Papu's Cafe — Restaurant in Kansas City

A restaurant that seems to have completed the life cycle of a local favorite.

When I first went here seven or eight years ago I remember it being a charming experience. It was family run and you could see the owner right there in the kitchen. You knew he was the owner from the newspaper clippings hung on the wall by the counter touting the restaurant’s beloved status. The interior was a nostalgic throwback and you could see the food prepared right in front of you. In a gas station. It was fun.

But little by little Papu’s has worn out its charm. The prices crept up, but the food got worse. The staff I recognized slowly disappeared, orders got lost, waiting time went up, and food got cold. But that’s the price you pay to support local family owned business I thought. So I kept going. Until today.

When I called in my order only for it to get lost. When I got to the restaurant only to wait 25 minutes after ordering again. When I told the staff four times what I had ordered and watched as two other people who came in after me were served. When I finally left and was followed to my car by two staff members where they forcibly held the door to my car open and berated me.

The problem? They wanted to be paid. The other problem? I had already paid. 25 minutes earlier. I had paid the same staff member who handed me my food eventually. The same one who presumably lost my order. Who asked repeatedly what I had ordered.

And now the owner from the newspaper clipping had followed me to my car and is threatening me. Papu’s is like that newspaper clipping which is still on the wall, yellowed and faded. It’s also no longer a small local family owned business. It’s now a franchise with multiple locations.

So I might as well go to Meddys. The cost of a Hummus Stacked Bowl there is $12.99. The cost at Papu’s? $10.99 and disappointment at what...

I’ve tried Papu’s 2 times, once in 2020 and again today. Both times, the girl at the counter met my eyes right away and said hello. Both times, I ordered the gyro sandwich and a side of hummus. The hummus is traditional - chickpeas, tahini, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. Cucumber, olives and feta cheese on the side to mix in.It’s served with a rolled up pita. I think it’s great - hummus is versatile and can be flavored in a million ways - some of the reviews seem to have a flavor expectation in mind rather than enjoying the way Papu’s makes theirs. Use salt if you want, it’s that easy. I prefer mine how Papu’s makes it. The gyro…omg. Tender, perfect meat with big flavor. It’s huge too. Seriously, it’s wonderful. They make your food upon ordering, also very cool. I got a chance to speak to the owner today while I was waiting - he’s very interesting and works likes mad as they now have a location in Independence. The gas station location is legit - it doesn’t have a “limited” menu like 1 reviewer observed. It’s a tiny cafe in a gas station, the menu size is perfect and the owner uses only the best ingredients. Goods and labor are more expensive and have been for a while, it’s seen at every food establishment and grocery store, not sure why one reviewer said it’s pricey. I paid $16 and I’m literally stuffed and happy. As a Waldo resident, I believe we need to support the small businesses here. Ya aren’t gonna find McDonalds prices there but you WILL find kind, interesting folks with diverse backgrounds, willing to share that diversity with you. I’ll be back to Papu’s more frequently, it’s awesome and the...

I ordered the Chicken Shawarma sandwich and a side of hummus. After I ordered, the girl behind the counter talked me into the “special”…chicken tikka over rice with veggies. “Sure, sounds good” I thought….it was going to save money since the hummus would be free. So I sat down, expecting to start hearing the sounds of sizzling meat, smelling the aromas of the fresh ingredients that they boast all over the store. What did I hear? “Beep, beep, beep, whirrrr”….the microwave being unceremoniously fired up with my food sitting inside a few of those cardboard takeout containers.

I immediately went up to the counter to ask if they microwaved their food. She said “yes, everyone does it, it tastes the same”. I said there is no way I am paying $15 for a “special” that is microwaved food. She then tried to talk me into the shawarma sandwich that I originally tried to order because it is “made fresh”. I had to ask her several times to give me my money back.

So this place has two problems: lying about making fresh food, and lazy employees who don’t want to do their job. I will...