Studio Restaurant and Bar - new place on Mcgee downtown

[Coquette]

i think studio has (had?) a lot of potential, but it has violated at least three cardinal sins of kansas city nightlife, often simultaneously:

* cover charges, even with there isn't really anything going on (including charging people a cover to pick up their to-go orders?!)
* expensive drinks
* trying to be all things to all people - breakfast, lunch, dinner, beer joint, live music hall, reception space, etc., resulting in no actual "identity." 

i think it is often better to do one or two things, and do them really well.  grinders = art, awesome beer, and good food.  JP = wine and romance.  harry's = country music and a cozy neighborhood vibe.  studio is a nice space and it's clear that the owners have invested a lot of time and money into the business, but there doesn't seem to be any sort of focus or personality, no compelling reason to choose to go there over the other 75 bars within a 2 mile-radius.

that's just my $.02.

I'm not trying to shut you down by addressing your comments, so please bear with me...

I keep reading about the cover charge issue, particularly the "carry out incident".  Is this truly an ongoing problem, or is this a hold over perception from when they thought the sprint center was going to be their bread and butter?

Expensive drinks...you are preaching to the choir on that one. Lots of people like that red bull/ vodka shit for seven dollars, but give me a can of yard beer for two bucks any day...

Regarding their identity crisis, the owner had envisioned an upscale restaurant (and so much more!). They booked cover bands, scavenged the McFadden's overflow, and promptly began to go under.  Throughout this year though, I perceive a focus towards live original music; the menu is certainly scaled down to more typical tavern fare (breakfast lasted about a week); they have removed most tables in the side room, replacing them with billiards and darts and such...and the reception space upstairs (very underutilized at this point) doesn't detract or compete with the vibe in the bar, in my opinion. It should be a showcase in its own right. One friend of mine described it as "an art deco orgasm".

Why go there over another bar? It IS Kansas City, whereas I think the over priced glossy flossy corporate chains are not.

Again, not trying to be argumentative, just trying to gleam out whether these stereotypes are still propagating themselves, to their own undoing, or if they are hold over perceptions from the "early days"...

[beautyfromashes]

I've never been to Studio so my thoughts could be useless or they could give an unbiased outside opinion. 

I envisioned this place as more of an upscale, take my wife out for fine dining and fancy drinks kind of place.  But then the name of the place doesn't really emply that.  It says, casual hangout bar.  It that what it is? And then there is live music and a covercharge.  So, when I take my wife for a fancy dinner is there going to be quiet background jazz or a crowd standing in front of a stage?  If it is more casual fare, is it a family-type place?  Could I bring my kids?  I guess I've never gone because I don't know on what type of occassion I should be going there.  Someone help me out.  I like to support a locally-owned downtown restaurant.

[PumpkinStalker]

I've never been to Studio so my thoughts could be useless or they could give an unbiased outside opinion. 

I envisioned this place as more of an upscale, take my wife out for fine dining and fancy drinks kind of place.  But then the name of the place doesn't really emply that.  It says, casual hangout bar.  It that what it is? And then there is live music and a covercharge.  So, when I take my wife for a fancy dinner is there going to be quiet background jazz or a crowd standing in front of a stage?  If it is more casual fare, is it a family-type place?  Could I bring my kids?  I guess I've never gone because I don't know on what type of occassion I should be going there.  Someone help me out.  I like to support a locally-owned downtown restaurant.

It's not really a restaurant.  It's a bar with tables.  Last time I was there they had pizzas, burritos, chicken fingers, club sandwiches, etc.  It's definitely bar food.

[beautyfromashes]

It's not really a restaurant.  It's a bar with tables.  Last time I was there they had pizzas, burritos, chicken fingers, club sandwiches, etc.  It's definitely bar food.

So beer with the guys after work-kind of place, huh?

[PumpkinStalker]

Yep, I wouldn't feel very special if I was being taken there as a dinner outing!  No offense to the place, it's just not what it's trying to be.

[Coquette]

I've never been to Studio so my thoughts could be useless or they could give an unbiased outside opinion. 

I envisioned this place as more of an upscale, take my wife out for fine dining and fancy drinks kind of place.  But then the name of the place doesn't really emply that.  It says, casual hangout bar.  It that what it is? And then there is live music and a covercharge.  So, when I take my wife for a fancy dinner is there going to be quiet background jazz or a crowd standing in front of a stage?  If it is more casual fare, is it a family-type place?  Could I bring my kids?  I guess I've never gone because I don't know on what type of occassion I should be going there.  Someone help me out.  I like to support a locally-owned downtown restaurant.

Eh, If I were your wife, anticipating candles and jazz, I would be really pissed at you!

As for the kids, the last few weekends they have featured a matinée (fancy word, huh? ) of the kids from our local "School of Rock".  I unfortunately brought my parents two weeks ago to hardcore week (yikes!), but my tween/ teens have had a blast.

We also let them hang out at the occasionally scheduled all ages show, beatles tribute, last call girls, and open mike tuesdays.  There was this adorable 10 year old girl who rocked Proud Mary one afternoon I was there.

(I sound like I am a barfly, I actually get out MAYBE once a month, probably less.)

[mean]

I appreciate what The Studio is trying to do, but I agree that the overly broad focus has kind of screwed them over a little bit. My current suggestions aren't going to be much different than what I've said all along:

* If The Studio is going to be a nice restaurant, it needs a better menu and beer list. How about steamed mussels in cream and white wine? Beer-braised short ribs? Ossobuco? Why not put on a summer gazpacho as a seasonal soup when the veggies are fresh? Stuff like that. Nothing super fancy, but stuff that is going to put most of the P&L restaurants to shame. This is a competition, and they've got the market cornered on generic, mediocre bar food in that area. The decor is fine for this purpose.

* Speaking to the beer selection, last time I was there the Studio had what amounts to a bunch of generic lagers that all taste about the same (PBR, Stella, Bud, Miller, Peroni, etc., iirc), plus Boulevard Pale and seasonal, and Guinness. I can understand having a couple generic lagers on tap, but no more than a couple. Fill out those taps with selections from Allagash, Arcadia, Avery, Bell's, Breckenridge, etc.

* I don't see any reason it can't be a nice restaurant for dinner, and then turn into a rock bar around 10pm, where you send the servers home and shut down the kitchen except at most a frialator. Something like, "Dinner Hours, 4-9 -- Rock Begins Promptly at 10". Maybe have some nice jazz for dinner.

* For rock bar purposes, the sound system needs to be addressed. I'm no expert here, but the consensus of everyone I have asked is that bands often don't sound very good. I hesitate to make any major criticisms here because I know it's something that has been worked on since last time I was there, so at least there has been effort to fix this issue. It may be fine now, I'm not sure.

Anyway, the trick is that if you're going to be a nice restaurant and a rock bar, you have to be able to do both very well. Right now, both are being done reasonably well, but neither is like WOAH AWESOME.

If they want to pay a chef to come up with a new menu and recipes on the cheap, or a "beer sommelier" to develop a beer list, just ask. 

[LenexatoKCMO]

I guess I am with BFA - I have never been to Studio, mostly because I have no clear idea about what I am supposed to go there for.  The place just doesn't give off a very clear image - the food, drink, and entertainment missions do not seem to be clearly defined.  If you are going to be a restaurant, people want to know what kind of restaurant you are (what types of food, what level of service, what price range, etc).  If you are going to be a bar, people want to know what kind of bar you are (beer bar?  lounge bar?  Dive bar? Sports bar?).  If you are going to be an entertaiment venue people want to know what genre of music to expect.  You can get away with targeting all three (restaurant, bar, entertainment) but each of the elements needs to be somewhat defined - Take The Brick for instance - they are a dive bar, that serves semi-gourmet bar food, and provides hipster-oriented entertaiment.  The tree elements are all there but they are well focused and defined.  With this Studio place it seems like it is trying to be all things in all categories - it doesn't sound like you can easily categorize the food, no one seems to be able to really say what the bar atmosphere is supposed to be, and it doesn't seem clear at all just what sort of entertainment they are focusing on. 

[mean]

Part of the problem is that they've been so busy trying new things to see what works, that they haven't had time to establish a firm identity. But I agree, there definitely needs to be a solid image projected.

Personally, I see the most potential for the Studio as an upscale version of The Brick, with a nicer room and better food during the day, and a similar vein of musical acts at night. Sort of like, The Brick for people in their ~30s who spent their 20s in The Brick (or, The Pub). Which isn't to say The Brick isn't great, I love the place. But there is room in the market for a similar kind of place where the tables aren't all wobbly, the upholstery isn't shredded, and that serves higher-end food.

[PumpkinStalker]

...and that serves higher-end food.

I thought the deep fried olives served in a martini glass were excellent.

[KC-wildcat]

The layout of the place is pretty poor as well.  Structurally, there's probably not much that can be done, but the stage can't even be seen by 50% of the space.  Every time I've been there, there have been pretty decent numbers in the bar and stage area, but nobody in the "restuarant" area on the other side.  Just kind of a waste of space IMO.  Then again, I don't really know what can be done about it.  I do, however, envision dive bar when I think of Studio.  I perceive it on the same level as Quaff, Mikes, etc.  Seems like overhead, in that case, shouldn't be that high.  Cut back the menu, institute cheap beer specials, and music, music, music.  I think this would go a long way.  Maybe even consider some outdoor seating?  Maybe tear out the windows on the restuarant side, put in a garage door, and voila, you've got seasonal seating similar to the cashew.  

[PumpkinStalker]

Not much strucutrally they can do.  No tearing out windows or anything, they can't even have a permanent sign on the building because it's a protected historic building.  They received monstrous tax credits to rennovate it and any structural changes have to be approved by a board.  It would be kick ass to put an outdoor area on the parking lot side, but won't happen.

[Gretz]

The layout of the place is pretty poor as well.  Structurally, there's probably not much that can be done, but the stage can't even be seen by 50% of the space.  Every time I've been there, there have been pretty decent numbers in the bar and stage area, but nobody in the "restuarant" area on the other side.  Just kind of a waste of space IMO.  Then again, I don't really know what can be done about it.  I do, however, envision dive bar when I think of Studio.  I perceive it on the same level as Quaff, Mikes, etc.  Seems like overhead, in that case, shouldn't be that high.  Cut back the menu, institute cheap beer specials, and music, music, music.  I think this would go a long way.  Maybe even consider some outdoor seating?  Maybe tear out the windows on the restuarant side, put in a garage door, and voila, you've got seasonal seating similar to the cashew.  

I basically agree with this strategy.  It's a bar.  I don't think anyone thinks of this place as a restaurant really.  It's too gritty, dark and the decour isn't right.  I like the decour/atmosphere; don't get me wrong, but it just doesn't say "restaurant."  I had one sit down type restaurant meal here where decent food was attempted and it was a disaster.  It's a bar with better than average bar food.  Keep the food; having edible bar food can be an advantage over such nauseous fare as the Quaff/Tanner's etc. serve, but I don't think food should be the focus.  I say

1) FILL OUT THE TAP SELECTION as Mean suggested.  This alone would be enough to bring me in more than the once a month or so I currently come by.  The prospect of drinking Stella or Newcastle is a major detterent for me.  Get something with some taste and variety; not the standard line-up of Lagers.  Only the Boulevard Pale Ale and seasonal offers any even modestly hoppy differentiation and I can get that stuff anywhere.

2) Embrace the fact that you are a bar; get rid of the ugly-ass folding tables on the south side and put in fussball, pool, darts etc.  Get a Juke box.

3)  Get a KILLER drink special for a couple of nights a week that will bring in the crowds.  Even if you only break even on that item, or even make a slight loss; plenty of people will drink other stuff.  More importantly people will know you exist after being sucked in by $1.00 draws or $10.00 bottomless cup, and come back at other times to blow cash.

4)  Stick with the music thing and promote the be-jesus out of it.  It would be best to theme it by night of the week, I would think, so that people know what they're getting into.  College kid X who wants crappy covers is likely to be turned off big-time if he shows up and some thrash band is playing. 
    a)Match up a couple of, you can't afford NOT to come drink here and drink specials, with college bands a couple of week-nights a week.  Those bands bring their own fans with them and word of mouth works a lot faster with young groups like that.  Also, college kids drink during the week a lot.  Don't try to compete with the usual college places or P&L on weekends; they will win.  People like to go out "big-time" on the weekends.  Your place just isn't a "big time" night out place; works nice for a divey Mon-Wed maybe Thurs place though.
    b)Other weeknights shoot for a niche; blues, jazz maybe?  With the Phoenix gone I crave a low key live music place somewhere where one can talk over the music a little.  Weekends, shoot for the anti-P&L experience.  Go for the types that are repulsed by P&L stuff. 

[scooterj]

I do like hearing about the addition of pool tables and darts.   That sounds like a step in the right direction.   I've never considered it as a dinner place because I generally have late dinners and The Studio tends to be very loud with the bands by that time.    When I do go there it's typically in the early evening, before bands, to sit at the bar and get a quick appetizer before going down to Zoo.     It's been a while since I have been so I don't know if the rampant cover charges are still going on.

Thinking back over my visits, I think I have figured out the thing that for me personally causes the Studio to not pop into my head first when deciding which local non-chain downtown bar to go to.    Every time I have been there and sat at the bar, the bartender will pour my drink and then is off to work on the sound system or do something else.    I've never been there when they have actually stayed behind the bar and chatted with the customers to get to know them.    So I never formed a personal reason for going there.         Zoo is my favorite local downtown bar to go to in large part because the bartenders there have mastered this art.   I know them all, they all know me, so going there is more like going over to visit a friend's house than patronizing a business.    Harry's does this very well too, as does Caddy Shack.   To a lesser extent, Stables, John's, and Fred P. Ott's.    But I never got that vibe at Studio.

[PumpkinStalker]

I got to know Tiffany there very well, and thought she was smoking hot until she told me her fiance was a professional wrestler that performs in Vegas.  Gotta go!

Now I have come to know Jessica and Melissa at Flying Saucer.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Now I have come to know Jessica and Melissa at Flying Saucer.

"Come to know"    ??

[elextendo]

I still hate the name... I dont think it has anything to do with the idea or what there actually trying to do..I would start there...and hopefully everything else will follow..

[Coquette]

I still hate the name... I dont think it has anything to do with the idea or what there actually trying to do..I would start there...and hopefully everything else will follow..

The name is actually quite relevant. They have just neglected to emphasize the history, context, and significance of the fact that it is the personal studio of Louis Curtiss, architect extraordinaire...

If they can keep it afloat til July, they really should go all out for the building's centennial. I envision a Louis Curtiss impersonator, outfitted in all white, of course, tooling about in a vintage white car to complement the  recreation...

Involvement with the local historical society is a no brainer... hey, how about nickle beers or something! Yeah... and... well...yeah...

[kigmee]

Has Studio closed, or just cut back on daytime hours?

That security curtain they have looks bad.  I used to walk down McGee at lunchtime just to have the pleasure of admiring that building.  Now it just looks like a garage door.

[QueSi2Opie]

Has Studio closed, or just cut back on daytime hours?

That security curtain they have looks bad.  I used to walk down McGee at lunchtime just to have the pleasure of admiring that building.  Now it just looks like a garage door.

They're still open. I was there briefly on Thursday night and they were definitely open on Saturday. They have cut back on hours and the times they serve food.