the brick

★★★(3 stars)

i've been wanting to write a review of the brick for a while now, but have never found the right time to go and scour what is truly vegan.  we finally found the opportunity when a local band was playing, and headed down early so we could grab some grub.  they have a separate section of vegetarian options on their menu - probably more options than any other bar in kansas city.  unfortunately, their 'hipper-than-thou' staff seriously detracts from the underwhelming food.

granted, it's not the first time i've had server/bartender issues there before, but you always go hoping for the best.  we were the only people there at the time, and i politely inquired about the bun the portabello burger is served on.  the bartender checked, then came back and told me 'no', it's not vegan, and then walked away.   i had to flag her down and ask about some other options, and she seemed frustrated that i was bothering her.  as i said, we were the ONLY people there.  finally, she found a lady in the kitchen who came out an offered two bread options - the pita bread or a wheatberry wrap.  i was happy and decided on the wrap.  unfortunately, the end result wasn't all that great.  it was flimsy, and not very veggie stuffed.  it certainly seems a little overpriced.  not to mention, this all came after they told us the kitchen was closing late, and then rushed us to make an order at like 8pm.  whatever.

so truthfully, they only have two vegan options because the veggie burger has eggs. and they weren't all that impressive (seriously, check out the record bar's wrap in comparison).  and, of course, it isn't served up by super friendly staff or anything, so that also kinda detracts.  i give them props for having a robust vegetarian section on their menus, but the final product is sort disappointing (especially for vegans).  i went there thinking i would surely give them four stars, and i'm only giving them three because of all the vegetarian options.  otherwise, this is a two star vegan joint (with good music).  bummer.


website:
the brick


location:
1727 mcgee
kc, mo  
816.421.1634

record bar

★★★★ (4 stars)

the record bar offers up some vegan friendly dishes, salads and some custom items that can be veganized. there are no real vegan-dedicated bars in kansas city. heck, there is really only one or two places where you can find all vegan food. so for a bar in the midwest, the record bar's vegan selection isn't bad. not to mention, you can hear some really great music while you're chowing down.


the moby is their vegan sandwich, a delicious marinated portabello (be sure and request is without the mayosturdaionase). they also have a vegan-friendly pizza, the ian mackay. although i really wanted to get a pic of the pizza, i had pizza for lunch that day, so i went with the moby. i wanted to get it in a wrap, so the bartender checked and as i recall, only one of them is vegan. i can't remember which (blame the beer) - maybe the tomato basil? be sure and check if you order a wrap. yummy and filling - what any good bar food should taste like. the husband got the straight up moby - i tried to convince him to get the pizza for picture diversity, but no dice - so two moby's are what you get. oh, they also have my favourite vegan-friendly beer on tap, kansas city's own boulevard unfiltered wheat.


the service is better than your average music-focused bar. prices are little higher than what i think bar food should be, but i guess it's worth it when you are getting good quality vegan food. this place definitely ranks up there with mccoy's, my other favourite vegan-friendly bar.


website:
record bar

location:
1020 westport road
kc, mo 64111
816.753.5207

nick and jake's

★★ (2 stars)

let me start by saying that my expectations weren't that high when i planned to meet some friends for dinner. i knew it was a shot in the dark, but kansas city is packed with bar and grill joints and many of them have decent vegan or vegetarian options. nick and jakes - not so much.


for vegetarians, there are quite a few options that involve cheese and eggs... many appetizers and pasta are vegetarian friendly. for the vegan, humus or salad are almost your only options (or sides). their noodles contain egg, according to our server, so pasta is out. at the time i took these pics, they had a portobello burger with sauteed onions (non-vegan bun), but it has since been removed from the menu. their salad dressings are also non-vegan, so you have to go with the olive oil and vinegar. and the prices aren't that great, really - especially when all you can eat is salad with vinegar or a combination of side dishes. my vegetarian husband got a peanut pasta (also removed from the menu), and said it wasn't all that great. mine wasn't all that great either.


the plus side is that the atmosphere is nice. service is just okay. unfortunately, the dishes a vegetarian can eat are just mediocre, and a vegan will struggle. there are plenty of other options in kansas city with more variety and taste - i suggest you go there.


website:
nick and jake's

locations:
overland park
6830 w 135th street
overland park, ks
913.681.8535

parkville
6325 lewis street, suite 110
parkville, mo
816.584.8535

czar bar

★★½ (2½ stars - see last paragraph)

kansas city has a handful of hip music venues with veggie fare on their menu. i had never been to the czar bar, but i was excited to try their menu - especially when i saw their veggie burger was "served on a vegan friendly bun." there are a couple of other veggie friendly options, including hummus, crispy eggplant strips and the unexciting house salad.

i met my friend kim for dinner one night and as usual, double checked with the server about the vegan veggie burger. to my surprise, the veggie patty contains egg and isn't vegan. i'm not sure i get it - to me, promoting the vegan friendly bun sort of implies that the patty itself is vegan. what am i going to do, just order a bun? strike one. slightly dissuaded, i thought i'd go with the crispy eggplant strips instead. nope - they use an egg wash to bread them. i asked if they could not use the egg wash for mine, but no dice - they are pre-breaded. strike two. it was a really cold and rainy day, and salad just didn't sound comforting, so i went with hummus.


the hummus itself was okay, but nothing to write home about. i'm glad i got it at the happy hour price or i would have been really disappointed. i usually don't have high expectations for bar food, but kansas city has quite a few vegan friendly places with great food. (mccoy's, record bar, etc. - i'll be sure to get reviews up soon.) basically, czar bar isn't very vegan friendly, but an ovo-lacto vegetarian has a couple options. the food and prices are just mediocre, so i can't really think of anything veg-food-wise that would put czar bar at three stars. therefore, i'm giving it two stars, with an extra half star for the staff member that kept going back to the kitchen to check on ingredients for me. thanks guy.


website:
czar bar

location:
1531 grand boulevard
kansas city, mo
816.221.2244

mccoy's public house

★★★★★(5 stars)

i have been going to mccoy's public house in westport since i was old enough to drive. and when i was old enough to drink beer, i started going a little more often. the folks who spend time there a weird combination of mellow hipster and casual professional types that create a perfect atmosphere where you never feel out of place. plus they have a kick-ass patio that everyone loves on kansas city summer nights.

their menu is really extensive, with a smattering of every type of cuisine. and it is all really good - i don't think i've ever had a mediocre meal here. this visit was with my entire family for a celebration, and i had the sonoma vegan wrap. so good. and my vegetarian husband (and my omni-vore mom) had my big fat greek pasta, and both were full of raves.

in the past, i've had the stir fry and black bean burger (not vegan), which were both really good, as well as the hummus. and i haven't even gotten to their beer.... i'm a fan of the unfiltered wheat - it rivals my all-time favourite (boulevard unfiltered wheat). you can even get their beer in kegs at decent prices, as my friend kim did for her graduation party.

service is friendly, and they are usually pretty quick and attentive. friday and saturday nights can get pretty busy - but you can make reservations. happy hour is also busy, although they don't have super deal prices for hh as i can recall. but no matter, it's worth it.


website:
mccoy's public house

location:
4057 pennsylvania
kansas city, mo 64111
816.960.0866

jp's wine bar and coffeehouse

★★★(3 stars)

i'm giving jp's 3 stars, based more on the vegetarian side of things. it' s a cute little wine bar that has been in kansas city for a few years, and about a year ago (i'm guessing) they actually had to double the space because it was so popular. it's one of those places where you'll find art students, aging hipsters, and the business types all mingling. there are typical booths and bar tables, but there are also couch and comfy-chair seating areas for the more casual types.

the prices, unfortunately, aren't super cheap. but neither is the atmosphere. it feels very swank - almost too much so sometimes. for the vegetarian/vegan, they have a handful of cheese flights to choose from ($15/3 cheeses), as well as an antipasto platter. neither of which is strictly vegan, but to my surprise, the cheese flight came with lavosh crackers, grapes, caper berries, olives and pepperocinis. since this is more of a snack and pre-dinner type of place, i found that was plenty to munch on while the others ate the cheese. i haven't had the antipasto platter, but i'm sure it contains an assortment of other vegan-type eats.

the service is great, although it can get pretty crazy in there on a friday and saturday nights. i've never had a bad experience, but it is one of those places that you only stay for one (or maybe two drinks). they do have live music sets, but it's not the type that will disrupt your conversations. overall, i'm giving it three stars based on the prices and sometimes snootier-than-thou atmosphere. but like i said, it's great as a one or two drink social place.


website:
jp's winebar and coffeehouse

location:
1526 walnut
kansas city, mo 64108
816.842.2660