It’s been five or six years, but recently I got a chance to visit and dine at The Brick for a friend’s birthday party. The Brick has long been one of my favorite spots to see live music and eat high quality bar food. I’ve probably been visiting the Brick for shows and dinners for nearly 15 years. One thing about my recent visit that amused me was that virtually nothing had changed since my last visit, other than new art on the wall and an outdoor park-let seating areas. Nothing wrong with keeping the same vibe if you are doing everything right.
The Brick is located in the Crossroads District, just north of Grand and 18th Street. It’s my understanding that the restaurant and venue, which opened in 1999, followed in the footsteps of bars that catered to the staff of the Kansas City Star, which was long headquartered across the street.
The staff and service of The Brick has always been outstanding, both at the bar and in the dining room. I messed up my order on my recent visit, ordering a Patty Melt without remembering that it would come with a burger. I took a few bites before realizing that I had made a mistake (should have ordered the portabella mushroom sandwich). I explained my mistake the the staff and they got me a patty melt with a vegetarian burger very quickly.
It looks like the menu is very similar to the one I enjoyed years ago, so the following is based on my recollections of these dishes. Based on what I had recently, I’m assuming that the quality and execution of these dishes are similar.
Even as a long time vegetarian, I’m not a fan of potato french fries, but I do love sweet potato fries and I consider The Brick’s version to be one of the best in Kansas City. My go-to sandwich is their Grilled Portabella Mushroom sandwich. Their fries, nachos and other bar appetizers are good. An interesting sandwich worth trying is the Apple Butter & Brie. Sounds kind of fancy-pants, but this format curiously fits the bar bistro vibe.
I don’t drink alcohol, but years ago I spent some hours at the Brick’s bar. Hung out before shows, got dinner with friends, and stopped in for the vibe. The bar’s service is usually top notch. Plenty of drink options and good beers on tap. I used to get dinner at The Brick on First Fridays.
The Brick has long been one of Kansas City’s best venues for live music. I’ve seen nearly two dozen shows here. The focus is usually on local bands and musicians, but I recall seeing more than a few touring acts. The Brick has been a venue as part of the Crossroads Music Fest and (possibly) The Middle of the Map Fest.
The Brick is more like a mid-size indie venue, but they have long been very aggressive in booking music on most nights. It looks like their music nights are less frequent than before the pandemic, so check their website and social media for the latest music schedule.
The Brick has daily lunch and dinner specials and “Brickfast” on Saturdays. My recent visit happened to be Burger Night, which turned out to be a great deal.
The Brick was featured on a 2010 episode of “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” titled “Wings, Dogs and Claws.”
1727 McGee St, Kansas City, MO 64108
https://www.thebrickkc.com/
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