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- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 11 pm
Sun 12 pm - 8 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Sun, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
34 reviews for Anthony's Restaurant & Lounge
Review Highlights
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"It's a very old-school Italian family kind of place." In 7 reviews -
"...serves up a fried chicken special (three GIANT pieces) with..." In 2 reviews -
"We always get the veal and chicken; both are delicious." In 2 reviews
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34 reviews in English
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Review from Reed N.
2/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
Man the reviews are hit and miss for this place.
First... we had wonderful service and server. He was all over it without being over the top.
The salad was iceberg, romaine, and spinach. The dressing was said to be homemade. I actually like it okay. The croutons seems to be homemade as well.
We had a shrimp linguini alfredo special that had the shrimp bumped up a notch. I think they added some shrimp stock to the white sauce... just a touch. It was AWESOME. You better like shrimp, though! lol
The eggplant parm order was due to Joi's review. You have to go with a NYC Italian on these matters, trust me. I like the sweetness of the red sauce because there was an underlying meatiness to it. It reminded me of my aunt Bee's meatball marinara... so it was familiar and warming to me. I agree with Joi, though... more brownness on the cheese please... and where is my tin boat a.k.a. serving dish that will brand your fingers if you touch it? lol The eggplant under the sauce and cheese was tasty breaded goodness.
Anthony's is a throwback place. I like that. Elegant yet casual. Old school. But still decent food. I mean... do you really want to eat at Olive Garden? Really?? : ) -
Review from Elaine F.
Overland Park, KS
5/13/2012
Four of us went to Anthony's on 5/4/2012. I have been wanting to go for a very long time because Italian food is my favorite. It was a very disappointing experience. The service was average at best-I could deal with that if the food had been better. When I have to ask for more ice tea, coffee, etc. it makes me very cranky. It also took a long time for the food to arrive considering we came early and there was not a big crowd.
The salad was on a tiny plate, so when you try to take a bite a bunch goes onto the table. The salad was a C at best. I had pasta with meatballs. When it came I was astounded that the sauce was orange. I have never seen anything like that-it must have had cream in it. The taste was just fair. Three out of four of us were disappointed. The chicken marsala was rated 3 on a scale of 10 by one of my friends.
To top it off the place was not clean. That is always a turn off in a restaurant. Give me Cascone's any day. -
Review from Troy D.
4/21/2012 3 Check-ins Here
I want to like Anthony's. I really do. I really really really do. I just can't like it as much as I want to.
Let's start with the atmosphere -- if you wanted to go to "standard Italian restaurant", this is it. Pink, dimly light place with old school standards playing and a cigarette machine (the kind with knobs) in the front.
The service during my last visit was awesome; we had a bunch of different challenges for the gal (Groupon + split checks + requests with our meals), and she handled them phenomenally -- and even relayed a story about an inappropriate Halloween costume.
So why not give this place 5 stars? The food is... adequate, at best. Every time I go, I think there's something good there I can try, and every time, I'm a little disappointed. The pasta tends to be a little peppery, and on my last visit, the chicken in my entree had an "off" flavor. That's not something you want to say about chicken.
This place is the newest on my list of "places I'd go with a discount, but probably not anytime else." 3 stars on Yelp! equals "A-OK", and that's about what this place gets. -
Review from Stephen H.
Overland Park, KS
4/15/2012
I feel really conflicted writing this review. The evening had started so promisingly and ended so oddly. All I can do is restate the facts of the case to you.
All Yelpers know that part of our decision-making process in trying a new place is reading reviews. However, Anthony's had been on my "list" for a long time simply because of its history. Any restaurant that has been around for 37 years is a place I want to go to. I didn't need to read the reviews when almost anyone I asked about Anthony's said, "Don't bother - it's lost its mojo" So, I went in "blind" not having read the Yelps before going.
I arrived to a happening joint. It was later in the evening on a Friday, and the crowd at the bar were having a great time and the restaurant was packed. They noted my reservation for 9:15, which I had made on OpenTable. I'll come back to this at the end.
We were seated in a booth and looked at a great menu. Soft, warm bread arrived with butter. Having forgotten to eat for most of the day I dug in and wasted no time in ordering an appetizer of eggplant parm and some garlic bread. I also got a bottle of Italian Pinot Noir. Our server was great, things were going well.
And then our entrees arrived. It was horrifying. My friend and I looked down to pasta that was just slopped on a plate and covered in red sauce. I could hear Bob Garniere from "Band of Brothers" looking down and saying, "this is an Insult to Italians everywhere. This looks like noodles with ketchup." Truth is, we never got to taste the presented-like-a-cafeteria dishes...because...THEY WEREN'T OUR DISHES. They belonged to the table next to us. Our waitress came back with our dishes which were....just as disappointingly presented.
As we drove home I asked her if I was being unfair. "No," she said. "Didn't you say that that was perhaps the best cannoli you've had south of the River?" Indeed I had. I was musing on the bad entree for so long that I had forgotten that the made-in-house filling and the made-around-the-corner shells combined to be a beautiful symphony of deliciousness. I would tie the cannoli here with Cucina di Mamma in Brookside for best south of the River. Wonderful and perfect.
Okay.
I think that the reason I'm willing to come back to Anthony's at some point in the future is to give it one more shot. While I find it hugely unlikely that a kitchen that has so little pride it is willing to send shit out like what landed on our table...twice...as entrees...will actually fire on all cylinders at another given random time - a dear friend of mine - an Italian - loves this place and I'm willing to come back with her and her husband sometime. But I eat out a lot and my suspicion is this: no passion. They are coasting on a momentum built over 4 decades. That's why I had such an uneven, inconsistent experience. That's why the Yelp reviews are ALL over the place. When people care and there is passion - you see consistency. Period.
PS If you want to hook up with a guido/guidette, this is the place to do it. I'm pretty sure that this is an alumni-approved hangout of St. Pius X HS.
PPS There is a traditional Sicilian salad of tomato, onion, and garlic. Be prepared for it to have a lot of onion. And don't think you're going to make out with anyone afterwards, but you can probably kill any vampires within a 5 foot radius.
PPPS They "cancelled" my OpenTable reservation right after I showed up for it. I didn't find out until I got home. Frequent diner secret: they pay $1 for each person on the reservation so "cancelling" my reservation after I showed up saved them $2, but cost me 100 points which I like to earn. NOT classy. With my experience as bad as it was overall, I'm not likely to believe it was an "accident."Listed in: No soy Americano...just…
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Review from Ashley Q.
Higginsville, MO
5/26/2012
Amazing is the only word to describe this place! A friend and I found it by accident and walked in to a smile, quick and friendly service and great food. Oh, and if you like tiramisu at all, they will spoil you with it! Best I've ever had and trust me I've had plenty! My friend had their cake and said it was just like what his grandmother used to make (she's Italian!). The menu is authentic and diverse so no matter what your style and taste you're bound to find something amazing!!
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Review from Lung T.
Kansas City, MO
5/18/2012
Finally a good linguini with clams!!!! Best in Kansas city...atmosphere is old school Italian with excellent service....calamari is a little crunchy but good...marinara sauce is sweet and tasty!, the pork appetizer is awesome!!
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Review from Beth B.
3/25/2012
I came here for a work function and we were a large party in the back room. It took a while for us to get served once we sat down. They provided salads that looked kind of like the prebagged Dole salads, but the Italian dressing was really good. For the main course, we didn't get to order off the menu, but were provided with bowls of spaghetti with meat sauce and fettucini alfredo with chicken, served family style. The spaghetti sauce was sweet with a little kick afterwards. Not my favorite sauce. The fettucini alfredo was good and the sauce had a nice flavor and was not too thick.
This is definitely an old school Italian-American restaurant. I would not make a trip downtown to eat here, but if I wanted Italian when I was already downtown, I might go here again. -
Review from Amy E.
11/5/2011
I thought we were going to like this place when we first walked in. It's an old-school-looking Italian-American restaurant of a certain kind. The way they appeared (or so I would imagine) in the 1950's. Dark, no windows, low ceiling, lots of red, with "Italian" prints on the wall. A bar along one wall looks like something out of Goodfellas. Great, I thought, we are in for some authentic Italian-American food. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out that way.
I ordered the Chicken Mogu, while sweetie ordered the Chicken Spedini. Bread came out first. The bread was warm (very good!), but the butter was ice cold, and thus not spreadable in the least (not so good). Then the salads arrived. Typical, forgettable salads. A little heap of lettuce with one grape tomato and a few croutons. Eh. But I wasn't expecting much of the bread or salads. I was waiting in happy expectation for the meals.
The Chicken Mogu. Not good. At all. It consisted of two pieces of breast meat that had been pounded to less than 1/4" thickness, and then overcooked to dry toughness. As for the sauce ladled over the top, it was embarrassing. I can only describe it this way. You know the store brand "Italian" dressing that can be found at any grocery? The kind that is clear with a yellowish cast, with little bits of "garlic" and other, unidentifiable specks of stuff suspended in it? The kind that is slightly and weirdly gelatinous? That is like what was poured (and at room temperature) over the chicken. In fact, I don't think it is similar to the Mogu sauce. I think that is exactly what the Mogu sauce was. Cheap, ersatz, prefab, weird dressing. Bleck.
As for the Chicken Spedini, the chicken itself was cooked well. Pieces of white meat had been deep-fried, and were crisp on the outside and juicy within. The sauce, however, that glazed the plate beneath the chicken pieces, was as prefab and ersatz as the Mogu sauce. Not appetizing in the least.
Each meal came with a side of spaghetti with red sauce. The spaghetti was over-cooked and nearly room temperature, while the red sauce had no flavor whatsoever. I've had better sauce out of a jar.
The prices were high, I thought, for the lunches served (even if they had been decent). About $10 for the Chicken Mogu, and about $12 for the Chicken Spedinni. There was a fair amount of food, overall, I suppose, but nothing that we would want to eat again. -
Review from Charley B.
Kansas City, KS
12/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
Anthony's is one of my favorite restaurants because of its atmosphere. Entering the restaurant is like walking back in time to a classic era, one full of sophistication, intrigue and even a little danger, like Kansas City of yesteryear.
The dining room and lounge are dimly lit to provide a more intimate atmosphere at your table (and to possibly make one guess who you are seated with.) Old lounge songs are piped in to give the room a jovial, yet laid back feel.
The food is 100% Italian. I started off with the fried mozarella, which lasted about five minutes. I had a Pollo au Provolone for my dinner, which was cooked so it was nice and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
I will say, service at times can be a little spotty and the food can take its time coming out of the kitchen. Tonight though everything was perfect. My server was quick and attentive and my entree was straight out of the oven.
If you're going to be around downtown Kansas City and want a dining experience with a little nostalgia, this is the place for you. -
Review from Zach W.
Lawrence, KS
4/16/2012
I have nothing bad to say about this place, the food is amazing and the service is pretty swell. I try and eat here at least once a month to get my Italian fix. I would recommend it to anyone.
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Review from Renee M.
Lees Summit, MO
2/15/2012
Had Valentine's Day dinner at Anthony's last night. My first time there, but my boyfriend is a frequenter, I suppose. Love the place. Not real impressive from the outside, but inside it's kind of like what you would see in an old gangster movie. Old Italy. Dark, dimly lit, Italian-esque paintings. It's eclectic.
We had the option of ordering from the regular menu, or the special V-Day menu, and opted to do our own thing. Bread came out nice and warm and soft. It's nothing to brag about, but just good. Our waitress made a great wine recommendation that we both enjoyed. House salads were good. We ordered the traditional lasagna and the tortellini de carlo (cheese tortellini with alfredo, ham, mushrooms, peas). Kind of sharing both plates. They were both delicious. I will say, I like my red sauce a bit sweet, but not everyone does. The sauce on the lasagna was quite sweet, but we liked it. Too stuffed to try any dessert, but maybe next time.
Service was excellent, atmosphere was cozy, plenty of Sinatra coming out of the speakers. We enjoyed ourselves and had a great night, and will definitely be going back. -
Review from Nancy K.
7/14/2011
Just the thought of Anthony's makes me smile. A surprise date a few years before we were married brought this indescribable restaurant into our lives. Now, let me try to describe it. :)
Sadly, for over a year, they have not had the lounge singer, who was, in a few words, distinctly Italian. I miss him.
As you can recall, last Saturday, it was hot! So a groupon and a need for hot comfort food apparently led us to hang in the bar. Luckily, the air conditioning was also broken that evening, or as we were told, it was "Re-setting." That poor bartender, I couldn't believe there was much left of him.
The people watching or 'neighborhood channel' that evening was spectacular, with us making up stories of what most likely these "businessmen" do for a living. Oh! and the LADIES! They could film "The Real Italian Housewives of Kansas City," here. It was amazing and their was a Cougar Convention in the backroom.
The food is so comforting. It is totally things we could make at home but what would be the fun of that? I had the cheese ravioli with ham, peas and mushrooms and J had the chicken scallopini. Everything was just fine but the bread always makes me laugh. It is literally just that loaf of Roma you can find at the grocery store. The husb, loves it though so we always get it. As far as my dish goes, who can go wrong with those three things? It's comforty...mmmmmmm. And the Scallopini is always a good choice, if you like their sauce. Both entree's were huge!
I encourage everyone who lives in this city to go at least once. It somehow feels immediately like what old Kansas City must have been. -
Review from Angie S.
7/13/2011
A truly hidden jem! I felt as though I turned Italian just walking through the door. The staff informed us that some of them have been there over 20 years. Don't judge a book by it's cover, because this book has a lot to offer. There isn't much seating, so call in advance or go during the week days if you want to make sure your wait time wont be long.
We asked the waiter on what he suggested, and he was very spot on with what we liked. I suggest an app the share, and even though it is tempting - don't fill up on the bread!
A great restaurant to experience, even if it is one time. -
Review from Andrew H.
Lees Summit, MO
7/14/2011
I thought this place was alright. Here's why...
Pros:
1) Our waiter was friendly and apologetic when our appetizers took a while to get cooked. He also was good about suggesting entrees.
2)The meal was pretty good in general. The spumoni was especially good with the rum sauce.
Cons:
1) My pasta was slightly overcooked but not disgustingly.
2) The ambience was a little much for my tastes. The tint of red light they used to fill the place just kind of annoyed me (but to each his own...).
Final Thoughts: My family enjoyed this place a bit more than me, so I will probably be back. Hopefully they blow me away next time! -
Review from Joi B.
Whaaaat? I could have sworn I was in Brooklyn or Queens on Saturday night. Reality check: nope. Still in Downtown KCMO.
Anthony's is astonishing in its late 70s Italian (American) restaurant (& lounge!) authenticity. In fact, I was so hit with nostalgia at the very sight of this place that I was determined to love whatever they put in front of me. It is identical in decor and vibe to dozens of restaurants I used to go when I was growing up. I practically teared up, I kid you not.
Let's see...
-"porcelain" busts-check
-over the top mural of venice-check
-carpeting throughout the bar and lounge-check
-lots o' Leonardo -check
-red vinyl restaurant chairs-check
-older clientele and families-check
Ambiance= 5 stars (looooove the pink overhead lights!)
Food= 3 stars...I'd be a lot tougher on it if I were in New York. For starters, Anthony's sauce is very sweet and this is a personal taste thing, but I cannot stand sugar in any kind of tomato sauce. I ordered the eggplant parm. The eggplant was perfect. The cheese needs to be well done though! It came with a curious side of tiny shells that look like they'd be better suited to yellow cheese sauce on them instead. Marcaroni &...marinara? The side kind of needs to be linguine or spaghetti. Small quibbles, as the portion is large enough that you hardly need a side of anything. Don't mind me, Anthony's. I'm just intent on reliving an experience, that's all. You've got the ambiance down pat, which is really the main thing for me!
Note: I am still on the hunt for any place in KC that does eggplant parm proper- in the shallow metal tin. It's just the way it has to be! But until I find such a place, I will return to Anthony's Restaurant & Lounge and leave humming to myself, "thanks for the memories..."Listed in: My Favorite Reviews, Italian Food US, Italian Food, KC Metro
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Review from albert c.
Northridge, CA
6/12/2011
You ever heard of lasagna with Kool-Aid meat sauce before?! Me neither!
I'm only visiting Missouri and dont know if this how Italian is done here, but LULA MAY BABY BOY this was bbleechh!
So I went of the recommendation of the hostess, who was friendly, to get the lasagna. Then went off the recommendation of the waiter to get the meat sauce, sausage, and meatball. Ok, things are going well.
Then things start to get a little slow...about 20 to 25 min wait. Ok, a wait is acceptable if the food is good.
Lasagna finally appeared. I tried the sauce first and thought someone poured a bunch of sugar in here! Then it got spicy. This is the italian version of sweet and sour sauce.
The meatball was something else. That thing was microwaved quick. Complete watery mush inside. The sweet sauce did not help out the flavor either.
The sausage was the same. Mush! That dang sauce was on it too.
Dont know if this is a normal thing with the place, but I would suggest someone to go to Olive Garden before coming here. And it'll probably be cheaper if not the same. -
Review from Ken B.
10/20/2010 ROTD 2/6/2011
Who doesn't look good in pink lighting? No one. This place is gorgeous in all of its beautifully tacky, old school, pink lighting charming ways. It has a 70's lounge, dark wood, oil painting, dusty grape bunches kind of feel to it. I love that. The staff is either young family members bussing tables or loyal employees from decades past that seem to run this place. Huge 5 stars on the decor and environment in my love of tacky opinion.
The food, well maybe 3 stars. The bread is the,( why do I love this bread so much) soft, white with sesame seeds type of Italian bread. The salads are ice cold old school iceberg lettuce salads. The pasta sauce is the sweet red sauce variety. There are mediocre to good things to have off this menu. It's the kind of place that if you grew up going here, you probably have your favorite dish, authentic or not, that you crave every now and again. It is what it is. I think we can all find that dish or two that we love for whatever reason and that alone should bring you back to Anthony's. That and the decor, definitely the decor! -
Review from Thomas A.
Kansas City, KS
Updated - 2/29/2012
Two of our gal-pals invited us out for a Groupon-fueled, feeding orgy, so we hopped in the Caddy and tooled on over to Anthony's this past Tuesday night. I absolutely adore, the homey, friendly, neighborhood atmosphere here! It is always a delight to come to Anthony's and be greeted at the door, seated promptly and the servers are always so attentive and polite. Truly, these young people (and some not so young) are the epitome of excellent service. I can't say enough for the way Anthony's genuinely treats their customers like they truly appreciate the patronage. Anyhoo, one of our gal-pals ordered some chicken livers with marinara sauce as an appetizer and they were so delicious my mouth is watering now, just reminiscing about them. Crunchy on the outsdie and tender and flavorful on the inside. One of our gal-pals ordered the shrimp diavolo. The sauce was slighly creamy, rich and with a nice bite to it. With 8 large shrimp, delicious! The other gal-pal had a seafood pasta that I did not get to try but it looked nice. My dining companion had Pasta Anthony with enormous meatballs. I didn't get to sample that either but I noticed the bowl was empty at the end of dinner. I ordered Vitello Piselli con Fungi but we ditched the Piselli (peas...can't stand 'em). This is how these servers are so cool. I mentioned sadly that I wish I could have the Vitello (veal) without Piselli (peas). The server immediately informed me that he could have the dinner prepared without peas. Wow! Fab! So, out came a large dish with two nice pieces of breaded veal with mozzarella cheese melted on top, placed over a nice splash of marinara. The veal was supremely tender, easily cut with a fork, and seasoned heavenly! The meal came with choice of potato or pasta and I opted for the shell pasta. Oh, what an orgasmic combo of flavors, textures and pure taste sensation! We also ordered a delightful bottle of Chianti Quercetto (I probably have the exact name wrong.) and my gosh this wine went perfectly with our dinner. It was nicely dry with out being puckeringly dry. It had a smokey, oakey flavor without the aftertaste. Excellent! The ladies had spumoni for dessert but we were full as ticks and decided not to have dessert. Listen up y'all. This is about as good as the small, family-owned and run Italian joints in KC gets. It remains and excellent dining experience and I hope to be able to visit Anthony's for many years to come. You cannot go wrong here and if there is an issue, let the servers know. They will take care of it to your satisfaction. Trust!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/12/2011
We made a new friend this weekend and so we jumped in the Caddy and skeedaddled on over to Armour… Read more »
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Review from Christopher Thomas B.
Lees Summit, MO
1/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
At Anthony's the charm almost makes up for the missteps.
Like you've heard before, Anthony's prides itself on service. This place feels old school, and you can tell by the clientele that it IS old school.
You go to Anthony's to reminisce. To talk about the way things used to be. Back when people actually dressed up to go out, and diners could linger for an hour after their plates were cleared. In this way, Anthony's is far from your average chain.
In terms of the food, let's just say the charm and ambience does a decent job of compensating. Your salad is run-of-the-mill---as in the dole bag salad production mill. In choice between quality and quantity, the latter wins, though the price tag suggests otherwise.
On a recent trip, I tasted my pollo provolene accompanying pasta and let my date have a bite.
"What does that taste like to you?" I quizzed.
"Spaghettios?"
Can't fool a former kid's palate.
So if better-than-average service and 1985 italian throwback is your thing---and you could care less what osso bucco is--head on over to Anthony's. -
Review from David A.
10/11/2010 4 Check-ins Here
Is that a dinosaur or a chicken breast? Hard to tell! Come on Sunday and find out (Fried Chicken special).
Great friendly service. Interesting artwork that remind me of a 1970's Italian restaurant/lounge. Italian salad dressing with black pepper hit the spot. Nice soft warm bread. Linguine with sweet red sauce and a huge serving of fried chicken all for $13 and we brought home more than half!
I wonder if they have less expensive smaller quantity lunch menus. I can't wait to come back! You may have some initial sticker shock at the price, but remember it's 2 or 3 meals there. Huge portions!
You'd think it was a dive if you drove or walked by it, but it's quite good size inside and has a wonderful menu and great staff.
Of note, we know they have a few tables outside, so asked if we could bring our dog and and they said they don't serve food outside :( -
Review from Katie D.
Kansas City, MO
7/27/2010
Classic. This is about as close to Italy as you'll get in the midwest. Although we all know that I'm a loyal Accurso's fan, I love the old school charm and vibe of Anthony's with their dark plush couches, tacky Italian decor, and dimly lit interior--it's like you're living in a scene from The Godfather.
This place is truly old school. All dark haired Italian men working, older clientele eating and mingling at the bar, and Frank Sinatra cranked up over the speakers. Our server was the only male worker under the age of 40 working and whew!--what a little Italian Stallion he was. Sorry, just had to through that out there.
The atmosphere of Anthony's is great. Like aforementioned, it's an older crowd full of regulars that the bartender knows by name. Everyone is loud and happy. When we were there, they were also hosting their monthly Ladies Night Out charity event, where they host about a billion different local jewelry vendors and all the gals can roam the jewelry while sipping cocktails and swapping stories. I opted out of meandering the jewelry displays although the host took the initiative to sit us right next to all the displays anyways, so I was constantly getting knocked in the head with bulging Versace purses of the women passing by.
Every food dish is loaded with garlic. Everything. Had my first experience with escargot at Anthony's. I was terrified to try it, just terrified. But thanks to their overly apparent love for garlic, it wasn't half bad. The snails were tender, and served without their shells. They tasted extremely salty--like fresh salt water. They were swimming in a pool of garlic butter that helped reduce the taste their saltiness, and they came with a side of garlic bread to top off with the snails.
During the course of our escargot, we ran out of bread. A very loud, flamboyant man walked by dressed in a grease stained t-shirt, jeans, and lots of jewelry--leave it to the jewelry vendors. He glances down and notices that we're out bread. In a very loud, strong, Italian tone he yells to our server, "Hey Fraannkkie, why ain't they got bread, eh? Go get da' bread for dem!" Then he smiles to us and says, "Don't cha' just loooovvee my bracelets? I just bought them!". And then he saunters off. Priceless.
I order their Artichoke Chicken for dinner and it was heavy on the garlic. Imagine that. The chicken was slightly over cooked, leaving it dry and tough. It was loaded with artichoke hearts, garlic, and pepper. It came served with a house salad and side of pasta. The salad tasted and looked like it was straight from a bag of Dole lettuce. My friend ordered their Veal Eggplant which is disturbing to even think about since it's baby cow meat (while I sit over here and eat chicken. I'm such a hypocrite) and he enjoyed it, although he did mention that it was heavy on the garlic and over cooked. He slices me off a slab and shoves it in my face asking me if I want a bite of his baby moo-moo. How rude.
Anthony's was a very memorable experience. I'd love to go back. The food was decent and thankfully I do love me some garlic, or else I'd probably have issues with the place. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for an out of the ordinary Italian place to eat. It's very welcoming and once you hear Franky blaring over the radio, you immediate feel at home. -
Review from Michelle M.
Kansas City, MO
9/10/2011
I had the worst experienced at Anthony's. The waitress was unfriendly, rude and unpleasant. My food turned out to be very bland. My boyfriend agreed that my spaghetti is better than what we had at Anthony's. The waitress did not address my concerns. I left Anthony's with a hungry belly.
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Review from Dan D.
7/26/2010 1 Check-in Here
Here is the biggest issue I have here, pasta and red sauce take no time to dish and serve. The problem is this place has a massive issue in the kitchen with prioritizing how to get tables of 1-4 out before parties of 12-20.
My girlfriend and I went over the weekend and we walked in around 5:15 sat for about 10 minutes before we were greeted by our waiter, nice guy didn't seem to aware of time though.
Ordered our appetizer which was fried mozzarella got to our table 19 minutes later. Having worked in the service industry this is maybe a 5 minute from order to delivery type of item. To the waiters credit it came out hot and well presented.
Bread basket came with good thick cut bread, with rock hard butter. This is a small pet peeve of mine, butter for bread should be served soft this is day 1 stuff.
Salad were next, not bad and served very cold, good job.
Then we waited and waited and waited. Got our food about 40 minutes after our salad plates were taken away. This is unacceptable anywhere but especially a place where you are serving pasta and pre-made red sauce. Ravioli and Spaghetti take no more than 9 minutes to cook from scratch, 40 minutes for two plates just won't do.
Another thing that I could not allow was the fact that a regular came in sat down and was served his food within 10 minutes of arrival with service that actually came and talked to him. If our server said 50 words to us the entire evening I would be shocked. Not to mention he was completely aware of the fact that we were getting upset with the wait. No manager came over to see how everything was if we were satisfied with our service/dinner.
Let's face it this place has the ability to be great but since they have shown no interest in making sure guests are happy this place is off my list forever. DO NOT GO HERE, is my recommendation. -
Review from jennifer j.
Kansas City, MO
I live in River Market and I have been curious about this place for years. It always seemed so mysterious. No windows, you never see patrons coming or going and I don't have any friends who have tried it out.
After a long First Friday exhibition, we took a vote and all felt up for something new. The exterior reminds me of most of the restaurants in Phoenix. Sketch on the outside, but all the money is spent inside. In this case, I don't think they have spent any money on the interior recently, but at one time they did. It was just as I had imagined. The red glow, mirrored walls, Italian murals, old school group at the bar, lounge singer and an Italian menu that the Midwest loves.
Lounge singer, Frank Cherrito was performing when we arrived. It was nice background, but every half our it seemed to get a little louder. At the end of our meal, we couldn't even hear each other over "New York, New York." There was a Lonnie Anderson double that was filling in on duets and she was really getting the bar area rolling. A lot of customers were coming in just to drink at the bar.
We started with the fried calamari, which was perfectly fried and tender. My entree was chicken spinidini, which was also fried (but didn't say it on the menu) and came in a thin olive oil sauce. The spindini was decent, but the pasta that came on the side had a thin & watery tomato sauce. Most of the sauce rested at the bottom, so it was hard to get any flavor unless you used a spoon.
The service was very attentive and quick. Waitstaff used teamwork to get things done and that is always impressive.
You know what? It is met my expectations. Anthony's is not pretending to be something it is not. It is straight forward with old school charm on the side. Think Garazzo's with added character and more attention to the customer. There is a reason that this place has been in business downtown for over 31 years.
I am not even going to try and color correct my photos of Anthony's, because this is part of the experience that is Anthony's. Do you remember the Sinfield Kenny Rogers Rotisserie episode?
Apparently, Anthony's does a fried chicken night on Sundays? I think that is worth another trip. -
Review from Farah A.
Princeton, NJ
3/21/2010
I really liked this place. It's a very old-school Italian family kind of place. If you're looking for an urban and trendy restaurant this is not it. It was dimly lit with a traditional flowery, dark and plush decor. Seeing the tables-for-two immediately put a picture of the lady and the tramp spaghetti-sharing scene. This place has a really warm feeling and it has character.
I went with a few friends for a late night dinner. The servers and staff were very attentive, amenable to slight food changes, and great about checking in to see if they were okay. Ask the staff for recommendations if the menu seems a bit varied; they know what they're talking about. The food is seriously old-fashioned Italian and delicious. The red cream sauce is the regulars' favorite and the house Italian dressing is fresh and delightful.
The portions are big and I liked how they took your plate into the kitchen, put it in a box and saran-wrapped it tightly for you to take home. I hate slopping pasta into a box on the table you're sitting at. The espresso and desert were good too and it all just felt really comfortable. As we left the whole staff and owner all thanked us for coming with big smiles and waves goodbye like we were old friends. This restaurant is down-to-earth and welcoming. I think Olive Garden should relinquish the "When you're here, you're family" slogan and give it to Anthony's! -
Review from AJ G.
Overland Park, KS
4/3/2011
Anthony's is not really an Italian restaurant. It's an old-school Italian-American restaurant, purveying food that, on one hand, might be considered to be upholding the tradition, and on the other hand might just be tired and uninspired. The look and feel of the place is familiar to anyone who has visited mom-and-pop Italian restaurants in Brooklyn, Long Island or South Philadelphia: painted murals with generic images of the old country on the wall, framed pictures of Italian notables (although, inexplicably, there is a head shot of Paul Prudhomme...I wonder if they confused him with someone else?), dark paneling. The tables are topped with woodgrain formica, the dishes generic, and the flatware cheap, stamped metal and well used, not unlike your high school cafeteria. Frank Sinatra croons on an incessant loop. The crowd seems local, older, and quite happy -- probably not the type who would be reading reviews on Yelp.
I found the best thing about the restaurant to be the perfume of garlic and tomato that greets you at the door and suffuses the dining room. Alas, it promises flavor that is not delivered on the plate. The plates are brought by staff that is reasonably professional and friendly, who circulate frequently and are anxious to spoon grated parmesan on virtually anything. Bland melted mozzerella hiding something underneath is a theme here, as is sides of pasta with disappointingly thin and insipid marinara sauce. Veal scaloppine, available in various guises, is rubbery. Chicken and fish are creatively seasoned with salt, pepper and a bit of oregano, and are presented on an otherwise empty plate in a puddle of oil that is probably meant to compensate for being overcooked and dry.
In other parts of the country, Italian-American menus like this are prepared with love by mothers and grandmothers who still staff and supervise the kitchens: it has flavor and delight. Kansas City must be lacking in Italian grandmothers; I can't imagine any in the kitchen at Anthony's -- only a series of unskilled short order cooks trying to follow recipes for which they have no feel.
You might think of Anthony's as the type of place that people went to in the middle of the 20th century, before they learned about freshness, creativity, flavor, and quality. If you are in the mood for something of a living museum, then this might be the place. Otherwise, you might do best by standing in the doorway, inhaling a lungful of that delicious scent, and then seeking a good meal elsewhere. -
Review from Cathy C.
7/26/2007
Kind of a working man's Garozzo's or Cascone's. But nothing wrong with that, especially the food, and the fact that we got a table without waiting on a Saturday night!
The seafood in my daughter's Pasta Putanesca really tasted like seafood-not overcooked or overseasoned, but full of flavor. I wanted Vodka Penne, which they didn't offer, but the Ravioli Serrone with wine and red pepper just got better and better! Throw in a glass of chianti and Dino and Frank in the background, and you've got yourself a FINE meal! -
Review from David M.
6/27/2011
Great to go back to a different time. Sauce is sweet and nice. Service is good. Ambience is really dated but cool. We go every now and then. Never disappointed. Owners are great!
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Review from Angela A.
Shawnee, KS
6/13/2011 2 Check-ins Here
My dad kept raving about the fried chicken special at this Italian place called Anthony's so off we went on a Sunday afternoon to check it out. He was right to rave. Every Sunday and Monday, Anthony's Restaurant and Lounge serves up a fried chicken special (three GIANT pieces) with your choice of side (pasta, eggplant permesan or baked potato). Take your cholesterol pills and eat up! Soooo yummy! And we had a lovely waitress named Gina who was very kind, funny and attentive. In summary, the food was great, the service warm and professional, the ambience "classic KC Italian" (don't ask me to explain that- it is what it is). I absolutely plan to go back to try out the Italian food next. :)
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Review from Brittney H.
Prairie Village, KS
11/18/2010
Nothing spectacular. I probably won't go back.
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Review from Heather K.
Kansas City, MO
8/2/2008
Meh. I've eaten here twice.
I think the owner's brother must have an imitation crab business or something. I've never seen such use of fake crab rolls. I'm not one to snub imitation crab, I've even snacked on sticks of it like string cheese, but I think there is a place for it and the place isn't in a huge mound on top of a steak smothered in butter juice that you pay twenty bucks for. Okay, so this wasn't MY dish, and no, I didn't try it. I had the cheese ravioli and artichoke. The "seafod" stuffed artichoke, which was awful, and mostly consisted of breadcrumbs and ten pounds of fake crab tubes. With a little shrimp. You couldn't even eat the artichoke itself. It was way overcooked, and even the heart on the inside wasn't good and had a funny hairy texture I've never had in an artichoke before. It was like french kissing a mountain man. Who just ate ten pounds of fake crab.
The cheese raviolis and house salad were good, and the vegetable lasagna was decent but very dry. They have great eggplant parmesan loaded with cheese.
Who decorated this place? Last night I went for a friend's birthday and sat in the back room reserved for parties. And then I realized... this must've been a mexican restaurant before it became Anthony's. And they never redecorated. Maybe they're waiting for their fake crab side business to pan out and plan to use some of the profits to paint over the aztec theme in that room.
The service was great! But I think one of our waiters, who was too young to get me a beer, was selling cigarettes out of the back of the restaurant off his bike. You can see this from the rear windows in the Mexican room.
On a side note, I learned something really cool about downtown KC last night. As I was sitting outside listening to the Jackyl concert ("How the hell can you NOT play the chainsaw?") a few blocks away at the rivermarket, the sound bounces all over the huge buildings and it sounds like it's coming from EVERYWHERE. It's really cool, actually! -
Review from annie t.
Shawnee Mission, KS
7/17/2008
This is such a romantic and old-school place to kick back with a glass of red wine and some major carbs. We always get the veal and chicken; both are delicious. I can't say enough about the atmosphere; it feels like you're dining out on Sopranos and you're cool enough to actually be in the know about a place like this. The wait-staff is friendly and to the point, and they are always willing to please. The food is great; you can take your parents there or go on a date...we haven't taken the kids yet but I wouldn't be completely against it. It's just more of a date-spot to us. I've seen teenages on their way to prom dining there, lots of cute older couples, and lots of cool normal people like myself! You don't have to be dressed up to come here, but you can feel comfortable in your fancy clothes too. They have a nice strong drink and dim lights, which is always a nice combo!
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Review from brandon J.
Kansas City, MO
3/18/2010
Not upperscale service. Poor quality food therefore we left without eating and the manger didn't provide any type of service
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Review from Katy L.
Jefferson City, MO
7/26/2011
Walking into Anthony's is like stepping back in time, in a very good way. It is my favorite place in KC to eat. The food is delicious and the ambiance and service are great. I always get the spaghetti and meatballs and some Chianti and I can't describe how happy it makes me.
