4. Restaurants

Michael Smith Restaurant

1900 Main St, Kansas City, MO, 64108
  • (816) 842-2202
  • Store is closed

Michael Smith Restaurant Menu

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  • Lyndsey M.

    Our first visit to Michael Smith Restaurant won't be our last. My husband and I opted for the five-course tasting menu and were presented with two completely different five-course meals, and each course was beautiful, complex and creative. Everything served comes straight off the menu, so if you can't decide what single entrée to try, get the tasting menu and try lots! My favorites were the roasted beet salad with pumpkin dressing, pepitas and goat cheese and the grilled rack of lamb with chorizo and semolina dumpling, crispy brussels sprouts and huckleberry gastrique. His favorites were the braised rabbit with house made potato gnocchi, shiitake mushrooms, leeks and shaved parmesan, and the ran roasted eye of the ribeye with celeriac pierogi, black trumpet mushroom and cippolini onion. The desserts were a bit underwhelming, but still delicious (I can make that lemon pudding cake at home with my eyes closed). Service was good and the atmosphere was perfect for a laid-back, yet romantic evening.

    (4)

  • Kevin M.

    The food was very excellent although served in smaller portions. The 8 hour pork roast was amazing and my date said she thoroughly enjoyed the chicken. The price is a little bit on the higher side at $25-$35 per entree but had a Groupon which helped. Some of the 2 person tables are pretty close together which can make it a little awkward to get in and out and hold personal conversations but overall the atmosphere was very good for a date or for business. Very good place to take someone from DC, LA, Chicago, NYC, etc. to show them that KC has fine dining that compare to the larger cities.

    (4)

  • JenelleandJustin L.

    Brisk is how I'd describe Michael Smith. I made a reservation on Opentable's app with special instructions to be seated away from the main entrance in a more secluded table if possible. We walked in a little early for our reservation and they seated us smack in the middle of two other tables (what seemed like 6" apart). The food was tasty and well plated. The drinks were ok at best. The waitress was rude and openly more kind to the others around us who were spending more money. In the end I'd rather go to a less pretentious restaurant where the wait staff is kind and the drink quality is better.

    (3)

  • Mad C.

    Had the six course tasting menu with the wine pairings last night. Outstanding.

    (5)

  • Jarah C.

    The food was 5-star for sure, for a pretty reasonable price considering how amazing, fresh and unique the dishes are! I definitely felt like I got what I paid for. I had the slow cooked pork which just fell apart it was so tender with this awesome risotto. Pretty reasonable wine prices as well! Next time I go, I will try the 4, 5, or 6 course chef's tasting because someone at my table did it, and it looked amazing!

    (5)

  • Karen R.

    Went there for dinner 3/15, for the second time in a few years, with a Groupon. Although what we had was good, it was smaller portions than it should be for the price. And while I'm someone who enjoys small plates specifically, and finer foods in general, I'd never go there again without a Groupon. I enjoyed my appetizer (which I ordered as dinner), some sort of ravioli with oxtail(?). Very good, but sorry, can't remember the name and they don't keep their online menu updated at all. My friend had the (I think it's called) 8-hour pork, which was very good and the green onion risotto underneath was delicious. The s'mores dessert was cute and creative, and yummy, but it's pretty obvious to anyone who has actually eaten one that you need two crackers, not just one, to go with the other ingredients on the plate. The cucumber salad was good, as were the Brussels sprouts, but someone is way over-salting both of them. Chef: Don't be so pretentious that you won't keep salt/pepper on the table, thinking that only *you* know how much salt should be on or in the food you offer. Hold back and let people judge for themselves whether they'd like less or more. I'm someone who appreciates the flavors of food without being overpowered by salt. My dining partner likes to add salt to everything. Be creative and confident in what you've created, but not controlling and egotistical. It's not YOUR palate we're paying to please. Also, your ventilation system needs help. Although it was a warm (not hot) evening outside, your AC shouldn't be blasting onto each table inside. We started to move, but noticed that the candle flames on every other table were dancing like crazy also, as all the vents are open too far and directed poorly. We were freezing, and the hot food _immediately_ got cold. You need to a) close the louvers a bit to cut down on the flow, or b) have some sort of re-direction things put on them to maybe direct the flow across the ceiling instead of down onto the tables. Ruins the ambience and your food temperature. Service was adequate, although he could use some lessons in warm interaction with the clientele.

    (3)

  • Stacy L.

    We had a groupon and I wanted to introduce my husband to the restaurant. My first, and only other, visit was during lunch. Tonight was a long needed date night & was looking forward to impressing him with the restaurant. We enjoyed ourselves, but there were a few things I would have changed. We started with choosing 2 sides as starters: Potato Gnocchi for me & Scallion Risotto for him. Both were amazing. We argued on which one was better. I am really glad we ordered these, as it was a LONG time before our food arrived. The place did not appear to be very packed, but it was a ridiculous amount of time before we got our entrees. I chose the chicken breast & he had the steak with corn souffle & succotash. Mine was pretty darn good. His, just okay. For a $30 steak, and Michael Smith, I expected phenomenal. If it did not look like steak, we would have guessed it was pork. Hard to believe, but we have had better steak at a Logan's Steakhouse. I am not sure if we will go back. I do plan on checking out Extra Virgin next door. According to our waitress, that is the "fun" side.

    (3)

  • Bethanie W.

    After reading the reviews I was nervous about my reservation at Michael Smith. I had a Groupon so it wasn't going to be a total loss if all went downhill, though. I went on a Tuesday with my wife and the food was great and our server, Andie, was awesome. She was friendly, upbeat, and helpful with the menu and and wine. I had the Whitefish and it was delicious. Cooked perfectly and the potatoes and onion that accompanied it were just as wonderful. My wife has the scallops and they were cold, which was odd because we were one of five tables in the restaurant at the time. We finished the meal with the hazelnut cake and it definitely help end the night with a bang - so good! The portions were very small, but that was expected as the up-scale restaurants seem to have smaller portions and my waistline appreciates this. :) My only tip would be to call in your reservations as the OpenTable always says they only have availability at 5 or 9, which obviously was not the case from what I saw. So I am unsure if they just don't utilize the OpenTable or if this method gets people in on the slow times.

    (3)

  • Terra M.

    Whenever I'm feeling uninspired or ... underfed ... Popping in to Michael Smith is the sure way to cure those symptoms. The food is always perfect, not one morsel on the menu isn't worthy of the James Beard award, even when you order it to go. The atmosphere leaves little to be desired with its minimalist look and large simple windows. That why it's always where we bring the posh Danish speaking folks from corporate, knowing full well they wouldn't expect this quality and beauty in the, *they shudder*, midwest. As for the cost, it is exactly where you want it to be. Perfectly in line with all of the elements that go in to making a first rate restaurant in an urban area. In the minds of so many Europeans I've known as well as the odd east-coaster, the image of Kansas City being a fly over city shattering from their perception is a sight that NEVER gets old. I love you Kansas City, the Michael Smith's of this place and their patrons: You make us proud.

    (5)

  • Kelsy M.

    My Fiancee and I went to Michael Smith with our Groupon. I was pretty bummed out at the lack of warmth and hospitality of the place. Our waiter had very little knowledge of the wine, and he never asked me how my food was. And if he had asked, I would have told him my Mahi Mahi was dry. I was expecting a perfectly cooked fish for 30 bucks a plate. It is also pretty hard to overcook this type of fish. The food there is very good, you won't be disappointed. I suppose after a bill of $150 bucks, you leave wondering if anyone REALLY gave a hoot that you just visited their restaurant.

    (3)

  • Mishel F.

    A solid 3-star restaurant and a nice additionl to the Kansas City dining scene. We came here recently for a work dinner as we could not get into Bluestem - the service was warm and friendly and the atmosphere conducive to having a conversation. The food was hit or miss, I loved the house-made agnolotti however the scallop ceviche was fishy smelling and had an odd taste. Everything else was fine, but nothing stood out as exceptional. I did appreciate the diverse cocktail list and the use of interesting ingredients, bitters and house infused liquors.

    (3)

  • Angela P.

    4.5 stars. The decor and atmosphere was lovely. I went for lunch and the prices were reasonable - two entrees and dessert for about $30. The food was portioned perfectly, even the warm bread and butter was delicious. I had the chicken, risotto, and morel sauce - which the morel sauce made the dish. The panna cotta dessert was nice, but I probably won't order it again. Down sides - 1) its a pain to find parking. 2) service was very slow, even though there were only 4 tables filled in the entire place at lunch (server was slow, not the food arrival). 3) The AIR CONDITIONING! We were sat by a host under the only vent in the entire place and the wind was so strong our menus BLEW OFF THE TABLE! Even with my suit on, I was freezing! Then our waitress came over saw where we were sitting and without any provocation told us the host should not have sat us there because that's the "no-no table." Wow, must have had complaints before! So we were moved to another table however it was directly adjacent to the first table and in direct line of the vent so the wind was even stronger. Even the large chandelier over our heads SWAYED in the wind. Again, menus blew off the table. So, to sum up, don't sit under a vent unless you're very warm natured. Despite these things, I will be back as the food was amazing.

    (4)

  • Annie A.

    I had very high expectations of this place.. Which might have been my first problem. Don't get me wrong... the food was phenomenal!! There were 3 of us and we all shared the 1. Roasted Beet Salad - AWESOME! 2. Bacon Wrapped Quail - Interesting, but very good. 3. Braised Rabbit - of course had to try it and it did not disappoint! 4. Pan Roasted Duck - AWESOME!!! 5. Veal Cheeks - Very good and very tender.. highly recommend and I could say I've never tried that one before! 6. We had a dessert as well with ice cream and mangos - I don't remember what it was called, but it was very good! The service was eh... which was disappointing to me, especially being in the industry and we were taking my mom out for mother's day and it was all of our's first time to go. There was a very polite blonde that seated us and visited our table a couple times including to offer us a lovely bottle of champagne to go with our dessert... she was the saving grace of the whole experience. Mr. Michael Smith did come out to our table to say hello and introduce himself which was AWESOME!!! A really nice touch! As stated in other reviews.. I know servers can have their off nights, but I really didn't expect it at this restaurant. For the price of the experience, I might not be back although I have not been to Extra Virgin yet, so I am excited to try it and I will Yelp as soon as I go there!

    (4)

  • jennifer j.

    My fish was great but my girlfriend's steaks were overcooked. Waitress repeated the cooks fowl language as she recounted the story of returning the steaks to the kitchen. Waitress was not interested in catching the roach which did the hoochy coochy dance over the wine bottles our entire meal. Finally she got a napkin and snatch it after my restaurant manager friend recommended she do so. Wrote a letter to Michael (owner/chef) about the experience. Instead of being sympathetic, he went on to tell me about the lifespan of the roach and what it means when you see them out in the open. He recounted his extermination process and how roaches like to live in cardboard boxes...more then I needed to know. May Michael and his roaches have tons of success....ewww.

    (1)

  • Jenny B.

    Went to Michael Smith during restaurant week and was pleasantly surprised. I love his younger feeling, spicier restaurant Extra Virgin which is right next door but I was worried about the cold atmosphere at the more upscale eatery. The decor was a little sparse but it is meant to have that feeling. The warmth comes from the personalized photos and the soft candle light. Service was less friendly than next door but was fine. 2-3 stars. The food however was incredible. Their house dish the gnocchi and braised duck was by far and away the best thing we tried and for two young 20 somethings eating at a restaurant we could normally not afford the portions and food was out of this world. But we were out of place and could hear all of the pretentiousness around us so we drank some more wine and lapped up every last little bit of our desserts and went out to party and left the old people to their own devices.

    (4)

  • Matt B.

    This was a huge let down. WTF? The James Beard Award winner? Well it must have been an off night. If I am going to spend that much money on an experince like this it better be all out. I really think people are just bulled over by his hype in KC.

    (2)

  • Betsy C.

    Simply the best meal I have ever eaten in my life. Amazing flavors, beautiful restaurant, great service and to top it all off....Chef was there to say hello. Amazing. I want to fly into the city again just to eat there.

    (5)

  • Shagane S.

    Delicious beautifully presented food, great service and desserts to die for. I went there on several occasions, and ate their scallops. Every time I told myself that I will be ordering something else,and so far never worked up the nerve to do it. These scallops are made in heaven and even looking at them was already making me happy. I am a scallop lover in general, and these are just fabulous. Wine list is surprisingly pocket book friendly. My only complaint is- I want my pear almond frangipan (sp?)dessert BACK ASAP!!!!

    (5)

  • Kartik K.

    This has been our favorite meal in Kansas City by a long shot. Took my wife here for her birthday, but due to a lack of vegetarian options, we called ahead to see if they could do a vegetarian tasting menu. What followed was one of the best meals we have ever had. The dishes were exquisite, and the wine pairings near perfect. One of the best parts was the variety between the two meals, which allowed us to share and taste even more! Overall, I would highly recommend this place to anyone, and if vegetarian, don't be discouraged, just call ahead!

    (5)

  • Amy B.

    I had been wanting to eat here for months so in all fairness maybe my expectations were just set way to high. We had made reservations but still had to wait 20 min. The bar was being used for a private party so we couldn't even get a beverage while we waited. The menu was very limited. That being said the pork roast I finally decided on was very good. Our waitress was great as well. The chef came by and checked on our meal which was nice as well. I'ts doubtful I will return, there were just not enough choices to wow me.

    (3)

  • Alison M.

    Food- 5 stars Service- 3 stars... maybe My experience with Michael Smith started with a phone call. I had the Groupon and wanted to make a reservation, but Open Table wouldn't let me reserve. So I called. I explained that I had the Groupon (learned that this always needs to be up front) and wanted to reserve a table. The woman on the phone told me that they were closed on my desired day for a private party. This is with a little over a week to use the Groupon, and I had already arranged babysitting for the evening, so I was a bit annoyed. I asked if they were closed on any other days in the next week and a half and she said they are also closed on Sunday and Monday. Ugh. I asked if I was correct with my understanding of the Groupon and she told me that I have had six months to use it, which is a lot of time. Oh, ok, thanks for that correction. I don't care that I could have used it in April when I was crazy busy with work and travel, I want to use it now. Before it expires. Attempt two- I made the reservation through Open Table. On a random Wednesday in July and three days in advance, the only open times were 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. WTF?!? I've made reservations at far more esteemed restaurants in far larger cities for better times with less notice. Regardless, reservation secured. We arrived early thinking we would have a drink at the bar (8:30ish for the 9 pm reservation) and there were multiple empty tables. Hmmm.... so perhaps they are not very efficient in their reservation system? Or they don't utilize Open Table well? In any case, we were seated immediately by a distant hostess. I don't expect super friendly southern truck stop type of service at these types of restaurants, but a little warmth can really go a long way. The decor is pretty minimal, but nothing special. The view of the Crossroads is ok, but looking out on a parking lot isn't that interesting/urban either. On to the food! The bread they served us prior to the meal was ok, nothing great, but ok. The wine was decent and they have discounted bottles during the week, so the prices on wine were really affordable. We had the mussels appetizer, which was fantastic. Our server kindly split the dish for us, which was a nice touch. It was drizzled in a yuzu sauce (our reason for ordering- yuzu love!) and was perfectly prepared. My husband had the Seared Yellowfin Tuna, which was wonderful- well prepared, still a bit rare in the middle, and served with a great plum sauce as well as well cooked veggies. I had a fish dish as well, but it was a special that I can't recall the name of. We also had a side of risotto, which was cooked with a generous amount of parmesan. The desserts were mediocre, I have to say they were the biggest disappointment of the meal, generally bland and uninspired. Be aware that the menu online is different than what they have in the restaurant- they were out of more than one dish, and had substitutions on a few others. This is likely a sign that they are using fresh ingredients, but don't go in with the expectation that they are updating their website daily (or even weekly, it seems). Our server was ok, if a bit pretentious. Overall, we were here for a birthday dinner, so we were in a good mood, and the copious wine we drank made us happy as well. They do not have a dress code (another patron was in a baseball cap and cutoffs, and no, not the ironic hipster kind), and it just doesn't quite have the feel of it's price tag. I'd consider going back, as the food was fantastic, but I think there are better upscale restaurants in KC that have better service and atmosphere. I hope Mr. Smith understands that a good restaurant is more than just food, but is also about service and atmosphere, but from reading his cantankerous blog on their website, and from looking at other reviews, I'm just not sure that he cares.

    (4)

  • Jessi H.

    we love extra virgin. so we thought we'd love michael smith. we went on a groupon and were excited to try something new. to be fair, the service was nice. tyler, our waiter, was professional, polished and friendly. but the food... we started with bacon wrapped quail. it was good. and ended up being the best thing we ate that night. out came the bread service. over-cooked. and a bit ungracious. 2 rolls. that was it. no offer for more. nothing. i got the veal cheeks. they lacked flavor. needed salt. needed something. i could hardly eat them. my husband got the great lake white fish. again, no flavor. four glasses of wine later, our total before tip was $111. typically, when paying more than $30 an entree, you get a little sumthin' sumthin' for your troubles. an amuse bouche. a little taste of dessert. more bread service. we were so unimpressed with this place that we will not recommend it to anyone and will continue to wonder why anyone goes there. i've had much better at SPIN Pizza (i know that's a huge diss.) but to be fair, for the price range, i've had better at le fou frog, justus drugstore, the reiger, etc. etc. but we know Michael can cook.extra virgin won us over from the get-go. but we won't return to it's slightly more sophisticated counterpart.

    (2)

  • Annie A.

    So, I LOVE hype. I love trying something new and exciting and inventive. I HATE it when something this alluring is wrapped up in poor customer service and attitude. After multiple attempts to get reservations, after multiple questions about certain offerings, their staff offers irreproachable demeanor. The food MIGHT be wonderful, I'll never know and I'll never recommend and I'll probably avoid this restaurant with vigor. Chefs and restaurateurs need to understand that it's a complex package of food, ambiance and accessible wait staff that makes a restaurant worthy of more than one star.

    (1)

  • Brian S.

    Highly recommend the 4 course with the wine pairing. Was pleasantly full without being over stuffed. Scallops and mushroom pockets is truffle sauce were the highlights.

    (5)

  • Nick K.

    One of my favorite resteraunts of all time. Amazing food, good atmosphere, decent wine and honestly a bargain for what you get. The portions are a bit small but the food is fantastic and I would rather have quality over quantity any day. Some people complain that this place is hit or miss but for going for the first time, I thought it was amazing. Definitely get the sweetbreads and the lamb (if they have them) , they are absolutely amazing. Again this place is great and I would highly recommend it to anyone in the downtown area who's up for paying a little bit more for quality food.

    (5)

  • Mark M.

    The wife and I had lunch here on a Friday afternoon. Pretty quite; maybe four or five other tables in use, but one was a party of 10. We had two appetizers: The beet and cauliflower salad and the roast sweetbreads. The wife really enjoyed the salad, and the sweetbreads where the best we have had. Lunch: My wife had the braised rabbit and I had braised venison. Both were outstanding, and the lunch portions were large enough that we did not have room for desert. We had a couple nice glasses of Pinot. Service: Good, not outstanding, but there was nothing wrong with it. Being that it was lunch, I'm sure it was not the A team. The damage: $ 88.00 before tip. Over all, a very enjoyable experience; I would/will go back again.

    (5)

  • Brittney H.

    Amazing! Every last bite! From the rolls to the braised rabbit to the 8 hour roast, every thing was delicious. Definitely get the rabbit for an appetizer, you won't be disappointed. I can't wait to go back, my husband and I both loved it.

    (5)

  • D G.

    Also went because of the groupon. Good thing we had it because that cut the bill in half. This place is pricey, which is fine, but for the quality of the food; that is not fine. Inconsistent would be the best way to put it. My wife has been there twice and found it inconsistent with the other 2 people she was with. The service was terrible at lunch and sub par for dinner. Her scallops were grainy, my duck was bland and cold and the gals my wife went with didn't like their dishes.

    (2)

  • Michael L.

    Back in town for a few days to visit friends, and we came out to Michael Smith for a nice meal... a pretty quiet Saturday night, as they never had to turn our table of 8... must be the economy... started with a nice Pinot... there was a Rampage, and the Next... both delicious. had the foie gras, which was cooked amazingly... loved the little marcona almonds and raisins with the honey sauce... fantastic. some of the other friends ordered the arugula salad which seemed good. entrees were very nicely sized and presented well. people kept raving about the 8-hour pork, which we learned how they make as well... will definitely need to try that... long cooking time, way low heat. i had the eye of the ribeye steak, which was decent, not marvelous. i expected a much more marbled piece of meat as it was sold to me as the portion closest to the bone... but not bad. it just came out lukewarm... :( but the meat was tasty, and the splash of mashed potatoes and fried onions were a nice accompaniment. the fluke and the whitefish were both excellent, and i enjoyed those sides as well. we couldn't stomach dessert, but we did have the malbec (which they serve by the glass and enjoyed that, and an espresso to finish the night. a bit pricey, especially with the wine, but for a nice meal, it wasn't outrageous... i'd definitely return to try more of the gamier items (venison, rabbit, sweetbreads, etc.)

    (4)

  • Gerould S.

    Michael Smith is one of the best and I don't mean just hear in KC. I'm looking forward to watching Iron Chef this next season!

    (5)

  • J M.

    Has creativity and presentation going for them, but overpriced for such mediocre execution. There are much better places in town for the money.

    (2)

  • Paul S.

    The only reason I didn't give it one star, is because of the other two people I was with... About Me: Foodie who has flown more than 4 million miles on American, Been in 58 countries. (and I'm a big guy that can appreciated everything from Quanity to Quality) The Food: Had the Califlower Soup. I love Califlower. If the goal here was to create an exceptionally light creamy dish that had the taste of the Califlower then success. Recipie: Boil Cailflower, drain, use cream and an immersion blender. Add touch of salt and seasonings, serve in hot bowl with scallions on top. I was underwhelmed. This could have been amazing and it just wasn't 3/5 rating Dinner was WhiteFish from the Great Lakes. I'm thinking Walleye, I ask the waiter to tell me about the dish and he said "mild"... That doesn't describe much to me, but I love fish so I went for it. I would describe this as an extremely fishy smelling fish, that was so inedible that my 3 dogs didn't touch it when I brought it home (And they eat tuna fish from a can to left over Sushi... so I know they eat fish). Badly cooked, and just plain "off" (By the way, if you serve fish with the skin on, the skin better be crispy... and it wasn't.) 0/5 rating My wife ordered the same soup, had same opinion. She also ordered the chicken dish, which was exceptionally dry and overcooked. (The Dogs did eat that happily) 1/5 rating Our other two guests had the rabbit app and loved it, and they ordered the 8 hour beef and said it was exceptional. (Hence my 2 of 5 stars) The Waiter did say that both those items were the only two things that have been on the menu for 4.5 years... So I'd expect them to be good. Side: I did also order the risotto, which was 4/5 good. Not perfect, but good. Service: In a word: Crappy. Our waiter didn't know the soup of the day, and really couldn't describe any details on the food, menu items, what the dessert of the day was, and didn't provide any guidance. He Complained he was cold. Water glasses and Wine glasses went empty (Hello: No wine left in glass offer another bottle to the table! Can you say missed profit opportunity?) For a high end restaraunt, the service doesn't get even 1 of 5 stars for me. There was no hostess to seat us (See comment below) so I called our friends on their cell phones and weaved into the restaraunt to find them on our own. Oddly: Michael Smith was greating guests as we arrived at the door and sending them down stairs. I'm assuming this was a private party? He looked at my wife and I, said nothing, and went back to greeting others and sending them down stairs... Mike -- If you have a personally known party, and see guests you don't know, it is pretty rude not to say something even akin to "Welcome to Michael Smith's we'll be right with you" or anything... On the Plus Side: The waiter did remove the whitefish from the bill without us asking. Mike: If you read these, that is a massive mistake. Instead of taking it off the bill, it would be substancially better to say "I'm sorry it wasn't to your liking, here is a gift card worth more than the entree, please give us another chance" That would almost guarantee I would return and give you another try and possibly a better review. But alas, I'm unlikely to return. Starwood bought the near by Hyatt and took ownership on 11/30/2011. They closed the two high end restaraunts in there... While I was never a huge fan of either the Skies or the Peppercorn Duck Club, I would have preferred the service and food there over Michael Smiths.

    (2)

  • Kyle R.

    Went to Michael Smith's for lunch on a Thursday and found it to be busy but not enough that we had to wait at all. Just in case, we made a reservation online with OpenTable - on a side note, I LOVE being able to do that with tons of restaurants. The lunch menu had a variety of great items on it, everything from a burger to grilled octopus. I settled on the grilled chicken/cheese sandwich with asparagus soup and it was absolutely delicious. I'm admittedly a fiend for hot sandwiches but this one was especially good. Asparagus soup sounded kind of weird but it turned out to be pretty good, though the portion would not be what I'd call generous. I usually order lemonade at lunch and expect to not enjoy it that much, as most restaurants have some lousy fountain version and not real lemonade. But Michael Smith's served me an interesting, carbonated but really good lemonade - no idea what it was but it turned out to be great. Its a great spot to take clients for business or for a date - can't wait to try it again.

    (5)

  • A B.

    I went with my girlfriend on a pretty cold night and there were only a few people in the restaurant. We got seated in the corner next to the window/ concrete walls. I was surprised and a bit offended they sat us there considering it was freezing cold outside and the restaurant was empty. I was going to ask to be moved by my gf insisted it was okay... which she regretted 5 minutes into our meal when we were both freezing and had to keep our jackets on. The service was absolutely terrible and slow. We ended up staying for 1 hour 40 minutes!! I would have liked to been in and out in 45 to 1hr. Food was okay... server was terrible. This was one of the worst restaurant experiences I have ever had.

    (1)

  • Noelle M.

    3..ish. I came here with high hopes and really wasn't very impressed. So they have a sommelier who will come over and discuss Champagne options (btw I'm not an idiot, I know anything not from the Champagne region is sparkling wine, DB), sure Michael Smith himself came out and shook our hands and asked how everything was, but was the food amazing? No. I came here with my GM and someone from our Corporate office and we couldn't really decide on any entree (none sounded that spectacular) we got pretty much every app then split the briased veal short rib. For apps: lemon ricotta tortellini: probably my least fave, dull, off flavor braised rabbit gnocchi: aside from eatting bunnies, I really enjoyed this one crab filled meatball wellington: I liked this, but you couldn't even taste the crab so it was a bit pointless grilled octopus and prawns: I don't like seafood, but I tried this...ew scallops: same as above, the party I was with loved scallops but did not like these ribs: mehhhh, didn't hate it but didn't love it so for dessert we got the tiramasu and a dark chocolate cake, neither of which I would have ordered. I REALLLLY wanted to try the "petit banana spilt with banana mousse layer cake" omg sounded so good, but my GM vetoed it. The tiramasu was not like any other i'd ever had...I don't even know if it should be called that. And chocolate cake is chocolate cake. So, there you have it. Mr. Smith is opening a new restaurant up soon...Extra Virgin ...aka dumbest name ever.

    (3)

  • S S.

    If you want to know what the food of an award-winning chef tastes like but don't want to break the bank, try out this great new restaurant in the Crossroads district. I dined with two friends, both of whom I would describe as "foodies". One, a restaurant owner himself, described Michael Smith's new restaurant as world's better than his previous one (40 Sardines). We shared the rabbit with gnocchi to start. The potato pasta was wonderful, and the rabbit complemented it perfectly--great flavors all around. We all ordered different main dishes--me the roast, them the grouper and the bison. All were great. The fried zucchini atop my dish was to die for...I almost wish it had been a side dish instead of a garnish. Desserts didn't disappoint, either. We tried a few, but the best by far was the tirimisu. Try this place out. The food is great and the reasonable prices allow you to enjoy a nice bottle of wine with your meal.

    (4)

  • Sean O.

    WOW! So, I had eaten here before, right after it opened...but I forgot how good it is. Went there last night with the fam, my first night back in town. The wine was great, the bread was tasty, and the swordfish I ordered was flawless. My fam really loved what they got too. At first I missed Zin with its stark interior and over all chic vibe, but the food at Michael Smith made me forget all that. extra points for art on the walls from Blue Gallery.

    (5)

  • Marla C.

    The decor is beautiful and the location is great. Went with a groupon and tried the rabbit gnocchi app, the striped bass, and the pork with risotto. The gnocchi was the best bite of the night, but the rabbit part was a little dry. A nice stop if you want to splurge, but we weren't wowed by anything.

    (3)

  • Brandon C.

    I took my wife there for a special occasion and man, was this place a joy. Very upscale but not stuffy in the least. The staff is quite personable and extremely knowledgeable. Great wine selection and choice dishes. My wife had a rabbit and wild mushroom dish that personified "Fall" (the season). While the prices are high, you get what you pay for.

    (4)

  • Lily L.

    What a great restaurant in downtown Kansas City. I had a wonderful salad to start - tomatoes, beets, watermelon, and a bit of soft cheese. It was beautiful to look at, and also a surprising, delightful combination of flavors and textures. The 8 hour pork roast was just the perfect degree of crisp on the outside yet fell apart on the inside. Just right. Try the Mendoza blend - Carina - if you like full bodied, spicy, and plummy wines.

    (5)

  • Loren J.

    Good food, good atmosphere, great wine selection. Waiter a little off his game, but certainly worth another visit.

    (4)

  • Brett L.

    My girlfriend and I were excited to try Michael Smith since we have been slowly trying all of the "good" restaurants in and around the KC area. The atmosphere and service we had was excellent. Our waitress was energetic and easy to talk to. We started with drinks and the beef carpaccio which was excellent, but things went down after the appetizer. The dinners on the menu were obscure and expensive, there wasn't a simple filet or grilled fish dish. We went with duck breast filet a slow pork roast. Both were bland and chewy as if they hadn't been seasoned. The duck was rubber and undercooked, borderline inedible. The portions were very small. For what we paid we will never go back. SOOOOO many other great restaurants in KC at that price and cheaper.

    (2)

  • Scott D.

    Finally made it to Michael Smith's and we were not disappointed. The appetizer special was lobster and sweet potato soup and I've never eaten a tastier soup, very sublime. My wife had the 8-hour pork roast, as tender as could be, with risotto. I had the fluke with wild rice, prepared perfectly. The service was impeccable and the decor pleasing. It just doesn't get any better than this. With only one glass of Pinot, we got out of there for $65, plus tip.

    (5)

  • Edward L.

    Steak for $30 is a joke taste like pork. my risotto was great. long wait for our food have had much better fine dining!

    (2)

  • Jamison U.

    I travel a great deal and dine out far to much. I went to Michael Smith for a nice, intimate meal and found one of Kansas Cities true gems. If you are looking for world class cuisine (truly on par with any city in the US) then you need to visit Michael Smith. Take it from a foodie that is seldom impressed, this is a great restaurant.

    (5)

  • Tony L.

    This new restaurant replaced the old Zin at 1900 Main. It has been open a couple of weeks now and it is amazing. Michael Smith was formerly of 40 Sardines and The American, and now has his own restaurant. They are open for lunch and dinner. The Smith Burger is great with blue cheese and fresh tomatoes on the lunch menu. Also try the grilled ham and cheese with a special jam. For dinner I have tried the duck gnocchi appetizer and fois gras. For a main dish, the slow cooked pot roast is to die for. Worth the trip downtown for sure.

    (5)

  • David F.

    Came for a Groupon but i was impressed. The red snapper was delicious and came with Escargot fritters which complimented it well. The zucchini that came with it was pretty, but could of used a little bit more seasoning. Overall it was a good meal.

    (5)

  • Mary M.

    Came to Michael Smith because we had a Groupon, but now that we know how wonderful the food is, we will be back, even at full price. Yes, it's an expensive restaurant, but the quality of the service and food are well worth the price. Being vegetarian, I went with a salad and pasta. The salad was perhaps the best salad I have ever had in a restaurant-- bibb lettuce, crispy tempura artichoke, feta, kalamata olives, and a fennel pollen vinaigrette that was absolute perfection. The pasta was an artichoke and nettle ravioli dish with capers-- delicious, and just the right portion. Other highlights: the iced tea is truly excellent, the espresso I had with dessert was just right, and the dessert itself was lovely, in a reasonable portion size for a person to enjoy without too much guilt. I highly recommend Michael Smith for your next fine dinner out.

    (5)

  • Cathy B.

    I came here as part of a large group, and we all had the tasting menu. SHOCKINGLY, the restaurant let all of us pick a different type of tasting menu -- which was amazingly accommodating of them. Therefore, people with shellfish allergies, vegetarians, pescatarians, etc, could all have meals they could enjoy. The service was terrific. Really above the norm. Particularly because we had a difficult diner with us who behaved rather poorly. Still, our server never flinched or balked, and just did whatever would make the person happy. So - my food was good. For sure. But, here's the thing -- the tasting menu? It was just selections from the main menu, only in (I assume) smaller portions. That's not what I'm used to. But I get it -- big group, custom tasting menus. But, two of my five courses featured asparagus. Now, I like asparagus and all. And it was deliciously prepared. But, I don't really want 2/5 of my tasting menu to focus on the same vegetable. So that was a little weird. Upon reflection, the food was good, but not something I honestly would go back for. You run a risk of going to a restaurant with a large group -- for sure. Other reviews are from smaller tables, where clearly the service from the kitchen was more attentive on quality, over quantity. (Also, the bread service? Meh.)

    (2)

  • Kevin T.

    At Christmas time my wife and I have started the tradition of going to a show and treating ourselves to a nice meal in lieu of giving each other gifts. This year in our new city of KC we decided to check out Michael Smith. The dining room is small but not cramped and was decorated for the season. Our waitress was courteous and attentive to us. We started with the short rib grilled cheese to get out palettes going. The sandwich was very good and the radicchio salad was interesting. I liked it but my wife did not care for it. For the main course I chose the KC Ribeye with fingerling potatoes and my better half selected the Eight Hour Pork Roast. Both were fantastic and delicious! My ribeye was melt in my mouth good and paired perfectly with the lobster mushrooms and the fingerling potatoes. My wife was equally as please with her pork dish. Succulent pork with a green onion risotto that was like nothing I had ever tasted before and left me wanting more. We were running late for our show so we skipped dessert. We would have tried the pineapple upside down cake and looking back we regret not getting it to go for us to indulge in after the show. I no longer dream of a white Christmas, now its a Michael Smith Christmas!

    (5)

  • Jason P.

    Everything we tried was great! Services were helpful and friendly. We had fun trying so many new foods.

    (5)

  • Vaughn E.

    Prepare your booty and your wallet for the wonders of the Michael Smith restaurant. You better make reservations because otherwise you'll be eating your duck feet and frog legs on the street. They don't have time to play 20 questions on how long the wait is going to be. It was busy in the sense that many wealthy families were talking about how to increase revenue over the next quarter instead of ordering. This is the kind of place where parents bring their children dressed in sports coats. Our server suggested the pork roast in a way that only Alan Rickman knows how. Monotoned and bored. My date ordered the swordfish. Here's when things kicked into twelfth gear. Both of our dishes were fantastic. The pork roast melted in my mouth and I tried the swordfish which had multiple layers of flavor. Is this pomegranate? Hell yeah! These dishes looked like they were pulled straight from Master Chef. Here's the down and dirty on what you need to know. What does $70 look like at Michael Smith? Two entrees and two beers. Do those entrees come with sides? Nope, just lost hope. Yes the food is some of the most creative and well prepared I've had but you also got to know you're paying for the brand name. Yes, that is a Michael Smith Boulevard Wheat. You'll need to bring a Franklin to get full and buzzed.

    (3)

  • Kristin M.

    I had high hopes for this pick during restaurant week but I was not impressed. Each course was either too bland, too salty, or too sweet. I thought that it may just be my plates that had too much salt but everyone in my group of 9 had similar comments (even on the salad!). We had a great time and service was great, but the food left something to be desired.

    (2)

  • Kai G.

    Well...I was a bit disappointed. I'd give 4 stars for the presentation and ambiance. However the food...3 stars. It's not bad, BUT for the price and fame??! I was definitely expecting more from Michael Smith.

    (3)

  • Daniel H.

    I met up with three others here around 7pm on a Friday. The parking was terrible around this area so it would be best to carpool if possible. I was lucky enough to find a parking spot across the street from this place. The restaurant was next to Extra Virgin so if you're familiar with that then you'll know where the Michael Smith Restaurant is. There were a handful of people eating here and I assumed most were on dates or just wanted a good dinner on a Friday night. The service was slow but I didn't mind since I didn't have to go anywhere afterwards. I think there was only one waiter for the whole restaurant but at the same time, the place wasn't busy or packed so it made sense to me. We took a long time deciding what to order, but I had read a few Yelp reviews prior to coming here and knew what I was going to order. Thanks fellow Yelpers! We ordered Braised Rabbit ($14), Ahi Tuna Carpaccio ($14), 63 Degree Poached Egg ($13), Pan Seared Foie Gras ($20), Eight Hour Pork Roast ($25), Broken Arrow Ranch Antelope ($32), Suckling Pig Tasting ($30), Seared Pacific Halibut ($38), Guajillo Chile Chocolate Pudding Cake ($8), and Sweet Corn Panna Cotta ($8). Two of us ordered wine but I don't remember what kind they ordered. I just knew they were both white wines. The food took awhile to come out which was okay because we had bread and a sample plate (forgot the name) to munch on. The Ahi Tuna Carpaccio was great and I thought everything complemented each other on the dish. The 63 Degree Poached Egg was good but it was too little in my opinion. In addition, it was served in what looked like a frisbee to me which was unique but at the same time, I had to lean forward so nothing would drip on the saucer. The Eight Hour Pork Roast was delicious and pretty much fell apart when my fork and knife dug into it. It was very tender and I would definitely recommend it if you eat pork. The Seared Pacific Halibut was good and that's all I'll say about that. The Guajillo Chile Chocolate Pudding Cake for dessert was okay, but I felt like I should have ordered something else. I only chose that because the waiter said he liked that one and I was hesitant on ordering dessert. Great restaurant for a date and the food was great in my opinion. It might be expensive to some but it's all good. Treat yo self!

    (4)

  • Cindy R.

    I had to post again because this time I actually took pictures ;) I forgot to take a picture of the braised rabbit gnocchi and the blueberry ravioli but both were delicious! Just like the last time, the food was amazing, service was top notch and it was a fantastic romantic evening. We went with the recommendations of the server and it was perfect. This time we didn't bring our own wine but the wine list was crazy extensive and the server knew what he was talking about with helping us make our final decision. A++

    (5)

  • Elaine D.

    KC Restaurant Week Review! I started with the Braised Pork Tortellini, very tasty, but slightly undercooked. Next, on to the Eight Hour Roast Pork, excellent! Delicious and fork-tender. I highly recommend it! For dessert I had the Dark Chocolate Tart with Espresso Ice Cream. The tart was a decadent, chocolatey affair. The espresso ice cream had an understated coffee flavor. A very nice dessert. Service was excellent, thanks Dustin for the recommendation on the roast pork!

    (4)

  • Brent K.

    every now and then, everyone needs to splurge on a fancy ass dinner. My baby sistar and her BF invited us out to dinner this week and suggested this place. It was someplace I've always wanted to go if I had a good reason, and this was as good a reason as any. I have to say, I'm not a huge fan of paying crazy outrageous money on food. even if it is the best food I've ever had in my life, 100 bucks for 2 people seems excessive in the current economy that we live in. that being said, if after spending 100+ on a meal and i'm stuff to the gils and feel like I've just been treated to culinary masterpiece, then I probably won't complain too much. this was one of those occasions. We all had drinks, apps, entrees, wine and dessert and could barely move afterwards. every single bite of every single dish was an explosion of flavors in our mouths. we shared bites off each other's plates so that we could share in each other's enjoyment. There was nothing that I tried that didn't scream HELL YES to me, and therefore discount that exorbant prices that we were paying for it. the menu probably changes often enough that you won't get to order what we had, but I had rabbit app, which was absolutely delicious, and a veal entree that was so fantastic i had to stop after every bite and just relish the tastes in my mouth. I also tried some skatewing from my sistar, some chicken from my wif. they were all completely and totally mouth-gasmic. our server was very attentive and we had plenty of time to enjoy our meal and move on to the next course at a leisurly pace. This was obviously not something that we could afford very often, but when celebrating a special occasion, and looking for a super fancy and deliciously prepared meal, this place will more than satisfy. That being said, if it were a little less expensive, I would probaby go more often than that. I would have given it 5 stars I think if I could afford to go here more often.

    (4)

  • Veronica F.

    For my first dining experience at a restaurant which has the prices I would expect at those rated five stars, I only received two star service and food. Like most things in life, if you haven't experienced it yourself, you've at least seen it in the movies. Titanic; Rescuers Down Under; Ratatouille; they all feature guests dressed to the nines, white table cloths, half full glasses of wine, plates with small portions on them, and pompous laughs from those sitting nearby. We experienced all of the above (Okay, maybe not the pompous laughs. The guests were all pretty nice but all kept to themselves.) From the photographs depicting subaqueous homo sapiens on the wall behind us to the abstract splashes on our left to the vased branches, everything screamed expensive in just 4 digits of 10pt Calibri. Our waiter's short presentation of the menu was wonderful enough, but that was the extent of the good service. We took a look at the menu and I felt a little embarrassed that I didn't know what half of the ingredients or cooking styles were! The starters and entrees were exotic with meats, vegetables, and other ingredients that the general public does not order on a day to day basis - black garlic gel, quinoa, mushroom-spinach wellington, antelope, rabbit, and skatewing are just a few. Once our waiter made it back to our table, we decided to ask about a few of the dishes. I couldn't believe that he gave a slight eye roll. I shrugged it off because I didn't want it to ruin our night. For a starter we decided on the soup for that day - Lobster Bisque. Apparently we got the last of that batch, because the couple next to us received Cream of Mushroom. The soup was creamy and hot. I would definitely order their soup again, though the price is a bit steep - $6. After we had been finished with our soup for a while, the waiter took our bowls and gave us a bite of the ceviche - not really an American dish, but very delicious. I was disappointed that I had not ordered that instead. For my entree, I decided to order the New England Skatewing & Shrimp with sweet potato purée, ham hock & mustard greens ($28), while my noveo, with a love for swine, ordered the Suckling Pig Tasting which included chop, belly, braised leg & crsipy [sic] croquette ($30). We then asked him what wines would go well with the entrees we chose. He raised a brow indicating his urgency to get back to whatever it was he was doing, and hurriedly picked a couple of wines from the paper menu rather than helping us choose from the large leather book meant just for the wines. We went with his half assed suggestion because we were familiar with those wines. Although the dishes were exotic and pricey, they were definitely not the most delicious things to touch my palate. If I'm paying $30 for an entree, I expect it to be a delectable dish rather than one deigning itself to be on my table. My skate wing (type of ray) was okay, but was missing something. There wasn't much ham hock and the mustard greens were definitely not blanched well. Novio did not even finish half of his plate. I tried something from his dish, but had to force myself to swallow it so as to not seem rude by spitting it into my napkin. He describes it as "unspectacular, fatty, and lacked flavor". After our entrees were served, our waiter must have figured that we didn't need anything else. On the few occasions that he would service one of the tables on either side of us, he would pass by and slosh water into our glasses without lifting them from the table getting water on the tablecloth, all without saying a word to us. Once we had decided we were finished with our entrees, we entertained the notion of getting a dessert for a few minutes. But we waited. And waited. And waited until finally he came to clear our plates. He didn't utter a word, so we asked for our check. Who knew when the next time he might pass would be?! He seemed surprised that we didn't ask about dessert, but brought our check anyways. Our ticket was a whopping total of $95 before tip! Holy cow! Or should I say pig? Considering I had to work a whole day for that meal that left us craving some real (delicious) food, I would definitely not be back. Like the food, the evening was pretty bland; but we did get to experience something that is only seen in the movies - the man next to us choked on his antelope. He was okay, but I was surprised to see that no staff rushed over to see if he was okay or how they could help.

    (2)

  • Kai C.

    My husband and I went here for dinner. I am all about spending money on a nice dinner, but the food portions were too small for me. For a $25 + entrée, I would expect it to be an ENTRÉE size and not an appetizer size. I ordered 2 entrées plus a side just to be full. Food was decent, but not great. Drinks were good. Service was great! Don't come here hungry unless you are prepared to order double the food. Other than that, it's a decent place.

    (3)

  • Rachel S.

    One of the best meals we've ever had in entire our lives! I've traveled around the world, eaten out my entire life and worked in the food industry for almost 10 years and I'm serious when I say this meal was one of the best! Small manageable healthy portions allowed us to try several things. Everything was rich and decadent and truly unique. It is pricier, but honestly totally worth it. I would consider this restaurant a place for special occasions. The best part is we were looking for somewhere new, nice, and delicious to eat to celebrate my mom on a Friday night so we scanned Groupon and found one for Michael Smith's! It was our first time there, definitely not my last. So glad we decided to try it. Loved the wine too! Can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Meghan M.

    I have to upgrade after the great experience I had here in May. Sorry for the long review. The short of it is they have great service, handle large groups well, and have some stellar dishes. The only 2 places they fell short were in their phone reservation system, and I found some of their other dishes to be just fine, not great. The long of it... I had a big celebration coming up, and I got to pick the place for a large party (10 people). I decided on Michael Smith for several reasons: the food and service have been good, they didn't seem to scoff at the idea of a nine-month old being in attendance, and they seem to handle large groups well. In short, I was completely happy and thrilled with our experience there. There were a few frustrating components of my MS experience, but overall the good out shined the bad. For example, I had a hell of a time making reservations. I was coming up to days before this Friday meal for 10 and I still didn't have reservations. I had called MS and left a message, but my call was never returned. I called frequently and wouldn't receive an answer. Open table reservations said it couldn't accommodate a group that size. I was fretting. Thankfully, I called on Wednesday and was finally able to reach a human. She was super nice and gave me all the options. I wanted to dine in a secluded area since we had a large group and a baby (didn't want to disturb others). Unfortunately, our party didn't fit in their available nook, but she did book us in a nice corner so we felt semi-private and less burdensome if said baby had a melt down (She didn't b/c she's essentially the happiest baby ever). The hostess assured me that a baby wasn't a big deal, so we proceeded on. On the evening of the dinner, we were coming straight from a graduation ceremony. Well due to traffic and other jazz, half our party was running 15-20 minutes late. The staff didn't bat an eye when I called to inform them of this issue. They were very kind and didn't dish me the slightest shame. Once we arrived, we had a great nook in the restaurant where we were able to dine for hours. We had a great waiter who served us well. My only complaint with him was I felt he was a little pushy on high end wine products, but in the end, he and the table matriarch were able to pick a delicious, cellared, and reasonable few bottles. It was not a wine offered on the menu, but once he got a sense for our budget and tastes, he ran around the cellar trying to find something for us. This was much appreciated. He was also very personable. He congratulated me on the occasion and was friendly to our mini-guest. Now for the meal: Cocktails: Delicious...especially the gin gimlet with dill and Serrano peppers. Chef Smith gave us a complimentary amuse bouche for the table, and I was impressed. It was very good, but just the gesture let me know that he cares about his diners. Appetizers: I made people order the rabbit gnocchi, because it is amazing. Other guests ordered the beef carpaccio, and I'm glad they did because it was divine. I typically don't care for carpaccio but the thin strips of beef with different sauces was fabulous. The salads were also quite tasty. Dinners: The whole table pretty much ordered the short ribs and the 8 hour pork roast. These are by far my favorite dishes at this restaurant. I stepped outside of the box and had the halibut (at the waiter's suggestion), and I was kind of disappointed. Too bad too since it's their most expensive item. :-/ Oh well. Desserts: I don't even remember but they were good. I believe we ordered a number of things like a chocolate cake and a fruit crisp. I usually skip desserts here and at other places as I often am disappointed for the price or too full, but the crisp was surprisingly delicious. The cherry on top of this dining experience was that Chef Smith came out at the end of the meal to congratulate me and thank us for coming to his restaurant. This really impressed me. It's an old school style that you just don't see anymore, and I love it. It made me even more convinced that he truly cares about your dining experience, and of course as an un-official foody I got way too excited to meet him. So yea, I still love this place. I think the menu needs more entree stars on it besides the pork and short ribs, but you can't go wrong with either of those or some of their delicious appetizers.

    (5)

  • Michelle S.

    My boyfriend and I ate here tonight for the first time. I've been wanting to try Michael Smith for years, and I am so glad we made it! The atmosphere was a bit quieter than what we are used to, but it fit with the restaurant's mood nicely. We enjoyed the change of pace, and our server was very helpful in picking items from the menu. We both had the soup of the day (crab bisque) and it was fantastic. My boyfriend ordered the 8hr pork roast and I had the rabbit gnocchi. We were both very pleased with our entrees and had plenty to eat (with leftovers!). We finished with the flourless chocolate cake and coffee...that may have been my favorite part of the meal. We had a groupon, so our final bill was ridiculously cheap for how much we ate..although even without the Groupon our total was comparable to a recent meal we had at a more middle-of-the-road place. Needless to say, we will be back!

    (4)

  • Queen K.

    Giving a bad review to a fine dining restaurant that has won awards is like telling a group of literary snobs that you think the Bronte Sisters suck...I don't expect this review to go over well, but here I go... The waiter was just adequate. He didn't provide the type of service that I've come to expect from a fine restaurant. He did just enough to not be considered bad. He presented me and my guest with lamb meatballs (one for each of us). This was a free taste from the chef, which was great for me, but since both of my friends are vegetarians, not a great deal for them. The meal was okay, but I ordered the scallop entree which came with only three scallops and a couple of bites of corn and mushrooms. Even as I finished it I knew I would be hungry later. After spending $30 on an entree, I woke up at midnight starving and had to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich before I could go back to sleep. Another Yelp reviewer mentioned ordering a couple of entree just to feel full, but you should have to do that. The tables are very close together and luckily there was a delightful couple sitting next to us, because we spent the night talking to them. They were the highlight of the evening, but if you want privacy during your meal, then this is not the place for you. I've had better at places that were less expensive. I won't be back and wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

    (2)

  • L B.

    Pros: great wine list, yummy cocktails, amazing blt salad with prosciutto, every entree I've had is amazing, staff is helpful, Michael smith even came to our table to say hi each time Cons: none

    (5)

  • Tom C.

    I made reservations for our anniversary, as the call was finishing, I mentioned our special day again. The food is good, we were rushed by our server to order, presented the check and leave. No mention of our anniversary by the hostess or server. I was expecting better client care! Cannot recommend this restaurant to others. Not five star, might have been at one time, guess they are living on their past greatness!

    (2)

  • Mary S.

    We were at Michael Smith in April 2014 and had a lovely meal. Nuanced flavors and interesting combinations.... nothing too complicated . Could not wait to be back. Tonight we had a $350 meal for two (yes two!) that was so fussy and complicated that it was definitely not worth the visit. We had the same server as before - she is very good... knows the food and explains it beautifully. We had the 6 course tasting menu with wine pairings (just like last year) but this time the food was just too fussy - wild boar with Frico salad( had to be explained - some sort of Turkish green grain, I think) with lots of ingredients in it, plus sauce and then fava beans and other stuff... just too much. The meat and fish were cooked perfectly at every course, but then they were killed with too many other ingredients that while they sounded very exotic and luxurious did nothing for the basic flavor of what would have otherwise been a delightful dish. Foi gras on top of black walnut pound cake with loads of totally unnecessary stuff... totally ruined what could have easily been delicious foi gras. Last year the foi gras was simply seared in a lovely broth that was part of the reason that we made the trip back,, the best thing we had was a watermelon and peach salad with feta... delicious. We appreciate fine food and have experienced plenty of it in other locations - including Michael Smith last year. I don't know if they changed Chef du cuisine or if Chef Smith just lost his mind , but back to basics is our suggestion. Wine is excellent... just simplify the food and highlight the quality ingredients that you source beautifully... stop the foolishness..,,,,,everything doesn't have to have micro greens on it... We feel like you took our money tonight... sorry. Probably won't be back. Sorry to ramble, but we felt robbed.

    (2)

  • Mark S.

    I had mixed experience at Michael Smith. The short skinny is that the food was ok, not amazing, and the service was "meh": I was pretty excited when I made a reservation here. It's known in KC to be a quality fine dining restaurant. I thought the decor was really nice when I walked in, and the waitstaff were very friendly. Sounds like off to a great start, right? Well, now for the hiccups... We started with a round of drinks. One of the guys in my group ordered a Miller Lite beer (I know, you can take the simple guys to fine dining, but you can't take the simple out of some guys). The beer came solo...as in, without a glass. C'mon, I know my buddy ordered a beer that most people would drink from the bottle, but this is a fine dining place! If you're gonna charge double the price for the damn beer, put it in a glass already! The waitstaff took a long time to circulate through to us, despite the obvious lack of customers. What's more, our meals came out staggered by about 5-10 mins apiece. The others in my group had to wait for the others, letting our food get cold. The food was.....average. Not worth what we paid for it, which was rather pricey. I had the 8 hour pork, which was actually pretty tasty. If you go here, I'd recommend it. One in my group ordered scallops....3 small scallops came out covered in a heavy mustard sauce. Gross! And for over 30 bucks! I'm sorry, unless these scallops are made out of semi-precious crystals or something, I wouldn't pay that much for them. That said, the waiter was friendly with us and explained each dish to us and about the history of the restaurant, so that was a nice touch. Friends have recommended we try the tapas bar, Extra Virgin, instead for a better dining experience. I'd be willing to give them a try.

    (3)

  • Kasey M.

    I was kinda worried when I walked in because I was not dressed up and everyone in the restaurant was pretty dressy. I asked the server if I was okay and the server put me at ease. He explained the menu and I chose the 4 course menu (1 appetizer, 1 meat entree, 1 fish entrees and a dessert for $55...I was splurging). For appetizer I chose the braised rabbit with gnocchi. The plating was beautiful. I'm not usually a fan of gnocchi but this one was good, not too doughy like I find most gnocchi. There was a generous portion of rabbit that was super tender. The sauce was very yummy. Next up were the scallops. The 2 diver scallops perfectly seared (brown on the outside and creamy on the inside super tender and not rubbery at all). They were accompanied by a zucchini puree, couscous, corn and beans. It was spectacular. It all complemented the scallops well. For my second entree was the 8 hour pork with green onion Risotto and tempura zucchini. This was a little bit of a miss for me, not that it wasn't good...it was. The pork was super tender and just fell apart with my fork. I'm just not big on fat and there was a big fat layer on the pork (maybe about 1/3 of the pork was fat). Its understandable since you need to have a high fat content to cook it that long and get it super tender. Just wish there perhaps more meat underneath it. The Risotto was nice. Had a little kick from the green onions. Zucchini was a nice garnish and the surprise mandarin orange slices which seemed to have been infused with a little wasabi was interesting (I don't like wasabi but I bet my husband would like it.) Last but not least...dessert! I ordered the strawberry olive oil cake with reduced balsamic and champagne sorbet (although I was super torn between that, the chocolate tart with chocolate covered espresso beans and espresso ice cream and the raspberry eclair). The cake was like a pound cake. It was good but I found it a bit dry. The strawberries were fresh. When I tasted the sorbet I was like wow. It was strong champagne but was good to moisten up the cake. Overall it was a delicious meal and a beautiful quiet ambiance. I would have given it a 4.5 but since that's not a choice settled on the safe side and rounded down. And in case anyone is wondering...they have vegan options too. I heard the waiter mention it.

    (4)

  • Ashley H.

    We tried the tasting menu which I would recommend. My favorites were the rabbit gnocchi and the flourless chocolate cake. Enjoyed trying all the different flavors in the dishes. Service was fantastic. Would recommend!

    (4)

  • Carin B.

    I read thru people's reviews and I agree with what many people are saying...the menu isn't exciting enough for a chef like Michael Smith. The food was good, but the portions are ridiculously small. My husband is a big guy and he went here because I wanted to go...ha! But I know he left hungry and so did my "eat like a bird" daughter. We won't be back, but I do enjoy eating at the finer restaurants in KC...once in awhile. Ps, we felt the same way about the bluestem...cool restaurant, good food, very small portions, fun to go once...

    (3)

  • Stephen H.

    I vowed to return after Restaurant Week. Last Friday provided a quiet night for me to take on the great local, seasonal, and focused menu that is Michael Smith. My first instinct was to choose the Scallops as my entree, but I was most interested in the scallop ceviche which ruled out scallops for my main dish. Confession though: had they not been sold out of the beet salad (I LOVE BEETS) I could easily have had that for my starter and the scallops for the main. As it turned out, the sellout was for the best. The ceviche was wonderful - served with escabeche garnish (very traditional) and some thin and crispy plaintain fries. Perfection. I then had some fluke (why be brave when white fish is so easy?) served with homemade vegetable pakora. Yes, pakora. I know, awesome. I finished up with some goat cheese and some tokaji (think of zwack, but more mellow). The reason for 4 and not 5 stars? My server was not entirely attentive, and it took us 10 minutes to see him for the first time. Although, I have to confess - that was customer time. Aaron Confessori once taught me that 4 minutes in a customer's mind is probably 1 minute in real time. So, maybe it was only 3 minutes. But Aaron also knows that the customer is right - so don't give us an opportunity to be dissatisfied. Overall, no reason not to love this place and return often. It's not high-priced enough to be special occasion only, and it's seasonal enough that you can always be ordering something new.

    (4)

  • Bill K.

    Went for the first time during KCRW on 1/22. Food and service were outstanding. One of the best meals I ate all week and probably one of the best restaurants in KC. Flavors were unbelieveable and everything was perfectly matched. Had a substitution on the appetizer but was able to get an order of the Rabbit to go and it was fantastic as well as the pierogies. Had Skatewing for the first time and would highly recommend it as well as this restaurant. Will return.

    (5)

  • Unix R.

    Chef Michael and Nancy and the full team at Michael Smith do a fabulous job of making you feel at home and cooking amazing food. The servers are knowledgeable and have a wealth of information about wine pairings and food preferences. If you have never been before-go and try the four course tasting menu. You'll get four smaller courses instead of one big entrée. Insist that one of the courses be the braised rabbit and house made gnocchi! This year - the Kurlbaum heirloom salad appetizer is phenomenal and don't forget the amazing side dishes especially the "garlicky spinach" (assuming you like garlic). Chef Michael has been featured on The Food Network a few times and each time, he makes Kansas City proud! Do your part to get out there, try, enjoy, and support this local gem. (and don't forget his take on tapas right next door Extra-Virgin)

    (5)

  • Chris K.

    I had a very unfortunate Saturday evening. Started with server with a bad attitude (took 5 minutes to get drink order). Wanted to have a glass of wine before we chose a bottle; server response was "whatever." Ordered steak and GF had Halibut. Both were slightly above room temperature when served. The manager was nice enough to remove one of the dinners from our tab (we would not let him comp both). I take folks here for business and sometimes for personal occasions. I will not be doing either for the foreseeable future.

    (1)

  • Kay L.

    We had a nice dinner at Michael Smith's for Restaurant Week last night, nothing awful, but it didn't really wow me either. I'm dithering between three and four stars, to be honest. Damn you Yelp for not giving us a half-star option! LOL I was part of the group of seven seated in the Wine Room (see Stephen H's review) which was a rather eclectic crowd -- some Yelpers, some long-lost cousins, some models. Just your average dinner party, in other words. The Wine Room has a wonderful private-party vibe that I really enjoyed. The main room is chic & stylish as well, but a bit noisy on this particular evening, so I was glad that we wouldn't have to conduct conversation at a shout. Sadly, the food wasn't quite up to the same standard. Everything was presented beautifully, but fell a bit short. My Ginger Royale cocktail (delicious) was served in a sticky flute -- I wanted to wash my hands every time I touched the stem. Soup, a shrimp bisque, was strangely thin and bland. Everyone else raved about their pork, but mine was three-quarters fat, so I only got about four bites of meat. For the finale, a lemon meringue tartlette -- which went past "refreshingly tart" right into "unpleasantly sour." The rest of the group seemed to enjoy the meal a lot more than I did, so maybe I was just having an unlucky night -- the one person who gets the tough cut when everybody else gets prime. Yup, that's me. I'll give Michael Smith's another shot to see if someone else draws that straw next time.

    (3)

  • Michelle W.

    You have to experience the food yourself before you understand how amazing it is. I had the braised rabbit as an appetizer and the scallops for dinner. Both were to die for and some of the best food I've had in a long time. The rabbit was really good and served with gnocchi that was melt in your mouth good. My only complaint is that everything was pretty salty, but nothing a cocktail couldn't fix. The ice creams and gelato are so flavorful. If you don't get anything else on the dessert menu, you have to at least try the ice cream or gelato. It's another thing you have to try before you believe it. Service was impeccable and they didn't rush us out. Too bad I don't live in the area, otherwise I'd be here all the time.

    (5)

  • Dennis N.

    I found this place thanks to GroupOn. The service is excellent. Tyler did a good job. My drink is never empty, which is a huge pet peeve for me. I liked the Rabbit as an appetizer. My entree was excellent when I ordered the beef tenderloins. I definitely will be back here in the near future. Thanks for the great experience!

    (5)

  • Rodeo G.

    Just "ok'..got the wife all dolled up for anniversary dinner. Only things memorable were the Conn Valley Vino, and the customized menu with our names on it for anniversary.. Was expecting a lot more

    (3)

  • Sam C.

    Michael Smith's flagship restaurant qualifies as what I would consider a top five "fancy" eatery within the KC metro. It's great for special occasions--especially for those who consider themselves "foodies"--and the fact that the Crossroads are a hotbed of artistic expression and creativity makes it a perfect home for Chef Smith's creative contemporary menu. Having been to the place on four separate occasions, at various times of year, the seasonal approach to menu planning is very obvious. As with many restaurants of this level, you can choose to dine a la carte, or surrender to the whims of the chef, as he prepares a 4-, 5- or 6-course tasting menu. On the couple occasions that we've tried the tasting menu, we've enjoyed the chef's choices, and they will accommodate any dietary needs. The trick is always deciding which route to go, because the coursed menu is a really nice way to have a special dinner, but several of the a la carte items are just outstanding. For example, the braised rabbit with house potato gnocchi, shiitake mushrooms, leeks and shaved parmesan is just unbelievably earthy and succulent. A softshell Maryland crab with bacon-wrapped fried green tomato also stood out as a wonderful summer starter, and there is almost always some well-done version of a foie gras dish. Obviously, food has to be the main attraction at any place as expensive as Michael Smith, but it's worth noting that they do pull off the modern white tablecloth restaurant with highly capable waitstaff quite well. The fact that next door's Extra Virgin is also under the same ownership really allows them to have some economies of scale with food ordering while also giving them the freedom to really focus on upscale, using EV for the more casual diner. The only reason MS doesn't get a fifth star from me is because while the service is never lacking, and the food is well-prepared, it's not mind-blowing. It's always good, sometimes great, but definitely worth your money for a special occasion (especially with one of the great Groupons).

    (4)

  • Ted H.

    Came for lunch with a group of co-workers. The decor is very nice, and the service was prompt and friendly. My group ordered the braised rabbit, trout, pork cheeks, steak, and hamburger. Everyone raved about how good their food was. Many in the group tried the rabbit, and thought it was excellent. I will definitely dine here again.

    (4)

  • Sheri R.

    I love everything EXCEPT......I am nitpicking here but it is my pet peeve, the level of dust hanging above my head. I just hate it when EVERYTHING is A 10 EXCEPT the fuzzy appearance on the light fixtures and dirty air vents. Details like that in cleaning is something I am acutely aware of. With the exceptional food and exceptional service the only thing that would ruin it would be the dust in the food.d As a side note, I could not sit at the bar at Extra Virgin for the same reason. That beautiful work of art is fuzzy with dust.

    (4)

  • Beth B.

    My husband and I came to Michael Smith last night to celebrate our 19th wedding anniversary. I warned my meat-and-potatoes husband that this place was high on quality and probably low on volume, so he was prepared to get a snack afterwards. However, we were both full when we left. What an excellent meal. We took a limo downtown, so we ended up getting to the restaurant about 20 minutes before our 7:30 dinner reservations. The place was not full. Another Yelper mentioned this experience also. We used Open Table for reservations, so call the restaurant if you want a different time. They might have an opening. We were seated immediately. Our server was very attentive and prompt. He made suggestions for wine, meals and even drinks afterwards. He was funny and efficient. Wish I could remember his name. A friend of mine said we had to order the braised rabbit as an appetizer so we did. My husband made some comment about a rabbit hutch in the back and the server told us the rabbit was imported from China. That was interesting. What happened to the local movement? However, in this case, I approve. This dish was amazing. All the ingredients mixed together with a wonderful sauce. YUM! For entrees, I ordered the Lamb Rack (at server's suggestion) and husband ordered the Scallops. The Lamb was amazing! It had a great sauce and was on a bed of this nutty grain called farro. The sauce was so good that I took the bread and "sopped" up the remaining sauce after I finished the meal. I really wanted to lick the plate. I couldn't eat it all, so I gave part of my lamb to my husband. He really liked the scallops-very tender. There was something that gave the sides a bit of a zing (the chorizo hollandaise?) and I agree with another Yelper that the green sauce was a bit tasteless. We had the groupon and our meal was just under $100 less the $60 groupon. Would I go here again? Absolutely.

    (5)

  • Carrie C.

    After visiting Extra-Virgin on a ridiculous number of occasions, it took me a while to try it's counterpart. But nevertheless, my mom and I decided to make our night at the Yo-Yo Ma concert start out with Michael Smith. BEST DECISION EVER. We were greeted by Michael and our waiter, who promptly checked for our reservation and seated us in the simple and beautiful dining area. We decided to take advantage of Restaurant Week, each of us choosing a starter, entree and dessert for $30 per person. We started our meal with a rich and velvety cauliflower and fennel soup that was simple and complex all in one delicious bowl. Next, we delved into entrees - me with my tender, succulent, and perfectly seasoned and seared scallops with polenta and my mom with her perfect-in-every-fathomable-way eight-hour pork roast. The only other way I can tell you how wonderful our meals were would be to just tell you to simply order it for yourself. There ya go. Our desserts only rounded off our meal with a equally positive note. The dark gingerbread spongecake with chocolate gnache that I ordered was completely out of this world. I may have even teared up a bit when I took my last bite. As for my mom, who ordered the lemon meringue pie with raspberry sorbet - I'm sure she could have taken home a 10 gallon drum full of that sorbet and still wouldn't have been satisfied. At the risk of making fools of ourselves in a 5-star restaurant, we were both able to muster up enough self-control to NOT lick our plates. But it was a struggle. It was the perfect beginning to a night of beautiful and powerful world class music.

    (5)

  • Chris L.

    Atmosphere: Trendy, Romantic, Upscale Seating: Limited but plenty Price: $$$ Service: Take the waiter's recommendations Experience: Never disappoints I always enjoy dining at Michael Smith - it's a 5 star experience every time. The food is so good that it will make even the most refined person want to LICK THEIR PLATE (seriously). I always ask for the waiter's recommendation and Rob did not lead us astray: Taleggio Cheese Agnolotti to start, Scallops for the entree and Pecan torte for dessert. Absolutely everything was amazing. The couple across from us wanted to know if we'd dined here before and if we come back frequently. I told them as frequently as we can, which still isn't enough. Michael Smith is a Kansas City gem and I know I can dine here without ever being disappointed. Side note: Choose Saturday nights over Fridays if you prefer quiet ambiance. During the week is a nice treat, too.

    (5)

  • Nicole B.

    I want to give Michael Smith 3.5 stars. This was my first experience and I had high expectations and left feeling a bit underwhelmed. I dined for lunch on the first day of restaurant week. Michael Smith is a beautiful space and we had a great table next to the window. There are white table cloths and the restaurant is very sleek looking. Service was good. I was expecting a lot more from the food, and I actually left still hungry. I started with the salad that was being offered on the prix fixe menu. It was mixed greens with apples and a maple vinegarette. It was good, but nothing special. I then went with the braised pork tortellini. I was expecting a big bowl of tortellini, but I got five undercooked tortellini. I come from a very traditional Italian family and I know when pasta is al dente but these just seemed undercooked. I thought the sauce was very good though and I dipped plenty of bread in it when I was done with my five tortellini because I was still hungry. My dining partner did not get an appetizer and ended his meal with the bread pudding. He seemed to enjoy it. I'm not writing Michael Smith off and would dine again. My experience wasn't horrible, but I did leave underwhelmed and hungry. I'm hoping Michael Smith can redeem itself.

    (3)

  • Brian S.

    Michael Smith is home to some expertly executed dishes, a great wine selection, and an intimate atmosphere. But for all the positives his restaurant offers, I can't help feeling like Smith is holding something back. Half of the entrees seemed to be included out a sense of obligation (i.e. we have to have a chicken dish, a steak, scallops, and pork loin). I realize that creating a menu with broad appeal is a business decision intended to ensure the lights stay on, but that conservative choice comes at a price. Eating at the restaurant of one of the city's best chefs--a title Michael Smith has definitely earned--should be an experience that goes beyond perfectly cooked ingredients. It should be an opportunity to have preconceived ideas about food challenged and to be impressed by the chef's creativity as much as his execution. Michael Smith is a very good restaurant that's a risk or two away from being great.

    (4)

  • Alka J.

    I'm picky and I don't eat BBQ however I enjoy good food. Plant me in Kansas City and that can be challenging. Michael Smith is probably one of the best restaurants in Kansas City, or at least in the downtown area. I've been here a couple times and have left satisfied and happy. To start we had the Fresh Fig salad and Braised Rabbit. The salad was fresh and combined the right ingredients. This was my first time eating rabbit so I was a little skeptical but it was prepared fantastically! It was tender and warm and the parmesan cheese complimented it quite nicely. For my main I got the scallops. There were decently seasoned but come with a green sauce that I wasn't a fan of. The chicken lindo was also good, but a tad dry. For dessert, they had seasonal selections including a gingerbread cake. The cake lacked flavor and the hot chocolate ice cream tasted more like cold, thick coffee. Fig Empendas seemed daring but they also lacked in taste. The lemon tart was good - a nice way to clean the pallet. Both times I've been have been on a Wednesday where any wine bottle under $100 is half off - what a steal! Overall the service is great, the wine list is extensive, and the food is some of the best I'e had in KC.

    (4)

  • Tracy J.

    My mother and I went to Michael Smith's for "Restaurant Week" but upon seeing the regular menu, we opted for the six course tasting. When you select this option, it's Chef's choice, however the waitstaff will inquire as to whether you have any preferences or food allergies. We started with an amuse bouche of Salted Cod pate with a delicate, house-made, thin-sliced baguette. 1st course: Roasted Beet Salad w/Goat Cheese & Celery Root & Carrot; 2nd course: Bay Scallops in a delicious, rich & smooth sauce & Rabbit Gnocchi; 3rd Course: Eight-Hour Pork Roast & Braised Lamb Shank; 4th Course: Artic Char & Scallops (not the same scallops that were served from the previous course); 5th Course: Cheese Plate with 5 different cheeses; 5th Course: Dessert which consisted of German chocolate cake; fudge; a truffle & salted caramel and a Tangerine Trifle that was so exceptionally delicious I hope they have it on the menu the next time I dine here. Each course was outstanding! This is one of the finest dining experience I've had. I would not hesitate to dine here again, however, would probably choose the five-course tasting and wine pairing. The restaurant's ambiance is perfection. You will not hear the clanking of bottles and chatter from bar patrons which is a welcome respite when experiencing cuisine such as this. His minimalist and tony approach to the decor fits very well with the subdued and classy atmosphere. You will not go wrong with choosing Michael Smith's for a dining experience that you will not soon forget.

    (5)

  • Pat A.

    My first review for this establishment, but I have been there at least a half dozen or so times. We have always been happy with the staff. In the end however we return for the food, which is outstanding and innovative. In life you get what you pay for. It is relatively pricey, but the quality is there. I usually like to go with the frequently offered groupons, which i would recommend to ease the cost ($60 for $30).

    (4)

  • Robert G.

    My friend decided to take me to a belated birthday lunch, and the restaurant of choice was Michael Smith. I arrived early and waited near the front door on a bench, there were a lot of extra chairs stored in this area which seemed out of character for an upscale restaurant such as this. When my friend arrived we went to the front desk and were greeted promptly and with a warm greeting, we informed him of our reservation and he took us to our table. We had a nice table by the window, but we were right next to a folded up curtain which protruded into our table space. Our server came to the table quickly and was very friendly and upbeat. We were ready to order. We both ordered the cream of broccolini soup. I felt the soup was way under seasoned. There are not salt and pepper shakers on the table, so I felt it was out of place to ask for salt and pepper, but the soup could have really used at least some fresh cracked pepper. It was still good, but seasoning would have definitely helped. After the soup, we shared an order of the pork belly tacos. We both felt that this dish was the best thing either of us had, fresh and flavorful with a cabbage slaw, and the perfect amount of seasoning. I ordered the Hangar Steak with mashed potatoes, roasted cherry tomatoes, and tempura asparagus. My friend ordered the Chicken Picata. I really enjoyed my steak, but in my experience growing up working on a ranch, we always felt that the Hangar steak was a throwaway cut. I have seen it several times in fancy restaurants, and I wonder if they choose it because if you can make a Hangar Steak taste good, you must be a good Chef. It seemed to be cut with the grain instead of against the grain, which made it a bit tough, which a Hangar Steak tends to be anyway, but the flavor was excellent, and it was seasoned perfectly. Since I despise capers, I didn't try my friend's Chicken Picata, but he said it was very good as well, just not as good as the tacos. While waiting for the restroom, I passed by a room that appeared to be a wine-tasting room, but there were several boxes open with cuts and tears along the boxes as if they were opened and then just left there. I don't think this type of thing should be open to the public as it looks like something that was left by the dumpster. This coupled with the storage of chairs in the front makes me think the management should do a check of the restaurant to make sure guests can't see untidy things such as these. It wasn't bad enough to bring my rating down to a 3 mind you, but it definitely stuck in the back of my mind when I consider that this is supposed to be fine dining. The food was excellent, and the atmosphere was up-scale for the most part, I would definitely recommend you try it for lunch, as the prices were very reasonable, especially since I wasn't paying. I'm not sure how much more dinner would be. I had several people recommend that I try the rabbit as it's considered the House Specialty, but since I grew up in Kansas and frequented Western Kansas, I had enough people feed me Rabbit and Squirrel that I don't think I will ever order it in a restaurant. I'm giving it a thumbs up for lunch first to see what you think, and then maybe dinner if you like what it has to offer.

    (4)

  • Gail N.

    Since it was Restaurant Week, it was my husband who suggested that we find a restaurant that we haven't been to yet. When Michael Smith came up, we quickly decided that was a place to give a try. Since we moved here two years ago we have tried numerous restaurants, but tend to stay with some of our neighborhood favorites in Brookside. Restaurant Week is an opportunity to give something new a try. It was unfortunate that our server didn't seem to "feel the love" for RW. We were asked if we wanted to order when he took our wine order, seeming to want to rush us through the experience. We each started with the kale salad for the first course which was good, but not great. We ordered the steak and the pork and they were beautifully plated. The pork was very tender, and my husband enjoyed it. I thought the flavors were not as good as expected, when I tried a bite. My steak was also perfectly cooked, and very good. We tried different desserts and they were both delicious. The Dark Chocolate tart was a little crunchier than I expected, but it was decadent. When we have an amazing dining experience it usually requires a blend of delicious food and amazing hospitality. It was the hospitality quotient that was missing last night. I would say the food was at least a 4 and the service was OK-not what you expect. The decor was beautiful. It might have been a down night, or as I said before, maybe Restaurant Weekers aren't treated the same way as regular patrons, but I see it as a missed opportunity to convert some of these folks to becoming regulars.

    (3)

  • Rob M.

    Tonight was the first concert on our subscription at the new Kauffman Center and we felt like treating ourselves to a good dinner before the performance. I'd scored a Groupon sometime this summer. Making reservations online was a snap -- there were no problems getting the date and time we wanted. This evening we arrived about half-an-hour late, as we got stuck in a traffic jam on Hwy 69 in JoCo, which has been under construction for what seems like forever! Fortunately, they hadn't given our table away and we were seated immediately! There must have been a lot of other people going to the Kauffman who were dining there -- the place was full and most patrons were VERY dressed up! We went ahead and ordered, explaining to our server that we were going to the symphony and had run late because of traffic. He said he'd let the kitchen know so we could get to the performance on time. My partner ordered the roast Campo Lindo chicken dish and I ordered the goose breast. We both ordered the green salad with ripe figs. I asked for a glass of the Marques de Cáceres and my partner ordered a rosé. The salads arrived promptly and were a tasty combination of arugula, candied walnuts and ripe figs. I didn't try my partner's chicken dish. It looked a bit small to me, but she said it was delicious and seemed very satisfied with it. My goose was excellent -- numerous slices, nicely pink in the middle, served atop a bed of spinach with a melange of julienned vegetables on top of it and more of the figs, this time roasted a bit. (I guess figs must be in season!) Service was careful and attentive, and we both were pleased with our meals. There were some tempting desserts on the menu, but we decided to pass on them because we didn't want to be late for the concert. For the two of us the total came to about $85. The Groupon was for $60, so it actually went a long way -- farther than I expected! Of course, we skipped dessert and coffee. But all in all we enjoyed the food, the atmosphere, and the service, and felt that the prices were reasonable for a restaurant of this quality. We'll be back, especially because it's close to the Kauffman so it's perfect for a pre-performance dinner!

    (4)

  • Julia F.

    One of my favorite restaurants in Kansas City. Conveniently located near downtown, I always come here when I have tickets to the opera or theatre so I can have a nice meal before a show. They have excellent service and a very nice staff. The food is fantastic. Some of my favorites include the rabbit appetizer, the yellow tail ceviche, the duck entree or the scallops. If you like pork (which unfortunately I do not eat), they have an eight hour pork roast that is so good my mother orders it every time we come here. The deserts are quite yummy and worth a browse through the menu. It is nice when the chef seems to have both talent and inspiration in creating and executing a menu! If I had to find one critical element to mar this otherwise glowing review, I suppose it is that the restaurant is a bit cold (temperature-wise), particularly in the summer. (Yeah, that's how good this place is; I'm reduced to reviewing the thermostat to find something about which to complain) Bring a little cotton sweater if you're going strapless and problem solved.

    (5)

  • Brandi C.

    My husband and I have wanted to go to Michael Smith since a friend of ours raved about it, and finally made it in last weekend. Even though it was freezing outside there were still plenty of people having dinner, so we were glad that we had made a reservation ahead of time. We were seated right away, and given menus that weighed about 5 lbs. each. Not that they were super extensive, just heavy! We were also provided with a wine list which is really decent - there are a few wines offered by the glass, but the selection of bottles is much larger, so we opted to share a bottle of very nice white wine, which (happily) was served at the perfect temperature. I started off with the watercress salad, and while it was good, it was nothing special. Just ok, really. What I should've done is ordered the rabbit gnocchi, which is what my husband had. It was excellent - very flavorful, and just the right sized portion. I will be ordering that the next time around for sure. For dinner, I had the scallops and my husband had the chicken breast. This time around, I think my option was the winner. The scallops were cooked perfectly, and the pine nuts and golden raisins that accompanied it made for an interesting but very nice flavor and texture combination. At first, I felt that the portion was a bit small, but upon finishing, I was nicely full without being stuffed, so it was actually perfect. My husband did enjoy his chicken, but the bite that I had didn't really wow me. We couldn't leave without checking out the dessert options, and there was no way I was going to pass up the (amazing) chocolate, cinnamon, and blood orange concoction listed. We originally planned to share, but then my husband saw that panna cotta was also an option, so we each got our own dessert. I loved mine, he loved his, and we were both happy. I enjoyed a glass of Vin Santo with my dessert, and my husband had a coffee. All in all, we enjoyed a really good meal, and the price was more than reasonable for the quality. The restaurant actually got a little bit loud as the evening wore on and a couple of larger groups arrived, so it was a bit hard to talk at times, but other than that, we had a very nice time. I would say that Michael Smith is a perfect "date night" location.

    (4)

  • Jeff K.

    It was my first time down town for first Friday and we ended the night off at Michael Smith. From the look of this place it seem like we would be having a wonderful upscale dinner. But unfortunately the server was so bad it took away from the delicious meal that we were served. It took 15 mins before the hostess even saw us standing at the desk, other 10 mins before we had the waitress greet us and take drink orders. The restaurant wasn't even that filled, about half I would say. To start off, we had the foie gras torchon (My first time having it) and it was great. For the meal we got the lamb rack and chicken dish. The lamb was cook perfectly but the chicken came out chewy and dry. After are meal we waited about 20mins before the plates were clear and another 10 before she asked if we wanted desserts. For being has pricey has the meal were, I expected more from the service and two well cooked meals.

    (2)

  • Amy W.

    So we tried this place again at the behest of friends who pleaded with us to give it a go. It still doesn't work. I'm not sure what's not quite right for us, considering that people fawn over this restaurant. We're not militant vegetarians but the mention of wanting recommendations without meat sent the server into a tizzy. There must be bushels of vegetables and spices in the kitchen but alas we couldn't have them. Wish I had my $200 back.

    (2)

  • Pat D.

    Michael Smith's is simply wonderful. Was it meeting Chef Michael Smith as he worked the dining room? Was it the perfectly cooked halibut dish or, the wonderful morel mushroom and liver appetizer? Was it the fantastic presentation of the food so you know a real chef prepared it? Or, was it the photo of Michael and Julia Child on the wall near the door? The relaxed yet semi-formal ambiance? It was all of the above. Thank you Michael Smith for a perfect date night with my wife.

    (5)

  • Jessica E.

    I had only heard good things about Michael Smith's restaurant so my expectations were undoubtedly high. I had only looked into the small, cozy and intimate setting, mostly in passing to get to Extra Virgin, but was pleasantly surprised at its humble, yet sophisticated nature. My sister and I paid a visit during KC Restaurant Week so we took part in the RW menu. For starters, I had the braised pork tortellini with tomato argue. The outer-shell seemed a tad overcooked and the flavors were lacking, but generally speaking, it was a decent dish. For my main course, I had the pan fried hanger steak. The steak was cooked perfectly, no complaints there. To finish off, the apple bread pudding was ranked right up there for me next to some of my most favorite desserts in KC. The ambiance is definitely classy and the waiter we had (Stefan) was awesome! My sister and I look like "young kids out on the town" but weren't treated as so. Stefan was patient with us and helped us select a delicious white wine to complement our dessert. The best part of the evening was when Michael Smith himself came up to our table to ask us how we enjoyed our meals. He is down to earth, humble and kind; a direct reflection of the service and overall experience we had at his restaurant.

    (5)

  • Kim-Anh P.

    I was visiting KC for work, and this restaurant caught my eye. We came at an odd time in the afternoon so we were seated immediately. I was trying to look at the menu online but I didn't see the menu nor the items I remember ordering (I went mid-March 2011). So bear with me, I'm going to try remembering what we had. There was a section on the menu labeled "For the adventurous". I was all over that. I tried the grilled bone marrow, the duck tongue tacos; tried my co-workers rice and chorizo and a handful of other dishes. It was tapas style, so if you get that same menu I did, it's fun to get a few different dishes and share. About 2-3 dishes are most than enough for one person. I think the chef was a little heavy-handed on the salt that day. If I was back in KC, I think I'd stop by again try other plates on the menu.

    (3)

  • Sharon D.

    Four of us dined on a Saturday night and were expecting to have a memorable experience. Unfortunately this was not the case. The server was mediocre at best and at one point downright rude. We were studing the menu when she approached our table and asked if we were "ready for her now." The chef was making the rounds of the room and introduced himself. When he realized we had not yet ordered he promised to come back later to see how things were. And of course this never happened. Food was just O.K. And very small portions, not to mention for dinner at 7:30 they were out of the whitefish which two of us had wanted. We ordered two bottles of wine, one for $80 and another for $75. "Diver" scallops were definitely not, being so tiny and one even smelled less than fresh. Lets just say we won't return. In fairness to the server, she did bring a higher priced port than two of us ordered to compensate for the entrees being unavailable. Even so, when we visit Kansas City next Fall we'll try another restaurant.

    (2)

  • LN S.

    I love this place--it is always perfect! The heirloom tomato salad with compressed watermelon was perfectly dressed and delicious. It is always a challenge to decide which fish to get--they are always perfectly cooked and composed. The waitress, Angie, who is always helpful and delightful, helped us choose an amazing dessert--warm peach cobbler with brown sugar ice cream. What a great way to end the meal. I love to go here for date night or with friends who are craving something delicious. Chef Michael and his staff never disappoints.

    (5)

  • Joe C.

    I had been looking forward to trying Michael Smith's for a very long time, along the way hearing great to ok reviews. My experience fell very short of good. The service was very disappointing and the food was ok, not exceptional. I don't mind the price point if I am receiving my moneys worth, and I just never felt it was justified. I'm chalking this up to one bad experience and want to try them again before I write them off. In these hard economic times and being located in the midwest, please please provide courteous, professional and friendly service, please.

    (2)

  • Matt S.

    We recently moved to Kansas City and have had a good time trying all of the dining options. We were excited to try Michael Smith based on things we heard and his James Beard awards. We headed there Tuesday night, October 11th, with the intent of ordering a couple of bottles of wine, exploring the menu, and treating ourselves to dessert. it didn't happen that way. Hostesses were not welcoming and too rushed to even say, "enjoy your meal." The service was lousy. Our server was Tyler who showed up at our table requesting our drink order. We placed an order for a bottle of wine and he brought a different bottle saying "we were out of what you ordered but this is the same grapes and the same price." He then asked us to order. I had some questions and asked for his recommendation which was greeted with a less than interested and non-informative answer. When I asked about the Whitefish dish his response was "mild." That's it. So we placed our orders based on our own guesses and were happy for the most part. The food was decent. We finished our dinner and sat for 15 minutes at a table with an empty wine bottle, two empty wine glasses, two empty water glasses, an empty bread basket, and two dirty plates. At this point we decided to forgo the other bottle of wine and dessert. Our table was cleared and we asked for the check. When he took my credit card away, a hostess wandered over, removed the empty bottle of wine and asked us if we would like more wine. A little to little and way too late. The atmosphere was congested and bland. There was no music for the first half of the 45 minutes we were there. We were at a corner table by the kitchen which fit the attitude of being ignored by the staff. The couple that was seated next to us at the same time we were seated still didn't have their entree when we left...but they had two empty wine glasses. Poor things had to endure the experience longer than we did. There was one shiny spot in the evening. When we left we were going to go across to Extra Virgin for dessert and wine. We decided we didn't want to give any more money to Michael Smith so we walked around the corner and came upon The Reiger Hotel and Grille. What a find! The Hostess, wait staff, and chef were the friendliest and most accommodating in town. We enjoyed spending money here and the desserts and wine were yummy. We are going back on Saturday night and I just scheduled a dinner in a couple of weeks when out-of-town friends come to town. I would say avoid Michael Smith Restaurant and spend your money where it is worth it. There are so many great places we are stumbling upon in Kansas City.

    (1)

  • David B.

    The pork

    (5)

  • John P.

    Michael Smith, the chef and owner is one of the reasons why Kansas Cities food scene is becoming nationally recognized. Every meal is prepared to perfection with great detail. The prices and portions are absolutely perfect. This place will always be one of my top choices for a big night out.

    (5)

  • Jill H.

    This place has it all wrong for an expensive, high-end restaurant. Our waiter was cold and for $25 to $35 a plate, the food was ehhh- by far not spectacular and not worth the money. I ordered the most expensive item on the menu and was horribly disappointed. The meat was so tough, I needed a saw to cut it. This is coming from a foodie that travels often and lived in Las Vegas for 10 years taking clients and eating at very high end restaurants on a regular basis - the type where there are two waiters at your table and they treat each paying customer like a King and Queen. I agree with the many negative reviews here on Yelp and with the many who bought the Groupon to give it a whirl and were disappointed. Too bad, such a good opportunity to get repeat clientele and they obviously blew it time and time again. If you are a stuffy, wealthy KC resident that enjoys throwing your money away-by all means, eat here repeatedly. If you are hard-working and want to enjoy a good meal, pleasant atmosphere, and impress the wife or a date-avoid this place like the plague! I can give you ten other local restaurants in KC that are five stars and half the price! I don't see this place in business, a year from now?

    (1)

  • Teresa R.

    Out to celebrate my birthday and got seated at the worst table in the restaurant by the kitchen door looking out the window at the road construction in the street. My steak was chewy and tough and my husbands chicken was bland. The portions were small and the service was "flat" ... Not to mention the average age in the place was 65+. Won't be going back and definitely wouldn't recommend to any of our friends.

    (2)

  • Cathy C.

    Eight-hour pork roast was worth the wait! I had lunch here a long time ago and had a good meal, but was disappointed that it wasn't on the menu. So when I saw it on Michael's Restaurant Week menu, I was THERE! Moist, fall-apart tender but somehow he gets this wonderful crispy crust on it! It sits on a pool of risotto, topped with a spicy jicama (I think) slaw. I loved it! My daughter had scallops-3 big tender ones. We rounded out the 3-course meal with velvety cauliflower-fennel soup and shared our desserts-lemon merengue pie with cranberry sorbet and gingerbread spongecake with chocolate ganache. I could have eaten a gallon of the sorbet, and the combination of ginger and chocolate made me think it was Christmas again-delightful! The wine list is a Wine Spectator award winner, and I would have loved to have his bottle of 1990 Ch. Latour, but settled on a glass of Rhone instead. It was just fine with the pork roast. Service was competent, friendly but unobtrusive. The sleek interior is a bit tight, but conversation was easy, even as the place filled up on Yo Yo Ma night at the Symphony (that's another review-OMG!). The kitchen kept up with the growing crowd well, without making us feel hurried. On the night of a very special musical experience, we had a very special dinner as well.

    (4)

  • AJ G.

    Kansas City Restaurant Week - Michael Smith After our, shall we say, very unusual experience at Justus Drugstore, we approached our third reservation for Kansas City restaurant week, at Michael Smith, with a little trepidation. Not to worry. We were greeted warmly and seated promptly, although the fashionable room was full: already a sign of good management. The room is small, but with comfortable dining furniture, adequate space between tables, and very nice flatware. The room is decorated with tasteful abstract art, and, in the center of the rear wall, a framed 8 X 10 photo of the chef, Michael Smith, with Julia Child. His relationship to her is not specified, but certainly is effective in implying a good pedigree. The full room had a happy buzz, but not so loud that conversation is difficult. This restaurant handled the prix-fixe menu in what seems to me the ideal way: you are presented with the regular menu, in case your preference runs in a different direction, as well as a nicely printed menu for restaurant week, with three choices for each course. Our party of three selected two of the three available first courses: a mixed greens salad, and butternut squash ravioli. The salad was served with a home-made flatbread, fresh, nicely presented, fairly unremarkable. The ravioli were served piping hot in a covered dish, with a wonderful broth and large flakes of parmesan. We devoured them. For the main dish, we all opted for the pan-roasted campo lindo chicken, which came as a breast accompanied by a large homemade potato pierogie, and a tasty brown sauce. It was garnished with sautéed almonds and chestnuts: can't remember when I was last served a chestnut! Creative, interesting, and very enjoyable. We sampled the three desserts offered. Lemon meringue "pie" received a modern treatment, as it came as a small rectangle of lemon custard on a crust, topped with little meringue chips. These were like tiny meringue cookies, shaped like large chocolate chips. Entertaining to the eye and the palate. It was served with a scoop of cranberry sorbet, which was less intensely flavored than I had expected. The second was a little chocolate pecan tart, which was focused more on chocolate than pecan; very nice. It was served with a very creamy and intense tablespoon of chocolate espresso ice cream, and, for some reason, a thimble-sized cylinder of moist chocolate cake. Last was a spicy gingerbread sponge cake, which was paired with a bite of clove toffee; great complementary and creative flavors. Service was pleasant and efficient. In spite of a busy night, the staff appeared relaxed and welcoming. Water glasses were promptly refilled, as was the bread basket. All in all, a first class dining experience, at a great price, supporting a great cause. Kudos to Michael Smith for this effort.

    (4)

  • Chris O.

    I have dined here several times for dinner and I think it is the best restaurant in Kansas City. It is unusual that you find restaurants that could thrive in other major metropolitan areas, and this is one of them. My favorite is the tasting menus. Each course is cooked and seasoned well, nicely plated, and the flavors are great. The rabbit is super, the pork is outstanding, and the seafood is high quality. I have only experienced good service at Michael Smith's. My favorite server is Andie. She is really knowledgeable about food, enjoys her job, and takes pride in great service.

    (5)

  • Cecilia N.

    I have long wanted to dine at Michael Smith, pretty much ever since I moved to Kansas City. I mean, he's a James Beard Award-wining chef! James Beard! Unfortunately, I had a hard time finding someone who would be willing to spend quite a bit of money for a meal. Fortunately, I finally had a weekday off recently and a friend didn't think the lunch prices were too crazy. I arrived at the restaurant close to noon, and I was the only person in the dining area for a long time. I was really confused when I first entered the place; I wasn't sure if it was open for lunch since it was so vacant. I was surprised that Michael Smith wasn't filled to the brim with people. The space was decorated in slick, modern tones, and it is in a prime location. Only two other tables were occupied by the time I finished with lunch an hour later. It's James Beard! The waiter was kind of aloof and didn't know what the daily soup was, which another Yelper had mentioned in a review, but he was quick to find out for me. He did a good job keeping our drinks filled and our bread basket fresh. The real star of the lunch hour was definitely the main course. All of the entrees sounded great on the menu. I thought about the campo lindo chicken, but I ultimately went with the braised rabbit. The waiter said that it was the one menu item that has yet to change since the restaurant opened over 5 years ago. His endorsement even convinced my friend to order the same dish. I thought the rabbit was delicious. I have never eaten rabbit before, but it was very similar to chicken and was tender. I thought the seasoning of the dish was just right; I appreciated the wide parmesan shavings. I cannot rave enough about the housemade potato gnocchi that accompanied the rabbit. It soaked up the braised sauce well and was the perfect vehicle for the dish's flavors. The dish was beautifully arranged, and while it looked small, it was plenty filling. At $11 for the braised rabbit, I thought the lunch menu was decently priced for a tasty meal. If I ever get another weekday off, I will going back to Michael Smith.

    (4)

  • Jansen F.

    Interesting to see the other reviews that all mention purchasing a Groupon to try Michael Smith and then being ambivalent about the meal. I thought the purpose of offering Groupons was to get new patrons into your establishment, wow them, and then get them to return and happily hand you fist fulls of money because you deserved it with your spectacular food and service?! I found the service cold but efficient. As far as the food: We ordered the soft Spanish tacos as an appetizer. They were not nearly as tasty as they sounded. Pretty forgettable really. Then they brought us beautiful looking rolls that were cold and tough. They weren't attempting to heat them but I think they would have tasted better warm. I had the beet salad and my companion a mixed green salad. Both were ok but each had an excessive amount of oil which seemed odd. I had a stuffed ravioli that was doughy and tough- icky. My husband had the braised rabbit which was the highlight of the meal- tender and served with amazing gnocchi. If not for the rabbit, I would have given this meal 2 stars. But the rabbit isn't enough to get me excited to go back, not when there are so many more memorable dining experiences available in KC.

    (3)

  • Lilian O.

    My fiancee and I (both vegetarian) came here with two omnivorous friends during KC Restaurant Week 2011. Last year for restaurant week, the same group and I ate at The American and was extremely happy with the exceptional service, ambiance, and food. We were hoping for the same verdict for Michael Smith since he used to serve as executive chef for The American. Unfortunately this was not the case. I am not sure how much role he played in executing the dishes since he was walking back and forth between his namesake restaurant and Extra Virgin next door, talking to patrons, and checking in with his staff. They were able to make accommodations for my fiancee and I but in a fashion that was uninventive and uninspired. Our meat eating friends both ordered the braised rabbit gnocchi for the first course, my fiancee got the gnocchi minus the rabbit, and I ordered the market greens salad. The gnocchi dish for everyone was extremely bland and completely lacked seasoning and salt. My friends were actually a little envious of the butternut squash in the vegetarian version as it offered more flavor than their meat version. The salad was just a plain salad with nothing special on it, and I'm sad to admit that I make much better salads at home. A drizzle of truffle oil and squeeze of Meyer lemon would have really helped it. The main entree fared better for the omnivores as they said their ribeye and chicken were very good. The vegetarian entree fell short and the only redeeming item was the oyster mushrooms. My fiancee and I were secretly hoping that we could just order food from Extra Virgin next door and have them bring it to us as the veggie options there are much better. While we like butternut squash, why include it again in the main entree when it was already in the appetizer?? I was hoping the dessert would redeem the experience but unfortunately made it worse. The pear galette was too sweet, the bread pudding too rich, and the chocolate cake tasted exactly like a Little Debbie's Swiss Cake Roll (something I absolutely despise after receiving 17 boxes of it at a white elephant gift exchange party years ago). It was as if someone took a cake roll, put it on a plate, and added a scoop of coconut ice cream next to it. The best part of the experience was the bottle of Cote du Rhone we ordered to compliment our meal. For a James Beard award winner, we were all expecting a lot more.

    (2)

  • Brenda D.

    This restaurant never disappoints and it's truely 5 star in all aspects. You'll often see Michael scurring about but he will take the time to talk to you if you just stop him and say hello. It's been a few weeks and I can't remember exactly what I had but it was a Caribbean dish with a white fish (not on the typical menu). Since it was Morel season, I had to order one. It was an exquisit taste of sauted mushrooms and garlic. I was used to the dredged in cracker crumbs and fried. I must say, Michael did it right. I've had a lot of menu items here and they are all fantastic! He does switch things up depending upon what's in season and this makes this restaurant always refreshing to go to. You never know what he might be serving up!

    (5)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Tue

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : No
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Dressy
    Ambience : Upscale
    Noise Level : Quiet
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Michael Smith Restaurant

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