HAMBURGER IN PARADISE
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Check out these great Kansas City burger joints
Kansas City is known for finger-lickin' good barbecue joints, but what about hamburgers? We set out to find the most unique, tasty and affordable burger joints on both sides of the river. Check out our rating system (four burgers is the best) to find the best-tasting burgers with the highest quality atmosphere and service.
Hayes Hamburgers and Chili
Hayes Hamburgers and Chilli is housed in a small, somewhat dilapidated white shack. The shabby exterior of the restaurant can make first-time visitors wary. But doubts fade once you walk into the diner and see the line of customers, hear the sizzle of the grill and smell of the hamburgers. Hayes, 2502 NE Vivion Rd., Kansas City, Mo., has an old-fashioned dinner feeling where visitors can get a freshly made hamburger with grilled onions and an earful of gossip from the waiter for only $1.25. The restaurant is open 24 hours, and its busiest time is from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. After the bars close, Hayes sets the stage for the theatrics of sloppy drunk customers and raunchy girl fights. This classic eatery also boasts a 100-year-old chili recipe that is just as popular as the burgers. "My little brother grew up on the chili, and he shows it," says Hayes employee Matthew Carroll.
Taste: 4 burgers. Hayes offers curly fries, which differed from the other restaurants. Atmosphere: 3 burgers. The white counter tops, navy blue stools and sizzle of the french fryer make for a quintessential diner experience.
Service: 4 burgers. The service is fast, and the staff is friendly.
Payment: Cash only. A sign reading, "We don't accept checks and you know why!!!!" hangs above the grill.
By Lauren Bristow, Melissa Frankel and Laura Kinch, Jayplay writers
Fritz's Railroad Restaurant
Another Kansas City favorite, Fritz's offers customers good food and entertainment.
Photos: Megan True
As train whistles blow, patrons look toward the ceiling as the "Skat Kat" chugs its way from the kitchen. The suspended, automated food delivery system resembles a train, and your food is dropped to your table via a moving platform. Fritz's burgers feature grilled onions, typical of many dinners, and will run you about $1.95. Cheese, lettuce and tomato are extra. The menu also features a number of sandwiches like grillloins, grilled cheese and hot dogs. The original, 250 N. 18th St., Kansas City, Kan., opened in 1954 and serves a diverse clientele. Mall-goers and teens frequent a second location in Crown Center, 2450 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Mo. Because of the restaurant's novel delivery system, it has become a tourist attraction in Crown Center. Elaine Calloni and Joy
Lapicki, Girl Scout leaders from St. Louis, came to Fritz's during a visit to Kansas City for a Girl Scout convention. Their 16 Girl Scouts, each wearing paper engineer hats supplied by the restaurant, cheered each time the "Skat Kat" made its way from the kitchen. The restaurant sells T-shirts and other train memorabilia.
Taste: 3 burgers. Fritz's features a sesame-seeded bun, unlike the others, and is a tad greasier than Town-Topic and Hayes.
Atmosphere: 4 burgers. Where else can you watch a train deliver your food? Service: 2 burgers. Waiters and waitresses bring your drinks and are a bit cranky. But you don't visit this restaurant for the waiters.
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Payment: Cash and major credit cards only.
As you approach Town-Topic, an off-white building the size of a boxcar, the scent of its thin, yet juicy hamburgers fills the air. Inside, 11 seats, a jukebox and a Star Wars video game greet you. This tiny diner, 2021 Broadway St. in Kansas City, Kan., opened in 1937. The food, which is prepared right in front of you, ranges from burgers and fries to breakfast food and dessert. A hamburger costs $1.75, but cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and fries are extra. Sherri Sullivan has worked at Town-Topic for eight years and describes it as an old Mom-and-Pop place. Conversations between regulars add a sense of familiarity to the atmosphere, but new customers and tourists are also a frequent sight. Town-Topic also sells souvenir T-shirts, hats and prints.
Taste: 3 burgers. All of the restaurants reviewed serve hamburgers with grilled onions and a pickle, and they have a similar taste. It is the other menu items that set them apart. Town-Topic offers homemade pies, breakfast food and fries that are thin and crispy, but a little on the dry side.
Atmosphere: 2 burgers. This dingy but classic diner has a lot of character which makes for an entertaining meal.
Service: 3 burgers. A bit frosty at first, but the cooks open up if you stick around and chat. The food is prepared and served quickly.
Hours: 24-7.
Payment: Cash only.
- Lauren Bristow, Melissa Frankel and Laura Kinch can be reached at lbristow@kansan.com, mfrankel@kansan.com and lkinch@kansan.com.
5.13.04 Jayplay
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