10 Favorite Date Night Restaurants - Kansas City, MO

Karsen Odle
Dec 16, 2025
4 min read

We love trying new restaurants, especially when celebrating our birthdays or anniversary. One of our favorite parts about trying new places is ranking them in the restaurant tracking app Beli. This app makes it easy to track the places you've been, quickly find some options if a friend is asking for recommendations and your mind has gone blank, or remember all those places on your want to try list.

Over the three years that I lived and worked in the Kansas City area, we gathered quite the list of restaurants we really enjoyed. The ones shared below include places only within Kansas City, MO. I am working on additional lists for the surrounding suburbs, like Shawnee and Overland Park. But for now, here are our KCMO favorites!

(Each location shared will include a rating out of 10 that has been calculated and provided by Beli based on my tastes and preferences. Follow me on Beli @karseno for more restaurant inspiration!)

1 - Gram & Dun

Location: Country Club Plaza

Price Range: $$$

Rating: 9.9

What we ate & drank:

Drinks: G&D Old Fashioned / Fly Me to the Moon
Appetizer: Not-So-Standard Potato Chips / Roasted Garlic & Gruyere Mac & Cheese
Entrees: Bolognese / Chicken & Waffles
Dessert: Gram & Dun Bar

American style food with a comfortable atmosphere that includes indoor or outdoor seating (depending on the weather). All our food was delicious and the staff was very accommodating.

2 - Stock Hill

Location: South Plaza

Price Range: $$$

Rating: 9.9

What we ate & drank:

Drinks: Smoking Hill / Cash in Hand
Appetizer: Mother F'in Wagyu Meatballs / Shaved Brussel Sprouts
Entrees: Wagyu Ragout / Filet Diane
Dessert: N/A

Fine dining steak house with an intimate atmosphere perfect for date night. We went during the holidays and they had several large Christmas trees displayed throughout the restaurant that further invited us into the warm ambiance provided by the glow of the candle-lit tables.

3 - The Pressed Penny Tavern

Location: Westport

Price Range: $$

Rating: 9.9

What we ate & drank:

Drinks: American "Rivalution"
Appetizer: Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Entrees: Patty Melt / Drowned Salmon
Dessert: N/A

We stumbled upon The Pressed Penny by accident, but I’m so glad we did as it quickly became one of my favorites! It’s a pub-style restaurant with cozy vibes exuding from every corner. The windows are adorned with strands of twinkle lights year around and the walls are clad with dark wood paneling, creating one of the warmest atmospheres I’ve experienced while dining out.

4 - Third Street Social

Location: South Plaza

Price Range: $$

Rating: 9.8

What we ate & drank:

Drinks: N/A
Appetizer: N/A
Entrees: N/A
Dessert: N/A

This was a common happy hour spot among my friends and I, and somehow I never kept track of what we were eating or drinking. However, I do know that it was always good! They have two patios for outdoor dining and a beautiful interior if you prefer to dine inside.

5 - The Wise Guy

Location: The Crossroads

Price Range: $$

Rating: 9.7

What we ate & drank:

Drinks: House (Blood Orange) Margarita
Appetizer: Mozzarella Sticks / Meatballs / Garlic Knots
Entrees: Rigatoni Alla Vodka / Chicken Parmesan
Dessert: N/A

A high quality Italian restaurant that feels like you’ve traveled back-in-time when you walk through the front door. Just like their small focused menu, they spared no detail when designing this space to fully embrace the old-school Italian vibes with a luxe twist.

6 - Cupini's

Location: Westport

Price Range: $$

Rating: 9.7

What we ate & drank:

Drinks: N/A
Appetizer: N/A
Entrees: Sweet Pea Ravioli / Lasagna
Dessert: N/A

A classic Italian restaurant with delicious staples and must try creations like the Sweet Pea Ravioli. My office was a few blocks from Cupini’s and we often ordered this for lunch with a full baguette to share.

7 - The Antler Room

Location: Longfellow

Price Range: $$$

Rating: 9.4

What we ate & drank:

Drinks: Highball Bourbon / Lemon Gin
Appetizer: N/A
Entrees: Hasselback Sweet Potato / Corn & Ricotta Ravioli / Gnocchi / Pan Roasted Veal Sweetbreads
Dessert: Mango Semifreddo

A James Beard Award-Nominated restaurant specializing in small plates for sharing. Their menu is ever-changing, pulling inspiration from the current seasons, local ingredients, and the owners’ global travels. Each dish is a small adventure with bright flavors and unique combinations.

8 - Lula Southern Cookhouse

Location: The Crossroads

Price Range: $$

Rating: 9.3

What we ate & drank:

Drinks: N/A
Appetizer: Crispy Fried Pork Spare Ribs
Entrees: Mississippi Pot Roast / Blackened Delta Catfish
Dessert: N/A

A southern comfort food restaurant named after the owner’s grandmother. The food focuses on made from scratch recipes with Cajun and Creole influences providing a taste of home for southern natives looking for those familiar flavors.

9 - Westport Cafe

Location: Old Westport

Price Range: $$

Rating: 9.2

What we ate & drank:

Drinks: N/A
Appetizer: N/A
Entrees: N/A
Dessert: N/A

The Westport Cafe is a French bistro providing an intimate atmosphere and authentic Parisian cuisine. Unfortunately, I managed to leave without gathering any photos or notes of the food and drinks we enjoyed here.

10 - Novel Restaurant

Location: The Crossroads

Price Range: $$$

Rating: 9.2

What we ate & drank:

Drinks: Oaxaca Old Fashioned / Back in 1902
Appetizer: Bread Service / Farro Garganelli
Entrees: Center Cut Duroc Pork Chop / Seared Diver Scallops
Dessert: Chocolate Mousse Cake

We dined here on Valentine’s Day a few years ago and despite every table being full, we still received good service. The Novel Restaurant is an American style restaurant with a seasonally rotating menu that often includes locally sourced ingredients.

Bonus - Fox & Pearl

Location: Westside North

Price Range: $$$

Rating: 9.1

What we ate & drank:

Drinks: White Mezcal Negroni / Last Resort
Appetizer: Bread Service
Entrees: Smoked Pork Chop / Grilled Flat Iron Steak w/ Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Dessert: Flourless Chocolate Cake

The Fox and Pearl provides a warm and inviting dining space with leather booths, expansive windows, and candles on each table. The menu features local comfort food blended with French technique to create an elevated dining experience.