port fonda

[warwickland]

great meal. the loud 90s hip hop was a nice touch.

the in-heat screaming 40 year old women at a certain table...nice touch too.

[WinchesterMysteryHouse]

Port Fonda posted a Facebook update stating that they are lowering the volume of their music.
Its in response to its early reputation as being too damn loud in there. Acoustically, loud music in concrete boxes is fucking brutal, so this should be a pleasant change.

[brewcrew1000]

Port Fonda posted a Facebook update stating that they are lowering the volume of their music.
Its in response to its early reputation as being too damn loud in there. Acoustically, loud music in concrete boxes is fucking brutal, so this should be a pleasant change.

Went Friday night around 11 and it was still super loud. An older couple was seated inside ended up eating outside (On a somewhat chilly night) because the music was too loud for them.

[kucer]

I miss the "old" Port Fonda. Still hope they have great success and will hit up the restaurant a couple times a year, but there was something about the airstream experience I really enjoyed.

[bobbyhawks]

Port Fonda posted a Facebook update stating that they are lowering the volume of their music.
Its in response to its early reputation as being too damn loud in there. Acoustically, loud music in concrete boxes is fucking brutal, so this should be a pleasant change.

Went Friday night around 11 and it was still super loud. An older couple was seated inside ended up eating outside (On a somewhat chilly night) because the music was too loud for them.

Older couple eating at 11PM and angry about loud music? Is this Spain without the cool old people who still like to party? I for one love the music volume at that hour, though I can see why people eating earlier in the day would like it to be a bit quiter. After 10PM, I don't really see how anyone can expect it to be some cozy, intimate atmosphere. Part of what makes this place unique is that they have been unapologetic in what they put forth, and the quality of food/experience ends the argument. I'm sure they wish to please, but I imagine there is a point where you can't let a few curmugeons dictate how you run the business. For example, at what point does Okie Joe's in a gas station become "part of the charm" vs. an annoying reason to not visit.

[heatherkay]

Did they say that they were angry about the loud music? Lots of older people have problems in loud space, especially loud spaces that are very echo-y. I know that there are places I can't eat with my dad or my boss because they simply can't hear what I am saying. Which is not to say that Port Fonda or any other restaurant needs to change the volume. But the desire to move outside might be an inevitable result of the volume, even with cool old Spanish people that like to party.

[KCMax]

Now open Monday nights.

[aknowledgeableperson]

Did they say that they were angry about the loud music? Lots of older people have problems in loud space, especially loud spaces that are very echo-y.

Especially if hearing aids are involved.

[brewcrew1000]

Has anyone been here lately? I feel like this place is going downhill quickly. From the loud music, to the inconsistent food to the shoddy service. The yelp reviews over the last few months are very mixed. The last time we were there, the service was really bad, I felt like if you weren't hip enough you were treated differently by the waitress.

[chrizow]

we have been twice in the past two weeks and had outstanding food and service.

[chrizow]

we have been going to PF since the day it opened, and i dont perceive any downward trend in food quality. i do think that the salsas that come with their chips and salsa are not good at all - they were great in their first incarnation. we love going for brunch, i crave the menudo every day.

[chaglang]

we have been twice in the past two weeks and had outstanding food and service.

(Subtle flash of hipster credentials)

[chrizow]

we have been twice in the past two weeks and had outstanding food and service.

(Subtle flash of hipster credentials)

ha, not at all. i am sure the tattoo'd, baldwin'd 20-something servers consider me one step cooler than a soccer dad or undercover cop.

[DaveKCMO]

after a single visit, i have concluded that this is the most overrated restaurant in KC history. not horrible, just overrated.

[ignatius]

My first time I thought they tried too hard. Second visit I just thought it was OK, still a good option for Westport. It's a strange tangent from fabricated Mexican with a gringofied interpretation. It's not all out a tangent like SW or TexMex, it's like it came from a parallel universe of Mexico that had a few DNA mutations trying to make it more contemporary but lost something in translation. Just give me some carnitas with cilantro/lime/onion on soft warm corn tortillas and fckn hot verde salsa and I'm happy. OTOH, I like how they are experimenting with different twists, it just doesn't quite work for me even if giving it a chance. I might take someone there but not hype it as 'popular', just that it's a different twist that some may or may not like. It oddly might be more liked if downplayed.

Westport has Cancun Fiesta for counter street tacos but it could use another one that's a little better quality. Cancun does street tacos right but meat not quite prepared as it should be, especially carnitas. Westport zipcode is now over 22% Latino. I wonder why there are very few real street Mexi places in 64111 like KCK has.

[chrizow]

i do think PF is operating on a much different, and in many ways higher, level than other restaurants in KC, in terms of execution of vision. the interior design is the best in KC i can think of (though the hard surfaces are loud). the menu is creative and uses top quality ingredients. the cocktails are as good as anywhere except maybe manifesto (the purple margarita is my favorite margarita ever, anywhere). it is basically KC's sole entry in the "hipster upscale street food restaurant" category and it actually delivers what it intends. i'm sure places like PF are a dime a dozen in cities like portland, austin, LA, etc., but it's unique for KC both in terms of food and feel. not every dish is a knockout, but i haven't had anything other than the house salsas that i thought was less than a B+ or A.

i do agree that the hype on PF was very, very loud. i dont know if any restaurant could really live up to that, let alone a mexican restaurant. i blame the hype more on KC's lack of exciting new restaurants - i mean, i love menudo and queso fundido as much as anyone, but it's not exactly "hype cuisine" to me.

i'll also say that i think blasting rap music is pretty incongruous and does PF no favors at all. the more laidback soul/funk soundtrack at brunch should be used all the time.

[brewcrew1000]

it is basically KC's sole entry in the "hipster upscale street food restaurant" category and it actually delivers what it intends. i'm sure places like PF are a dime a dozen in cities like portland, austin, LA, etc., but it's unique for KC both in terms of food and feel. not every dish is a knockout, but i haven't had anything other than the house salsas that i thought was less than a B+ or A.

Hipster and Upscale, don't think i've heard that one before.

If this place was Hipster, wouldn't they be playing hipster music not loud rap with dirty language

[chaglang]

If this place was Hipster, wouldn't they be playing hipster music not loud rap with dirty language

See, I would have just assumed that they were being ironic and hipster-y.

[chrizow]

it is basically KC's sole entry in the "hipster upscale street food restaurant" category and it actually delivers what it intends. i'm sure places like PF are a dime a dozen in cities like portland, austin, LA, etc., but it's unique for KC both in terms of food and feel. not every dish is a knockout, but i haven't had anything other than the house salsas that i thought was less than a B+ or A.

Hipster and Upscale, don't think i've heard that one before.

If this place was Hipster, wouldn't they be playing hipster music not loud rap with dirty language

the "hipster upscale street food" category is pretty well-defined and there are many examples in other cities. see also mission chinese in SF and NY (hipsterfied authentic chinese), pok pok in PDX and NY (hipsterfied uthentic thai), and just about every city now has a boozy, tequila-forward hipster mexican street-food type place. i am pretty sure places like LA and PDX have a "hipster upscale version" of every international street food available. our own Bahua recently sent me a dispatch from a hipster ramen place in D.C. where loud rap music was played

as far as the music, i think that loud gangsta rap is "hipster" at the moment. probably 1/3 of pitchfork's best tracks/albums of the year were from loud, vulgar rap artists. heck, one time i went to YJ's at 8am on a sunday for breakfast and they were blasting kendrick lamar or chief keef or something!

besides, the chef/owner of port fonda is a white, 35+ year old man with neck and knuckle tattoos and "snoop dogg" type braids. hipster-gangsta?

[brewcrew1000]

Port Fonda might actually pave the way for other hype restaurants I wouldn't mind seeing. It would be cool if KC had a restaurant like Alinea or Next in Chicago where dining is like a sporting event experience where you pre pay for the meal and can only get reservations through a ticketing system.