OFFICIAL - 21c Museum Hotel KC (former Savoy Hotel)

Issues concerning Downtown as described by the Downtown Council. River to 31st Street, I-35 to Bruce R. Watkins.
User avatar
chrizow
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 17157
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2003 8:43 am

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by chrizow »

any place with fresh lobster is awesome.  i'll have to go to the savoy sometime. 

dumb question:  do you have to (or feel like you have to) dress up when you go there?  you can show up at bluestem or le fou frog in jeans, but the savoy seems like the kind of place where you might feel like a hayseed if you don't at least wear a jacket.
heatherkay
Alameda Tower
Alameda Tower
Posts: 1424
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2006 10:39 am
Location: River Market and Rosedale

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by heatherkay »

I had someone tell me that the reports of crappy service at the Savoy are from people who the waitstaff felt were insufficiently respectful of the room.  So wear a jacket and tie.
kcdcchef
The Quiet Chair
The Quiet Chair
Posts: 8804
Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2004 10:48 pm
Location: pittsburgh, pennsylvania

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by kcdcchef »

AJoD wrote: kcdcchef--

Thanks for your posts in this thread, incredibly interesting.  A friend of mine is good friends with the Savoy chef, and he's regaled me with tales of its quality and style.  Of course, he gets a little inside treatment.  I've always wanted to believe it's the old school, high class sort of joint you described, despite the fact that, for whatever reason, I'd previously thought it was a dump on the decline, actually, already declined.

Well, actually for the reasons that PumpkinStalker displayed upthread.

The reputed high pricetag has put me off, but this thread has got me stoked to give this place a try as circumstances allow, and I sure as heck hope the redevelopers maintain this character.

when i worked for the savoy, allbeit 20 years ago, ( almost ) the chef was an incredible austrian chef, edmunde silmane. he was one of the longest tenured savoy grill chefs ever, working there for 25 years. made him very famous, as, he was on tv all the time. a big deal back then. he tired of it and decided to leave finally, going to open the gourmet grocer on the plaza. bad move at the time. last i heard from chef edmunde he was at the elms in excelsior, and i am pretty sure he balied from there too. since edmunde left, they have had a pretty steady stream of chefs in and out of there. i ran across don lee in 2004, he offered me the job on the spot, as we were talking about old times. i had to decline. but we had a fun time talking about a 16 year old kid fileting his finger in the kitchen trying to seperate two butter rosettes frozen together. hehe.
chrizow wrote: any place with fresh lobster is awesome.  i'll have to go to the savoy sometime. 

dumb question:  do you have to (or feel like you have to) dress up when you go there?  you can show up at bluestem or le fou frog in jeans, but the savoy seems like the kind of place where you might feel like a hayseed if you don't at least wear a jacket.
you would feel under dressed. you dont need a jacket persay, but i havent ever seen anyone in the place in jeans. in the summer months, i have spotted some people in khaki pants and nice polos, but never saw any jeans in there. my last visit to the savoy, last summer actually, we had dessert there. and everyone still nicely dressed.
MU FINISHED THE YEAR RANKED HIGHER IN HOOPS AND FOOTBALL THAN THE KAY U JAYDORKS. UP YOURS KAY U JAYDORK FANS!!!! :D :D :D :D :D
User avatar
DaveKCMO
Ambassador
Posts: 20042
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2005 6:22 pm
Location: Crossroads
Contact:

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by DaveKCMO »

heatherkay wrote: I had someone tell me that the reports of crappy service at the Savoy are from people who the waitstaff felt were insufficiently respectful of the room.  So wear a jacket and tie.
there's a reason formal dining is dying.
kcdcchef
The Quiet Chair
The Quiet Chair
Posts: 8804
Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2004 10:48 pm
Location: pittsburgh, pennsylvania

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by kcdcchef »

DaveKCMO wrote: there's a reason formal dining is dying.
yet it still thrives at this place.
MU FINISHED THE YEAR RANKED HIGHER IN HOOPS AND FOOTBALL THAN THE KAY U JAYDORKS. UP YOURS KAY U JAYDORK FANS!!!! :D :D :D :D :D
User avatar
chrizow
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 17157
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2003 8:43 am

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by chrizow »

heatherkay wrote: I had someone tell me that the reports of crappy service at the Savoy are from people who the waitstaff felt were insufficiently respectful of the room.  So wear a jacket and tie.
thanks for the tip!  

i'm sure the waitstaff will understand when i leave a $5 tip b/c they were insufficiently respectful of my status as patron and gatekeeper of the wallet...
User avatar
KCMax
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 24051
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 3:31 pm
Location: The basement of a Ross Dress for Less
Contact:

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by KCMax »

chrizow wrote: any place with fresh lobster is awesome.  i'll have to go to the savoy sometime. 

dumb question:  do you have to (or feel like you have to) dress up when you go there?  you can show up at bluestem or le fou frog in jeans, but the savoy seems like the kind of place where you might feel like a hayseed if you don't at least wear a jacket.
I would bet you have to dress up for dinner, but I went for brunch in fairly casual wear.
SAVE THE PLAZA - FROM ZOMBIES! Find out how at:

http://twitter.com/TheKCRag
User avatar
DaveKCMO
Ambassador
Posts: 20042
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2005 6:22 pm
Location: Crossroads
Contact:

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by DaveKCMO »

kcdcchef wrote: yet it still thrives at this place.
it was certainly not thriving the last time i was in there. maybe i scared people off with my exposed neck and forearms.
kcdcchef
The Quiet Chair
The Quiet Chair
Posts: 8804
Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2004 10:48 pm
Location: pittsburgh, pennsylvania

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by kcdcchef »

DaveKCMO wrote: it was certainly not thriving the last time i was in there. maybe i scared people off with my exposed neck and forearms.
perhaps. but if they are serving 200 on fridays and saturdays in the fall/holidays, and packed with parties still, they are THRIVING. weeknights, not so much.
MU FINISHED THE YEAR RANKED HIGHER IN HOOPS AND FOOTBALL THAN THE KAY U JAYDORKS. UP YOURS KAY U JAYDORK FANS!!!! :D :D :D :D :D
KC-wildcat
Bryant Building
Bryant Building
Posts: 3528
Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2006 10:54 am
Location: UMKC Law

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by KC-wildcat »

If you want a good laugh, watch the attached Savoy online commercial.

http://www.savoyhotel.net/SavoyBed.wmv
kcdcchef
The Quiet Chair
The Quiet Chair
Posts: 8804
Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2004 10:48 pm
Location: pittsburgh, pennsylvania

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by kcdcchef »

KC-wildcat wrote: If you want a good laugh, watch the attached Savoy online commercial.

http://www.savoyhotel.net/SavoyBed.wmv
seen it. i have it stored on my computer. there is a nice one for the grill too.

for those of you thinking you are gonna do them wrong by showing up in jeans and tipping like shit, trust me, they will ignore you the whole nite and give you brash nyc style service. i kind of like dining abroad, and in nyc, boston, and san fran, places like that more. the diners tend to respect the room more. you should. if it is not your scene, move on.
MU FINISHED THE YEAR RANKED HIGHER IN HOOPS AND FOOTBALL THAN THE KAY U JAYDORKS. UP YOURS KAY U JAYDORK FANS!!!! :D :D :D :D :D
User avatar
chrizow
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 17157
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2003 8:43 am

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by chrizow »

i'm a good tipper to a fault.  the server could fart in my soup and i'd probably still give her 18%.
kcdcchef
The Quiet Chair
The Quiet Chair
Posts: 8804
Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2004 10:48 pm
Location: pittsburgh, pennsylvania

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by kcdcchef »

chrizow wrote: i'm a good tipper to a fault.  the server could fart in my soup and i'd probably still give her 18%.

as a chef, i am the same. no matter how shitty the service, i always tip at MINIMUM 15%, even for shitty for service. for decent service, i am usually 18-20%, and great above average service i tend to do 25%. it has to be real bad for me to go down to 15%.
MU FINISHED THE YEAR RANKED HIGHER IN HOOPS AND FOOTBALL THAN THE KAY U JAYDORKS. UP YOURS KAY U JAYDORK FANS!!!! :D :D :D :D :D
User avatar
voltopt
Broadway Square
Broadway Square
Posts: 2812
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 2:56 pm
Location: Manheim Park
Contact:

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by voltopt »

I have only been to the Savoy 3 times - once in college to receive a local scholarship, and twice to sit at the bar. The last two times I have been I was very casually dressed in a gray hooded sweatshirt and jeans and managed to receive excellent service from the staff.  The dining room was full with awkward looking blue hairs and NASCAR dates.
"I never quarrel, sir; but I do fight, sir; and when I fight, sir, a funeral follows, sir."   -senator thomas hart benton
User avatar
beautyfromashes
One Park Place
One Park Place
Posts: 7189
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 11:04 am

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by beautyfromashes »

voltopt wrote: The dining room was full with awkward looking blue hairs and NASCAR dates.
Exactly.  That's all it's become: those who have gone forever and can't bare to think of going somewhere else and those who don't know any better.  This place, in it's current form, will die the death of 3-piece suits at work, polaroid pictures, tophats and telegraph machines.  The good news is the space is very nice, the food is good and it still has a decent reputation.  The bad news: it's stuffy and overpriced. 
User avatar
voltopt
Broadway Square
Broadway Square
Posts: 2812
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 2:56 pm
Location: Manheim Park
Contact:

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by voltopt »

I'd like to go back and enjoy a meal... maybe soon...
"I never quarrel, sir; but I do fight, sir; and when I fight, sir, a funeral follows, sir."   -senator thomas hart benton
User avatar
DaveKCMO
Ambassador
Posts: 20042
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2005 6:22 pm
Location: Crossroads
Contact:

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by DaveKCMO »

beautyfromashes wrote:This place, in it's current form, will die the death of 3-piece suits at work, polaroid pictures, tophats and telegraph machines.
i knew there was a reason i still liked you.  =D>
User avatar
chrizow
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 17157
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2003 8:43 am

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by chrizow »

polaroids are still pretty sweet though.
LenexatoKCMO
City Center Square
City Center Square
Posts: 14667
Joined: Wed May 25, 2005 3:34 pm
Location: Valentine

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by LenexatoKCMO »

chrizow wrote: polaroids are still pretty sweet though.
Kodak quit making the film last year - it now ebays for amounts approaching a moderate car payment. 

I think there will always be at least a small market for more formal dining - could KC support dozens of restaurants like this, no - but a couple - always.  I know quite a few people, myself included, still well under 40, that detest being rushed out of a restaurant and putting up with people acting like they were born in a barn around you and it is nice to occassionally be reminded that it doesn't always have to be that way. 
User avatar
grovester
Oak Tower
Oak Tower
Posts: 4560
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2008 7:30 pm
Location: KC Metro

Re: Savoy Hotel to undergo $25 mil gut/resto

Post by grovester »

surprise!  Funky doesn't veto!  good overall, I think.  building owner has been vilified a bit too much, considering he has maintained a somewhat successful business all this time.
Post Reply