Absolutely delicious! It was our first time at Garozzo's Ristorante, and what a treat. We arrived…read moreshortly after they opened without a reservation and were quickly seated in the bar area. The ambiance is great, with low lighting and candles on each table. The bar area has a couple of TVs, a bar that seats about 6-8, and 4-5 tables. The staff was pleasant and took great care of us. Now for the food! I ordered the seafood ravioli, and my son ordered the Penne Victoria. While we each enjoyed the dish we ordered, we both ended up preferring each other's dish...lol. The sauces on both dishes were so good and really made the meals stand out. This was a great pick for our February restaurant of the month. We'll definitely be back!

They were packed being that it was Christmas Eve Eve but they got us seated in 10 minutes…read more We enjoyed the fried ravioli, the house specialty Sicilian-style stuffed artichoke, and bread with oil, vinegar, and parmesan cheese. Everyone was pleased with their pasta entrées, I had the lobster ravioli the others had fettuccine and spaghetti with meat balls, excellent. We rounded out the meal with coffee and lemon cake, it was delicious. Nice (St Louis style) Italian family dining experience and we will defiantly be back.

Ragazza was completely booked the first time we stopped by, which told me right away it's a popular…read morelocal favorite. The dining room is small and cozy, and it has that welcoming neighborhood feel where it seems like everyone knows each other. Reservations are definitely recommended. On our first visit, we ordered carryout. The Roasted Goat Cheese (baked goat cheese with red sauce and oregano) had great flavor, though the crostini was missing from the order. The Lasagna Bolognese was outstanding -- easily some of the best I've ever had. Rich, perfectly layered, and full of flavor with the bolognese, parmesan béchamel, red sauce, and mozzarella. For dessert, the Limoncello Cake was bright and delicious, and the NY-style salted caramel cheesecake was dense and so good. We were impressed enough that we went back -- this time with reservations -- and dined in. On our return visit, we had the Swordfish with lemon caper butter, sautéed greens, and rosemary potatoes. It was cooked perfectly, with bright, balanced flavors and generous portions. We ordered the Lasagna Bolognese again (it's that good), and it did not disappoint. For dessert, we tried the Tiramisu, and it was hands down the best I've ever had. The imported cookies, mascarpone, espresso, and cocoa were perfectly balanced -- light, flavorful, and not overly sweet. The service was excellent, the portions were large, and the flavors were spot on across the board. What started as a convenient spot near our hotel turned into a place we'd absolutely go out of our way to visit again. Ragazza truly lives up to its reputation as a local gem.

went in for happy hour on saturday (you can only get the happy hour menu if you sit at the bar),…read moreand it was pretty packed, but the maître d' was very attentive and made sure our names were on the list. the limoncello cocktails were perfectly refreshing, and the happy hour menu has killer prices. literally everyone here was so nice, it felt like trader joe's. the roasted goat cheese was a great mix of creamy and tangy, and the meatballs were well spiced. definitely need to return to try the eggplant fries.

We brought friends who hadn't ever been and once again it didn't disappoint! They have recently…read morerevised their menu and EVERYTHING is STILL amazing! (I highly recommend the caramelle pasta w/marsala mushroom sauce!). Fabulous cocktails! Our server Mary was fabulous and we appreciated the owner/chef Michael Smith himself making the rounds and checking on everyone. Put this one your list of top notch KC restaurants!

**Update** I went…read moreback to farina again recently and I think I'm ready to move it from a 4 to a 5 category. Every dish, every drink, every worker, it's all fantastic. This time I went I tried the clam toast, a new pasta dish (I forget the name, whoops, may have been a special) and the coconut cake. My oh my, they're all SO good. If you live in KC or are passing through, do your self, and your tastebuds, a favor, and try this place.

Bagged wilted lettuce In salad. Service mediocre at best and slow. Food only average. Serving…read moresize was adequate.

This place is awesome! Food is fresh and delicious…read moreService is a-plus Comfortable, quaint, friendly

When the Rieger Hotel left Crossroads there was a hole in my heart that I didn't think could be…read morefilled but then one wise guy moved in and I think my heart is whole again. The Wise Guy describes itself as an Italian tavern and that is an impeccable description because it's laid back, not too stuffy but still a classy joint. The food is stellar, the happy hour prices are great and the drink selection has something for everyone. First off, happy hour is from 4-6 pm Monday-Friday and has some great options for eating and drinking. The appetizers are all $2 off and with reasonable prices to begin with it's just icing on the cake. I would recommend some classics like the mozzarella sticks, which are fried golden brown and filled with ooey gooey cheese -the portion is large enough to share but beware because you won't want to- also, the tried and true Garlic Parmesan Fries are excellent. If you're in a cheesy mood but don't want anything too heavy then the whipped ricotta is a memorable choice, it has a nice tang from the citrus as well as a little bit of sweet heat from a hot honey drizzle. Of course it's served with pillowy fluffy seasoned focaccia bread. Now onto a MUST order! You may think of salads as boring or an afterthought or a healthier side option but, one of my favorite things on The Wise Guy's menu is the Chopped Italian Salad. It is literally just divine. If I'm at The Wise Guy and I don't order it then call the doctor because something is seriously wrong with me. They don't skimp on the toppings so this salad is filling not flimsy. The tangy roasted garlic vinaigrette is something that if they bottled it up I would buy it. The salad is always perfectly tossed and coated without being too soggy or slippery. It's hearty because of the trio of Italian meats that are studded throughout and on top the bed of romaine lettuce, think prosciutto, soppressata and capicola. The holy trinity of cured meats if you ask me. There's also briny peperoncini peeking through and chopped up squares of creamy provolone cheese adorning the top. If my ode to this salad didn't convince you then I don't know what else will! Just get it! Next up is the drinks, at happy hour they do $10 martinis which is a deal worth celebrating especially when there are a few to choose from. My all time favorite and most ordered is Amalfi Coast which is a fruit/citrus forward martini but, is always well balanced and strong. I love the slight sweetness from the peach infused vodka which pairs so well with the intensely citrus forward limoncello, these flavors are all balanced out with the herbaceous notes of basil. It's finished off with bubbly prosecco which makes it effervescent instead of syrupy. Last but not least are their pizzas, you didn't think I could cover an Italian restaurant without mentioning pizza did you? This also happens to be one of the best happy hour deals, all pizzas are $15 when some are normally priced as high as $25. The pizzas have a thin tavern style crust which is how I justify almost eating a whole one the other evening. My favorite pie is the prosciutto mozzarella, which is simple but notable. The prosciutto is crispy and not chewy or stringy, the robust red sauce as the base is comforting paired with the melty mild creamy mozzarella cheese. And to top it off a generous helping of fresh basil brightens it up a bit. Though this one is my personal favorite all four options The Wise Guy offers are incredible, you really can't go wrong!

Wise Guy is overall pretty good. I stopped in on a first Friday with a couple of friends, and they…read morewere able to add us to the list and get us in in about 20 minutes. I appreciated that they had a text feature to let us know that our table was ready. We shared the fries, a caesar salad and the rigatoni alla vodka, and the fries were a shining star! The rigatoni was a little too al dente bordering on chewy, but some people prefer that. I do think they could benefit from some better tables for three or four people, there is mostly just bar seating and 2-top stool seating. We had a server who was a bit awkward and it seemed like she was trying out different accents on us, which was a bit weird and confusing and it threw off our table's conversation every time she stopped by. Definitely want to come back for a happy hour!

I've been here a few times. Service is always stellar, food is delicious! One of my favorite…read moreItalian spots in KC! Every dish is so so flavorful with generous serving portions. The restaurant is beautiful. We got the crudo, lobster radiatore, and the pappardelle. Our food came out piping hot which I love! I've seen some reviews online of the food coming out lukewarm or cold and on a previous experience about a year ago our food was on the colder side. We came in on a Monday when it wasn't very busy but I'd like to think that they have improved in serving their food hot!

Wonderful location and the ambiance was great…read more Service started friendly and ended abrasive with a used car sales person vibe. Food took 1.5 hours , 3 of 4 dishes were too spicy to enjoy and not communicated, the croquettes came out after we were done with dinner, and the salad never came out. Overall, terrible experience for such a lovely ambiance. Advice - eat the at the bar and don't enter the restaurant or enjoy the rooftop and go to town topic for food. Dinner was tonight 4/24 at 7pm.

OK, it was neat because Lydia actually was there so we got to take pictures with her and chat with…read moreher briefly. She's a really nice lady and exactly how she presents herself on TV. We had the fixed price menu, which actually surprise me for the amount of main courses in the selection..The sauce with the bra, short ribs stood out as incredibly zesty and robust. Oso Buco was very tender. Manicotti was fresh and you could tell it was homemade.. Desserts are outstanding and actually not very sweet, like they have in Europe. Service is great. Ambience was simple yet sophisticated..

Went to Lidia's Kansas City during restaurant week 2026 with a few of my girlfriends…read more Although we had a reservation? We arrived early and was able to snag a seat at the bar. The drinks were good and the bar energy was fun. The food was good. I had a few appetizers and the pasta. The flavor was there, but it could've been cooked just a little longer. Nothing crazy, and I get it because it was busy. The tuna though? Really good. And the dessert... yeah, no complaints there. Our server was super sweet and gave solid recommendations, which I always appreciate.** I included the menu in the pics **

Oh man this place was BOMB!! Delivered to work and enjoyed happily…read more I ordered the sandwich and salad combo, to which I picked the fresh turkey and tomato salad. I mean look at that tomato salad. I was nervous it would be overwhelming with pesto with how green it was, but my oh my I could absolutely have this salad every single day of my entire life. Super fresh, light and just perfection. Could use a tad pinch of salt, but I'll get over it. Turkey sandwich was also fresh and I liked the caramelized onions in the sandwich. I'd come back!

Cupini's has been around so long it's become part of the fabric that anchors this part of the Plaza…read morearea together. I say Plaza area as it's sort of Plaza adjacent, and has a certain charm to this stretch of the city. That being said, Cupini's is known for being a charming Italian deli/ eatery and I love how it's kept that lowkey neighborhood energy over the years. The food is great - I usually go for something light as the tiramisu is great. All in all it's a great little spot in KC and worth a visit in this neighborhood.

Everything Bacaro Primo does they do well. And they do it in a room reminiscent of the great…read moreItalian restaurants of New York and Boston. There pasta dishes are uniformly excellent, especially the Pappardelle, a lamb ragu with dried apricots and pignoli. The missus is a fan of steak tartare and a tough critic. She was rhapsodic over Bacaro Primo's rendition. The small bar makes very good cocktails and their wine list has some terrific bottles at various price points. We went pretty safe with tiramisu from the dessert selection. As an inveterate ogler of my neighbor's choices, I can say that the Pork chop Saltimbocca and Chicken Parm looked realllly good. Service is pleasantly familiar, friendly but not hovering. All in all, a wonderful dining experience.

Finally got a proper date night dinner here, and while it was pretty good overall, I wasn't quite…read moreblown away. I think sometimes, quite unfairly, restaurants can be a victim of their own hype. Living somewhat near here and seeing how packed it is, and how hard it is to get a reservation... the lore grew and grew. I thought this must be the best spot in town! And you know what? It is really good. Really solid, good service, and a good restaurant to check out. Put it on the to-try list. One area that didn't fully land for me was vibe-wise, or if I need to act my age, I could call it the atmosphere. It's such a small space (totally fine) but the back row of tables is essentially shared. Normally fine, but the night we were there we were right next to a large group that was super loud. Kinda dampened the energy, and felt better when they left. Basically, wanting date night but the energy here is more "brasserie" and slightly more casual than I expected. Anywho, the food was good. Loved the focaccia starter with a garlicky olive oil. The Italian salad was pretty good, a bit marked up on price, but pretty good. I had the chicken parmigiana and wanted to love it, but I'd say a solid four stars. Good, not great. The red sauce was very good, and the serving size is generous. Passed on dessert and headed around the corner for after-dinner cocktails. All in all, a great neighborhood spot where I feel the prices are a bit high, but I see most of the appeal. I thought this might be a regular spot in the rotation, but it's more likely to be an every now and again kind of spot.

Food is yummy. Service is great. I fell in love with the scenery as well. 10/10 if you're visiting…read moreKansas City this is a must!!!

Back again! I've been thinking about this place since our last work trip…read more This time, you had changed the February lighting with some fun and beautiful Valentine's Day streamers. It added a lot to the dining experience - just looking at the festive decorations made me happy and excited for the meal, even more than I was. Once again, staff were friendly, smiling, helpful, and made us feel right at home! I love great service with a great meal, and they absolutely gave us that. I ordered the gnocchi with vodka sauce and two meatballs. The gnocchi are simply HEAVEN. They are the best I've had since my trip to Italy. No lie. They are so soft, like savory little, melty potato marshmallows. I'd love to know how they make them. And the meatballs - absolutely get two and add them to the dish! It's a perfect combo. Our host also ordered an antipasti platter for us, which was fantastic! It had two kinds of olives, mini roasted peppers, marinated olive oil, and cheese cubes. That along with the warm, soft, Italian bread with butter was a perfect start to the meal. I also had the Tiramisu for dessert. After the amazing meal I'd already had, it was a labor of love., but I ate Every. Last. Bite. Until we meet again, Cascone's, I'll be dreaming of you and the gnocchi pillows.