought to us. Again, the dish was original, delicious, and a perfect ending to our meal. We can't wait to come back and have try a new menu in the future. Such a perfect evening and the chef has such an exciting vision for hyper-local farm-to-table flavors and dishes.

My brother just had his wedding here and we thought the venue was perfect. It's one of the only…read morespaces in the area that allows for their own catering and alcohol to be brought in. They literally let us do whatever we wanted with the food and bar, along with the decor... it's a simple "barn style" set up with a neat ceiling and lights, and enough to probably have between 100-150 seated guests comfortably. It was clean and new feeling. The owner, Theresa, is very responsive. She made everything we did so easy to work with. The costs are not outrageous and this is really the perfect venue for anyone who wants to create their own event on top of a great "base" like the W. The ONLY thing I would say is that the parking situation is a little odd, but it's close to downtown Lawrence so street parking is accessible and there is an old church lot across the street.

What a lovely place! I recently took a bead making class here and it was thoroughly enjoyable from…read morestart to finish. It was difficult picking just one class because there were so many of them I wanted to take. Lawrence Arts Center has so much to offer all age groups. My class was a human hodge podge of ages and experience. The building is stunning. You are immediately taken in by the color collections and the great use of space and light of this building. Everywhere you look there is alluring and interesting artwork. Even the elevator interior is adorned with colorful sunflower art. This is a happy place, a very happy place. The classrooms are spacious and light. They have all sorts of cool equipment for the students to create their artwork. The instructors are all very knowledgeable and experienced in their craft. I was very impressed with the accommodations provided. There is ample parking and a parking garage is located across the street. There is no issue with access. All in all this is a terrific asset to the city. If you have some time on your hands and find yourself downtown, this is the place to be!

I'm not a particularly artistic person, but we stopped in here on our trip to Lawrence. I was very…read moreimpressed with the building, sleek and clean. I was also impressed by the sheer number of programs they boast here from theater and singing, metal working, pressing, painting, sculpture, etc. Many of these can be seen on display in the galleries about the building. They also have early school and learning centers attached. It makes for a very cool place for the arts crowd to gather.