Only been here a couple times but it was an instant local favorite for me. The atmosphere and the…read morepeople. That's sometimes all you need to make it. And this place made it. (Obviously if it's the oldest bar in Topeka!) the people here are gems & I'd pop in every night if I lived in Oakland!!

Best bar in Topeka. Amazing staff, great vibes. If your looking a place that is not boujie this is…read moreyour spot. Love love love this bar

There are places you plan to visit, and then there are places you stumble into--the kind that feel…read morelike they've been sitting there for years, quietly daring you to notice them. Little Russia Chili Parlor is the latter. A small, out-of-the-way joint in Topeka that doesn't scream for attention--but once you walk in, it doesn't need to. The air alone tells you you're in the right place. This is Daniela's house. Not in the literal sense, but in the way that matters. She runs the place with the kind of confidence you don't fake--part host, part artist, part benevolent dictator of flavor. You don't get the sense that anything leaves that kitchen unless it meets her standard, and that standard is unapologetically high. Start with the pickles. Yeah, pickles. The kind that makes you pause mid-bite and reconsider every sad, limp grocery store version you've ever tolerated. These are spiced, alive, sharp in all the right ways--like they've got a story to tell and no patience for small talk. Then there's the baked goods coming in from Oakland's Bakery--local, honest, the kind of bread that actually tastes like grain and effort instead of air and preservatives. And then you hit the sides. The spiced pimento cheese spread isn't some afterthought--it's a statement. Smoky, a little dangerous, layered in a way that suggests someone in that kitchen understands restraint just as well as indulgence. It's the kind of thing you keep eating long after you've told yourself you're done. But let's not kid ourselves. You came here for the chili. And the chili... the chili doesn't just deliver--it recalibrates. Deep, complex, unapologetically bold. It's not trying to be trendy or Instagram-friendly. It's trying to be right. The kind of bowl that makes you slow down, lean in, and pay attention. Every spoonful feels deliberate, like it's been simmering not just for hours, but for years of trial, error, and quiet perfection. The sandwiches? Stacked, messy in the best way, built on that Oakland's Bakery foundation like someone actually cares about what bread is supposed to do--hold everything together without getting in the way. This place doesn't need hype. It doesn't need a rebrand or a marketing push. It exists in that rare space where authenticity isn't a strategy--it's just how things are done. You don't come to Little Russia Chili Parlor to be seen. You come because someone told you, quietly, "Trust me." And if you're smart, you listen.

Loved this place so much! Truly local, we found it by using the "lunch near me" function. The…read moreregulars greeted us warmly and guided us through the menu. We started with chili this time but next time we will try the sandwiches. Any place with homemade pickles wins my heart - they had three kinds. And a cracker trough made from a garden planter. And pimento cheese. Basically, it was amazing. And the chili was super tasty too.

Super unique place to drive or walk through. The owners are nice and excited for you to stop by…read more It's free but accepts donations, because they create it all themselves. Several peacocks wandering around, too!

Definitely worth a drive through if you're in town and like quirky art installations. I've already…read morebeen to Stonehenge, so my curiosity was peaked when I saw truck henge existed. Totally a different experience, but if you can't make it all the way to Stonehenge, good ole Kansas Truck Henge is the next best thing. No seriously! What a fun idea and way to reuse material to make people smile rather than waste it. Ain't nothing wrong with making people smile for free. Thanks for letting us take a look. Just some guys land with a crazy amount of old vehicles up-cycled into an art exhibit of sorts. Free admission, donations appreciated. Kind owner. He said his dad built all the stuff there.

Orginally opened in 1984, the museum was Closed for three years to Completely revamp the Entire…read moremuseum with exhibits designed by award winning Dimensional Innovations (The Amelia Earhart Museum and Atlas9 are two of their amazing designs), the Kansas Museum of History reopened in winter 2025 and it is amazing! The Why Kansas Gallery acts as the crossroads of the 5 other galleries(plus a special events space) with themes of What Is/Was Kansas, Bleeding Kansas, Connecting Kansas, Making Kansas and Changing Kansas. Sit in a traditional teepee, play engineer on a 1880 Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe train (which now has several cars open to explore, several airplanes, and look down into a log cabin from a new elevated ramp... don't miss this! It is easy to miss! Lots of fascinating information on the fight for statehood and freedom, women's suffrage,, civil rights, industries and SO much more plus interactive exhibits(actually smelling the stockyards was a highlight..LOL). Such a rich history. Lots of imaginative play areas for kids inside and out, plus an authentic one room school house and restored Indian mission visible on the nature trail with a swinging bridge. They gave us a scavenger hunt at the front desk that takes you through the whole museum and if you finish it you earn a fun souvenir button or snall toy :) Even if history isn't your thing this museum is vibrant colorful fun and informative and is a true gem and a worthy day trip for any and all.

This was actually a disappointing stop. We're RVing around this part of the country learning about…read morethe area, history, etc. There was no mention of industry, agriculture, etc. I have no idea of what crops are grown in the area or what the area produces. No mention of Eisenhower (famous WW2 leader and the only President from Kansas). Lots of displays on racial prejudice, slavery, LGBTQ+/- etc. Really disappointed. This entire building taught me nothing about Kansas.

I took my 3 kids to Bonkers for a fun morning last week - it was my first time getting all 3 kids…read moreout of the house since having a baby 6 weeks prior. My older two kids have loved Up and Away in Lawrence so I thought the play maze looked similar and that it'd be so fun for them and bonus that it's in Topeka and I don't need to drive to Lawrence - I was wrong. Both of my children had feet get stuck because the webbing of the play place had multiple broken spots throughout. There were also multiple duct taped spots. My oldest could get her foot out herself, but my second child climbed to the top and her whole right leg went through a hole. She was crying so hard and there were no workers anywhere. (They were all in the front office.) My baby also decided that was when she needed to be fed so my 3 year old and baby are crying while I have to climb to the top of this maze to get the 3 year old unstuck. As a side note, the arcade games are all at a high volume for their music and the lights are super bright - Dave and busters isn't so overstimulating. I gave them 2 stars because they did give me my money back, although I think I'm being generous since never did an employee apologize for what happened or check to see if my daughter was okay. They also did not mention that they would fix the issue.

The games were fun. They had something for all ages. We went during the early afternoon so there…read morewasn't too large a crowd. The prices were what you would expect - but I had to take stars off for the food. We ordered two of the large "16 inch" pizzas for our group. They brought out the pizzas on the 16 inch pans - they were 12-13inches at best. Extremely thin and the sauce/toppings were far from the crust. I'm not impressed. We even asked the server about whether we were brought the right size, but were told that it was. They didn't even try to make it right. $40 on two of these disappointments. No thank you, we won't make that mistake again.

TopCity Comedy brings in regional talent from Lawrence, Kansas City, Omaha, and Tulsa. For $15…read more(pre-purchase tix), you can't beat the price. I appreciate their support of local and regional up-and-coming talent.

The wine is delicious. The food choices were so much more than I thought they would be... The…read morecharcuterie board I got was great. The staff there are phenomenal and the music that night incredibly enjoyable.

What a lovely and friendly little spot at the edge of Lawrence. It's situated on some farm land so…read morethere's chickens and other animals nearby. The owner and bartender are very kind, check up on your often, and will explain their story. We grabbed a few bottles between some friends and gabbed for hours. We sat outfit for a little bit and then came indoors after it got too windy. Feel free to bring your own games and snacks, they definitely welcome it!

Fun fantastic place. Troop friendly and some of the nicest staff around. I go darn near every Time…read moreI have a rough day at work.

Great bar love it here would come back any time dale and Victoria great people…read more Best burger in town