Hottest resturaunt scene in town?

KCgridlock · Post by **KCgridlock** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 10:49 am

Independence Center area becoming the largest most diverse restaurant scene in metropolitan KC?

Has anybody been out there lately? There are still several UC and I'm sure many more to come, but I don't believe that any other area of the city has a higher concentration of casual/upscale chain restaurants than the Independence Center area (even Barry or 119th) and many are the only locations in the metro area.

The reason I bring this up is because every time a new one opens, they are packed and even the older restaurants on the west side of the mall like Zio’s and Hops still have very long waits.

Just kind of amazing.

Post by **dangerboy** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 11:09 am

Quite an impressive wasteland of chain restaurants. For a while there was a billboard in the middle of that mess that said something about how you could stop driving around in circles waiting for crappy chian food and just got to the Square for a nice selection locally-owned, independent restaurants.

West 39th St. in KCMO is probably still the greatest concentration of restaurants overall, but the Indep. Center area is still impressive. The chains focused on the Joco for so long that they didn't realize there was such pent-up demand on the east side of the metro.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 11:28 am

I guess I"m glad the nicer chains are spreading the wealth outside of the JoCo limits but I agree with Danger, 39th street has it ALL and no corporate ownership (outside of Chipolte)

KCgridlock · Post by **KCgridlock** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 12:54 pm

I never said it was the "best" or anything, just the largest concentation of "suburban" chains.

KC, when you said 39th, I was thinking what the hell are you talking about. (39th is the main drag in the Independence Center area, no chains there

.) There is also a Starbucks in the (westport) 39th St corridor.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 1:17 pm

oh yeah, Starbucks...is that a chain?

I'll have to check out that Indepence center and the area...sounds like it's bombing...which we are all happy about.

Post by **dangerboy** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 2:17 pm

It's great that Independence is seeing much success in that area, but I would prefer to see them build up and support the restaurant scene on the Square. It has a lot of potential to be an unique, regional dining destination like West 39th St. in Kansas City.

While many of the restaurants in the Hartman center are unique to Kansas City at the moment, by the very nature of chains you will soon see the same signs popping up on Barry Road and Metcalf Avenue, and the area will a lot of the heat that it enjoys right now.

KCgridlock · Post by **KCgridlock** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 9:54 pm

dangerboy wrote:It's great that Independence is seeing much success in that area, but I would prefer to see them build up and support the restaurant scene on the Square. It has a lot of potential to be an unique, regional dining destination like West 39th St. in Kansas City.

While many of the restaurants in the Hartman center are unique to Kansas City at the moment, by the very nature of chains you will soon see the same signs popping up on Barry Road and Metcalf Avenue, and the area will a lot of the heat that it enjoys right now.

Oh, I know, I am just impressed that Independence is getting anything "first" in the metro. Personally I drive by that shit and go into the city unless I have the kids and then it's just easier to do the off ramp thing.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 10:03 pm

I'm always excited for new stuff coming in....what new places is the area getting? It's not as exciting as urban core stuff (obviously few of us think that) but I still like the burbs to flesh out and compete with the JOCO for residents and tax dollars.

Post by **dangerboy** » Thu Jun 05, 2003 10:35 pm

Restaurants:
Hereford House
Joe's Crab Shack
O'Charleys
On the Border
Macaroni Grill
Hooters (proposed)
Outback
Carraba's Italian Grill
Panera
Cheezsteak

Retail:
Ultimate Electronics
World Market
Linen Things
Steinmart
Costco
Lowe's

Office:
Regional State Farm Insurance offices
New Blue Ridge Bank headquarters

Also:
Hilton conference hotal
Holiday Inn

KCgridlock · Post by **KCgridlock** » Thu Jun 05, 2003 11:28 pm

There is more than that:

Hops (this places is great for a suburban bar & grill)
54th Street
Applebee's
Zio's Italian
Smokehouse BBQ
IHOP
TGI Friday's
Red Robin
Chipolte
Kobe Steakhouse UC
Hooter's UC
Prima Italian Restaurant UC
Chevy's

There is a bunch of others but I can't remember them all.

As far as retail goes, geez that's just "some" of the new stores, they have absolutely everything out there and more coming.

Post by **dangerboy** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 6:58 am

Yeah I was mainly trying to list the new stuff in Hartman and Eastland. Some of the stuff like Zios has been there for a few years.

kcmajik · Post by **kcmajik** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 10:58 pm

gridlock- don't forget the maggie moos and fazolis accross the street!

something that we'll all have to keep in the back of our heads is the thought of what explosions might happen next if bass pro is to move into eastland. that will be interesting yet scary because little blue is getting more and more popular as an exit(almost more popular than the 291/39th st. exit) and i have no idea how MO is going to accommodate for the new traffic. remember that's a big IF BPS moves to indep.