Rye

My wife and I decided to give Rye a try for our anniversary. The food is solid but pricey. No complaints about the service. We did not try any of the many options of rye whiskey that they have available. So why just three stars? Ultimately, it came down to temperature and value for the money. While the food is high quality, it’s a little pricey for what you get. Sides are a la carte, which just makes the meal more expensive. We paid about $ 85 for two people. We split three pieces of the fried chicken, two appetizers, one side and each had one drink.
My biggest complaint… The restaurant was hot. Like it felt over 80 degrees hot. Even my wife, who is normally chilly at restaurants, thought it was way too hot. That alone lost it a star.
So, in summary…
Food = 4 stars
Service = 4 stars
Value = 2 stars
Temperature = 1 star (or less if I could)

I would say I dream about he shrimp and grits here and I’m not a shrimp and grits lover… so epically disappointed last time I ate there. I spoke w the waitress and she told me it is all in who is the cook that evening… What?! My note to Rye… I shouldn’t be able to tell who is cooking! Get some consistency. I don’t want to cross this restaurant off my list.

The fried chicken was AMAZING! I got some banana cream pie to go and enjoyed that later since I was too fully here. Love the atmosphere.

Based upon my recent experience at this restaurant, I would not be able to recommend this place to a friend.

Some of the best fried chicken on the planet. Crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside. You could tell it was farn raised as it fell off the bone. Bacon mac was outstanding and they had great whiskey and beer selection.

5 Stars — Food
5 Stars — Ambiance
4 Stars — Service
4 Stars — Price/​Value
5 Stars — Patio
Would I go again? Oh… Absolutely! And I have, a couple of times. Once for brunch, and most recently, from lunch. What would I have again? The shrimp and grits, to die for! Next time though, I need to bring more friends so I can try the fried chicken and the macaroni and cheese with bacon.
From the people that brought you Bluestem. The highly acclaimed restaurant specializing in 5 star,
exquisitely delicious, pretty food… have now tried, and conquered comfort food.
And comforting it is. You’re surrounded with lots of rich, dark wood. The floor to ceiling bookcases, stocked with cookbooks, gives it a homey, relaxing feel. A Place you would want wile away the hours, talking to an old friend over lunch.
And that’s just what I did, all while stuffing my face with delicious food. Like the shrimp and grits. The stoneground grits are both creamy and cheesy, but with the occasional added textural variation from the course grind. And, I would never have thought of adding the rich, deep, full flavored gravy. brilliant! Then, they top this delicious mound with six succulent jumbo shrimp. I’m usually the type that takes leftovers home from lunch, but not today, I licked my plate clean, literally! But, it didn’t seem to shock the staff, maybe it’s a frequent occurrence, this plate licking! It’s a «thing» now, ya know!
Don’t forget to try their desserts. You can get plenty of comfort from the dessert menu. Sweet baby Jesus! Yummy! Chocolate peanut butter pie being my comfort of choice!
It was everything you could want, luscious, creamy, chocolate peanut butter goodness!
I left feeling fatter and happier than when I went in. I’m sure you will show much more restraint than I. But, if you don’t, oh well! You can always have an apple for lunch tomorrow!

Nice outdoor sitting facility with good open view of a pond. We went to Rye 3 times in the last 2 months. Brunch was nice, good and sufficient selection. Dinner was good overall, we had a cold cut platter as a starter and for drinks I had 2 glasses of cava and my husband had 2 glasses of red wine, as a main my husband had a burger and I had their famous fried chicken, food was good but the highlight is their lemon meringue pie.

Loved their burnt ends. Absolutely delicious. I highly recommend it. So succulent…
Was recommended shrimp with grits or fried chicken by a friend. Since I had shrimp for lunch, I went with fried chicken. It was ok. Thought meat was kind of dry. Definitely had better… I would not eat fried chicken again if I were to return here.
Savory bread pudding sides were really really good. I would get this again.
Apple and rhubarb pie was delicious. I love the tangy sour of rhubarb! If you like sour things, you will enjoy it.

The story of Jekyll and Hyde…
First for Jekyll… my chicken livers and grits were what could only be described as the best that I have ever had. Cooked to «just», crunchy on the outside slightly pink and creamy on the inside. Grits creamy, cheesy, with just a hint of smoke. The caramelized onions only added to the culinary conversation.
Now to the Hyde…
My wifes chopped salad would have been a tour de force if we had been dining at Denny’s. No spark, no flavor, if not for the cubed turkey bits that had no doubt been given willingly by the foul during a weight loss session. Truly this attempt at a salad would make a plastic wrapped brethren found in the refrigerated section of any Hy-​Vee seem as a culinary delight experienced only by heads of state.
But this item should be lost. To be walked blindly into the woods and left there… no crumbs, and certainly no pebbles to give it any chance of returning.
Service was passable, if not illusory in attentiveness. That said the tea was good…
Cheers!!!

This experience wasn’t as good as my first visit a couple of weeks ago. The food was very bland compared to the fried chicken that I had the first time. I had lobster crab hush puppies for my appetizer which cost $ 15. I could not taste a lobster or crab in the hush puppies. I spent $ 50 and apologized to my friends that I invited because I had raved about this restaurant. I just knew it would be my favorite restaurant but the second trip has changed my mind.

After our last encounter with Rye, we took a year off before returning. We visited last Sunday, and much to our surprise, we had quite a lovely experience.
We were greeted by new host (s) that know how to do their job. They were prompt, found our reservation and ushered us to a very appropriate table with a smile.
Reviewing the menu, we noted not much has changed in a year, the options are still limited, but the fried chicken was there — all is well.
Our waitress was a delight! She was timely, professional and quick to answer questions. We did struggle slightly with keeping drinks full but otherwise, we were very pleased with her service.
¾ of the table had the fried chicken. Excellent as always. Served hot, great potatoes and lovely salad. Our 4^th party member decided for breakfast, a la carte. The breakfast choices were served appropriately prepared and hot but were unfortunately brought on multiple separate plate that we did not have room on the table for. It made for an uncomfortable moment trying to re-​plate her entire meal table-​side. Wish the kitchen would have re-​thought the planning for that one. Maybe have the waitress ask if they could plate her order as a one-​plate meal? Just a thought…
The bill came accurate and fair. We did note the prices are starting to creep up but not enough to be alarmed over.
Overall, pretty darn good experience. Glad we sat-​out the year for them to address the issues they were experiencing during Restaurant Week 2015. It was refreshing to see them back to normal! Great job, Rye! We will see you again!

I probably won’t be clamoring to make my way back in, as the brunch visit didn’t meet expectations. The mildly rustic environment was pleasing enough, but we found it to be a maze of crowded tables placed haphazardly. The omelette of the day was… wait for it… ham and cheddar! (*sad trombone*) It was about as exciting as it sounds. It was rather bland and after taking a bite of my girlfriend’s fried chicken, I especially couldn’t taste it. The potatoes served with it met expectations.
Regarding the service, our server seemed genuinely uninterested in his job (although who isn’t, I guess) which we sensed before he even greeted us. A genuine look of annoyance came across his face after we asked a second time what pastries they had available. We decided on the cinnamon donuts and the cranberry orange scone, which were fine, I suppose.
Overall, it just didn’t seem to stand out from other restaurants in any particular way. Generally casual to Leawood brunch attire appropriate.
Atmosphere: ⁴⁄₅
Food: ²⁄₅
Maze to bathroom difficulty: ⁴⁄₅

I had high expectations for Rye, since it was a sister restaurant of bluestem, which I absolutely love. Overall, I wasn’t completely dissatisfied. I had the fried chicken, and it had a really juicy and moist inside with a delicious, crispy outside. My only complaint is that in the bigger breast pieces, you lose flavor after the breading is gone. They don’t marinate the chicken, so the inside part of the meat is flavorless, which is really too bad, since the meat is so tender. It had the potential in being some of the best fried chicken I’ve ever had. And I’ve had a lot, since it’s one of my favorite foods. I’m a southerner at heart, with an affinity for sweet tea and other comfort foods.
Moving on… In addition to the fried chicken, I had a little something sweet after. I got the cranberry orange scone, and my boyfriend got the doughnuts of the day, which happened to be cinnamon sugar donuts with apple butter garnish. We shared the donuts, as you get 3 full-​size ones. They weren’t spectacular by any means, but were good for not getting them at a place that specializes in doughnuts (aka donut shops).
My boyfriend had the omelet of the day, which was ham and cheddar. He was extremely disappointed. I feel like it’s hard to screw up an omelet, or so I thought. He deemed it too bland, which seems to be the common theme.
The service was probably the most displeasing aspect of the visit, which is unfortunate since it might have made me more inclined to come back. But Rye probably won’t be one I’ll be itching to revisit anytime soon. Our server seemed annoyed that we were asking what the pastries were, and he spoke so quickly that we didn’t even catch the first part of what he said. And then when we asked him to repeat them again, he put down his order pad and mildly rolled his eyes, in what I would describe as deep annoyance. Sorry that I asked you to do your job. I’ve worked in the food industry and retail, so customer service is not a new concept to me. He provided everything but.
The atmosphere seemed to be hipster picnic chic in the randomness of Leawood. The restaurant wasn’t too busy when we arrived (with reservations), but since it’s small, it filled up rather quickly. You were pretty much bumping elbows with neighbors at other tables, due to the closeness of the tables. They were trying to fit as many people as they can, I suppose, into the small space.
There are definite improvements that need to be made, and perhaps the service aspect was just an isolated occurrence. I want to be proven wrong because I understand the restaurant business is tricky, since my family comes from the restaurant business. Hopefully if I ever venture back, changes will have been made to make it more appealing.
Overall: ²⁄₅
Service: ¹⁄₅
Food: 2.5÷5
Atmosphere: ³⁄₅

Now my experience may have been a little different since it was #KCRW2016 but we had the most amazing meal. Our server, Joshua T was fantastic: honest, genuine, and funny– the perfect host to our evening. He made great recommendations and just like he said, we weren’t disappointed.
Since it was KC restaurant week, we each chose items from the Prix Fixe menu. I had The Rye House salad, Fried Chicken and Lemon Pie. My friend had the Potato Soup, Flank Steak, and Banana Cream w/​a chocolate inlay. We each finished the evening with left overs and a nice glass of whiskey.
I highly recommend this place!

I would like to rate this place a 3.5 star, but unfortunately that’s not an option.
I will start by saying that I love the ambiance of Rye. The kitchen is open so you can see the cooks and I love the rustic feel of the décor.
Service was a bit of a mixed bag for us. The waiter had to come back twice and ask what my order was, and each time he noted that he thought it was something else. Don’t get me wrong, I would rather have him double check and get it right, but I’m wondering why he didn’t write it down. I ordered pie and my boyfriend didn’t. After our entrees he asked if I would also like some pie, and I had to remind him that the pie was mine. When he brought the pie to the table, he clearly couldn’t remember who it went to, so he just sat it in the middle of the table and walked off.
For the food, I would say my entrée was about a 3 as it was a pasta dish and was extremely salty, but the pie was the stand out from the restaurant. The crust was really good, and that’s hard to accomplish.
I wouldn’t say that I would rush back, but I would be open to coming here and giving Rye another chance. Although, I may skip the entrée and go straight for dessert and coffee next time!

Restaurant Week lunch review.
It was completely packed on a Monday afternoon, meaning we had to wait a bit past our reserved time to get a table. Once there, our service was okay. Not great, but fine. Our server seemed super friendly to every other table he had, but rather curt with us… no idea why, as we were nothing but friendly. That was aggravating.
Now, on to the food. In one word — awesome. My wife and I each started with salads — her with the house salad, and me with the caesar. Her house salad was awesome, with a nice vinaigrette, cornbread (or similar) croutons, and goat cheese. My caesar salad was fine, but nothing too special.
The mains — I had the fried chicken with mashed potatoes, which were both awesome. The chicken was incredibly moist and flavorful, with awesome breading. The mashed potatoes were creamy and delicious. My wife had the pulled pork sandwich which was fantastic — smoky, meaty, and moist. It came with fries which were only okay. It also came with pickles which were some of the best I’ve ever had.
All in all — the service wasn’t the greatest, but the food was. 4.5 for food, 2.5 for service. We would certainly return for more.

Great service, lovely atmosphere, easy menu, excellent quality ingredients, at a price and atmosphere you can enjoy regularly and for casual occasions.
Pulled Pork Sandwich: tasty
Burnt Ends: flavorful but not burnt
Chicken Dumplings: lacks flavor
Cottage Fries/​chips: dig the ham gravy
Pies: heavenly
You can make a meal look real purdy, but then it needs to deliver to the tongue what it has enticed the eye with. Where’s the flavor of chicken in the chicken dumplings? The ham gravy had more ham flavor than the chicken dumplings.
The cole slaw on the pulled pork may as well have not existed because it didn’t seem to add crunch or flavor, but the bun was mighty buttery! The pulled pork needed the sauce because it didn’t seem to have much flavor on its own– thankfully those house made sauces pack a flavorful punch of vinegar, tomato, smoke, and spice.
Burnt Ends are usually burned or charred to some degree, but not here. They were more like suveed in their own juices, plus a lot of extra juices full of flavor. Definitely the most flavorful meat at the table during our meal– but those looking for charred bits of coal will not find them on these juicy fatty ends.
If it weren’t for the pies as a saving grace, this meal may have landed in the three star category.
I get the sense that these ingredients are carefully chosen from known farms, but it would be nice if names were mentioned– as at the Farmhouse and Zingermann’s– even if everything on the menu can’t be sourced.
Perhaps I expected too much from a James Beard awarded chef’s casual restaurant– but I believe there’s room for improvement here in the depth of the the flavors I mentioned. Or perhaps they should only serve their signature fried chicken– which none of us ordered.
I would go back if I lived in the area– just to make sure the experience wasn’t a fluke– and because the food quality is excellent for the price– but maybe I’d see what the fried chicken was about instead.

It’s been a while since I’ve experienced 5 stars.
Rye is 5 stars.
Atmosphere and décor has that reclaimed speakeasy with a very homey feel. Tables with decorations and beautiful seasonal center pieces. I love how they could fit a couple more tables indoor but they don’t… Leaving a comfortable spacing between diners.
Monday night Steak night. $ 30 for everything you’d need for a great dining experience. Salads were fresh, steaks were seasoned and executed correctly. Dessert was pies which were fantastic.
This is a great place to dine. Too bad it’s soooo far south… Lol. 25 min drive… I’m lazy

Interior Décor: Modern + Rustic
Price: (Sunday Dinner) We were looking at $ 7-​$ 9 Salads (measly portion), $ 22 (or $ 19 burger) — $ 29 Entrée Items, and $ 30+ Steak Entrée Items.
I have been to Rye twice — both for birthday dinners. Small portions, but delightful, delicate flavors. skilled preservation of texture. If you are willing to spend the sort of money, Rye is a great place to take your date and other special-​occasion dinners. Professional service and private, calming setting. I confidently assert their items have Superb Quality and Taste, so at least you know where your money is going.

Rye is amazing.
An absolutely beautiful restaurant.
The place settings, plates, and glasses they chose are just so nice. They keep a glass bottle of water on the table (which I love because I always drink so much water when I go out to dinner).
Our server was Jennifer and she is very good at what she does. She clearly cares about the restaurant and did a great job telling us about other things the restaurant offered without sounding fake or like a used cars salesman, a good server.
The food. It was everything I was expecting it to be and better. The whipped goat cheese is something I will day dream about everyday until I have it again. The hanger steak that comes with the steak and eggs is the savor-​every-​single-​bite-​with-​your-​eyes-​closed kind of steak. Just a great meal.
I will be back again and again!