We went out to dinner last Friday as an early Valentine's Day dinner as we don't like to deal with the 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. read more

See all

It's situated inside the Cyrus hotel. The staff is always so nice and efficient, had breakfast and dinner here a lot during my stay and never had an issue with staff. During my stay, I have had the burger (perfectly booked), chicken Cajun pasta (really delicious, not spicy but it's huge!), and the steak tips (tender and good). Breakfast buffet is always a good choice too. read more

Just wow! My mouth is still happy. Every bite is simply divine. So complex. So cooked to perfection. It was like eating a fall day. The service was so small town sweet. We got the tasting meal and it was just the perfect amount of food. Treat yourself! read more

See all

As a vegetarian, this restaurant was not a good choice. We had the 4 course meal at $68 each. The soup was excellent, but the other courses including the entree needed some work. The chef's choice for the entree was 3 polenta slices on a bed of creamy mushroom sauce topped with mushrooms and French fried onions with a side of green beans drizzled with the creamy mushroom sauce. Our reservation was made 2 days in advance and the vegetarian preference was noted on the reservation so there was ample time to create a tasty entree. The entree served was much to be desired. This was a special Valentines fine dining experience from my spouse but it sadly fell very short with the quality of food. The wait staff was excellent though. read more

5 stars all around. Our experience, service, food and drinks were absolutely amazing!

We have been in numerous times, heck we came in on the first day they open. Every meal we've had has been disappointing. The service has been decent , for "fine dining" the food is just average. read more

You guys, we drove from Kansas City because I read about this restaurant being a James beard award finalist. So we got my mom to watch the kiddos and headed to Topeka for my 40th birthday meal. WORTH.THE.DRIVE. They have a 5 course tasting menu. The building itself is beautiful and historic. We absolutely loved the ambiance. They had Christmas music playing- and I love Christmas so I was a fan. We each had a cocktail that we loved. Mine was called something Soirée. It has this sprig of rosemary clipped to the glass so that every time you take a drink you get this amazing aromatic experience. Our server was super nice. We loved the risotto dish and the dessert- those were my two favorite. My only complaint was he was the only server- they could have used two. The experience could have been At least 30-45 Minutes quicker as we arrived at 6:30 and headed home at 8:45. It seems all the tables had each course around the same time rather than each table setting the timing for our own meal. The food was worth it though so no big deal. It was around $200 pretip But we felt very much worth it. We had a great time and will be back for sure! read more

See all

horrible experience. went here because it was my birthday. I'm single and wanted a good meal. was told can't order off the menu at the bar. total disappointment. will never come here nor will I recommend it to anyone. read more

Food: it was a little salty than expected but overall we had an excellent time. Service was attentive and a bit standoffish. Ambiance: there was not many people here so we actually enjoyed our meal. read more

First time dining here and was so looking forward to it. Took my mother there as her farewell to Topeka dinner. First off, for a restaurant named The White Linen there was no white linen other than a napkin. Had the 5 course tasting menu + wine pairing. It was obvious from the get go that our waiter didn't know the difference between broccoli and broccolini. The first three courses were good, creative and tasty. The main course, protein, was fine but not wow. I had lamb chops and they were a little under cooked for my taste, even as a Kansan. Dessert was the most disappointing. A peach cannoli with just a thin line of filling and a whole lot of vacant, tasteless shell. It was sad to end the dinner on such a disappointing note. It was far and above most of my Topeka dining experiences, but not as wonderful as I'd hoped. read more

See all

Tonight my Aunts and I tried out The White Linen. Reservations are preferred, as there's a $25 deposit when you make that is applied towards your bill. The atmosphere was very quaint, it was not busy when we arrived for our 5:20 Reservation. We ordered our Wine and our Server Giovanni was Absolutely Amazing. He asked if it was our first time at TWL and then explained the menu to us. I ordered a glass of the Submission Pinot Noir which I thought was excellent, my Aunts ordered Moscato G explained our courses to us when he brought them out, tbe 3 of us ordered different entrees so we could have a taste of everyone's. The Duck Breast was delicious-1st time I had ever had duck. The Goat Cheese Ravioli was also delicious as well as the scallops w/bok choy. We all were pretty impressed with the meal and trying different things that we hadn't had before. G did ask if anyone had allergies, then when he brought out the Lovster Bisque(starter)he said he brought a butternut squash soup out for my Aunt who did have a shrimp allergy-so that was a nice bonus on asking about food allergies. If you're looking for an upscale dinner in Topeka, this is your place, located in downtown Topeka in a historic building. read more

See all

Such a delightful dining experience - the food and the ambiance were outstanding! The service was a bit slow, which if we hadn't had tickets that evening for a concert at the performing arts center, wouldn't have been a problem. We left with our dessert in hand, and still made it in time. read more

The first Tuesday of each month is usually Tapas Tuesday - love it!!! You can share several different amazing tapas and have a cocktail. This photo is of the Duck Banh Mi Tacos and a photo of this months's menu. Excellent food, service and atmosphere. read more

The White Linen - Duck Tacos - French Near Me - Topeka, Kansas

See all

One of the worst dining experiences ever for us at the White Linen in Topeka. We have eaten at many restaurants around the world and this was terrible. Really don't mind paying a deposit to make a reservation, but instead of deducting it from your bill at the end, it becomes a separate refund, which of course I haven't received yet. The 5 course meal took 2 hours and 25 minutes from being seated to paying the check. They did not have the wine we chose from their wine list so we had a substitution instead. Bread is NOT included in their inclusive dinner cost. From $58 to $80 per person is the choices, depending on which of the 5 entrees you select. Each of the 5 courses are very very small portions. Things were so slow that after nearly 2 hours we asked that our desserts come out with the entree. I ordered the scallops. It consisted of TWO (2) sea scallops and TWO (2) one inch square pork belly bites, all for a price of $78. In a nutshell, DO NOT EAT here. The ambiance is terrible, the service is slow (regardless of whether it was the kitchen or the server), the food portions are very small for the price and the reservation deposit system needs attention. We will never be back! read more

The White Linen - Scallops and pork belly. - French Near Me - Topeka, Kansas

The gem of Topeka! What a fantastic experience. Chef took great care of us with a five course romantic dinner! We started with a delicious soup, goat cheese caramelized salad, and a steak and scallop main course that was cooked to perfection. The medium rare steak was so tender and flavorful. We ended with a delicious lava cake that melted in our mouth! Each dish was a fusion of classic and contemporary flavors. The speakeasy vibes is a dining experience with an irresistible blend of vintage charm and culinary innovation! Overall, the wonderful experience we had here for our private date night in the vault lingered long after our last bite! read more

My wife and I had a fabulous dining experience at the Chef's Table. We have had dinners at five star restaurants from Miami to San Francisco and in between. This was an exceptional experience., The thought in each plating was very evident. The chef is a true talent who deserves to have his James Beard Award. The attention to detail regarding the ingredients and the plating was artistry. The menu changes regularly and we have never been disappointed with any dish from his kitchen. If you are ever in the Topeka area, this is a must on your list to experience a culinary delight. Topeka is lucky to have culinary maestro who pays attention to all the details. read more

Omg I loved this place. It was such a wonderful experience. I surprised my boyfriend for his birthday. We loved it. I highly recommend. read more

See all

Got a babysitter to travel from Manhattan to try this place out because I was very excited about a James Beard Semi Finalist being within an hour's drive. We had two over arching complaints that led to me taking two stars off- #1 many dishes were over salted, my scallops were so over salted I could not finish #2 The advertisement as "fine dining" is grossly overstated and set the expectations far too high. Let's talk about these individually- the crepes, the scallops, and the dipping butter with the steak all had a sauce that I believe was the same, just marketed in different ways (which is not something I would expect from a fine dining restaurant) and was over salted- very unfortunate that this sauce had to tarnish three separate dishes with its saltiness. The scallops and the steak both had salt sprinkled on top of them which just put the salt level over the top when paired with the butter sauce. Now let's talk about the "fine dining" advertisement. When I hear a restaurant being advertised as fine dining, I expect the highest trained waitstaff, an attention to detail with the place setting/ambiance, and a menu that accurately portrays what is being served. Our waitress fell short on many occasions- I declined the champagne (which was supposed to be offered as complimentary, like it was to other tables but not us) and was not offered to order a different drink. We had to ask for another drink from a different waitress later in the meal because our waitress took our empty glasses without asking us if we would like to order another. She also was not well informed about the menu- my husband ordered the ribeye and she came back to inform us after a few appetizers that they were out of the ribeye and offered to substitute a filet instead. However when it came to dessert, when describing the courses at the beginning of the meal, she said we would be receiving the stuffed squash blossoms. Without another word, she brought out a carrot cake for dessert. This should never ever happen in a fine dining establishment. I could get nit-picky about how the heirloom salad was served with cherry tomatoes instead of heirloom, or how the crepes were missing tarragon as advertised, or how the "chorizo" in the risotto was just sausage. The clam chowder as well as the scallops were both sandy. The kicker for me was that the "meunière" was definitely not a meunière as it was thick like a white gravy, it was over salted, and it was the same sauce as served with the crepes and the steak. Overall, the saving grace was the pork belly (delicious and perfectly cooked) and came out as advertised. While the heirloom salad was not an heirloom salad, it was delicious. Same with the risotto- was not chorizo but it was delicious. The fact that place is in Topeka definitely elevates it because it is superior to other restaurants in the area, but definitely did not live up to its James Beard Semifinalist nomination. read more

See all

Went on Hawaiian night, was very impressed. Great atmosphere. Will be returning again to try their more standard menu too

This place never fails to impress. With the addition of the cocktail bar, it's a great all in one date night destination. read more

A hidden gem of Topeka. In an old bank building, this spot in Downtown Topeka provides some of the best food I've ever tasted. Their steak topples Gordon Ramsay's steak. Their menu changes monthly, so you need to try their new set menu at least once a month! Also - best black coffee for dessert. read more

See all

Love the menu rotation and ambience. Service is top notch and the food never disappoints. read more

I really love this place . It is classy and so upscale, yet everyone is so friendly! I've now visited twice and both times the food was absolutely amazing. I highly recommend the charcuterie board and whatever seasonal fish they are serving! I've enjoyed the scallops and the salmon and so many other specially designed entrees and appetizers! It is always a joy to come here when I visit Topeka! read more

See all

We have been to The White Linen at least 5 times. Every time the service has been impeccable and the food has been delicious! We also appreciate that the staff is concerned about the experience for all of their guests and don't allow rowdy, obnoxious people to ruin the evening for others. We applaud their recent decision to ask rude and drunk legislators to leave the restaurant. This took a lot of courage! We will definitely be back!! Lisa S in Topeka, KS read more

See all

My favorite restaurant in Topeka. If you have a special occasion--this is the place to go!

Still rivals the best food and presentation of the best in northeast Kansas and KC area. We were here again in February 2022. Winter menu with wine pairings. The wine pairings MAKE a huge positive difference. Someone talented is doing these pairings. read more

See all

The White Linen is an exciting and refreshing breath of air in the Topeka culinary scene. The cozy and historic, yet refined, atmosphere is a great juxtaposition to the cutting edge contemporary American cuisine. Chef Adam serves up exciting dishes like a tuna tartare served in a ginger broth with bok choy and artichoke chips, or a smoked cesear salad served in a dome of Smokey flavor that is released at your table, along with steaks and desserts that will make your mouth water. The wine selection is well manicured and the bar also serves high end crafted cocktails along side traditional fare. The serving staff and front of house are knowledgeable and friendly. The White Linen is a must for special occasions, date night, and should be on the radar for any foodie in Northeast Kansas. read more

The White Linen - Chef's bite and complimentary champagne - French Near Me - Topeka, Kansas

See all

White Linen was wonderful. The atmosphere was nice as it's located inside a historic building. We started our meal with the meat and cheese tray which I highly recommended. So many flavors served at once that blend together perfectly. We went on their steak night. The steak was wonderful. We ended with dessert and it too was great. The service was OK. Although we made reservations we ended up waiting an extra 15- minutes. Overall...it was a wonder experience read more

The White Linen - Their Steak Night Special on Thursday Nights! It's a great deal and very tasty. - French Near Me - Topeka, Kansas

See all

I experienced a thoroughly unexpected and completely enjoyable evening at the White Linen! I am in from out of town and decided to try some French-American in Kansas. So glad I did. The space is adorable and the food delicious. Daniel, my server is a delight! He was attentive but not overbearing. If I find myself in Topeka again, I will definitely be back! read more

The White Linen - a plate of food on a table - French Near Me - Topeka, Kansas

See all

The food was good but given the prices, I expected to be wowed. The soup was lukewarm, at best. The server, while friendly, interrupted way too often and brought our food with his thumbs inside the bowls. read more

This place was FANTASTIC!!! An absolute hidden gem in Topeka! The atmosphere and staff were incredible! read more

See all

Someplace to go that's a little different, but it's really not worth the money. Food tends to be rather standard, and they may give it a fancy name, but it is really not fancy. Seating is cramped, chairs are rickety and you can hear what everyone is saying. Not really my idea of a high end place. Also, don't eat anything that touches your tablecloth because they use the same tablecloth over and over. They just pick it up on one side and shake it on the floor. Not sanitary at all. Be cautious if you use the front entrance with rickety stairs and broken railing. It's a little reminiscent of the old private club days .... say the 1970's or even the 1870's when the building was built. It needs to come into the 21st century. Much too smug an atmosphere for our liking. read more

Amazing!! The most delicious meal I have had in a long time. The flavors are so well put together and the plates are presented beautifully. The friendly staff and the simple decor tie the whole experience together. 11/10 would recommend read more

The food was good and the atmosphere was great. We had a reservation confirmed for 4 and when we arrived they had only 2 tops and no way to accommodate us in the main dining room. They opened up the private area which was very nice but it just set the night off on a strange tone. read more

This place was AMAZING! Fine dining....at its finest! The service was some of the best I've had in a long time, the waiter was very attentive and perfectly described each and every course. The food was fantastic and beautifully displayed. The restaurant was trendy and upscale with great ambiance. And the drink selection was also amazing! Five stars! Great job to The White Linen! read more

Cocktail: I ordered the martini, but it contained too much olive brine. It tasted like drinking a glass of salty olive juice. When I pointed it out, the restaurant quickly corrected it. The second one was perfect. French onion soup was fantastic. It has a nice slice of toasted bread, with a light amount of cheese and micro greens. The onion was nicely cooked and the broth was neither salty nor too bland. The soup was wonderfully seasoned. The Kansas City strip steak was wonderfully prepared with an apple chutney and blue cheese topping. It was accompanied by mashed rosemary fingerling potatoes. There was only a slight hint of rosemary but the potatoes were nicely prepared nonetheless. A little more rosemary would have made the dish perfect. The steak should be served with bread but apparently the restaurant does not serve bread. Difficult to imagine for a French-American themed restaurant. The house Cabernet tasted very nice and is of good value at $8 a glass. Nice reception at the restaurant with wonderfully attentive employees. That said, empty water glasses went infilled at times and refills had to be requested. All in all, very nice staff. Overall a very, very nice visit, great food, and friendly staff in a wonderful setting. read more

This place is incredible. I believe it's the best place to eat in Topeka and maybe surrounding areas. My wife and I go there at least once a month. The atmosphere is very upscale and romantic. The staff is friendly and on top of everything. I love how the menu changes every month and the foods are always world class. read more

The White Linen - French Near Me - Topeka, Kansas

My wife and I came in here with our reservations and it ended up being a fundraiser week (which is great). We didn't know about this and they had a pre planned fixed price menu. They were very accommodating for my wife who only eats seafood. 2 of the courses were meat based and they worked around that and prepared her some dietary friendly courses to replace that. All of the food tasted fresh and delightful. We would love to visit again to check out what some of their menu offers. read more

Dined at The White Linen for our anniversary celebration. To begin the evening, my husband ordered a Manhattan on the rocks. Our waiter brought the Manhattan "up." The waiter told husband that it was "on the rocks." We said, "No it isn't", but would keep it anyway. Within a few minutes, a young woman (bartender/hostess?) hustled over to our table to berate my husband, saying that they had professional training on proper preparation of alcoholic beverages and that a Manhattan should Never be served with ice. I laughed at her and told her that I think the person paying for the expensive drink ($12!) should get what he/she wants. Fortunately, our waiter was wonderful and made up for our first negative impression of our introductory experience to The White Linen. We received a complimentary serving of cava wine (I think everyone does). Food was excellent. We shared the charcuterie board which is a wooden plank filled with cheese, fruit and chocolate (see pic). Ours was served with purple grapes, 3 cheese including gouda and goat cheese, a small serving of fresh prepared blackberry jam (yum!), crackers and 2 types of chocolates. Good value and definitely worth the price. We also shared the "chard brussels" with crab cream, sprinkled with pork belly, (think bacon), also a good value (see pic). My husband ordered the braised short ribs entrée which is served with a fresh made egg-yolk ravioli and a lovely tomato cream sauce. I ordered the herb-crusted salmon which was served with string beans with almonds and sage cream sauce. Both entrées were delicious. We dined on Wednesday evening early so the restaurant was not very busy. Our waiter was very attentive and checked on us several times. He boxed our complimentary anniversary dessert for us to take home because we could eat nothing more. Our table was comfortable for 2 people with ample room for the food and beverages, not crowded. We will definitely return for a special evening of great dining. read more

The White Linen - charcuterie board - French Near Me - Topeka, Kansas

See all

Since my homes are in Lawrence and Kansas City, I rarely dine in Topeka. But this serious new restaurant has been getting very encouraging reviews, so we decided to give it a try. We were very pleased by the service. The people who work there are highly qualified professionals. I have much respect for all of them, and I wish them well. In fact the service was better than we often receive in Lawrence and a match for the service at the best restaurants in KC. In addition the chef's preparations are sophisticated in the "new American" tradition. The restaurant is located in a building which is a National Historic Landmark, with easy parking on the street in front of the restaurant, as well as in a parking lot behind the restaurant. We were immediately impressed when we were seated and offered a complementary half glass of the house Cava wine (a Spanish sparkling wine). It was very good. We then ordered a bottle, priced at an admirably reasonable price. We began with the house salad and the cauliflower soup. Both were excellent. However, we routinely request a pepper mill for fresh ground pepper to add to salads and soups. We were told that they do not have a pepper mill. Fine restaurants that do not have a pepper mill, usually can bring out a small bowl of fresh ground pepper from the kitchen. They did not have that either. All they could offer was salt and pepper shakers. The pepper shaker had two tiny holes in the top that could dispense small amounts of very finely ground pepper, if you shake it very hard. Use of the pepper shaker was barely worth the effort. I then asked if they had Tabasco, or another hot sauce, or crushed red pepper. They didn't. I know that it is a very new restaurant, but still this was hard to understand. Perhaps the chef does not want customers altering his preparations. I would have asked him, if he had come out of the kitchen to talk with us, as the only diners in the restaurant for the most of the time we were there. Since he didn't, we were not able to ask the reasons of the restaurant's odd policy in that regard. We ordered a cheese plate, which was impressively excellent. We also ordered the seared grouper and the steamed mussels. The prices were lower than we would expect at a fine dining restaurant for fresh seafood. So before we placed the order, we asked the server whether the fish was fresh. His reply was that the seafood is "fresh frozen," not fresh. He also stated that it is not possible to do better with seafood in Topeka. Personally I would have preferred a higher price for really fresh, never frozen fish. But we ordered the mussels and grouper anyway. They were good, and we liked the preparations. But as originally a Bostonian, I know how to tell the difference between fresh fish and previously frozen fish. As the server had stated, the fish had been previously frozen. I could tell before I even tasted the grouper, by cutting into the fish with the side of my fork. Prior freezing changes the consistency of the fish. As I have mentioned the taste was good, and the preparations were interesting. But if fresh fish really is not available in Topeka, this would decrease our motivation to try restaurants in Topeka. Many restaurants in KC receive fresh fish directly from the airport daily, and some restaurants in Lawrence receive deliveries of fresh fish two or three times a week. On the other hand, I do not recall having been served previously frozen fish at the Row House Restaurant, so I am not sure whether the server's statement about seafood in Topeka was correct. After dinner, we ordered coffee. They brought out a French press and made the coffee at our table. It was excellent. We enjoyed the dinner and would be happy to pay higher prices, if the chef decides to go more upscale with really fresh seafood (if available in Topeka) and availability of a pepper mill and Tabasco. But the restaurant does have one policy that rubbed me the wrong way. I made reservations online at Open Tables a week in advance. Open Tables says that the restaurant insists on a credit card to make a reservation with a 48 hours cancellation policy. If you want to cancel in less than 48 hours, Open Tables is not authorized by the restaurant to permit the cancellation. You must then call the restaurant, which reserved the right to charge a penalty, especially if less than 24 hours in advance. I use Open Tables regularly to make reservations in the best restaurants in KC and have never encountered this requirement before. Yes, I know that the same policy exists at Thomas Keller's world famous French Laundry restaurant in Yountville, Napa Valley, California. But White Linen is not in that league, and is not (yet) a match for the best restaurants in KC. In addition, when we arrived at 5 pm, we were the only diners there. When we left at about 7 pm, there were diners at only two of the other tables. I hope for improvements in the future. read more