Altoona: The Prairie Nut Hut in Altoona, Kansas is a unique little bar and grill that is worth a visit. It is a fun place to get generous servings of hamburgers, chicken fried steak and mountain oysters. Nominated for 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine. The Prairie Nut Hut seats less than 40 customers. The floor is littered with peanut shells and the walls are decorated with Christmas lights, "I had a ball at the Prairie Nut Hut" T-shirts offered for sale, & messages like "Come in and have a seat, our mountain oysters are hard to beat."

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Prairie Nut Hut, 1306 Quincy Street, Altoona, KS 66710
(620) 568-2900. Last visited in August 2022

Norton: Destination Kitchen is a combination kitchen store and restaurant with an attached fabric shop called Stitch Up A Storm. The menu is half gourmet sandwiches and half wood fired brick oven pizza. They also have soup, house made pastries and a salad bar.

The Reuben sandwich with house made sauerkraut and Russian dressing was very good. They have large cookies which I thought ranged from average to the best skickerdoddle I have ever had.

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Destination Kitchen, 115 West Main Street, Norton, Kansas 67654
(785) 877-2911. Last visited in July 2021

Atchison: Cedar Ridge Catering & Banquet Hall is a family style restaurant in a renovated barn on a family farm two miles from the nearest paved road. It is only open for supper on Friday & Saturday, and Sunday Brunch. Cedar Ridge opened in 2003 and is located about 4 1/2 miles northwest of Atchison, Kansas, where the same owners have Mr. G's restaurant which is open for breakfast & lunch on Monday through Friday.

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Cedar Ridge, 17028 318th Road, Atchison, KS 66002
(913) 367-4357. Last visited in October 2019

Oakley: Buffalo Bills Bar and Grill has good service and prices. We have been pleased with the hand formed hamburgers, curly fries, chicken tenders, and fried shrimp. The onion rings were stand out. Some people say they are the best they have had. The Prime Time is prime rib topped with jalapeno cheese, grilled onions & sriracha on marble rye. There are multiple thin layers of well done prime rib. I like this sandwich, but would love it if was cooked medium and had a little more cheese, onion and sriracha.

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Buffalo Bills Bar & Grill, 207 Center Ave, Oakley, Kansas 67748
(785) 671-1287. Last visited in August 2022

Beaumont: Beaumont Hotel is a popular weekend destination that was started in 1879 as a stagecoach and railroad stop. The Beaumont Hotel has both a regular dinning room decorated as a 50’s style diner. There is a nearby grass airstrip and planes can be taxied up to the hotel. There are three different guest registers: motorcyclists, pilots, and other guests. The restaurant is only open on weekends. Take your camera for the 120 year old wooden water tower across from the hotel.

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Beaumont Hotel, 11651 SE Main St, Beaumont, Kansas 67012
(620) 843-2422. Last visited in May 2017

Olathe: Old 56 Family Restaurant is like stepping back to 1956. It has a large, diner style menu with interesting dishes that you are unlikely to find at chain restaurants. Home style diners like smothered chopped steak, smothered chicken breast, or grilled beef liver. Breakfast is served all day. Old 56 has some of the best chicken soup I have ever had. This restaurant really feels like it is a small town restaurant in 1956. Not like it is recreating that feel, but like you have gone back in time. The music compliments that feeling.

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Old 56 Family Restaurant, 912 South Chestnut Street, Olathe, Kansas 66061 (913) 390-9905. Last visited in April 2022

Cheney: At first glance, Benny's Burgers and Shakes looks like a fast food restaurant, but the food is all made to order and they maintain a high standard. The prices are quite reasonable, though the hamburger patties are a bit small and I recommend going with at least a double. The burgers are very good, particularly the buns which are warmed on the griddle and have just the right amount of crisp edge. My favorite item at Benny's has been the chili fries, which are among the best that I have had.

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Benny's Burgers & Shakes, 610 N Main Street, Cheney, Kansas 67025
(316) 542-9934. Last visited in August 2018

Olpe: Chicken House is a 50 year old, family restaurant in Olpe, south of Emporia, Kansas. It is the kind of place where diners converse across the dining room, most of the men wear hats, the napkins are in dispensers on the tables, and the French fries are called Freedom Fries.

The food at Chicken House is good, and unusually reasonable. Service is adequate and friendly. Open Monday through Saturday.

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Chicken House, 8 East Highway 99, Olpe, Kansas 66865
(620) 475-3386. Last visited in July 2022

Council Grove: Seth M. Hays, a grandson of Daniel Boone, opened the Hays House Tavern and Restaurant in 1857. Today, Hays House is one of the oldest continuously operating restaurants west of the Mississippi River. Its customers included Jesse James and George Armstrong Custer. The food is very good, but ultimately, Hays House is about the tradition and the unique setting nearly as much as the food.

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Hays House Restaurant, 112 West Main, Council Grove, Kansas 66846 (620) 767--5911. Last visited in June 2020

Council Grove: Trail Days Cafe and Museum is located in the 1861 limestone Sterilizer Home. The small complex of old buildings is a combination museum, cafe and bakery.

There are six buildings in the complex and the time period ranges from the 1850's to the 1950's. The food at the Trail Days Cafe and Museum has changed since our visit. It is now American Indian, Old World, Early American and 20th Century food.

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Trail Days Cafe and Museum, 803 West Main, Council Grove, Kansas 66846 (620) 767-7986. Last visited in September 2020

Overland Park: ABC Cafe has built a reputation for good, authentic Cantonese food.

My favorite thing to do, is to have dim sum ordered off the menu - several small plates at reasonable prices. Except for 4 chef's special dishes, the most expensive dishes are only $15.88 and many are only $3.88. My favorite dishes include salt & pepper pork chop, sticky rice stuffed chicken wings, and clams sautéed with black bean sauce.

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ABC Cafe, 10001 West 87th street Overland Park, Kansas 66212 (913) 859-0089. Last visited in June 2022

Dodge City: Kate's is a bar & grill which opened as the Coney Island in 1946. The building was bought by a man named Kate, when his place a few block's away burned. As Kate's it has changed hands a few times over the years, but has been under the current owner for over 20 years.

The chili burger is served, not on a bun, but open faced, on two slices of white bread, one on top of the other. It is on our list of Best Kansas Burgers.

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Kate's, 305 East Trail Street, Dodge City, Kansas 67801
(620) 225-9466. Last visited in July 2019

Overland Park: Andre’s Confiserie Suisse and Rivaz Tearoom in Overland Park, Kansas makes high quality chocolate candies, French pastries & tortes and service light authentic Swiss lunches.

Andre and Elsbeth Bollier immigrated from Basel, Switzerland to Kansas City in June of 1955, and opened typical a Swiss Confiserie south of the Country Club Plaza at 5018 Main Street in Kansas City, Missouri in October of that year. Andre's quickly became a Kansas City tradition. Andre's daughter Brigitte and husband Kevin opened Andre’s Confiserie Suisse in Overland Park, Kansas in 2002. More photos and a longer review.

Andre’s Confiserie Suisse, 4929 West 119th Street Overland Park, Kansas 66209 (913) 498-3440. Last visited in September 2021

Dover: Sommerset Hall Cafe has an interesting history. The building began as the Sage General Store in the late 1800s. The Oddfellows Lodge began meeting in the upstairs in 1902 and purchased the building in 1905. The Dover Lodge (I.O.O.F #490) still meets in Sommerset Hall today. The Cafe which occupies the lower floor of the building became nationally famous in November 2008 when Good Morning America Weekend announced that the Coconut Cream Pie baked by Sommerset Hall Cafe's Norma Grubb was the winner of their Best Slice Challenge.

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Sommerset Hall Cafe 701 SW Douglas Road, Topeka, Kansas 66610 (785) 256-6223. Last visited in November 2017

Overland Park: Broadmoor Bistro is a restaurant operated by students at Broadmoor Technical Center (part of the Shawnee Mission School District) in Overland Park, Kansas. The Bistro is only open Wednesday evenings during the school year and advanced reservations are required. For $25 you get your choice of two items from two appetizers or soup or salad, choice of entree, and choice of dessert. Temporarily closed

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Overland Park Restaurant Guide.

Broadmoor Bistro, 8200 West 71st Street, Overland Park, KS 66204
(913) 993-9700. Last visited in April 2023

Fredonia: The Kitchen Table is a nice Mennonite owned restaurant which moved into the old Western Diner location in early 2018. Place your order and pay at the counter and the food is brought to your table when ready. The desserts are already sliced and displayed next to the cashier. It appears that everything in the restaurant is made from scratch. Even the sausage and the excellent buns that sandwiches are served on.

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The Kitchen Table, 114 South 3rd Street, Fredonia, Kansas 66736
(620) 607-1200. Last visited in October 2022

Fredonia: The Stockyard Restaurant shares a building with the Fredonia Livestock Auction. The lunch menu is sandwich oriented and is available Tuesday & Friday, but Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening Stockyard Restaurant lives up to its name and is a steakhouse.

Standing specials: Saturday Night - KC Strip and Shrimp.
Friday Night - Prime Rib
Thursday Night - Chicken Fried Steak or Chicken Fried Chicken.

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Stockyard Restaurant, 360 Madison Street, Fredonia, Kansas 66736
(620) 378-2563. Last visited in June 2020

Pittsburg: There has been a restaurant at the location of Bob's Grill in Pittsburg since 1946. It became Bob's Grill when Bob Maier purchased the building and remodeled the interior in 1964 The third and current owners are Rick and Terry Parsons, who took over the restaurant in 2003. This little restaurant is open only for breakfast and lunch, closing at 1PM on Saturdays and closed all day on Sundays. Breakfast is available until 11AM and lunch is available any time the restaurant is open. Bob's is particularly know for great, cheap breakfasts. More photos and a detailed review

Bob's Grill, 1014 North Broadway, Pittsburg, Kansas 66762
(620) 232-9738. Last visited in September 2020

Fort Scott: Nu Grille opened in the 1946 and still has a wonderful neon sign that looks almost that old. This is the kind of classic joint and food that I am always looking for.

The cheeseburgers are good, but I particularly enjoyed the Nu Grille's homemade onion rings and French fries. And the food is cheap! A hamburger is only $2.49, homemade French fires or Sussy Qs are $1.99.

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Nu Grille , 24 North National Avenue, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701
(620) 223-9949. Last visited in May 2022

Salina: Since Bravo Sliders-N-Bites opened in 2019, the small restaurant has quickly gathered many positive reviews and a reputation for supporting the community. The 2 year old restaurant offers dozens of kinds of sliders (small sandwiches), Frips (fresh cut thick ridge French fries) and Bites (bite sized desserts). A slider can be any small sandwich made on a slider bun and Bravo Sliders lists 27 varieties, with the choice of four different proteins (beef, chicken, pork, beyond beef) on nearly half of them. They are about a third of the size of a typical sandwich. The frips are all about toppings, but they are excellent fries in themselves/

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Bravo Sliders-N-Bites, 1402 East Iron Avenue, Salina, Kansas 67401
(785) 515-2121. Last visited in June 2922

Hope: The Gridiron Café in Hope, Kansas is a small restaurant in a former garage on the main street of this rural town of about 350 people. It is open for lunch 7 days a week, plus evenings on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The menu is quite limited, with only a few sandwiches, hamburgers and a couple of "baskets." Five specials were listed on a blackboard, including the French Dip which was recommended in a couple of online reviews. There are two dinner specials on Sundays.

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Gridiron Café, 211 North Main Street, Hope, Kansas 67451
(785) 366-7700. Last visited in June 2020

Salina: Cozy Inn sells hamburgers by the sack. The tiny burgers are prepared on an 95 year old grill that is only used to cook burgers. There are only 6 seats at the restaurant's old counter. The hamburgers are 16 to the pound, down from 25 a few year back. The only items sold in the Cozy Inn are hamburgers, potato ships, soda and some Cozy Inn souvenirs.

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One of the 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine

The Cozy Inn, 108 N 7th St., Salina, Kansas 67401
(785) 825-2699. Last visited in March 2023

Hutchinson: R-B Drive In is a 61 year old classic local restaurant with great burgers and hand made French fries and onion rings.

R-B's hamburgers are available in a variety of sizes, up to the double beltbuster, a 2 pound hamburger for $10. The "home cut" French fries are great, and a bargain at 90 cents. You can get a whole pound of them for only $1.90.

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R-B Drive In, 201 East Avenue A Hutchinson, Kansas 67501
(620) 662-9713. Last visited in July 2022

Salina: Hickory Hut BBQ in Salina, Kansas started business as a drive through only restaurant, operating out of a trailer in 1983. They moved to a building 3 year latter, and finally moved to this location in 2005. They didn't have inside seating until that time, but it appears that much of their business is still done at the drive through window today. They even keep it open a half hour after the dinning room closes. I'm tempted to say my favorite meat is which ever one I am having right now. That said, I am particularly partial to the the sliced pork and the hot Polish sausage.

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Hickory Hut BBQ, 1617 West Crawford Street, Salina, Kansas 67401
(785) 825-1588. Last visited in June 2022

Hutchinson: Roy's Hickory Pit BBQ is a small family run restaurant that has been in operation in Hutchinson, Kansas since 1982. Roy's is only open Tuesday to Saturday from 11AM until 3PM, or until the meat runs out.

Roy's Hickory Pit BBQ smokes briskets, boston butts, turkey breast, bone-in hams, St. Louis style ribs, and both hot links and mild polish sausage links.

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Roy's Hickory Pit BBQ, 1018 Nickerson Blvd, Hutchinson, KS 67501
(620) 663-7421. Last visited in July 2022

Scott City: Majestic Theater is a elegant restaurant in a 1922 movie theater, which still looks like a theater today. The upstairs converted to law offices, before the building was turned into a restaurant. Those rooms are now available for private dinning. The original projection room is still there, along with the old projectors. When I asked if there was a tradition of the building being haunted, we were told that while she has worked there many years and never experienced anything, there are other employees who have experienced, light touches and sounds.One employee will not work there alone.

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Majestic Theater, 420 Main Street, Scott City, Kansas 67871
(620) 872-3840 . Last visited in October 2019

Junction City: Korean Garden is one of the newer Korean restaurants in Junction City, Kansas. I've never had a dish at Korean Garden that I didn't like. My favorite main dishes include kalbi (BBQ short ribs), bulgogi (Korean BBQ beef) and ojinguh nokum (spicy stir fried baby octopus). Most dinners range from $12-17 and come with steamed rice and a variable selection of side dishes. My favorite sides so far have been the cucumber kim chee and sautéed mushrooms. 

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Korean Garden, 310 Grant Avenue, Junction City, KS 66441
(785) 238-8292. Last visited in July 2022

Seward: Mom's Bar and Grill is the only restaurant on this list on an unpaved street. None of the streets in Seward are paved. From the outside the restaurant looks like a metal shed and there is a poured cement floor. But the people are friendly, the food is good and it is a long drive to the next place. The chicken fried steak sandwich at Mom's Bar and Grill in Seward, Kansas is one of the best sandwiches I have ever had.

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Mom's Bar and Grill, 420 Lincoln, Seward, Kansas 67576
(620) 458-3554. Last visited in November 2017

Kansas City: Dagwood's Cafe Restaurant - started business as a Dagwood's Eat Shop in 1938. Known for decades as Ruby's Dagwood's Cafe, the current incarnation began when Greg Hubler purchased the Cafe from Ruby in 2010. The restaurant is open only for breakfast and lunch, but is open seven days a week." Dagwood's is best known for its huge, inexpensive breakfasts, but of the items I have tried so far, the hand breaded pork tenderloin has been my favorite.

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Dagwood's Cafe, 1117 Southwest Boulevard, Kansas City, KS 66103
(913) 677-0747. Last visited in August 2022

Smith Center: Jiffy Burger in Smith Center, Kansas is a 1950's themed Restaurant, which is known for its cheese balls and soft serve ice cream. It opened in 1996, but is set up like an old style hamburger stand. You can order at the outside window or or at a counter, just inside the door. Nearly half of the menu is ice cream dishes and there is a long list of sandwiches and 8 "baskets." There are 20 side dishes and we tried the fried cheese curds, chicken gizzards, French fires and onion petals.

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Jiffy Burger, 815 US Highway 36, Smith Center, Kansas 66967
(785) 282-6435. Last visited in September 2016

Kansas City: Fritz's Railroad Restaurant - At Fritz's Railroad Restaurant, the food is delivered to your table by a small train. The food is typical drive-in fare, though the chili and shakes are better than average. The chili is very meaty (about like a sloppy Joe) and has few beans. It is spicy but not too "hot."

This restaurant will please your children and the small child hiding in you.

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Fritz's Railroad Restaurant, 250 N 18th Street, KC, KS 66102
(913) 281-2777. Last visited in November 2019

Strong City: Ad Astra Food & Drink in Strong City, Kansas opened in 2002. It briefly closed in 2015, but reopened under slight different ownership in November and with the same menu. The restaurant is in a nondescript storefront on Strong City's main street, but external appearances can be deceiving. The small, interesting restaurant focuses on innovative dishes with food from local providers. The menu is somewhat limited, but does offer a wide variety. Ad Astra Food and Drink is open only on Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Temporarily Closed More photos and a detailed review.

Ad Astra Food & Drink, 318 Cottonwood Street, Strong City, KS 66869
(620) 273-8440. Last visited in August 2020

Kansas City: Christy's Tasty Queen in the Turner District of Kansas City, Kansas has take out only Other than some outdoor picnic tables, there is no place to sit or eat. On the cool October day that we were first there, most people were eating in their cars. The 52 year old local burger joint is justifiably famous for its pork tenderloins. The large pork tenderloin is the best that I have had anywhere in the Kansas City metropolitan area. It has a a crispy, delicious coating while the pork is tender, with a good flavor.

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Christy's Tasty Queen, 1405 South 55th Street, Kansas City, KS 66106
(913) 371-3384. Last visited in Juky 2022

Topeka: Bradley's Corner Cafe in the NOTO arts area of Topeka, Kansas is a fabulous place to get pie!

I've found most items at Bradley's Corner Cafe to be good, with the best being the hash brown potatoes with breakfast steak and the cheese and potato soup. Every visit has included pie and one time we just bought a bunch slices of pie to go and split them with family who live in Topeka.

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Bradley's Corner Cafe, 2105 Mission Avenue, Topeka, Kansas 66614
(785) 272-9749. Last visited in October 2021February 2023

Kansas City: El Pollo Rey serves only three dishes: a half chicken, a whole chicken or chicken wings. Served with tortillas, rice, salsa & beans, a half chicken meal is $6.50. The sides were OK, but the chicken was excellent. It is some of the best grilled chicken which I have had and I understand those people who say it is their favorite chicken anywhere. Open lunch and supper, seven days a week.

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El Pollo Rey, 901 Kansas Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66105
(913) 371-4243. Last visited in August 2021

Topeka: Bobo's Drive In is a classic old drive in that has been operating in Topeka, Kansas since 1948, and has been at this location on 10th Avenue since 1953. There is a small area with counter or table service, but half of their customers are served by the car-hops

The best items sampled were Bobo's cheeseburger and handmade onion rings. The French fries, Coney Island, chocolate malt, and pork tenderloin were also good, though the tenderloin did not appear to be hand breaded.

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Bobo's Drive-In, 2300 SW 10th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66604
(785) 234-4511. Last visited in January 2022February 2023

Kansas City: Jarocho Authentic Mexican Seafood is our pick for the best seafood in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Carlos and Sayaka Falcon opened the restaurant in October 2014. Chef Carlos is the Jarocho (from Veracruz) and Sayaka is from Okinawa, Japan.

The menu is 100% about seafood. I enjoy the food a lot, particularly the dishes like the fish fillet stuffed with garlic, onions, Spanish octopus, shrimp and blue crab meat.

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Jarocho Pescados Y Mariscos, 1318 State Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66102 (913) 371-3384. Last visited in February 2023

Topeka: Specks Bar and Grill began in 1957 as the Seabrook Tavern. Specialties include chicken fried steak, fresh cut french fries & chips, Rocky Mountain oysters, and hamburgers in 1/4, 1/2, 1 pound and 3 pound sizes. They bake their own buns daily. This popular neighborhood bar is one block west of 21st Street and Gage. Don't expect anything fancy.

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Speck's Bar & Grill, 2105 Mission Ave, Topeka, KS 66614
(785) 272-9749. Last visited in February 2021

Kansas City: Mad Jack's Fresh Fish is a neat little restaurant and fish market that has been operating for 26 years. There are two counters, one for purchasing uncooked fish & one for cooked, and 6 small booths.

Servings are generous and I was particularly particularly happy with the generous serving of fried oysters for $8.49.

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Mad Jack's Fresh Fish, 1318 State Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66102
(913) 371-3384. Last visited in February 20201

Wichita: B & C Barbeque occupies a former garage on the edge of the Old Town section of Wichita. B & C has a wonderful BBQ buffet, available only at lunch Monday - Saturday. B & C Barbeque isn't even a little fancy. The plates are disposable and you bus your own table. If you like food with the lots of flavor, you will never find a barbeque restaurant better than B & C Barbeque. Be sure and try all of the meats: sausage, turkey, chicken, ham, brisket, pulled pork and pork ribs.

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B & C BBQ 355 N. Washington Street, Wichita, KS 67202
(316) 807-9119. Last visited in August 2022

Kingman: Smitty's Carry Out serves great burgers. They don't ask how you want them cooked and they all come well done, but they are juicy and flavorful. The hand formed hamburger patties are 1/3 pound and the options are up to a three patty, one pound sandwich. There is no extra charge for grilled onions. The house made onion rings are nearly as good, but the fresh cut fries needed a little more frying.

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Smitty's Carry Out, 233 East D Avenue, Kingman, KS 67068
(620) 532-1883.  Last visited in October 2021

Wichita: Bomber Burger first opened in 1952, and it has been in the Rickard family since 1985. Bomber Burger has a counter with five stools and four small, two person tables. The table are round and partially cut away so they can be squeezed closer to the wall. The (original) grill and fryer are 5 feet behind the counter and you can watch the meals being prepared. Other than beverages, the only items on the menu are Ham & cheese, hot wings, fresh cut French fries and a variety of large hamburgers and double burgers.

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Bomber Burger, 4860 South Clifton Avenue Wichita, Kansas 67216
(316) 522-6291. Last visited in October 2022

Lawrence: The Free State Brewing Company opened in 1989 as the first legal brewery in Kansas in over 100 years. Filling two floors of an attractive old building in a bustling part of the college town, this Brew Pub always feels like something is happening. Free State appeals to a range of customers by providing an exciting & varied menu, excellent food and superior service.

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Free State Brewing, 636 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS 66044
(785) 843-4555. Last visited in November 2022

Wichita: Wichita has many wonderful little places for burgers and Buster's Burger Joint on the south side of Wichita is our newest discovery. The small building has a counter, seating for just a few people and a cooking area with a small grill and 2 deep fat fryers. They normally make fresh cut French fries, but have temporarily moved to frozen fries, because since COVID-19, most orders are to go and they believe the fresh cut fries do not travel as well. They do a good job on the frozen fries as well. More photos and a detailed review

Nu-Way Cafe, 1416 W Douglas Avenue, Wichita, Kansas 67203
(316) 267-1131. Last visited in June 2021

Lecompton: Aunt Netters Cafe is a breakfast and lunch restaurant, serving supper only on Friday. The food is good, but it is on this list of unique Kansas restaurants, because of the wonderful pies. Jamin and Annette Nally started Aunt Netters in 2014. Jamin is the chef and Annette is a school teacher who does the baking in the afternoon or evening, She bakes cup cakes, cinnamon rolls, cookies and pies.

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Aunt Netters Cafe, 336 Elmore Street, Lecompton, Kansas 66050
(785) 503-6004. Last visited in July 2020

Wichita: Nu-Way Cafe is the flagship of a small chain of restaurants serving crumbly, loose meat sandwiches - much like Maid-Rite. This was the very first Nu-Way and opened on July 4, 1930.

Great French fries and even better onion rings. The root beer is made daily and it is even better, it makes a wonderful root beer float. Everything I've tried at the Nu-Way Cafe is good. So good that after having my first meal at the Douglas Avenue Nu-Way, I returned for lunch the following day.

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Nu-Way Cafe, 1416 W Douglas Avenue, Wichita, Kansas 67203
(316) 267-1131. Last visited in July 2022November 2022

Merriam: Anita's Cuisine is a wonderful little Latin American restaurant in Merriam, Kansas. As of March 2021, it is carry out only as a precaution for Covid. I have enjoyed the food at this location since it was Carmen's Cosina and when I first visited the new restaurant in 2019, it still had some items from the previous menu, including my previous favorite, bacon wrapped jalapeños. That has since been removed from the menu, which is shorter in 2021, but fortunately there are several new favorites.

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Anita Cuisine, 5816 Merriam Drive, Merriam, Kansas 66203
(913) 432-5855. Last visited in March 2021

Wichita: Stroud's Restaurant in Wichita is in a 1930s barn that was once part of a working ranch. It has the same feel as its distant cousin with the same name in Kansas City. There are fireplaces and one of the rooms looks out on a patio.

The food is served family style and almost everyone leaves with a box of food to take home. The chicken is among the best in Kansas. The chicken noodle soup can't be beat. I think the cinnamon rolls are even better than at the Stroud's in Kansas City, Missouri.

Stroud's Restaurant & Bar, 3661 North Hillside, Wichita, KS 67219
(316) 838-2454. Last visited in July 2019

Merriam: El Pulgarcito Restaurant was the first Salvadoran food I ever had, and I loved it from the start. The menu is fairly limited and devoted half to Mexican food, half to food from El Salvador. I haven't had the Mexican dishes yet.

In addition to good chicken and shrimp dishes, I like the pupusas (corn flour flat bread stuffed with meat, cheese or beans). It comes with a large jar of curtido (Central American kimchi) to eat on the side.

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El Pulgarcito Restaurant, 5921 Merriam Drive, Merriam, KS 66203
(913) 384-3887. Last visited in August 2921

Wichita: Ty's Diner isn't a diner, but a 59 year old hamburger joint. The kind of burger joint where people wait in line most of the few hours Ty's is open each day. But the wait is rarely more than 15 minutes.

The menu is simple: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken strips, chicken fried steak, pork tenderloin and a half dozen other sandwiches. The hamburgers are hand formed from ground beef that is delivered each morning and the French fries are cut fresh each day.

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Ty's Diner, 928 West 2nd Street North Wichita, Kansas 67203
(316) 263-1416. Last visited in November 2022

Merriam: Snack Shack on Johnson Drive merges two great burger traditions. The building began as a Valentine Diner which opened in 1952. It was once called Whopper Burger, but from 1985-2020 it was the third location of the small Kansas City, Missouri Town Topic chain. Meanwhile Snack Shack was operated by the Tolle family on Santa Fe in Overland Park for over a decade, out of a storefront with just counter seating for 12 people and a smaller kitchen.

The Tolles acquired this building in 2021 and Snack Shack opened in April 2022.

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El Pulgarcito Restaurant, 5921 Merriam Drive, Merriam, KS 66203
(913) 384-3887. Last visited in June 2022

Winona: Cafe in Winona has home style cooking with an eclectic menu and fabulous pie. We don't usually do a review after just one visit, but it may be some time before we get back here again and this is a standout restaurant on this stretch of US Highway 40. If you are coming from the west, don't forget that you moved back into Central Time a few miles down the road, or it will be an hour later than you think. The Cafe doubles as a convenience store, with two walls of groceries to save local residents the long drive to larger stores.

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Cafe in Winona, 1383 US Highway 40, Winona, Kansas 67764
(785) 846-2735. Last visited in May 2019

Neodesha: Beef Burger Bob's opened in the 1950s as the Iceberg Drive In, in Fredonia. Bob and Tony Babcock bought the Iceberg in 1972.

Over time they expanded it into a restaurant and renamed it with the nickname that their customers had given to Bob. After 37 years they moved to a new smaller location in the nearby community of Neodesha. Beef burgers are loose meat sandwiches, much in the spirit of NuWay and Maid-Rite, but beef burgers are not as crumbly and hold together better.

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Beef Burger Bob's, 621 Main Street, Neodesha, Kansas 66757
(620) 325-5500. Last visited in August 2022

Winfield: Burger Station is a popular carry out only hamburger joint that opened in 1952. The menu is limited to single, double and triple hamburgers, cheese burgers and chili burgers, plus baked bean, potato salad, French fries and bags of chips. They only sell the chili in the winter, which seems like a shame.

The cooking is done in front of you on a small grill and the you can have a pleasant conversation with the staff while you watch them prepare your meal.

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Burger Station, 13 E 7th Avenue, Winfield, Kansas 67156
(620) 221-9773. Last visited in May 2017

Newton: The Breadbasket is a modest sized bakery and Mennonite influenced restaurant that is particularly known for its breakfast buffets and its Saturday night German buffet. The baked goods are all very good and the sausage is the best I have ever had.

Open until 5:30 through the week and until 8:00 on Friday & Saturday. Open for lunch on Sunday. The Breadbasket is far from fine dining, but it is good dining.

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The Breadbasket, 219 North Main, Newton, Kansas 67114
(316) 283-3811. Last visited in October 2021

Goodland

Butterfly Cafe (last visit 7/17)
 Renner Field, Goodland, Kansas 67735 (785) 890-2085
  in the civil aircraft terminal - sells whole pies to go

Crazy R's Bar & Grill (last visit 5/19)
 1618 Main Street, Goodland, Kansas 67735 (785) 890-3430
  Homey bar with burgers & steaks in an antique filled dinning room

Hutchinson

Hutchinson Restaurant Guide

Lawrence

Aladdin Cafe (last visit 4/18)
 1021 Massachusetts Street, Lawrence, KS66044 (785) 832-1100
  Good Mediterranean & Middle Eastern food, Sunday buffet.

Leavenworth

Homers Drive Inn (last visit 4/19)
 1320 S 4th Street, Leavenworth, Kansas 66048 (913) 682-3034
  Began in the early '30s and at present location since 1938. The malt's
  are better than most, and prices are quite reasonable.

Leawood

Gates & Sons Bar-B-Q (last visit 12/22)
 2001 W 103rd Terrace, Leawood, Kansas 66206 - (913)383-1752
  Classic old Kansas City BBQ chain

Lenexa

The Pizza Man (last visit 4/23)
10212 Pflumm Road, Lenexa, Kansas 66215 - (913) 492-2116
Great Chicago style dogs, Italian sandwich and thin crust pizza.

Mission

RJ's Bob-Be-Que Shack (last visit 12/22)
 5835 Lamar Ave, Mission, Kansas 66202 (913) 262-7300
  BBQ, southern cooking, Sunday morning breakfast

Olathe

Mom's Kitchen (last visit 12/22)
 30 East Santa Fe Street, Olathe, Kansas 66061 (913) 782-3542
  Home style, inexpensive breakfast and lunch

Overland Park

Overland Park Restaurant Guide

Pittsburg

Jim's Steak House (last visit 5/22)
 1912 N Broadway St, Pittsburg, Kansas 66762 (620) 231-5770
   Good onion rings, fries, steaks, and prices

Prairie Village

B.R.G.R. Kitchen and Bar (last visit 10/19)
 4038 W 83rd St, Prairie Village, KS 66208 (913) 825-2747
   Gourmet burgers, good onion straws & great pot roast

Shawnee

Bates City BBQ (last visit 3/23)
6493 Quivira Road, Shawnee, KS 66216 (913) 962-7447
  I love the fresh cut French fires and great inexpensive BBQ pork ribs.

Yoder

Carriage Crossing Restaurant (last visit 2/19)
 10002 S Yoder Rd, Haven, Kansas 67543 (620) 465-3612