Raglan Road

[DaveKCMO]

i guess it's authentic and all, but a jig-dancing sprite playing a flute near my table sounds vomitous.

[bobbyhawks]

I ate from their opening menu last night, which had a standard selection/mix of Irish and more Americanized cuisine and should get larger over time.  My friend and I shared a sausage plate which was more or less pigs in a blanket that were beer battered rather than wrapped in pastry, not bad, but not overwhelming.  I also had some fried scallops which I thought were really great for bar food (and filling), and my friend had some risotto, which he enjoyed.  The best part of the meal was probably the bread they brought with our first round of Guinness.  The bread was delicious and the Guinness reduction with olive juice they prepared was terrific.  Things aren't cheap here (depending on what you are comparing it to).  It looks like they kept their Disney prices.  Beers on tap run $5-$6 a true pint and fish and chips/bangers and mash is $16-$17.  Looks like most of their actual dinner choices run in the $15+ range with one or two options a few dollars cheaper.  Tap beers include Kronenburg 1664, Guinness, Harp, Bass, Smithwick's, Boulevard Wheat, Boulevard Pale Ale, (didn't ask about Irish Ale but it wasn't on the menu), Miller Lite, Bud Light, Bud, Stella, Boddingtons, and a few others I am forgetting, so pretty standard, but a decent selection.  Allegedly, they pour Guinness the "right way" (with the double pour) and it is supposed to be better than anywhere else in Kansas City.  For the record, the head was pretty thick and amazing on that beer, though I'm sure other bars try to pour the same way.  They also serve beer in flights of four that cost around $10 a flight.

As for the decor, the Paddy room, or whatever they called it (south room with mostly restaurant seating) was beautifully done and very authentic looking, save that everything was pretty new.  I only got a peak in the large main room which opens tonight, and that looks pretty amazing as well.  As of yesterday, there might not be a better place to celebrate St. Pat's in KC.  We'll see what type of clientèle this place attracts, but it should be one of the best attractions for out of towners who like a pint (or workers who want a sneaky pint).  They also had some guy playing a lute with an extremely good lookin' gal in traditional Irish garb dancing for a while, pretty cool.  If anyone saw that girl, they would come back every night.  It was definitely not annoying either.  Overall, the food is just an added bonus to a really cool looking place in a prominent spot.  10/10 so far.

[PumpkinStalker]

She was....amazing.  Sigh.

The other beer I remember on tap was Magners Cider.  I tried it, not bad.  I've never been a big cider fan, but I'll always try something I haven't had.

[AJoD]

i guess it's authentic and all

Really?

[maec55]

I thought the the place was pretty well done. Their whiskey selection was decent, and their Guinness was poured perfectly (took a little little longer). I'm really looking forward to the whole bar being opened up. The main room was gorgeous and I can imgaine that place swinging pretty well with their (what I was told) nightly Irish house band.

One of the bar tenders said that their prices were put high since they copied most everything from their parent company. She said she expected prices to fall a dollar or two as things start to come together and the KC folks get their feet planted.

I will say, though, the Orlando transplanted employees seemed to enjoy complaining about KC and its weather.

[DaveKCMO]

Really?

dunno. wikipedia can't confirm.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Raglan Road is more or less open.  I walked right in and am enjoying a Kronenburg 1664.                  

Drinking Alsatian lager at an Irish pub? You are lucky the celtic gods didn't smite you on the spot. 

[PumpkinStalker]

It was one I hadn't had in awhile!  I followed it with the Magners Cider and then some Bushmills mixed drink at dinner!

[MightyKC]

I had the sausages as an appetizer.  I think there were something like ten sausages that were breaded and served with a white dill dipping sauce.  It was plenty to be a meal.  Very tasty and compliments a Guinness ($5.75) very well.  For dinner had the salmon and mashed potatos.  The salmon is served with a small piece of smoken salmon over the top that really flavors the filet. 

I agree that the ambiance was awesome.  Our waiter was so excited about everything that I though his head was going to explode while recommending food and talking about the space.  We got a tour of the Grand room (the larger room facing Grand) by one of the hostesses and it was pretty close to being open.  She also mentioned the dancing girl although she wasn't there when I got in there around 5pm.  She said that she has won several competitions in Ireland and moved to KC for just this purpose. 

Lastly, during dinner we sat next to the guy that installed the beer taps and he said that it was one of the more challenging installations he has done in a while.  They have three fully functional bars that are all connected to one walkin cooler.  72 something lines running all over the place. 

Overall, I was very impressed with the place but agree that it isn't cheap, not that I really expected it to be. 

[KCMax]

How busy has the place been?

[MightyKC]

How busy has the place been?

It's only been open for one night and the back room wasn't even open yet so it's too early to say.  Carrie Underwood is at Sprint Center tonight so that should give them quite a run for their second night open.  Then Thursday they are having the opening of the Live block with a free concert and Tengo, Angels, and Lucky Strike are all opening. 

Great to see these places get at least a week to iron out the kinks before the tourney next week.

[KCPowercat]

How busy has the place been?

umm, it hasn't even actually opened yet and you want to know how busy it is?

[chrizow]

i went last night.  very impressive decor - definitely has an old-world feel.  the attention to detail is great, and they obviously spent a lot of coin on this place. 

as stated before, it's a bit pricey - "tourist prices" i guess.  i had a $8 glass of mediocre wine that sells for $8 per bottle at the grocery store.  i ordered the risotto which was quite tasty and $10.95. 

we were told by the server that the "real" menu is "huge."  the current menu is a preliminary "opening menu" (and says so on it). 

all in all it's a very nice place.  it isn't really my style, but i would not complain if my friends or relatives wanted to go there.  i could see it being a nice happy hour spot for downtown workers.  i like that there are two bars - the front one is at least as spacious as the first floor of, say, the cashew, and the back bar is enormous. 

one thing is for certain:  all the p+l bars are HUGE.

[MightyKC]

I actually asked our server last night about happy hour and he said, for what its worth, that they weren't going to do a happy hour.  He listed all the events at Sprint Center and said that they will be plenty busy without one.  I was kind of disappointed but that was just one server's opinion.

[KCPowercat]

so when are they announcing it's actually open?

[FangKC]

Sounds like Kansas Citians are going to have to take up drinking.

[MightyKC]

so when are they announcing it's actually open?

Its open.  I am no special invitee and I just walked in last night.  The only thing that wasn't fully open was the room off of Grand and that was supposed to open tonight.

[KCPowercat]

yes but by all accounts it was a very soft opening.  just wondering when they would actually announce that they were open.

[KCMax]

umm, it hasn't even actually opened yet and you want to know how busy it is?

It is open. I wanted to know if the place was packed or if I could stroll in without a reservation.

[shaffe]

It is open. I wanted to know if the place was packed or if I could stroll in without a reservation.

you could go there without one and then come back here and throw a fit when they couldn't seat you and get you out within an hour.