Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Kansas City by diners
Fine dining in the U.S. isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; instead, it's about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller at the French Laundry unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chef's tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America to choose from, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Kansas City using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of Aug. 19, 2024.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#24. Piropos Restaurant
- Rating: 3.9/5 (324 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 4141 North Mulberry Drive Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Argentine, Empanadas, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Stock Hill
- Rating: 3.9/5 (382 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 4800 Main St. Ste G 001 Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Steakhouses, Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Charisse
- Rating: 4.0/5 (117 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1006 Walnut St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: French, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Soiree Steak & Oyster House
- Rating: 4.0/5 (159 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1512 East 18th St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Seafood, Southern, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Pierpont's at Union Station
- Rating: 4.0/5 (510 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 30 West Pershing Road Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, Lounges
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Corvino
- Rating: 4.0/5 (312 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1830 Walnut St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant- Kansas City
- Rating: 4.1/5 (742 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4686 Broadway Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: New American, Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp
#17. The Savoy at 21c
- Rating: 4.1/5 (155 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 219 West 9th St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: New American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Plate
- Rating: 4.1/5 (247 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 701 East 63rd St. Ste 100 Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Cafe Trio
- Rating: 4.1/5 (529 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 4558 Main St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: New American, Lounges, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Charleston's
- Rating: 4.2/5 (233 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8817 State Line Road Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: American, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Q39 Midtown
- Rating: 4.5/5 (6064 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1000 West 39th St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Barbecue, American
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Extra Virgin
- Rating: 4.1/5 (567 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1900 Main St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Tapas/Small Plates, Mediterranean, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#11. JJ's Restaurant
- Rating: 4.1/5 (191 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 4810 Roanoke Pkwy Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses, American
- Read more on Yelp
#10. 801 Chophouse
- Rating: 4.1/5 (362 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 71 East 14th St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Voltaire
- Rating: 4.1/5 (204 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1617 Genessee St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Bars, American, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#8. La Bodega
- Rating: 4.2/5 (745 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 703 Southwest Blvd. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Tapas Bars, Spanish, Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Ça Va
- Rating: 4.2/5 (178 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4149 Pennsylvania Ave. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: French, Champagne Bars, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Affare
- Rating: 4.3/5 (340 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1911 Main St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: German, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Garozzo's Ristorante
- Rating: 4.3/5 (729 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 526 Harrison St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Ragazza Food & Wine
- Rating: 4.4/5 (498 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4301 Main St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Wine Bars, Italian, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Le Fou Frog
- Rating: 4.5/5 (443 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 400 East 5th St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: French, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Grünauer
- Rating: 4.5/5 (986 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 101 West 22nd St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Bars, Austrian
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Novel Restaurant
- Rating: 4.6/5 (581 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1927 Mcgee St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: New American, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 299 metros.
